United States Metal & Hard Rock Albums of the 2000s - Page 3

City of Evil combines intricate twin-guitar lines, restless rhythm and expansive vocals.

Deuce by BEAUTIFUL CREATURES: track list, Spotify player, music videos and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Between the Buried and Me's third album, out on 6 September 2005. It is the first record by the band's longest-lasting line-up.

Mafia anchors its sound in heavily distorted guitar, low groove and Zakk Wylde’s rough vocal character.

Have a Nice Day centers thick guitar, accessible melody and Jon Bon Jovi’s direct vocal delivery.

15 is built on simple, strong riffs, springing beat and Josh Todd’s rough-edged vocal delivery.

Darkest Hour's fourth album, out on 28 June 2005. It was their first to enter the Billboard 200, debuting at number 138.

Ten Thousand Fists gathers hard chugging guitar, striking beat and David Draiman’s singular vocal character.

Octavarium balances complex rhythm, fluent keyboard and virtuosic guitar with accessible vocal melody.

Shovel Headed Kill Machine charges forward on rapid chugging, sharp guitar and a snarling vocal attack.

Fear Factory's sixth studio album, from August 2005 and the last with Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers.

High on Fire's third album, issued by Relapse Records in 2005. Steve Albini produced it, and it is the only one with Joe Preston on bass.

Generations uses clear guitar, full keys and open, comfortable vocals to shape mature arena rock.

The Black Halo layers dark riffs and symphonic arrangement around Roy Khan’s expressive voice.

See You on the Other Side combines low surging guitar, programmed-feeling rhythm and Jonathan Davis’s uneasy vocal character.

The ninth L.A. Guns studio album, released by Shrapnel Records on 16 August 2005. Fourteen songs by the Phil Lewis and Steve Riley line-up, written around the memory of the Sunset Strip.

Lady Macbeth builds a dramatic setting from rich keyboards, fluent guitar and Lana Lane’s clear, expressive voice.

Nevermore's sixth album, from July 2005. Recorded in England with Andy Sneap producing, it is the record most often named as the band's best.

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

Space Ship One puts Paul Gilbert’s fluent guitar at the front while keeping the songs open and approachable.

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.

Us and Them combines hard riffs, steady rhythm and Brent Smith’s emotionally forceful voice.

The seventh album, the first part of what Vai calls a rock fable told across three records. Out 22 February 2005.

Of Love and Lunacy balances hard riffs and breakdowns with switching screams, clean vocals and subtle keyboard shade.

A studio album released in 2005, fifteen years after the one before it.

System of a Down's fifth album, out on 22 November 2005: the second half of the two-part work begun with Mezmerize, and their second number-one album that year.

System of a Down's fourth album, out on 17 May 2005: the first half of a two-part work completed by Hypnotize, and a number-one debut on the Billboard 200.

Miasma fires forward with rapid riffs, cutting guitar harmony and relentless harsh vocals.

Ascendancy drives forward on cutting riffs, hard rhythm and vocals that move between screams and clean lines.

Honkin’ on Bobo revisits blues standards as rough, living Aerosmith rock and roll.

This Darkened Heart introduces All That Remains through cutting riffs, raw vocals and racing rhythm.

The Greater of Two Evils revisits familiar material through the voice, production weight and arrangement sense of its recording period.

The Curse combines Atreyu’s sharp riffs, intense screams and highly singable choruses.

Hangover Music Vol. VI steps away from Black Label Society’s usual riff-heavy attack toward acoustic guitar, piano and melancholy melody.

The Art of Dying brings Death Angel back to the thrash-metal front through sharp riffs, shifting rhythms and tense vocals.

Dio's tenth and last studio album, released in Europe on 30 August 2004, brought back guitarist Craig Goldy and had Jeff Pilson on bass.

Hell to Pay is built around fluid guitar phrases, thick riffs and shadowed melody in a steady Dokken form.

Tempo of the Damned reasserts Exodus through slicing riffs, accelerating beats and a raw vocal attack.

FWX uses sharp guitar, restrained rhythm and shadowed vocals to create progressive metal that turns inward.

Fear Factory's fifth studio album, from 2004. It was made without Dino Cazares and reached number thirty on the American Billboard 200, their best placing at the time.

Jupiters Darling naturally places heavy-guitar rockers beside quieter songs shaped by acoustic texture.

Lost in the Translation centers on Jeff Scott Soto’s soaring, expressive voice while moving between hard rock, AOR and soulful nuance.

The tenth album, out on 13 April 2004, and the first since 1995 on which Satriani sings.

The End of Heartache tightly joins Killswitch Engage’s heavyweight guitars, urgent screams and soaring clean vocals.

Ashes of the Wake packs low, rolling riffs, sharply shifting rhythm and raw roars into overwhelming density.

The second studio album, a concept record drawn from Herman Melville's Moby-Dick and the band's last for Relapse Records. It opens with "Blood and Thunder".

The System Has Failed sharpens Megadeth’s identity through cutting riffs, shifting rhythm and Dave Mustaine’s distinctive vocal delivery.

The Weight of the World uses hard guitar riffs, heavy-footed beat and forceful vocals to push traditional heavy-metal weight to the front.

Jericho layers bright keyboards, firm guitar and dramatic vocals with great care.

Ministry's ninth album, out on 22 June 2004. Every song but Walrus takes a title beginning with W.

Neurosis's eighth album, from 2004. It pulls back the folk leanings of its predecessor and moves closer to post-rock, with more industrial textures.

Pig Destroyer's third album, issued by Relapse Records in 2004. Its subject is an obsession with an unnamed woman.

Pride of Lions' second studio album, from 2004 — twelve songs Jim Peterik has called an experiment towards more progressive, epic rock. Nexus released the Japanese edition first, on 27 October, as KICP-1030.

The War Within uses slicing twin guitars, heavy breakdowns and fierce vocals while still pushing memorable melody to the front.

Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) keeps Slipknot’s destructive riffs and urgent vocals while drawing in more melody, silence and strange texture.

Into the Now returns Tesla to the kind of rock and roll built on unadorned riffs, sturdy rhythm and seasoned vocals.

Still Hungry revisits songs from the Stay Hungry period with a more immediate, heavier performance feel.

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

The Neon God: Part 1 – The Rise uses heavy guitar, shadowed vocals and dramatic movement to tell the story of a central character.

The Neon God: Part 2 – The Demise takes the story begun in the first volume into darker, heavier territory.