06) Morbid Angel, Covenant (Giant [N. America] / Earache [Europe]):
Covenant was a breakthrough for Morbid Angel and death metal as a whole. The album, which Rolling Stone deemed dark, chaotic and catchy, struck so much of a chord with listeners through MTV airplay that it was still the best-selling death metal album of the SoundScan era as of the early 2000s. Major labels tried to replicate that success by aggressively signing more death metal bands. The genre’s mainstream hype was short lived, but praise for Covenant remains, with RS including it at #75 on their list of 100 Greatest Metal Albums.
07) Death, Individual Thought Patterns (Relativity):
With Individual Thought Patterns, Death earned a smattering of late-career mainstream popularity, highlighted by the video for single “The Philosopher” becoming a staple on MTV’s rotation that year. Critics have called the album some of Chuck Schuldiner’s most creative, progressive and technical work.
08) Darkthrone, Under A Funeral Moon (Peaceville):
The band’s third studio effort, Under A Funeral Moon is part of their “unholy trinity” of albums transitioning their sound from death metal to an even darker, colder black metal. AllMusic called it “essential black metal listening” for its diverse songwriting and purposeful instrumentation.
09) Cynic, Focus (Roadrunner):
Coming out of the Florida death metal scene and thrown into the burgeoning worldwide metal scene helmed by Roadrunner Records, Cynic did a lot in their short time together. Their debut album’s jazz-meets-progressive metal sound was ahead of its time and hugely influential on many of the bands that would become popular a decade later.
10) Life Of Agony, River Runs Red (Roadrunner):
Debut studio effort River Runs Red brings together New York hardcore, gloom metal, grunge, punk and a tinge of hip-hop theatricality to make a provocative concept album that struck a chord with listeners. “Through And Through” landed a spot on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball, bringing them a wider audience and enhanced album sales. The album was included at #58 on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.
