1994 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Great White's seventh studio album, released by Zoo Entertainment in May 1994, came with the bonus live disc Anaheim Live in the US.

David Lee Roth's fourth full-length album, released by Reprise on 8 March 1994 and produced by Nile Rodgers, ranges from country to reggae.

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.

Savatage's eighth album, released in August 1994, less than a year after Criss Oliva's death, with Alex Skolnick of Testament on lead guitar.

Overkill's seventh album, released in July 1994: self-produced, a return to fast thrash after the weight of its predecessor, and their last for Atlantic.

Cradle of Filth's debut album, from February 1994, and a then-unusual welding of gothic metal to black metal.

Nine Inch Nails' second album, out on 8 March 1994. It follows one man's disintegration from end to end, and it was made in a house in Los Angeles turned into a studio.

Emperor's debut, issued by Candlelight in 1994. Its orchestral keyboards made it the template for symphonic black metal.

Mayhem's debut, released in 1994. The writing began in 1987, and the record reached the public seven years later, after the suicide of its singer and the murder of its guitarist.

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.

Soundgarden's fourth album, released in 1994. It entered the Billboard 200 at number one, and "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman" both won Grammy Awards.

Kyuss's third album, issued by Elektra in 1994. It is the first with bassist Scott Reeder and the last with founding member Brant Bjork.

Burzum's third album, taped at the Grieg Hall in Bergen in September 1992 and released in April 1994. It holds four pieces.

Tiamat's fourth album, issued by Century Media on 1 September 1994. It leaves death metal behind and turns hard towards psychedelia and progressive rock.

Satyricon's debut, recorded in August and September 1993 and issued by Moonfog Productions. It brings medieval subject matter and folk instruments into black metal.

Luna Sea's fourth album, out on 26 October 1994. It reached number two on the Oricon chart and was certified platinum, and it settled the band's standing.

The fourth L.A. Guns studio album, released by Polydor / Mercury in 1994 with fifteen songs. Mercury issued the Japanese edition on 5 October 1994 as PHCR-1254. It is the band's last album of the PolyGram years.

Heavy Metal Hippies is the eleventh Loudness album, released in Japan on 21 December 1994. After Taiji Sawada and Munetaka Higuchi left, Hirotsugu Homma came in on drums and Akira Takasaki played the bass parts himself. Chris Tsangarides recorded and mixed it.

A 1994 album, twelve tracks cut at Showplace Studios in Dover, New Jersey.

A sixth album issued first in Japan on Epic/Sony; the European Massacre pressing followed in 1995.

Death Row finds ACCEPT in a phase that takes Accept into a heavier, darker direction through down-tuned guitars and a colder overall atmosphere.

Tales from the Thousand Lakes, a turning point for AMORPHIS, sets the world of the Kalevala to death-metal weight and Finnish folk-like melody.

King of the Kill finds ANNIHILATOR in a phase that keeps Jeff Waters's thrash sharpness while leaning Annihilator toward heavier riffs and more direct songcraft.

Aria finds ASIA in a phase that rebuilds Asia's dramatic scale around John Payne's voice and Geoff Downes's keyboards in a clearly 1990s sound frame.

Diesel and Power captures BACKYARD BABIES at a point where the later image is not yet fully fixed.

Cross Purposes finds BLACK SABBATH in a phase that lets the Tony Martin-era lineup balance Sabbath's ominous weight with unusually clear melodic definition.

Walk On is a useful way to hear BOSTON from a different angle within the 1994 catalogue.

Still Climbing finds CINDERELLA in a phase that reconnects Cinderella's earthy blues-rock feel to hard-rock force and puts tactile playing ahead of glamour.

Dizzy Mizz Lizzy captures DIZZY MIZZ LIZZY at a point where the later image is not yet fully fixed.

Awake, DREAM THEATER's third album, turns inward from the openness of its predecessor with heavier guitars, dense keyboards and tense song construction.

Inside Out, FATES WARNING's seventh album, is mature progressive metal that lets complex meters and tight ensemble work flow quietly inside the songs.

Mr. Moonlight finds FOREIGNER in a phase that reunites Foreigner around Lou Gramm's powerful voice and Mick Jones's guitar, once again drawing large melodic shapes.

Dial Hard finds GOTTHARD in a phase that puts Steve Lee's open-throated vocal and Leo Leoni's direct guitar work at the center of Gotthard's European hard-rock identity.

Master of the Rings, HELLOWEEN's sixth album, brings in Andi Deris and Uli Kusch and returns the band to the drive of straight-ahead power metal.

Lunar Strain, the IN FLAMES debut, lays Nordic folk-like melody and acoustic shading over the sharp aggression of death metal.

Korn finds KORN in a phase that uses down-tuned guitars, elastic bass and exposed emotional fracture to lay a foundation for what would become nu metal.

Pride in Tact finds LIONSHEART in a phase that centers on Steve Grimmett's powerful voice and gives Lionsheart a dramatic, traditional British melodic-metal frame.

Burn My Eyes finds MACHINE HEAD in a phase that channels street-level anger, low-cut riffing and hard groove into a debut that announced a new kind of 1990s metal weight.

Introduction is a MARTY FRIEDMAN instrumental album that weighs exotic melody, the afterglow of tone and the use of space as much as speed.

Youthanasia finds MEGADETH in a phase that keeps Megadeth's thrash-born tension while shifting weight toward thick mid-tempo motion and denser melody.

Mötley Crüe finds MÖTLEY CRÜE in a phase that moves Mötley Crüe away from earlier gloss and toward heavier riffs, hard grooves and a newly configured vocal presence.

Far Beyond Driven, PANTERA's seventh album, pushes the weight and edge of its groove metal to the limit, turning aggression into physical force.

Promised Land finds QUEENSRŸCHE in a phase that deliberately steps away from the broad success of Empire and explores a darker, more inward sound.

10 Years in Rage is a useful way to hear RAGE from a different angle within the 1994 catalogue.

Clown in the Mirror finds ROYAL HUNT in a phase that sharpens Royal Hunt's neoclassical speed and dramatic melody around André Andersen's keyboards.

Welcome to the Madhouse finds SHY in a phase that brings Shy's established melodic-hard-rock instincts into a tougher sound with more distinctly 1990s shade.

Divine Intervention is SLAYER's sixth album and first studio record with Paul Bostaph on drums, keeping the urgency of merciless thrash intact.

Dreamspace is the third STRATOVARIUS album, with Timo Tolkki on vocals as well as guitar, joining neoclassical playing to an introspective, uneasy mood.

Symphony X, the self-titled debut by SYMPHONY X, crosses classical construction and neoclassical guitar with technical playing.

Humanimal finds TALISMAN in a phase that pushes Talisman's hard-rock frame into funk, soul and blues color, turning the band's considerable ability into tangible groove.

Bust a Nut finds TESLA in a phase that keeps Tesla rooted in tactile American hard rock while moving toward a heavier, tighter sound.

Low finds TESTAMENT in a phase that keeps Testament's thrash precision while moving into lower tuning and heavier groove.

The Cult finds THE CULT in a phase that places hard-rock riffing and a 1990s alternative sensibility inside Bob Rock's weighty production.

The Seventh Sign is YNGWIE MALMSTEEN's seventh album, pairing his neoclassical speed with the dramatic singing of Mike Vescera.