2006 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

UFO's album of 25 September 2006 brought founding drummer Andy Parker back and was the band's last album with bassist Pete Way.

Tool's fourth album, released on 2 May 2006: self-produced, a Billboard 200 number one, in a Grammy-winning package with stereoscopic lenses.

Blind Guardian's eighth album, released in September 2006: the first with drummer Frederik Ehmke, after founding member Thomen Stauch had left.

Voivod's eleventh studio album, from July 2006, built from the guitar and bass tracks Piggy had recorded before he died.

Sepultura's tenth studio album, from March 2006, built on Dante's Divine Comedy and the last with Igor Cavalera.

Cradle of Filth's seventh studio album, from October 2006, and the one with Ville Valo of HIM singing on it.

The Haunted's fifth album, released on 30 October 2006: thirteen tracks whose titles all begin with The.

The eleventh album, out on 14 March 2006. Its closing track, Crowd Chant, became a fixture in North American arenas.

Ministry's tenth album, out on 2 May 2006, and one of the records their biography places in its political run.

Celtic Frost's sixth album, from May 2006. It was their first new recording in sixteen years and their last studio album.

Black Stone Cherry's debut album, issued by Roadrunner Records on 18 July 2006. Three singles were taken from it.

Amon Amarth's sixth album, released in Europe on 22 September 2006. It was their first to enter the Billboard charts.

Witch's debut album, issued by Tee Pee Records in 2006. J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. plays the drums.

The Gazette's second album, issued by King Records on 8 February 2006. It reached number ten on the Oricon chart and was their first record released in Europe.

Eagles of Death Metal's second album, released in the United States on 11 April 2006. Every song is by Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme.

Lacuna Coil's fourth studio album, released in 2006, reached number 28 on the Billboard 200 and closes with Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence".

My Chemical Romance's third album, from October 2006. It is a concept album about a man with terminal cancer known as The Patient.

Lifelover's debut album, issued by GoatowaRex in July 2006. It is the first record of what the band called "narcotic metal".

DRAGONLAND's fourth album, released by Century Media in 2006 and mixed by Fredrik Nordström. A stand-alone record apart from the saga, it features guest female vocals from Elize Ryd, later of AMARANTHE.

Kiss of Death was released on 29 August 2006. An official video was made for "Be My Baby", and a half-speed-remastered twentieth-anniversary edition followed in 2026.

Immortal is Anthem's eleventh studio album, released on 30 August 2006, with a European edition following in the autumn of 2007 - the point at which the reformed band began looking beyond Japan.

Breaking the Taboo is the twentieth Loudness album, released by Tokuma Japan Communications on 27 December 2006, and the seventh made since the original line-up reunited.

The fourth album, released by Roadrunner Records: thirteen songs including "Destroy Everything".

The third studio album, and the band's first for the major label Reprise. "Colony of Birchmen" was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards.

The first album for Frontiers, held over from 2005 to 2006 while the drum and keyboard chairs both changed hands.

The Fall of Ideals packs All That Remains’ chugging guitars, breakdowns, and Phil Labonte’s harsh-to-clean vocal contrast into dense, sharply focused songs.

The Fallen Empire joins heavy guitar riffs to clear melody through orderly, polished arrangements.

Eclipse opens a new Amorphis chapter with Tomi Joutsen, balancing Nordic shadow, folk-shaped melody, and heavy metal riffs.

Aurora Consurgens uses Angra’s shifting rhythms, detailed guitar, and Edu Falaschi’s expressive voice to shape progressive power metal with both tension and lyricism.

A Death-Grip on Yesterday compresses Atreyu’s sharp riffs, breakdowns, harsh vocals, and melodic singing into tighter songs.

Paradise in Flames builds dramatic European metal around clear melody and firm riffs.

People Like People Like People Like Us puts Backyard Babies’ punk-sprint energy and Swedish garage/sleaze-rock grit right at the front.

Shot to Hell builds Black Label Society around Zakk Wylde’s thick guitar, low rolling rhythm, and rough vocal style.

Pain for the Pleasure joins Blindman’s expansive vocal lines, melodic guitar, and full keyboards into dramatic melodic hard rock.

Yeah! is a strongly concept-driven covers album that translates the originals into a DEF LEPPARD-like sound.

Synchestra lets Devin Townsend combine heavy guitars, stacked choirs, electronic texture, and pop melody with almost excessive freedom.

United puts Dream Evil’s thick riffs, forceful beat, and crowd-ready choruses in the foreground.

The Grand Design joins classical-flavored keyboards, heavy guitar, and Sabine Edelsbacher’s clear voice into Edenbridge’s symphonic metal.

Rocket Ride keeps Edguy rooted in fast power metal while bringing glam and hard-rock color, humor, and big hooks much further forward.

Secret Society by EUROPE: track list, Spotify player and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

The Open Door centers Amy Lee’s strong yet delicate voice within piano, strings, and heavy guitar.

Brother's Keeper is Fair Warning's comeback record, shaping wistful melodic hard rock from soft keyboards, fluid guitar and Tommy Heart's soaring voice.

Allegiance brings together Gus G’s cutting guitar, forward-driving rhythm, and Apollo Papathanasio’s powerful vocal.

Beyond the End of Despair... combines Galneryus’s fast rhythm section, Syu’s fluid guitar, and YAMA-B’s high-reaching vocal.

IV gathers Godsmack’s low, rolling guitar riffs, tight drumming, and Sully Erna’s rough vocal character into a concentrated record.

Human Nature combines Harry Hess’s rich vocal, Pete Lesperance’s fluid guitar, and precise rhythm work.

Come Clarity connects In Flames’ cutting twin guitars and mechanical rhythmic drive to Anders Fridén’s mix of harsh and clean expression.

A Matter of Life and Death joins Iron Maiden’s multi-guitar harmonies and extended structures to weighty themes of war and belief.

As Daylight Dies connects Killswitch Engage’s hard riffs, tight breakdowns, and Howard Jones’s powerful voice.

Sacrament combines Lamb of God’s precise guitar chug, twisted rhythms, and Randy Blythe’s raw voice.

Winter in Paradise combines soft keyboards, expansive vocals, and smooth guitar to connect Nordic AOR melancholy with melodic-hard-rock momentum.

Tides is Leverage’s debut, combining thick guitar riffs, low-centered rhythm, and expansive vocals.

Loudspeaker takes Marty Friedman’s sharp metal-guitar voice deep into melodies shaped by Japanese pop and kayōkyoku sensibility.

The Hours That Remain keeps Mercenary’s sharp riffs and double-kick propulsion while bringing more clean vocal and memorable melody to the front.

A Light in the Dark centers Metal Church on cutting riffs, low heavy rhythm, and strong vocal presence.

Tales of Rock'n'Roll reunites Michael Schenker with a range of past vocal collaborators and presents his melodic guitar world anew.

Savage Souls puts Mystic Prophecy’s low, cutting riffs, hard rhythms, and forceful vocal delivery in the foreground.

Get Out of My Yard makes Paul Gilbert’s guitar the central voice in a fully instrumental setting.

Operation: Mindcrime II returns Queensrÿche to the story begun in 1988, turning its characters’ conflict and resolution into dramatic metal.

Rehab finds Quiet Riot moving toward unadorned hard rock built from blues-rooted guitar, thick rhythm, and Kevin DuBrow’s distinctive voice.

Speak of the Dead places an orchestral suite beside direct heavy-metal songs, showing Rage at two different scales.

Triumph or Agony combines orchestra, choir, symphonic keyboards, and fast guitar to build Rhapsody of Fire’s fantasy world.

Army of One centers Riot on sharp twin guitars, forceful beat, and expansive vocal lines.

Livin' It Up! finds Sammy Hagar using thick guitar, lively beat, and an open vocal to make relaxed hard rock.

Revolutions per Minute finds Skid Row using thick guitar, rough rhythm, and urgent vocals for a harder punk- and hardcore-leaning metal sound.

Christ Illusion puts Slayer’s cutting riffs, accelerating drums, and Tom Araya’s furious presence in the foreground.

Come What(ever) May gathers heavy guitar riffs, introspective vocals, and wide-open ballad feeling into a broader Stone Sour statement.

Sunstorm centers Joe Lynn Turner’s powerful, smooth voice within bright keyboards, full guitar, and polished harmonies.

7 centers Talisman on Jeff Scott Soto’s soulful vocal, Marcel Jacob’s rolling bass, and sharp guitar in a groove-led melodic-hard-rock setting.

Metal Will Stand Tall is The Poodles’ debut, built from wide-open choruses, bright keyboards, and firm guitars.

Wounds Wide Open combines To/Die/For’s cold guitar color, sunken rhythm, and melancholy vocal character.

Falling in Between joins Toto’s polished pop instinct to hard-rock weight and progressive construction.

The Crusade pushes Trivium toward more classic thrash and heavy metal through rapid chugging, twin guitars, and hard rhythm.

A Twisted Christmas is a covers album on which TWISTED SISTER plays standard Christmas songs in the language of heavy and glam metal.

Live & Learn brings Vixen’s large choruses, clear guitar work, and melody-supporting rhythm into a reunion-era melodic-hard-rock setting.

Born Again returns Warrant to direct hard rock built from thick guitar, lively beat, and instantly singable chorus.

IV reunites Winger around precise rhythm work, intricate guitar, and Kip Winger’s expansive vocal.