Speed Metal 2000s Albums

Kreator's twelfth studio album, from January 2009 and the first since Pleasure to Kill recorded live in the studio.

The Everlasting is the twenty-second Loudness album, released on 27 May 2009. It was completed using drum tracks Munetaka Higuchi had recorded before his death the previous year, with his successor Masayuki Suzuki playing on some songs.

The comeback record after the long break that followed Mark Gallagher's injuries, and the first place it appeared was Japan, on King Records, on 25 March 2009.

Dominator by U.D.O.: track list, Spotify player and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

DragonForce's fourth album, from August 2008. It is the last record with the singer ZP Theart and the first with the bassist Frederic Leclercq.

Nostradamus finds Judas Priest building a double-album narrative around the life and myth of the prophet.

Metal Mad is the twenty-first Loudness album, released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 20 February 2008. It was the last studio record with Munetaka Higuchi, who died on 30 November that year at the age of 49.

Released on 26 August 2008 and a UK No. 32, Motörizer was the band's last album for SPV / Steamhammer of Germany. Official videos were made for "Rock Out", "Bullet in Your Brain" and "Life's a Bitch".

Carved in Stone pairs Peavy Wagner’s forceful voice and Victor Smolski’s varied guitar work with a blend of heavy metal weight and symphonic breadth.

Metal puts Annihilator’s love of heavy metal in the foreground through sharp riffs and changing arrangements.

Land of the Free II celebrates power metal’s sense of release through fast riffs and uplifting choruses.

Gambling with the Devil balances Helloween’s sharp speed-metal attack with melody-rich songwriting.

Overkill's fourteenth album, from October 2007 on Bodog Music, which reunited them with Jon and Marsha Zazula of Megaforce; Lamb of God's Randy Blythe guests.

Mastercutor joins thick riffs, marching rhythm, and Udo Dirkschneider’s instantly recognizable voice into a single hard-metal drive.

Blind Guardian's eighth album, released in September 2006: the first with drummer Frederik Ehmke, after founding member Thomen Stauch had left.

Breaking the Taboo is the twentieth Loudness album, released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 27 December 2006, and the seventh made since the original line-up reunited.

Kiss of Death was released on 29 August 2006. An official video was made for "Be My Baby", and a half-speed-remastered twentieth-anniversary edition followed in 2026.

Speak of the Dead places an orchestral suite beside direct heavy-metal songs, showing Rage at two different scales.

Army of One centers Riot on sharp twin guitars, forceful beat, and expansive vocal lines.

Schizo Deluxe centers Jeff Waters’s cutting guitar around fast rhythm and uneasy melody.

DragonForce's third album, out first in Japan in December 2005: the record whose "Through the Fire and Flames" reached the world through Guitar Hero III.

Majestic runs on fast guitar, bright melody and Kai Hansen’s forceful vocal drive.

Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy uses fast twin guitar, dramatic keys and Andi Deris’s voice to frame an expansive double-album statement.

Angel of Retribution puts thick riffs, sharp twin leads and Rob Halford’s high-voltage voice directly at the front.

Kreator's eleventh studio album, from January 2005, produced by Andy Sneap and the record that settled their return.

Overkill's thirteenth album, released in March 2005 after a Japanese edition in February: the last with Tim Mallare, their drummer since 1993.

Mission No. X puts thick guitar, solid beat and Udo Dirkschneider’s rough, singular voice directly up front.

All for You keeps Annihilator’s cutting guitar work and bold shifts in arrangement while bringing more singable melody to the front.

DragonForce's second album, from 2004, and the first with bassist Adrian Lambert and drummer Dave Mackintosh.

Racing is the nineteenth Loudness album, released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 25 November 2004. It brought back the band's classic logo, and an all-English version followed in 2005.

Rock Shocks is a self-cover album released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 27 October 2004, on which the reunited original line-up re-recorded the band's best-known songs of the 1980s.

Terror is the eighteenth Loudness album, released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 7 January 2004. Built around a theme of horror and dread, it is among the heaviest records the band has made, and the artwork carries the same theme.

Inferno was released on 22 June 2004. The following year the band won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance with their cover of Metallica's "Whiplash".

Thunderball runs on short, cutting riffs, an unshakable beat and Udo Dirkschneider’s unmistakably rough vocal character.

DragonForce's debut album, from 2003. It is a re-recording of a demo of the same name, cut when the band were still called DragonHeart.

Rabbit Don’t Come Easy returns Helloween to the pleasure of fast riffs, bright melody and choruses made to be sung.

Overkill's twelfth album, released in March 2003: Derek Tailer's arrival made them a five-piece again, and Colin Richardson produced and mixed it.

Soundchaser builds tense power/thrash metal from cutting guitar, fast rhythm and heavy bass.

Waking the Fury pushes Annihilator back toward thrash-metal tension with intricate, cutting riffs at the front.

Blind Guardian's seventh album, from 2002, named after the Queen record: the first produced by Charlie Bauerfeind, engineer of Nightfall in Middle-Earth.

Biosphere is the seventeenth Loudness album, released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 4 September 2002 — the third record by the reunited original line-up.

Hammered was released on 9 April 2002. An official video was made for "Brave New World", and Victor issued the Japanese pressing on 22 May that year as VICP-61874.

Unity combines Rage’s weighty riffs, detailed rhythm changes and memorable vocal melodies.

Through the Storm carries Riot’s traditional-metal spirit through sharp guitar riffs, driving rhythms and forceful vocals.

Man and Machine uses hard-edged riffs, straight-ahead beats and Udo Dirkschneider’s steel voice to frame a world of humans and machines.

Carnival Diablos centers on Jeff Waters’s sharp riffs and technical guitar work while expanding thrash momentum through varied arrangements.

No World Order concentrates Gamma Ray’s speed, clear melody and forceful choruses into a highly focused power-metal record.

Demolition uses Tim “Ripper” Owens’s wide vocal range as Judas Priest explore several shades of heaviness.

Kreator's tenth studio album, from 2001, the record on which they returned to the thrash metal of the 1980s.

Pandemonium is the sixteenth Loudness album, released on 21 November 2001, just eight months after the reunited line-up's first record. All the music is credited to Loudness and all the lyrics to Minoru Niihara.

Spiritual Canoe is the first album by the reunited original line-up, released on 7 March 2001. It was the first time Takasaki, Niihara, Yamashita and Higuchi had recorded together since Jealousy in 1988.

Welcome to the Other Side adds intricate construction and shadowed melody to Rage’s hard riffs and power-metal drive.

Live from Russia captures U.D.O. onstage in Russia, combining the band’s own catalog with key songs from Udo Dirkschneider’s Accept history.

The Dark Ride darkens Helloween’s melodic-metal palette with heavier guitars, tighter rhythms and a more shadowed vocal approach from Andi Deris.

Released on 15 May 2000, We Are Motörhead includes a cover of the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen"; official videos were made for it and for the title track.

Overkill's eleventh album, released in October 2000: made as a four-piece with Dave Linsk as the only guitarist, and mixed by Colin Richardson.