Tag: apocalyptic anniversaries

We look back at Korn’s landmark 1998 album “Follow the Leader” on its 20th anniversary and in advance of some special live shows the band will be performing this fall.

A landmark album in the band’s career.

Why was St. Anger so controversial at the time of its release? Which parts of it hold up today and which parts do not? Why was the album such an important part of the band’s identity crisis at the time? Watch below to rehash this… umm… “classic,” sure, let’s call it that.  

What elements did the band bring to their metalcore base on this album that made it stand out at the time? How did the newly solidified lineup (with Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance joining the fold) improve the band’s sound? How did this album set the stage for the band’s future evolution?

How did the band’s new, more guitar-oriented style change their sound? How does the album masterfully mix speedier songs with slower ones? Why did this album in particular launch Bodom into the worldwide metal spotlight? And what about THOSE GUITAR SOLOS THO?!?!

How did the collaborative nature of writing on this record impact Maiden’s sound? What did the band’s newfound exploration into epic storytelling and more progressive songwriting do for their future direction? What would happen next after Adrian Smith’s departure?

It would end up being both Paul Gray and Joey Jordison’s final records with the band.

What made this album in particular so important to Machine Head’s career, especially as a precursor to the sonic expansion they’d explore on The Blackening? How well does it stand up today on its own merits? 

What elements made The Black Dahlia Murder’s music so fresh and innovating when Unhallowed came out? How did the band’s wide palette of influences from both the old and the new go on to define a generation of metal?

A classic, sure — but does it truly get the acclaim it deserves?

Celebrate the 15th anniversary of this monumental album. R.I.P. Warrel Dane.

What made Whitechapel stand apart from the deathcore pack when they first hit the scene with this album? What elements of their early sound portended how they’d evolve over time? Watch to find out. 

In hindsight, where did “Individual Thought Patterns” fit in amongst Death’s storied catalogue? What made it so special in the first place?

BTBAM’s sophomore album came out 15 years ago.

A pioneering thrash metal classic.

We take a look back at System of a Down’s landmark debut album, which turns 20 years old in 2018.

The album that saw Opeth begin their transition from death metal to prog rock.

We take a look back at Slayer’s fourth album 30 years after its release!

How did this landmark album push both Lamb of God and the entire metal genre forward when it was first released? Where does it stand amongst Lamb of God’s entire catalogue? 

We take a look back at Nile’s ground-breaking, Egyptian-themed death metal classic.