Death Metal 1990s Albums

Burning Bridges links weighty riffs, fast cutting lead guitar and harsh vocals in Arch Enemy’s aggressive melodic-death approach.

Projector expands Dark Tranquillity’s melodic-death language with clean vocals, piano and a pronounced gothic shade.

Opeth's fourth album, from October 1999, and the first with the bass player Martin Mendez.

Stigmata is an early Arch Enemy record that combines cutting riffs, expressive lead guitar and harsh vocals.

Gorguts' third album, issued by Olympic Recordings on 23 June 1998. It pushes dissonance and experiment to their limit inside technical death metal.

Opeth's third album, from August 1998, the first on which every song runs under ten minutes and the first built as a single story.

Sepultura's seventh studio album, from 1998, the first with Derrick Green singing and the one Kodo play on.

The Mind’s I combines cutting guitar, low growls and melancholy melody in Dark Tranquillity’s early sound.

Black Earth is the early Arch Enemy blueprint: cutting riffs, mournful twin-guitar lines and raw vocals locked together with precision.

Carcass's fifth album, released in June 1996 after the band had already broken up, and their last record for seventeen years.

Cryptopsy's second album, issued by Wrong Again Records on 3 July 1996. This Canadian record is technical and brutal at the same time.

Opeth's second album, issued by Candlelight on 24 June 1996. Five songs run for sixty-six minutes, and it is the defining record of their early years.

Sepultura's sixth album, released in 1996. It carries recordings made in a Xavante village in Brazil, and it is the last with Max Cavalera.

At the Gates' fourth album, released on 14 November 1995: the last before their 1996 split, and a model for Gothenburg metal and for metalcore.

The Gallery precisely joins Dark Tranquillity’s raw death-metal texture to guitars rich in melancholy and melodic contour.

Death's sixth album, issued by Roadrunner on 21 March 1995. It keeps the technique and steps a long way towards melody, and it is where the band arrives.

Opeth's debut, issued by Candlelight on 15 May 1995. The band never made a demo; a rehearsal tape alone got them the contract.

Suffocation's third album, issued by Roadrunner in 1995. It recovers from a badly received predecessor and became the yardstick for its style.

Vader's second album, issued by Croon Records in 1995. It was taped at Modern Sound Studio in Gdynia and stands for Polish death metal.

At the Gates' third album, from 1994, the first with Martin Larsson: six tighter new songs and three live tracks, pointing to Slaughter of the Soul.

Darkthrone's fourth album, issued by Peaceville on 17 February 1994. It was made on a four-track recorder set up in Fenriz's bedroom.

At the Gates' second album, from 1993: made at Sunlight Studios with Tomas Skogsberg, the last with founding guitarist and songwriter Alf Svensson.

Carcass's fourth album, issued by Earache in 1993. It was recorded at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool, and it is the reference point for melodic death metal.

Skydancer finds DARK TRANQUILLITY in a phase that broadens early melodic death metal by setting layered melody and a dreamlike atmosphere against raw death-metal drive.

Darkthrone's third album, issued by Peaceville on 15 February 1993. It was written with the stated intent of making a pure black metal record.

Death's fifth album, out on 22 June 1993. Gene Hoglan and Andy LaRocque play on it, and it pushes the technical bent of the previous record further still.

Entombed's third album, issued by Earache in 1993. It puts the drive of hard rock into death metal and creates what came to be called death 'n' roll.

Sepultura's fifth album, released in 1993. It was made with Andy Wallace at Rockfield Studios in South Wales, and it is the record on which they step into groove metal.

At the Gates' debut album, released on Peaceville's Deaf Records imprint in 1992: dense, riff-packed and laced with violin.

Bolt Thrower's fourth album, issued by Earache in 1992. It was cut at Sawmill Studios that August and slows the band down sharply from the record before it.

Cannibal Corpse's third album, issued by Metal Blade on 22 September 1992. It is the last record made by the original line-up.

Carcass's third album, issued by Earache in 1991. It is the first with guitarist Michael Amott and the first the band recorded as a four-piece.

Death's fourth album, out on 22 October 1991. Two members of Cynic and bassist Steve Di Giorgio play on it, and it became the reference point for technical death metal.

Morbid Angel's second album, issued by Earache on 22 May 1991. It is slower than the debut and carries an audible debt to classical music.

Sepultura's fourth album, released in 1991. It was made at Morrisound in Tampa with Scott Burns, and it has been called the point at which their death-thrash reached its conclusion.

Suffocation's debut, released in 1991. It was cut over a week at Morrisound in Tampa that June and became the template for brutal death metal.

Death's third album, out on 16 February 1990. It drops the gore of the first two records for social subject matter and raises the level of playing a step, and it is the turn in the band's course.

Entombed's debut, recorded in under a week at Sunlight Studio in Stockholm in late 1989 and issued by Earache in the United Kingdom in 1990.

Obituary's second album, out on 19 September 1990. It was cut at Morrisound Recording in Tampa with Scott Burns producing, and it is one of the records by which Florida death metal is measured.