SYMPHONIES OF DESTRUCTION

THE TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 1996

CRADLE OF FILTH

DUSK... AND HER EMBRACE

Cradle’s decadent, distinctly British take on black metal reached fruition on their second album. The starting point for what came afterwards.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY

WISEBLOOD

The culmination of their journey from hardcore snarlers to Southern-rock-infused metallers. Nice Papa Het cameo, too.

IN FLAMES

THE JESTER RACE

The Swedes recruited Anders Fridén for their classic second album, proving the Gothenburg Sound was no mere flash in the pan.

METALLICA

LOAD

Newly shorn and sporting eyeliner, Metallica backed off further from thrash metal here. Their most controversial album – and their most underrated.

NEUROSIS

THROUGH SILVER IN BLOOD

Former 80s crust-punks turned percussive, hypnotic sonic assault, and this was their pinnacle: metal reinvented as tribal ritual.

Pantera THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL

Tensions between a troubled Phil and his bandmates helped push the extremity levels on Pantera’s last great album.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

EVIL EMPIRE

Rage’s second album fanned the flames lit by their debut. Money men, arms dealers, shock jocks – all were in their sights.

SEPULTURA

ROOTS

The Brazilian quartet’s breathtaking musical vision came to full fruition here. A glorious epitaph for the legendary Max Cavalera era.

TOOL

AENIMA

Ritual magick, sacred geometry and the comedy of Bill Hicks combine on the prog-metal overlords’ breakthrough album. Like nothing before or since.

TYPE O NEGATIVE

OCTOBER RUST

Peter Steele fleshed out his band’s grandiose vision on their fourth album

– and wrote the perfect gothic pop song in My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend.