Alternative Rock Albums - Page 2

An independent-era single on Gump Records, released before the major-label debut: the title song with "スリル" and "Summer Drive".

The Hunting Party puts Linkin Park’s guitar-led aggression, fast beats and urgent vocals at the front.

The debut by the English duo Royal Blood, from August 2014: bass and drums only, and number one in Britain.

Queens of the Stone Age's sixth album, from June 2013: their first American number one, with Dave Grohl, Elton John and others on it.

Living Things condenses Linkin Park’s heavy guitars, electronic beats, rap and melodic singing into short, sharp songs.

Choice of Weapon uses thick riffs, psychedelic echo and distinctive vocals to create mature alternative hard rock.

Deafheaven's debut, released by Deathwish Inc. in April 2011: four songs, recorded in four days.

The second Alcest album, from March 2010: further into shoegaze, and with the black metal voice back in it.

Killing Joke's thirteenth album, out in September 2010 and the first in twenty-eight years recorded by the original four.

A Thousand Suns, Linkin Park's fourth album, moves into a concept-driven world of electronics and interludes built around nuclear war and social crisis.

Minutes to Midnight moves beyond Linkin Park’s earlier reliance on rap and heavy riffing toward direct rock songs and quieter emotion.

Queens of the Stone Age's fifth album, from June 2007 and their last for Interscope. Josh Homme called the sound dark, hard and electrical.

Born into This compresses the Cult’s thick riffs and airy, psychedelic atmosphere into focused songs.

Velvet Revolver's second and last studio album, produced by Brendan O'Brien and released on 3 July 2007, entered the Billboard 200 at number five.

Lifelover's debut album, issued by GoatowaRex in July 2006. It is the first record of what the band called "narcotic metal".

My Chemical Romance's third album, from October 2006. It is a concept album about a man with terminal cancer known as The Patient.

Queens of the Stone Age's fourth album, from March 2005, made after Nick Oliveri's departure and with Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo newly in the band.

Velvet Revolver's debut album, released by RCA on 8 June 2004, entered the Billboard 200 at number one and was certified double platinum.

Coheed and Cambria's second album, issued by Equal Vision on 7 October 2003. It is the second instalment of the Amory Wars tetralogy.

Meteora compresses hard guitar, electronic beat and the contrast of rap and singing into short, dense songs.

Queens of the Stone Age's third album, out on 27 August 2002. Dave Grohl plays the drums, and the record is loosely framed as a drive out of Los Angeles into the desert.

Beyond Good and Evil wraps Billy Duffy’s sharp riffs and Ian Astbury’s commanding voice in a dense, hard modern sound.

Hybrid Theory fuses rap, rock and electronic texture into a debut that captured a generation’s tension and vulnerability.

Furnished Souls for Rent blends Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar imagination with groove, pop instinct and a loose band feel.

Queens of the Stone Age's second album, out on 6 June 2000. It is the first to feature bassist Nick Oliveri and the singer Mark Lanegan.

Mourning Widows combines sharp guitar cutting, thick groove and alternative-rock shadow around Nuno Bettencourt’s playing.

Queens of the Stone Age's debut album, from September 1998, made by Josh Homme after the end of Kyuss with Homme playing most of the instruments himself.

Rotator uses the agility of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy’s three-piece format to balance shifting rhythm with broad melody.

Dizzy Mizz Lizzy captures DIZZY MIZZ LIZZY at a point where the later image is not yet fully fixed.

Luna Sea's fourth album, out on 26 October 1994. It reached number two on the Oricon chart and was certified platinum, and it settled the band's standing.

The Cult finds THE CULT in a phase that places hard-rock riffing and a 1990s alternative sensibility inside Bob Rock's weighty production.

Nirvana's second album, released by DGC on 24 September 1991. It is the first record with drummer Dave Grohl, and Butch Vig produced it.

Pearl Jam's debut, released by Epic on 27 August 1991. It was recorded at London Bridge Studios in Seattle with Rick Parashar.

Ceremony builds a longer, more shadowed song world around Billy Duffy’s thick guitar and Ian Astbury’s deep vocal.

Sonic Temple expands the Cult’s dark sense of style into larger, more direct hard rock.

Jane's Addiction's major-label debut, recorded at Eldorado in Los Angeles in January 1988 and released by Warner Bros. on 23 August that year.

Electric strips away much of the Cult’s earlier ornate atmosphere and places thick riffs and dry beats at the front.

Love by THE CULT: track list, Spotify player and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Dreamtime gathers post-punk tension, gothic shadow and psychedelic lift into the Cult’s distinctive debut.