06) Every Time I Die, Last Night in Town
Release Date: August 14, 2001
In 1998 two brothers from Massachusetts formed the Metalcore band, Every Time I Die. Their debut album, Last Night in Town, was recorded and produced by Killswitch Engage’s lead guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz by Ferret Music (turned Warner Music Group). ETID set out on tour with Killswitch Engage and Santa Sangre that same year following the album’s recording.
07) Adema, Adema
Release date: August 21, 2001
Adema’s mid-2001 self-titled release caught the nu-metal world by storm. The album was headlined by three standouts in “Giving In,” “Freaking Out,” and “The Way You Like It,” helping to propel the album to gold status. The self-titled album remains their best-selling album to date. Mark Chavez, the half-brother of KoRn’s Jonathan Davis, has sadly left since but has left the band in good hands with Ryan Shuck (of Orgy and Julien-K fame) taking the helm. In August 2021, the band released a new single, “Ready To Die,” from their upcoming album 360 Degrees Of Separation.
08) Chimaira, Pass Out of Existence
Release Date: October 2, 2001
Perhaps a change of the times, Chimaira’s first studio album is a far departure from their future outings. The band, better known now for their groove metal, seems like an almost entirely different band appears on the decidedly more nu-metal tracks populating Pass of Existence. That’s not to speak negatively of the album, though. While the band’s sound matured and became heavier over the years, their first effort was still a well-received debut. Even vocalist Mark Hunter has gone to call the sampling in the album “Ear Candy,” and future albums showed he and the band needed something meatier to sink their teeth into. As a result, Chimaira’s style has changed throughout the last two decades. Sadly, the band has since disbanded. There were talks of a reunion in 2020; the worldwide pandemic put those plans on hold.
09) Ill Niño, Revolution Revolución
Release Date: September 18, 2001
Ill Nino might have gained a different look shortly after their 2001 release of Revolution Revolución with guitarist Marc Rizzo leaving to form Soulfly and drummer Roger Vasquez going before the band’s follow-up attempt Confession (2003). Still, the pieces were in play for the New Jersey nu-metal stars. The group’s Latin roots showed strong, with a mix of Spanish and English lyrics luring fans in. ” Unreal” and “What Comes Around” stand out as must-hear tracks sure to still have you banging your head 20 years later. Earlier this year, Ill Nino gave fans a glimpse of what’s to come in their seventh studio album, IllMortals, with the release of a video for the new track “All or Nothing.”
10) Tenacious D, Tenacious D
Release Date: September 25, 2001
More heavy metal in spirit than in execution, the duo of Jack Black and Kyle Gass first unleashed hell on fans in 2001. The twosome’s first album quickly became a favorite among heavy metal fans, thanks in part to a tribute to Dio in a track of the same name. Other tracks, including “Tribute,” “Wonder Boy,” and “F*ck Her Gently,” have become timeless comedy classics. The band employed the help of Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Phish’s Page McDonald to give the album some legitimacy in the music world. Two decades have passed, and Black and Gass are still proving the “D” is still as tenacious as ever and still devilishly good.
11) Andrew WK, I Get Wet
Release Date: November 13, 2001
From the start, it was evident that Andrew WK wanted to party. I Get Wet marked W.K.’s first studio album, and the party anthem “Party Hard” can still be rehearsed from memory today. With the unforgettable image of W.K.’s bloodied face gracing the cover, the album won over fans and critics alike, with Rolling Stone calling it “The loudest and funniest metal you’ve heard in ages.” Of course, some parties become an all-nighter, maybe even stretch into a weekend or longer. However, W.K.’s has been going for twenty years strong and shows no signs of slowing down.
