2003 Metal & Hard Rock Albums - Page 2

Dance of Death uses layered guitar harmony, driving bass and Bruce Dickinson’s theatrical voice to tell stories on a large scale.

Epica uses thick guitar, symphonic color and Roy Khan’s shadowed voice to tell a story on a large scale.

Take a Look in the Mirror uses low, rolling guitar, bouncing bass and Jonathan Davis’s pained voice to make direct, raw music.

Labyrinth combines fast guitar, bright keyboards and soaring vocals to put European power-metal lift at the front.

As the Palaces Burn builds high-pressure metal from low-chugging riffs, sharply changing rhythm and raw roars.

Last Autumn’s Dream layers smooth vocals, restrained guitar and shimmering keyboards into calm but powerful melodic rock.

Meteora compresses hard guitar, electronic beat and the contrast of rap and singing into short, dense songs.

Through the Ashes of Empires restores Machine Head’s low, rolling riffs, urgent vocals and muscular rhythm.

Music for Speeding joins Marty Friedman’s singing guitar melodies to changing rhythm and pop-minded hooks.

Masterplan combines heavy guitar, expansive keyboards and powerful vocals into refined European melodic metal.

St. Anger chooses urgent riffs, raw sound and anger-filled vocals over Metallica’s usual polish and architectural control.

Arachnophobiac places Michael Schenker’s fluid lead guitar inside a sturdy hard-rock frame.

Regressus joins low guitar riffs, high-energy vocals and heroic choruses in a firm Mystic Prophecy statement.

The Long Road uses distorted guitar, heavy beat and Chad Kroeger’s rough voice to make direct rock with large-scale choruses.

Gilbert Hotel lets Paul Gilbert fold his formidable guitar skill into short, welcoming songs rather than placing virtuosity above everything else.

Tribe uses hard guitar, shifting rhythm and Geoff Tate’s expressive voice to create tense metal with progressive instincts.

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

Eyewitness layers weighty keyboards, firm guitar and soaring vocals into a cinematic progressive-metal setting.

Leave a Whisper combines heavy guitar, steady rhythm and Brent Smith’s powerful, emotional voice into melody-driven American rock.

Thickskin pushes Skid Row toward a rougher, heavier strain of hard rock built on cutting riffs and low-slung groove.

Figure Number Five connects fast guitar, tight rhythm, harsh vocals and clean melody with real force.

Winterheart’s Guild combines fast-moving keyboards, sharp guitar and soaring vocals into power metal with wide emotional swings.

Elements Pt. 1 places fast guitar, ornate keyboards and soaring vocals inside broader orchestral arrangements.

Elements Pt. 2 keeps the first part’s scale but shifts the focus toward tighter riffs and more direct dramatic melody.

Cats and Dogs uses springing bass, crisp guitar and Jeff Scott Soto’s expressive voice to make tough but nimble hard rock.

Unhallowed drives forward with fast guitar riffs, urgent blasts and cutting vocals.

The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed packs short, sharp guitar, restless rhythm and twisted melody into concise songs.

Jaded combines heavy guitar, cold programming and shadowed vocals to build a melancholic world.

Ember to Inferno uses fast guitar, rough vocals and shifting rhythm to make aggressive metal with obvious ambition.

Delirium Veil combines hard guitar, bright keyboards and light-footed vocals in colorful melodic metal.

Letter to God revisits XYZ’s glossy hard-rock instincts through more settled songwriting.