Top 10 Best Metal Bands of the 1990s
Pantera was an American heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul. The band started out as a glam metal act in the 1980s with little success. After discarding their original lead vocalist and enlisting Phil Anselmo, the band signed a major record deal with... read more Pantera is the best metal band of all time! Dimebag Darrell is by far the best guitarist! I think they basically saved heavy metal. I'm so grateful for this band. I especially love "Cemetery Gates" and all the pinch harmonics in this song.
It's a huge loss, the tragedy that happened. A loss for the family and friends of Dimebag Darrell and for the fans. He could never be replaced. Love you, Dime. I pray that you're making Jesus happy with your amazing talent, and when I get up there, I hope to be lucky enough to hear you play again. God bless you, Dimebag.
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Their first album, Morbid Visions presented a proto-black metal sound with Wagner Lamounier of Sarcófago. Sepultura's sound varies by the album, from thrash metal, groove metal, and even death metal. I'm so happy to see them at No. 2. Everything they released when both Cavaleras were in the band was top-notch, even Roots, which most people hate because it was a borderline nu-metal album.
Sepultura's first six albums are on my go-to list for what to listen to on any occasion.
Sepultura is the best band. They brought many innovations to metal at the time.
Metallica is an American Heavy/Thrash Metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup was James Hetfield (Vocalist and Rhythm guitarist), Dave Mustaine (Lead Guitar), Lars Ulrich (Drums), Ron McGovney (Bassist). The group came into mainstream from their Self-Titled album and the hit single "Enter Sandman"... read more Metallica is the best metal band of all time, no question. I know Dimebag Darrell's death artificially inflated Pantera's fame, but in reality, they are still far behind Metallica.
Metallica rivals Iron Maiden and Megadeth in the number of catchy songs per album but has much better marketability. Only Metallica can get their music played on radios nationwide!
Their 90s output is extremely underrated. Highly original music. Especially Black Album and Garage Inc. stand out as masterpieces. Load is also packed with brilliant songs.
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Megadeth was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine was fired from Metallica. They have released 15 studio albums to date, and have gone through many lineup changes, with Dave... read more The 90s was the greatest decade for Megadeth. "Rust In Peace," "Countdown to Extinction," and "Youthanasia" are great albums with fantastic songs. Now, here's what I think about the top of this list:
First, I saw that this is a list of the best metal bands of the 90s! So, why are Metallica (after the "Black Album," they wrote nothing good) and System of a Down (they gained popularity in the 21st century) ranked so high?
Second, Alice In Chains is a grunge band, not metal. If we're counting grunge as metal, where are Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana?
Third, I think that Biohazard and Meshuggah don't deserve to be in the top. They are not as great as Metallica, Pantera, Korn, Megadeth, Judas Priest, etc. That's why I think Megadeth deserves to be in the top 3 on this list (along with Pantera and Korn).
Death was an American death metal band formed in 1983 by Chuck Schuldiner. Death is considered to be one of the most influential bands in heavy metal and a pioneering force in death metal. Its debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, has been widely regarded as the first death metal record, while the band's... read more Pioneers of death metal and modern metalcore. They incorporated progression, death metal, and melody. Pantera and Death are the most influential bands in the metal genre from the '90s, aside from maybe In Flames. They deserve a top 3 spot.
Death put out four of the finest metal albums of all time in the 90s.
Had to vote for this, seeing it was only #4. Human, Individual Thought Patterns, Symbolic, and The Sound of Perseverance are all masterpieces, and Spiritual Healing is very good as well.
Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by David Isberg, who invited Mikael Åkerfeldt into the band as a bassist. Isberg ended up leaving the band, which led to Åkerfeldt becoming the band's vocalist, guitarist, principal songwriter, and driving force... read more As AllMusic reviewer Chris True once wrote: "Essentially, Opeth's perceived weaknesses would be pivotal moments for any other band."
So influential, musically unmatched in their first five albums. Not even The Beatles have a more consistent track record. There is absolutely *no* bad song by Opeth, only changes in musical style and focus that leave some fans uninterested or unwilling to expand their horizons.
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres. Heavily influenced by Queen, they use the technique of overdubbing. They also incorporate large... read more Such an underrated band in the States. They're personally my favorite band of all time.
Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, with the addition of Ray Luzier, who replaced the band's original member, David... read more Korn should be number 1! Metallica is awesome, but the Black Album was the only great thing they produced in the 90s. Pantera also deserves to be high on the list, but Korn started in the 90s. All their music from the 90s was great, and they created a whole subgenre of metal that became mainstream in the late 90s and early 00s. Given their great music and gigantic influence in the 90s, they should definitely be number 1!
Korn is like top 15 for the '90s. Their debut was amazing, and Life Is Peachy is really dope. The other stuff was cool too, though.
Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. What can I say? While bands like Metallica were rediscovering and/or reinventing themselves, Alice In Chains was ushering in a new era of metal. They dropped the theatrical shock-and-awe and politically driven style for straight-up dark and gloomy, death-tinged metal.
Their music took us from the plateaus of drug-induced highs to the dark caverns of withdrawal, from the bleak flatlands of utter despair to the bone-filled graveyard of resigned antipathy.
I like Megadeth and Metallica as much as the next guy, but Alice In Chains was one of the most defining bands of the 90s, regardless of genre. I admit that bands like Pantera and Metallica had faster riffs, but the darkness and eeriness of Alice In Chains were more memorable in my eyes.
Tool is an American alternative metal/progressive metal band, that was formed in 1990.The band is set together between Maynard James Keenan (Vocals), Danny Carey (Drums), Adam Jones (Guitar) and since 1995 Justin Chancellor (Bass).
The band is known for their influences from electronic... read more
Tool and Pantera. Ænima is like the best album ever. Such great material. Undertow was dope with tracks like Sober and Prison Sex on the radio. And Ænima, in my opinion, is the best album of all time. Definitely a top 3 metal band of the '90s.
Nothing beats this for me. The experimental music and the combination of East meets West are everything. The sound in the music is amazing, and the lyrics transform your mind, body, and third eye.
Just listen to Ænema in its entirety. Mind-blowing, mellow, heavy, complex, and all-around pretty messed-up subject material.
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by vocalist and guitarist Robb Flynn and bassist Adam Duce. They have received great critical success especially for their album "The Blackening" which is considered a modern metal... read more Definitely should be higher. This guy's roars from the mic and his guitar playing are perfect for a live show. Best live shows I've seen.
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band was formed in 1985 under the name of "Majesty", only to change its name to Dream Theater later... read more Easily a top 3 spot. Without question, the best band in terms of musicianship on this list.
Can't imagine that Dream Theater is at this low spot!
Their two greatest albums were released in the 1990s: Images and Words and Metropolis Pt. 2.
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band that was formed in 1989. During the band's career, it has released nine full-length albums and has evolved through a succession of styles, including industrial metal, death metal, groove metal, and thrash metal. It was rare for metal bands in the 90s to innovate on the same level that Fear Factory did. Their 1995 release Demanufacture can easily be considered one of the best 50 albums in metal history and likely the top industrial metal album of all time.
They carved out their own definitive sound that could both soothe your mind with Burton C. Bell's melodic singing and viciously tear you apart like a starving bear seeing its first meal in weeks.
Fear Factory really brought something different to heavy metal. They were a unique hybrid, like if Optimus Prime and a skinless Terminator decided to pick up some instruments and create a crushing machine gun called Demanufacture.
Meshuggah is a Swedish progressive metal band from Umeå, formed in 1987. They are often considered the fathers or founders of the djent metal sub genre due to their use of downtuned guitars. They are also known for their song “Bleed”, which is known for its extremely complicated instrumentation,... read more Possibly the only band on this list whose influence reaches well beyond metal, from contemporary classical music to jazz.
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. It was formed in 1984 under the name Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer, and original drummer Greg Seymour. The band's music has also been described as thrash metal and power metal... read more
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte and Industrial Metal band consisting of Till Lindemann (vocals), Richard Kruspe (guitar), Paul Landers (guitar), Oliver Riedel (electric bass), Christoph Schneider (drums) and Christian Lorenz (keyboard), that formed in 1994 in Berlin ... read more Great songs, great music videos, great live performances. Best and most unique band ever, in my opinion.
Best foreign metal ever, with total roughness and great live shows.
Marilyn Manson is an American rock band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Formed in 1989 by frontman Marilyn Manson and Daisy Berkowitz, the group was originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with their theatrical performances gathering a local cult following in the early 1990s... read more
Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler.
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio.
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing. By 1997, he had recruited permanent members;... read more
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the big four of thrash metal bands, the others being Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax... read more THE best band ever! Danzig is my favorite band, but Slayer is better because they improved with each record. No song is a disappointment, and they never sold out or changed. Slayer is the best. RIP Jeff Hanneman!
South of Heaven is 36 minutes of heaven. Slayer should be considered one of the best due to their original style and sound. Araya's voice is terrifying! RIP Jeff Hanneman, a year younger than me and gone too soon.
System of a Down, formed in 1994, is an Armenian-American alternative metal group from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. They've always been a very political band since their inception. Often being against genocide and war most notably in songs like: Pluck,... read more System of a Down released their first single, "Sugar," in 1998 and still gained a lot of fame in the '90s, even though it was only in the last two years of the decade that they had the chance to rock out. The 8th spot is fine, I guess.
Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991, regarded as highly influential by critics and emerging black metal bands.
Cannibal Corpse is a American death metal band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1988. The band is known for their graphic album covers, explicitly violent lyrics and song titles like "I C** Blood" The group got into mainstream after performing the song "Hammer Smashed Face" in the 1994 film Ace Ventura:... read more
Kim Bendix Petersen, better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish heavy metal musician. He is known for his extensive vocal range, usually sung in falsetto. King Diamond was originally known as the vocalist for Mercyful Fate, but has become notorious for his horror themed Concept albums... read more King is the best storytelling metal of all time. His unique voice and theatrics have made him one of my favorite heavy metal artists. Andy's writing is second to none.