1993 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Objection Overruled finds ACCEPT in a phase that reasserts Accept’s core strengths after Udo Dirkschneider’s return: steel-edged riffs, communal hooks and forward-driving

Get a Grip finds AEROSMITH in a phase that joins the band’s blues-rooted roughness to a huge pop scale through heavier riffs and sharply defined vocal hooks.

Angels Cry captures ANGRA at a point where the later image is not yet fully fixed.

Set the World on Fire finds ANNIHILATOR in a phase that keeps Annihilator’s thrash urgency while moving toward larger melody and more clearly organized song form.

Sound of White Noise finds ANTHRAX in a phase that marks a transition for Anthrax, bringing heavier groove and darker vocal character into a thrash-built frame.

The Big Thrill finds AXXIS in a phase that polishes the uplifting drive of German melodic hard rock by combining open melodies with hard-edged guitar work.

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.

The Battle Rages On... finds DEEP PURPLE in a phase that puts Deep Purple’s heavy hard-rock riffing and tense ensemble work back in sharp focus.

Insanity and Genius finds GAMMA RAY in a phase that frames Gamma Ray’s fast German-metal drive and singable melody with a firmer riff attack.

The Spaghetti Incident? finds GUNS N' ROSES in a phase that reconnects Guns N’ Roses with the raw impulses of punk, glam and garage rock through a wide-ranging cover set.

Mood Swings finds HAREM SCAREM in a phase that joins sophisticated arrangement, shadowed harmony and powerful singing to present a mature statement of melodic hard rock.

Desire Walks On finds HEART in a phase that moves Heart into a harder early-1990s rock frame by combining tactile guitar weight with dramatic vocal presence.

Chameleon finds HELLOWEEN in a phase that steps away from Helloween’s familiar speed-metal frame to test keyboards, acoustic color and pop-minded melody in many direction

Nothin' but Trouble is a useful way to hear JOHN SYKES from a different angle within the 1993 catalogue.

Psychoschizophrenia finds LILLIAN AXE in a phase that keeps Lillian Axe’s melodic hard-rock instinct while stepping into darker texture and more complicated emotional mov

Hanging in the Balance finds METAL CHURCH in a phase that keeps Metal Church rooted in traditional-metal weight while adding more songful movement and contemporary hardne

Bump Ahead finds MR. BIG in a phase that places Mr. Big’s exceptional musicianship beneath a softer melodic instinct and varied early-1990s arrangement.

Games People Play finds PINK CREAM 69 in a phase that combines Pink Cream 69’s large melodic-hard-rock hooks with heavier guitar and more shadowed songwriting.

Native Tongue finds POISON in a phase that adds blues, funk and soul texture to Poison’s familiar glossy hooks, showing a broader musical side.

Terrified finds QUIET RIOT in a phase that keeps Quiet Riot’s direct hard-rock momentum while leaning toward harder 1990s guitar tone and darker melody.

The Missing Link finds RAGE in a phase that layers heavy riffing, dramatic movement and introspective color onto Rage’s speed-metal sharpness.

Nightbreaker finds RIOT in a phase that introduces a new vocal presence while carrying Riot’s sharp traditional-metal riffs and large melodies into a harder modern frame.

Counterparts finds RUSH in a phase that keeps Rush’s advanced musicianship while shifting emphasis toward drier guitar, thicker rhythm and more direct song delivery.

Face the Heat finds SCORPIONS in a phase that keeps Scorpions’ large melodic sense while taking in harder riffs and the social tension of the early 1990s.

North from Here is a useful way to hear SENTENCED from a different angle within the 1993 catalogue.

Genesis finds TALISMAN in a phase that naturally joins Talisman’s technical rhythmic feel, bluesy guitar and expansive singing into a polished hard-rock statement.

Earth vs The Wildhearts captures THE WILDHEARTS at a point where the later image is not yet fully fixed.

Pull finds WINGER in a phase that keeps Winger’s melodic-hard-rock skill and song sense while moving into heavier guitar, intricate rhythm and a more inward atmosphere.