Musically, 2017 starts great: on January, 13 (Friday, by the way) there will be new releases from such legends like Grave Digger and Sepultura. And I really hope that unlike in 2016 there would be less news about death.
But today I want to get back for 20 years, to the end of XX-th century and remember at least partially what had listened to in 1997. So, 20 albums released 20 years ago!
Let’s start from debuts, which were pretty plenty in 1997
Debut album from one of the brightest symphonic-metal bands. Tarja’s academic vocals, Emppu Vuorinen guitar, Jukka Nevalainen’s drums and of course mastermind Tuomas Holopainen. Golden line-up. By the way, in this album maestro Holopainen even sang some parties and subsequently sworn never to do it.
The first album, significantly different from subsequent band’s works: more instrumental, Robert Westerholt growls. Dark music atmosphere with appropriate lyrics. And charming Sharon den Adel’s voice, of course.
Than just Rhapsody (without «Of Fire»), where Fabio Lione and Luka Turilli are playing together. First chapter of five-albums-saga and a debut from talented Italians.
HammerFall – Glory To The Brave
Debut album from the band that proved that there is still a lot of to do in power metal. The album also contains beautiful ballad “Glory To The Brave” which is dedicated to all who had gone untimely.
Children Of Bodom – Something Wild
One more debut, now from Finnish «children» and for some reason it’s Alexi Laiho’s most unlikable album. According to himself, he wanted to play Yngwie Malmsteen’s style; in some way he did it.
German alternative/nu-metal band also started their career in 1997, released their debut LP Proud Like A God. Vigorous and quite heavy sound with Sandra Nasić original vocals made their job: the band deservedly received an admission, made their and gone off stage. After few years there was a comeback with reunion, but it’s quite another story.
Limp Bizkit – Three Dollar Bill, Yall$
Honestly, I can’t make it better than Deadpool.
HIM – Greatest Lovesongs vol. 666
Next debut is by sweet voiced Ville Valo and His Infernal Majesty. «Heartagram», «Love Metal», lots of female fans of all ages and Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” cover. Well, good course (marketing also, as well). Lets note «significance» and move further.
De facto it’s the band’s second album, but «officially» it’s a debut, professionally recorded for the first time and released by AFM records.
Debuts finished, so let’s move on to the «mastodons».
When Metallica released Load, it «stopped being metal» (oh, wait, was it in 1991, when Black Album was released? Or Metallica died with Cliff Burton?). Year after they release the second part – ReLoad, with the songs that weren’t included in Load. Well, let the haters think that «true Metallica it’s four first albums (in some, very stubborn cases – the first three)», there is “Fuel”, “Memory Remains” with Marianne Faithfull and “Unforgiven II” of course.
In 1997, as it was in 2016, Megadeth also released their album the same year with Metallica. Lyrics became less politician, the emphasis is on the band’s members own experiences and feelings. That’s why there are “Trust” and other great songs in an album.
Indeed, Whoracle, «the one and the only In Flames», to which fans require to return, was released 20 years ago. 20. We should live with that somehow.
Second album, that made Rammstein famous worldwide. Music became easier and «dancing», but in lyrics Till surpassed himself in his perverted fantasies. Also many cellulars had “Du Hast” ringtone.
The Offspring – Ixnay On The Hombre
The album wasn’t so commercially successful as previous Smash (guys recouped in a year by releasing Americana), but the sound got better, songs became diverse and playing techniques – higher. Honestly, I like it much more than its predecessor.
In 1995 Draconian Times was released, which lifted the bar very high. One Second tried to keep the band on the same level, and in some way it managed to do it.
In 1997 Blackie reconciled with Chris Holmes and as a result quite aggressive sound came out, not talking about the album’s name. Well W.A.S.P. weren’t themselves, if they won’t call an album like that. Nowadays Blackie is an exemplary Christian, but 20 years ago things were different.
This year Aerosmith are going off the stage: farewell tour and all the stuff (hope it wouldn’t be Scorpions story). But 20 years ago they were vigorous and recorded a great album with a song “Pink”. I guess everyone have seen this video on MTV that days (that was surely better in XX century).
The first album with Iced Earth vocalist Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens. The first album after seven years of silence. Guitars tuned lower, music is gone to thrash metal. Some fans expectedly didn’t accepted such changes, some fans liked it much. After that Tim will record one more album with Judas Priest, and later Metal God Rob Halford will return.
Dimmu Borgir – Enthrone Darkness Triumphant
Dimmu Borgir‘s third album that made the band unprecedentedly famous (especially for a sympho-black-metal band).
Varg «warmed with church fire» a little, Euronymous «accidently» died, so that was quite expected that citizen Vikernes will go to jail. There evil jailers didn’t gave him guitars, so he had limit himself with keyboards, on which he played two albums. Dauði Baldrs is the first album, that was released only two years after Varg recorded it by force of circumstances. Why inaudible accords played on cheap synthesizer is «true» – I don’t know. I guess you should ask «true» fans of TNBM.
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