Top 15 Underrated 90's Metal Albums
The 90's was a weird time for metal/alternative albums, it produced some legends and some ratrocities in equal measures. Here is my top 15 most underrated/overlooked albums from that rdecade, in order! |
| 15 |  | Melvins
Honky
(1997) After being dropped by Atlantic due to the declining popularity of alternative bands in the mid nineties, Melvins
abandoned all of their accessible sensibilities picked up on the big label releases and put out the little heard, Honky. It's one of
the bands most inaccessible and experimental albums as it often dabbles with electronics and protracted passages of ambience.
Underneath this though, is the typically slimy Melvins sludge. |
| 14 |  | Death
Spiritual Healing
(1990) Usually regarded as the worst Death album, but it definitely isn't. Spiritual Healing showcases some hints at a more
technical sound (that would fully emerge on later releases) and never lets up its manic intensity from start to finish, not to
mention brandishing one the most terrifically insane album artworks in metal. Worth checking out for the title track alone. |
| 13 |  | Faith No More
King For A Day... Fool For A Lifetime
(1995) Overall reception may have been kinder to this over the years but it is still sometimes regarded as the dark horse in
Faith No More's back catalogue. This is probably due to the bizarre and constant switch between genres (possibly attributed to
Trey Spruance of Mr Bungle filling in on guitar). Here we've got Faith No More trying gospel, post-punk, jazz, heavy metal,
country and succeeding on all accounts with their usual flair and we also get to hear the entire spectrum of Patton's vocals
from solemnly crooning to choking on his own phlegm. |
| 12 |  | Deconstruction
Deconstruction
(1994) A little known side project featuring Dave Navarro and Eric Avery of Jane's Addiction released after their initial split. This
is pure rock experimentalisation of the highest order and something of a cult classic. Can sometimes prove to be hard to get a
physical copy of! |
| 11 |  | Machines Of Loving Grace
Gilt
(1995) A band I discovered on the fantastic soundtrack to 'The Crow' that have sadly disappeared since. Their previous efforts
are more electronic orientated but Gilt is heavily guitar laden. It basically sounds like a less cheesy and leaner 'Pretty Hate
Machine'. |
| 10 |  | Prong
Prove You Wrong
(1991) Prong are generally known for their mid-nineties, more industrial orientated albums, 'Rude Awakening' and 'Cleansing' but
their earlier, less industrial albums are stronger and more memorable in my opinion. I've gone with 'Prove You Wrong' because of
the awesome Stranglers cover and simply because no one ever mentions it. |
| 9 |  | Solitude Aeturnus
Through The Darkest Hour
(1994) Thunderous epic doom metal and a prime example of where you wonder how the band weren't astronomically more
popular than they were. Top stuff. |
| 8 |  | Living Colour
Stain
(1993) Often considered one-hit-wonders for 1988's excellent 'Cult Of Personality' track, but Living Colour had so much more to
offer than that, including two great albums. Stain however, is the most neglected; it's definitely their heaviest and darkest
effort but still contains their melodic choruses and Vernon Reid's phenomenal guitar work. |
| 7 |  | For Love Not Lisa
Merge
(1993) Another great bands I discovered through The Crow soundtrack. A mix of grunge and hard rock to form a melodic and
hopeful sounding album. Another band that mysteriously were not more popular than they possibly should have been. Seriously
worth checking out. |
| 6 |  | Grotus
Slow Motion Apocalypse
(1993) I could have named any of the three Grotus albums and stressed how utterly brilliant they were but I've gone with Slow
Motion Apocalypse, my personal favourite. Their sound can be described as a head on collision between Butthole Surfers, Nine
Inch Nails and another Butthole Surfers. The only people who seem to listen to these today are the ones who wisely paid
attention to the Mike Patton 'Angel Dust' sessions interview where he praised the band greatly. Mind-bendingly good. |
| 5 |  | Butthole Surfers
Pioughd
(1991) Speaking of... this is widely considered as one of the Butthole Surfers dud albums but I fucking love it. Possibly scratch
a few 'Lonesome Bulldog' revisits and just be taken away by GARY SHANDLING! 'Barking Dogs' sounds like some sort of post-
apocalyptic war zone perceived through the ears of a meth addict yet also features some strangely cool guitar work. |
| 4 |  | Anthrax
Stomp 442
(1995) Many consider Joey Belladonna as the definitive frontman of this popular thrash outfit but the John Bush era proved to
be an effective and interesting mutation of the band, not to mention as heavy as fuck! When going into 'Stomp 442' after the
more well-received 'Sound Of White Noise' I was expecting a total flop of an album based on the reviews. This may not be
ground-breaking but hell, it is still a solid, crunching slice of 90's groove metal complete with ferocious drumming and stomping
riffs. Bush's snarled vocals fit this sort of music perfectly in my opinion. |
| 3 |  | Life Of Agony
Ugly
(1995) Keeping up the trend of 1995 and New York based bands. Life Of Agony set the bar high with 'River Runs Red' and fans
freaked out when the band toned it down a notch for the more emotional follow-up, 'Ugly'. This album is deceptively very
heavy, not in the same way as the double-kick thrash approach of 'RRR', instead it creeps up on you. Joey pulls out some
utterly pulverizing riffs and Caputo's voice is absolute perfection flowing over the top. |
| 2 |  | Ministry
Filth Pig
(1996) I probably lost all credibility long ago but Filth Pig is definitely my favourite Ministry album. To this day, it still doesn't sit
right with fans of the band because it's the polar opposite of 'Psalm 69'; it's a hell of a lot slower. Through the dragging riffs,
rumbling doom and sludge though, is an absolute masterpiece. The menacing title track, the mellow industrial reworking of 'Lay
Lady Lay' and the psychedelic doom monolith, 'The Fall' are all simply incredible |
| 1 |  | Motley Crue
Motley Crue
(1994) What I believe to be the most overlooked/underrated 90's metal album. Motley Crue was and always will be fronted by
Vince Neil and known for producing 80's glam metal, this album isn't Motley Crue. This album is a straight up heavy metal
belter that has since been criminally underrated, overlooked and discarded. By adding the gruff new vocalist plus an extra
guitar in John Corabi, the Crue were allowed to explore darker, heavier styles and subject matter. Check out the stomping
outro to 'Uncle Jack' or the blistering riff to 'Smoke The Sky'. The only problem with this album is the title because it ain't
really Motley Crue. |
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