United Kingdom Metal & Hard Rock Albums of the 1990s

Cathedral's fifth album, released in January 1999 and produced by Andy Sneap, with songs drawn from a Hammer horror film and The Omega Man.

Euphoria brings Def Leppard’s signature strengths back to the foreground: stacked harmonies, polished guitar work and hooks built for instant lift.

The Unforgiven builds on Michael Schenker Group’s melodic hard-rock strengths: sharp riffs, singing lead guitar and songs shaped around real emotional movement.

Paradise Lost's seventh album, released by EMI Electrola on 24 May 1999, with electronics ahead of the guitars: their most adventurous work yet, as the band said then.

The studio album that followed Everything Louder. The band's own album gallery files it under 2000.

Saxon's fourteenth album, released in 1999. It is the first with Fritz Randow on drums, though the opening Intro is Nigel Glockler's.

Regeneration is centered on unreleased material and offers another chance to hear Shy’s soaring choruses, lyrical vocal melodies and polished guitar work.

Anathema's fourth album, issued by Peaceville in 1998. Its title comes from a book about conspiracies, and its subject is trust.

Cradle of Filth's third album, issued by Music for Nations in 1998. It is a concept record following the legend of Elizabeth Báthory.

Abandon brings Deep Purple’s heavy organ, blues-minded guitar and flexible rhythm into a mature hard-rock statement.

Virtual XI builds an epic atmosphere through heavy riffs, bass-led melody and extended song structures.

Under Fire brings together forceful vocals, thick guitar and clear choruses in a melodic hard-rock setting.

Snake Bite Love was released on 10 March 1998, its sleeve drawn by Joe Petagno, who created the band's Snaggletooth logo. Victor issued the Japanese pressing as VICP-60315.

The sixth Praying Mantis studio album, released by Pony Canyon on 17 June 1998 as PCCY-01257 — the first with Tony O'Hora singing. Ten songs.

Electric Wizard's second album, issued by Rise Above Records in January 1997. It was made deliberately rough, and it is one of the far points of 1990s doom.

20th Century centers on John Sykes’s thick, singing guitar and his melancholy vocal character.

Loveland is John Sykes's second solo album, built around ballads rather than the hard-rock attack he was known for.

Jugulator brings lower, heavier guitar and forceful aggression to the front of Judas Priest’s restart.

Paradise Lost's sixth album, released on 14 July 1997: electronics to the fore, a top-ten album across much of Europe, and the occasion of a tour of Japan.

A fifteen-track studio album from 1997, closing out the stretch the band spent working around the German metal scene.

Saxon's thirteenth album, from May 1997. It is the first with Doug Scarratt on guitar, and he has held the second guitar chair ever since.

Endless, Nameless throws the Wildhearts’ strong melodic sense into noise, processed sound and ragged arrangement.

Restless Heart combines bluesy guitar, soft keyboard and David Coverdale’s deep, settled vocal presence.

Arena keeps Asia’s keyboard-led drama while widening the palette with acoustic guitar and percussion.

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

Cathedral's fourth album, released in October 1996. Recorded straight off a long tour with almost no preparation, it includes songs drawn from sci-fi.

Cradle of Filth's second studio album, from November 1996: the record that carried the band's name out of England, and a gothic black metal classic.

Purpendicular finds Deep Purple gaining a new set of gestures with Steve Morse on guitar.

Slang deliberately reduces Def Leppard’s grand polished sheen and turns toward lower, heavier guitar, dry rhythm and more inward-looking songs.

Written in the Sand is built carefully around Michael Schenker’s fluid, singing guitar voice and a melodic hard-rock framework.

Released on 15 October 1996, Overnight Sensation is the first album made by the three-piece of Lemmy, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee, after Würzel's departure.

Fishing for Luckies pushes The Wildhearts’ punk roughness, power-pop sweetness and long twisted structures into the same space.

Forbidden centers on Tony Iommi’s heavy riffs while bringing together the melodic side of the Tony Martin era and a harder mid-1990s edge.

Cathedral's third album, released in September 1995: the first with Leo Smee and Brian Dixon, with Tony Iommi playing guitar on "Utopian Blaster".

Dead Man’s Shoes places FM’s smooth harmonies and Steve Overland’s warm vocal at the center of restrained, blues-tinged hard rock.

The X Factor opens a new Iron Maiden chapter with Blaze Bayley, pursuing darker air, heavier weight and longer song structures than before.

Out of My Tree captures John Sykes’ cutting guitar and soulful vocal with a near-live sense of band chemistry.

Sacrifice, released on 27 March 1995, began the band's long association with SPV / Steamhammer of Germany and is the last album to feature Würzel, who had played guitar since 1984.

Ozzmosis pairs Zakk Wylde’s thick guitar work with Ozzy Osbourne’s unmistakably uneasy, vulnerable voice.

Paradise Lost's fifth album, issued by Music for Nations in 1995. It binds the shade of gothic rock to the weight of heavy metal in one thing.

The fifth Praying Mantis studio album, released by Pony Canyon on 19 August 1995 as PCCY-00794. Eleven songs.

Queen's fifteenth album, from November 1995: the last studio album, completed over four years by the other three around vocals Freddie Mercury left.

Stranger in Us All revives Rainbow through Ritchie Blackmore’s hard-edged riffs and folk-tinged melodic instincts.

A live album recorded in Japan. Gallagher has since said he had laryngitis when it was taped.

Saxon's twelfth album, from September 1995 and the last to feature Graham Oliver. It falls in a period of change in both the sound and the line-up.