The Nymphs
Artist: Nymphs

Since Nirvana's Nevermind pretty much killed glam-metal, the Nymphs' self-titled (and only) album might well be the last great glam-metal album. Released the same year as Nevermind, female lead singer Inger Lorre shares Kurt Cobain's sense of angst, a sense that was absent from most glam. In "Wasting My Days," Lorre sings, "Talk to myself, cuz... 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 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

Spit
Artist: Kittie
Community Score: 7.57

Brandishing a meatier, heavier sound than contemporaries Limp Bizkit and Korn, the London, Ontario quartet Kittie debuted with Spit in late 1999. These 12 emotionally brutal tracks exhibit high degrees of angry, brash, pro-feminist declarations, proving these young women learned well the lessons of predecessors Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and the... 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

The Fundamental Elements of Southtown
Artist: P.O.D.
Community Score: 7.55

With their full-length debut, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, POD (Payable on Death) shows considerable promise, crafting an album that flows from aggressive rap-metal to trippy, Beastie-styled reggae dub excursions. It may be all over the map, but give the group credit for trying a bunch of styles and pulling most of them off. At times,... Read More

Home
Artist: Sevendust
Community Score: 8.15

All too often, bands that have shown as much promise as Sevendust did on its self-titled debut album (which went gold) have fallen prey to the dreaded sophomore curse and failed to make good on that promise. But there are no signs of a sophomore slump on Sevendust's second album, Home, which like its predecessor, is as melodic as it is angry and... 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

The Murky World of Barry Adamson
Artist: Barry Adamson
Community Score: 10.00
Short Bus
Artist: Filter
Community Score: 6.68