My Top-10 Groove Metal Albums Of All Time

This is my next top-10 list, this time rating groove metal albums and bands. As usual there is one record per band that gets to represent them as a whole, as good as it's possible. This particular genre was quite a challenge to put a list for. I love groove metal, which mostly reigned in the mid-90's, but this metal genre is probably the hardest genre to find good bands within. Believe me, I've listened to almost every single groove metal band that you can find out about, especially from the 90's, and it's really no wonder that most of them went by (totally) unnoticed - because most of them suck. But anyway, I manged to make a top-10 while even naming a few honorable candidates. Here it is:


#10: Farmer Boys - Countrified (1995)

My last spot was the most difficult to place, as usual. There are several album that are pretty equal to battle for this position, but I ultimately went with this one. This is a band whose name and lyrical themes aren't to be taken too seriously, obviously. Despite the shitty band name, the music on this debut of theirs is solid. It's kind of a gothic groove metal album. Think if The Gathering played groove metal, and you should quite nail it, I believe. That's why I gave this one the last spot on my list - because it's more unique than it's last-spot opponents.

#9: Hate Squad - I.Q. Zero (1995)

This album might be wrongfully placed on this to some metal purists, as it's a very hardcore-thrashing album, but I am not that conservative. I still think this album, and the band, fits in the groove folder. This is quite an intense album with lots of groovy hardcore-influenced thrash-riffing, a little like "Cowboys From Hell"-era Pantera. This album has got many solid tunes that gets me moshing and banging my head. The opening track is a neat underground 90's classic called "Not My God", which has later been covered by some modern, shit 'core band.

#8: Lamb of God - Wrath (2009)

One of the few modern bands that carry on today with what Pantera reigned with in the 90's. Again, some purists might not agree with the inclusion of LoG on this list. Many people consider them metalcore, but really. I've discussed this matter a number of times with my buds and we all agree on that Lamb of God is a groove metal band, not a metalcore one. Why? Well, metalcore to me is shit like Devildriver, All That Remains and whatever they're called - shit that I genuinely don't like. I don't think, at least I don't hear it, that LoG sound like them other metalcore bands. LoG is groove, and this album blew me away when it dropped in early 2009. I remember the day I bought it, like in the first week after its release. Good times, and groovy times as well.

#7: Fear Factory - Demanufacture (1995)

Here we've got a real 90's classic. This album was a pretty big success back in the mid-90's and one of Roadrunner Records' best-selling bands at the time, I believe. FF is categorized as industrial metal and they have a lot of those sound effects and atmospheres, but they're essentially a groove metal band musically. Focusing a lot on fast, machine-like and groovy drum rhythms, accompanied with great rhythm riffs and angry as well as clean vocals, FF is a good start of what would really influence the metalcore bands of the last ten years and more. But this was still the real deal back in the day. It's a damn good record. Unfortunately, FF didn't really keep up with any quality releases like this in the future, but this is enough of a great legacy, I guess. Their debut before this album is good as well, with more of a death metal sound.

#6: Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve (1995)

Sweden's Meshuggah, my kinsmen, is a truly unique band. Playing a groovy thrash/death kind of metal style with a lot of weird time signatures that I can't even discuss details about (because I know nothing about that stuff), they take their sound a make it sound huge. This album is a perfect record that stands the test of time. I was very modern and groundbreaking back in its day, but it's still just as fresh today. This album is one heavy motherfucker, and I suggest you put this on when you're fucking pissed off. You won't be disappointed!

#5: Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power (1992)

My favorite Pantera record for many years now, VDOP took the sound they introduced on the mighty "Cowboys From Hell", dropped the power metal influences and made it all more brutal and heavy oriented. The result is a perfection of groove metal. This is probably one of the, if not the most, obvious choice you can go with if you wanna discover the groove metal genre. Featuring classics like "Walk", "This Love", "Fucking Hostile" and "Mouth For War" that I take for granted that you all are familiar with, says enough. I don't need to give this album any boost. You should already know it.

#4: Coroner - Grin (1993)

One of my favorite bands, especially in the thrash metal folder, Coroner ended their full-length album span with this one. While their earlier releases were technical thrash, this one is certainly more groove oriented. However, they do not take a cheap shot at playing Pantera wanna-be's, but rather do it their own way with their unique sound and style. The result is great, and while many of their fans consider this album to be their least good, I can't agree with that. It's not their best, but not their least good either. It is, however, probably their most interesting record musically, as it's the most different album of their career. They would release a compilation album in 1995 with a few new tunes, which sound very much like the material on this masterpiece, if you're interested.

#3: Exhorder - Slaughter In The Vatican (1990)

Exhorder is a band that I give a lot of rightful credit to. Most metalheads haven't heard about them. What's sad about this great band is that they're more famous for being inventors of the style that Pantera got their breakthrough with. Many people including myself have researched within this matter, and Exhorder's late 80's demos clearly shows that Pantera must've "stolen" their sound, and simply got their stuff out first. Pantera became huge, Exhorder went by unnoticed. Such a shame, because this fucking album is of some crushing quality metal that Pantera never even were able to touch. This album is a groovy thrash classic like nothing else!

#2: Machine Head - Burn My Eyes (1994)

This is one of the genre's definite classics. To my ears, I've always thought that Machine Head sounded like a more hardcore-influenced, and maybe even groovier, version of Pantera. With drums inspired of jazz, funk and hip-hop, they get a kind of groove going that no other band here really has. With heavy riffing, angry vocals, and great compositions, Machine Head made their best record already from the start. I know some people might disagree with me on this, while many will agree as well, but I really prefer the sound they had going here than later on in their career. This is nothing less but a must-have for all metal fans. It's just that good. A classic.

#1: Face Down - Mindfield (1995)

My winner of this genre. This is an album I've reviewed here before as I like this band very much. Coming from my homeland Sweden, Face Down is something of a Swedish Machine Head (they were even called Machine God until "Burn My Eyes" was released in 1994), clearly drawing influences from them, Sepultura, Pantera and Slayer. The difference between Face Down and Machine Head, and the other bands of the genre as well, is that FD has a lot of that sweet Swedish death metal ingredient in their music. This, in my opinion, makes their music even heavier than the others. Essentially this is a groovy thrash/death album, also sporting some obvious industrial influences with its samples and keyboards, and the result is crushing! I simply love this damn album. It's awesome.


Honorable mentions:

Grip Inc. - Power Of Inner Strength
Sepultura - Chaos A.D.
White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000

My Top-10 Thrash Metal Albums Of All Time

Hello, it's been a while! I've been a little busy for the last few months. It was my birthday back in October, and pretty much everyone else I know has got their birthdays during fall as well. My music has changed yet again, too. Right now it's some thrash nostalgia roaring out of my speakers on a daily basis. Back in 2006 I used to be a hardcore 80's thrash fan - not just the big 4, but everybody else too. I used to listen so much to all those old classics, known as obscure, and I thought it would be fun to actually list like my ten favorite thrash records of all time, so I'm gonna give it a try even though it'll be fucking hard... I will also only choose one album per band that will represent them the best from my personal taste.

Oh well, here goes:

#10: Mordred - In This Life (1991)

I was unsure about including this one. It's one of my all-time favorite records, but as much as it's thrash, it's equally as much funk and rap metal. This album is kind of a Faith No More and (the) Red Hot Chili Peppers meet Bay Area-thrash sounding product, which alienated many closed-minded thrash fans back in the day. I love it though, but I leave it here at the last spot to focus on the more "pure" thrash masterpieces further down.

#9: Metallica - Ride The Lightning (1984)

Yeah, I tried avoiding Metallica to not appear as "too obvious", but let's be real here: I can't deny the fact that they actually were fucking awesome back in the day. They, along with Megadeth and Slayer, were basically the soundtrack of my life during 2004-2006. This was always my favorite album of theirs, even though I later fell in total love with "...And Justice For All". This was the perfect middle-step between to other awesome albums, bringing the best of what was on "Kill 'em All", and the best of what was yet to come on "Master Of Puppets". I always thought James sounded best vocally on this one as well.

#8: Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? (1986)

This is like my old girlfriend of 2006. I listened to this non-stop after discovering it and the band as a whole. Back then I'd most likely place this as my number one record of all time, and I think I even did that everywhere back then. However, as the years went one I broke-up with it to try on other metal genres and bands, but I still listen to it now and then. Even though it's not really what it used to be for me, it's undeniably an immortal classic that I will have in my thrash heart forever, and if nothing else, it will also be the ultimate album associated with the memories of the 15-16-year-old me.

#7: Overkill - Horrorscope (1991)

With many awesome classics before this one, and many great fucking albums after this one, it's hard to choose one, but this is the one. This was my first Overkill record and I bought it spontaneously. That turned out to be a great call for me! This album is as perfect as it gets with Overkill, I suppose. The tunes are all great with intense energy and thrashiness. It always gets me going. I also totally dig what they did with many tunes here, some examples being "Bare Bones" with it's haunting piano intro building into an epic kick-ass opening to the song itself, the slow and heavy title-track with some neat fucking bass guitar, and the ballad-esque "Soulitude" which is just amazing. An album perfect for moshing!

#6: Sepultura - Beneath The Remains (1989)

Back in late 2006 and early 2007, Sepultura was one of my absolute favorite bands (they still are). I bought their albums in the same order as they came out, starting with "Morbid Visions" and the "Bestail Devastation" EP. It was good and all, but when I heard "Schizophrenia" I was sold! I did not think it could get any better after that, and then I bought this one. Damn. This album is a pure Brazilian thrash assault that I used as a major influence in my drum practicing. Igor Cavalera just got better and better with each album, and this album was to much help for me back then. Now after all these years, with some of them favoring "Arise", I have gone back to this one which is my favorite Sep-album. I love everything about it - the riffs, drums, vocals, energy, sound/production, album cover - everything!

#5: Cro-Mags - Best Wishes (1989)

Originally a NYC hardcore band, Cro-Mags evolved into a thrashy band on their second album. Think a little like an east-coast version of Suicidal Tendencies - darker, dirtier, angrier, more hardcore. This album in particular of theirs is a very cool mix of that New York City hardcore punk mixed with traditional NWoBHM, essentially resulting in a thrash metal album. This album is very much "alive" in its sound, with that raw hardcore-punk energy certainly being present at all times, which gives this album a real good punch-y thrash sound. I also love the guitar and drum sound on this one. It's fat and heavy. Very good album that every thrash fan should have.

#4: Coroner - No More Color (1989)

One of the few well-noticed European thrash bands back in the day, Coroner from Switzerland was what most thrashers called "technical thrash metal", or "tech thrash". I love what they did with their sound, which certainly is unique compared to most other thrash acts. All of their five albums are masterpieces in their own right to my ears, but this one is my most favorite one. The songs here are just perfect in both sound and style, with great riffing, shredding and composing. This album always works perfectly for me when the Bay Area-sound comes in too much at once.

#3: Dark Angel - Darkness Descends (1986)

I don't think that there is a thrash album out there that I've given more rightful credit than this one. Released in the golden thrash year of 1986, this is the real "Reign In Blood", or rather what that album has been wrongfully acclaimed for. In my opinion, this album takes the same concept (extremely fast thrash songs) but just does it so many times better. This album is very fast, at times even faster than RIB, but with full-length tunes, and actually more than two good ones. This one even has got an eight-minute epic called "Black Prophecies" with some great drum fills by my favorite drummer Gene "The Atomic Clock" Hoglan. This album is pure speed-thrash, if I may call it that, in true perfection!

#2: Testament - The New Order (1988)

Testament, my overall favorite thrash band, has made a lot of great records during their career, so it's hard choosing an album of theirs as the definite favorite. This has to be it, though. The first song I ever heard with Testament was "Trial By Fire", my favorite Testament tune since then, and the whole album is heavy, thrashing and hauntingly dark in its atmosphere. I just find it an extremely solid metal masterpiece. I was totally sold on their stuff after hearing this album in its full, and still I find it the most relevant record song-wise when I listen to several of my favorite Testa-tunes in one run.

#1: Anthrax - Persistence Of Time (1990)

I had a hard time actually choosing between this one and "Spreading The Disease", which pretty much is equal in quality to me. I ultimately chose this one because it's more technical and musically interesting, and I'm more influenced by this as a musician than I am by STD. This one also shows that Anthrax was very capable of making long and (more) complex tunes, without losing any energy and quality. Songs like "In My World", "Time", "Belly Of The Beast", and "Discharge" have been played a lot of times throughout the years at my place. I just never get tired of this masterpiece album! Oh, and they also recorded their cover of "Bring The Noize" during this album's recording sessions, which shows even more that they had evolved so much through the 80's.