Mr. Bungle
Artist: Mr. Bungle
Community Score: 8.94

To say that Mr. Bungle is unfocused is like criticizing a rapper for not being able to sing -- it may be true, but it misses the point of the music. Mr. Bungle is a dizzying, disconcerting, schizophrenic tour through just about any rock style the group can think of, hopping from genre to genre without any apparent rhyme or reason, and sometimes... Read More

Hot Animal Machine/Drive By Shooting - 1999 REISSUE
Artist: Henry Rollins

Hank roared out of the box with this, his first solo release after the demise of Black Flag. Recorded in England with friend and guitarist Chris Haskett, this is a less groove-oriented album than subsequent Rollins Band releases, but it is still one hell of a rock & roll record. The punishing opener "Black and White" and the cover of Suicide's... Read More

The Battle of Los Angeles
Artist: Rage Against the Machine
Community Score: 7.73

Rage Against the Machine isn't really the only metal band that matters, but their aggressive social and political activism is refreshing, especially in an age of blind (or usually self-directed) rage due to groups like Limp Bizkit, Bush, or Nine Inch Nails. Recorded in less than a month, The Battle of Los Angeles is the most focused album of the... Read More

Rev
Artist: Perry Farrell
Community Score: 10.00

Perry Farrell has been the singer of two groundbreaking, influential bands -- Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros -- so it was only fitting that a "best of" should be issued. The 1999 16-track compilation Rev included highlights and rarities from both outfits, as well as a pair of new solo tracks. While most of the expected songs are featured... Read More

The Gift of Game
Artist: Crazy Town
Community Score: 5.99

Crazy Town's debut album, The Gift of Game, is similar to many other rap-inflected alternative metal albums in that it concentrates on sound over structure, creating macho, aggressive grooves with grinding, noisily textured guitars and the underlying feel of squared-off hip-hop beats. Hooks can be a bit hard to come by, since this isn't music... Read More

Methods of Mayhem
Artist: Methods of Mayhem
Community Score: 6.88

Tommy Lee's first project since leaving Mötley Crüe in mid-1999, Methods of Mayhem's self-titled debut album lands squarely in the rap-metal camp, an area the Crüe never ventured into even for all its stylistic shifting of the mid- to late-'90s. But while the sounds are different, the Crüe's party-hardy sensibility remains, albeit filtered... Read More

The Bootlicker
Artist: Melvins
Community Score: 7.10

Bootlicker, the second installment of the Melvins' 1999 trilogy of albums, displays the lighter, more melodic side of the group's sound. Unlike its predecessor, The Maggot, there are clean and distorted guitar tones and a relatively laid-back feel, as on the song "Let It All Be." While not quite as eclectic as Stag, Bootlicker reaffirms the... Read More

Tonight the Stars Revolt!
Artist: Powerman 5000
Community Score: 7.40

Displaying an obsession with trashy science fiction, Tonight the Stars Revolt! maintains the forceful production of Mega!! Kung Fu Radio, mixing roaring heavy metal with electronics and sound effects. Even if the record sounds great, though, Powerman 5000 still has a hard time writing consistently memorable songs; while some tracks do take hold,... Read More

California
Artist: Mr. Bungle
Community Score: 9.31

Four years after Disco Volante, Mr. Bungle returns with California, which immediately distinguishes itself from its predecessors -- it's probably their most heavily orchestrated record to date and their most melodic overall, as well as the least dependent on rock styles. That's certainly not to imply that this is a tame or immediately accessible... Read More

A-Sides
Artist: Soundgarden
Community Score: 7.66

For an act that was one of the definitive album artists of the late '80s and '90s, Soundgarden was a surprisingly effective singles band. Their singles effectively conveyed all of their best ideas, from their sludgy early Sub Pop recordings to the elaborate, post-metal psychedelia of their last two albums, Superunknown and Down on the Upside.... Read More

1989-1999
Artist: Life of Agony

Not a career overview compilation, but a collection of previously unreleased material from throughout Life of Agony's tenure, 1989-1999 gathers 15 tracks that have never before seen the light of day on CD, including live performances, covers, and assorted outtakes. It's primarily a package designed for devoted fans, who will find plenty of... Read More