The Top 10 Metal Albums of 1992

I recently looked back albums turning 30 this year to see how they held up over time. These came out while I was in high school so most hold sentimental weight that I shed the best I could to give an another more objective as possible. These are ranked in terms of the impact they had, how well they held up over time and how good they are in terms of songwriting. This reality checked some albums because, they might have captured a sound that was groundbreaking but song wise there were better written albums. So here are the best metal albums that came out in 92, yeah if there are albums that seemed to be missing that is because this is not the top 10 industrial albums or grunge albums., but the top 10 metal albums. Not a lot to talk about otherwise so here we go.... 

10-Gwar- "America Must Be Destroyed " 

Following up "Scumdogs" is tough, rather than get heavier or more aggressive the lyrics are more over the top, breaking the bounds of what metal bands dared snarl about. Oderus continues to prove he can sing and pushed himself more to make almost hair metal like power ballads at times. 

Abysmal Hymns: The Class of 92 Gwar : "America Must Be Destroyed"

9-Incantation- "Onward to Golgotha" 

They are full blast ahead with the unearthly low growls soaked in reverb to further their sub demonic nature.  They stay pretty dense throughout this album. There are moments of breathing in the stench of the grave they are digging. Ahead of its time, they band might have gone on to make even better at at this juncture in time, they were ahead of the game. 

Abysmal Hymns: Death is June - Looking Back in Anger at Incantation : " Onward to Galgotha"

        

8-White Zombie-" La Sexorcisto-Devil Music vol 1" 

 I was already into the first two albums from these guys as it has a dirty sludgy Stooges feel but was dark like Alice Cooper. My first thought when this came out was "they sound like Metallica now" this change took a couple listens to grow on me. The grooving grind of their chugs has a more drugged out feel that thrash bands. Of you think this should place higher, all the songs sound the same so no. But the groove is good enough to earn its place here.

Abysmal Hymns: The Class of 92 - White Zombie : "La Sexorcisto (Devil Music vol1) "

 

7-Psychotic Waltz - "Into the Everflow" 

Not far removed from say Fates Warning, they were darker and dropping more acid when you take in the atmosphere layered in their vision of progressive metal. The vocals which are at a higher croon have more soul and substance than many of the operatic yodelers that populate progressive metal at this time. Another album that was ahead of its time, 

Abysmal Hymns: the Class of 1992 - Psychotic Waltz:" Into the Everflow"

6-Obituary " the End Complete"  

This Tampa death metal band stood out with ugly Celtic frost inspired grooves. They continued to perfect what they did and proved death metal bands can be just as capable songwriters as any genre of music. 

Abysmal Hymns: Death is June - "the End Complete" vs "World Demise"

 

5 -Deicide-"Legion"  

This album has aged well because now I can listen to it without having to compare to the first album. The fact the vocals are not as demonic sounding as the first album nagged at me back when this came over it, but in the past 30 years I have let that go and can listen to it for what it si which is one of the most ripping death metal albums of all time.  

Abysmal Hymns: the Class of 92 - Deicide: "Legion"

4-Megadeth - "Countdown to Extinction" 

Megadeth had outgrown thrash, they turned to a slight rock n roll swagger to their sound, shedding the technical fireworks of the previous album. Streamlined production to compete with the more radio friendly production of the "Black Album " as Mustaine released a masterpiece in "Rust in Peace" but he would not be content considering his former band mates just released the biggest selling album of their careers. This album might not be a sellout, but the heaviness was compromised to make it. At the end of the day the growth here made for better songs.  

Abysmal Hymns: the Class of 92 - Megadeth :" Countdown to Extinction"

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3- Danzig - "Danzig III -How the Gods Kill" 

When this album came out, I appreciated it was darker and more metal than "Lucifuge", Glenn's vocal continued to improve, from his croons to when he belts it out. Musically a pervading doomy feeling is haunting things, this sometimes simmers into a full-on metal chug. This is what I want him to sound like. .

Abysmal Hymns: The Class of 92- Danzig: " Danzig III -How the Gods Kill"

 

2- Neurosis - "Souls at Zero" 

This album was more groundbreaking and ahead of its time than the previous eight album on this list. I wrestled in my head over could this equate to earning it the number one spot. This is the conclusion I came to, pretty neck and neck as to how much I have listened to this one over the years verse the band that took number one. 

Abysmal Hymns: The Class of 92 -- Neurosis: "Souls at Zero"

 

1-Pantera - "Vulgar Display of Power" 

This band might have fallen out of fashion with some, but of the metal albums from 1992 this is the only album able to edge out Neurosis in terms of heaviness and how groundbreaking it was. Where "Souls at Zero" is full of cool trippiness, these are full on anthems that stood the test of time. "Cowboys From Hell" hinted that these guys were onto something but was still rooted in a more Judas Priest like traditional metal. Here they blend hard core with that and stripped away the old school metal moments. This album is in your ace with a sharp guitar sound that grabs you by the throat. 

Abysmal Hymns: Class of 1992 : Pantera's "Vulgar Display of Power "