90's alt/metal acts

[TribunalRecords]

Ok, we had a thread about 3 bands we should all know and much of it was filled with 90's alt/metal bands. So here is the thread to start dusting off some much over looked classics. Not all of these are metal, but from that era regardless. haters gonna hate, so sue me.

I will start with some of my faves

INTO ANOTHER
Revelation Records oddballs, despite members from Whiplash and plenty of NYHC bands like (Youth Of Today, Bold, etc). Eventually signed to Hollywood and into oblivion. Just reunited and have been KILLING it.

I dare say they did the retro-metal influenced thing a decade before anyone else. They did do it with leather and spikes however and had an indie slant to it as well, but regardless the metal was there!
Here is clip of Underlord from reunion (granted he cannot hit the highs he used to). "Underlord, worship me I gave you life. Underlord, offer bloody sacrifice"


"Poison Fingers"


"T.A.I.L. (The Amphibian In Love)" from their major label debut



THE FLUID
Debut on Sub Pop and moved up to Hollywood Records and into oblivion (getting my point?)


TAD
Debut on Sub-Pop eventually moving up the ranks. This is from their most metallic album, Inhaler. This when everyone went after Helmet's success.


HELMET
Speaking of them... The modern breakdown owes respect to this song.


"In The Meantime"

 

[J. Golden]

I'll put a bit of thought into that; Fudge Tunnel was certainly a favorite back then. But what would actually be considered "heavy metal" as well as alternative? The term "heavy metal" was a shameful term in the 1990s, certainly the early years.
Well first time seeing this video I knew things were about to become a little different. I could not explain it, but there was something different.


Another big one for me back then was Warrior Soul. This was something special, sadly Mr. Clark would not keep it together.


These are just a couple I was really into back then, not 90s bands I discovered later. A lot of the stuff I listen to back then was either old punk / hardcore bands or shit that was certainly difficult to describe; like what the hell was Buzz'oven?

 

[TribunalRecords]

i knew i could leave WARRIOR SOUL to you.

 

[Mr. Lapin Kulta]

I'm definitely a hater. Sorry. You know, I listen to ALL sorts of music. From classical to extreme grindcore. 90s altrock/metal is not for me though. All bands mentioned above belong in the crap-pile as far as I'm concerned. There's really only one thing I dislike more and that is modern rock/metal such as Swedens Takida (worst band ever), 3 Doors Down and.crap like that. Still think you're the king of music though Matt

 

[TribunalRecords]

Knowing your tastes you need to listen to INTO ANOTHER. Given a listen online. They definitely matured with each release.

Also 3 Doors Down would never been consider anything like the bands we have listed so far.

You seriously don't like Helmet's Meantime album? Dude that record rules as does Strap It On and Betty.

 

[TribunalRecords]

Love these WARRIOR SOUL songs myself.

 

[TribunalRecords]

QUICKSAND
More stuff from guys coming from the NYHC scene. This album NEVER gets old now 20 years later. They too have reunited but I doubt they will hold it together long enough to record anything.

 

[TribunalRecords]

HANDSOME
Members of Helmet, Quicksand, Iceburn, Cro-Mags, etc.

This too is an album I can listen to now and actually have a copy in my car at all times.

 

[J. Golden]

If anyone can listen to 'The Losers' and their eyes don't glaze over then they simply have no heart. That song is one of the greatest anthems EVER!
I really hate to defend the 1990s because it was a bad decade for muis but there were nuggets of gold shimmering through all the shit, just look at Mother Love Bone and The God Machine (neither metal though).
One thing the 90s brought in was something alternative and new, I'll even give that to nu metal though I'm not a fan of most of it. But things were becoming really bland in popular music, including metal. Even grudge was needed, though I'm not sure if it really achieved all it was there for. Like punk in the 70s the movement seemed to have been trying to wipe the slate and begin things a new just like the Sex Pistols and Buzzcoks when Europe was dominated by prog rock bands. Well grudge helped to put hair bands out of the misery. Now did Nirvana destroyer hair bands; certainly not, that stuff was well on it's way out any and bands like Warrant were turning out terrible albums by the time Jani saw Alice n Chains posters in the record label office.
As for metal certainly here in the U.S. heroes like Metallica were putting out shitty material and preparing to turn their backs on the generation that made them what they are just to capture and whole new generation. Anthrax evolved into a nu metal band and Slayer were not far behind. Ozfest kicked into gear and all the bands that were spawned form the influence of Sepultura, Pantera, Prong, and Faith No More took over. Arguably it was a refreshing change from the Trixters- nonetheless "alternative". And no matter how we perswonally felt about these bands it was some sort of metal music and agressive to some degree.
Europe was harvesting new crops of metal through the decade mostly reling on polishing up sounds from the past; what ever would Italian power metal have done without German influence. And the birth of the internet opened Europe up majorly, that is how they came to love everything that is U.S. dated before 1990.
I don't care for most of what could fall into the "heavy metal" catagory from the 1990s, but there were some. But one thing is for sure that bands were trying to progress beyond they same cookiecutter bands the 80s was offering. As much as I hated the 1990s (for various reasons) it did need to happen.

 

[J. Golden]

We also cannot forget this came out of the 90s.
I remember I was at Chad Davis' (Hour of 13) house one day when I was 16 when I first heard these guys. At the time I went out with this punk rock chcik (she was punk because she had seen Sid and Nancy) and we were living up in the mountains and hanging with all her alternative friends; I could not stand those people. Anyway I met Chad around that time and he and I could rap about old metal bands like Helstar and Celtic Frost. Well he introduced me to Fear Factory back then, and I'm pretty sure it was only demos, but that shit blew me away. At the time I was more some focused in Hardcore and punk stuff but damn FF ruled.
He also turned me onto Winter, and like Celtic Frost it wasn't that difficult to get into Winter.

Another 90s game changer...



I first had the song on a Concrete sampler, my girlfriend was so happy when the tape finally snapped, she hated this but in fairness I played it a lot. This song kicked so much ass. Before finding this I thought progressive metal was gone forever. Then I saw the video with James sporting a Napalm T and well total props.

 

[Johnny Blade]

Would Only Living Witness apply here? Fantastic band. Also, really like what Leeway was doing during this period. Hell, Life Of Agony as well. These are about as alt as I get. Sorry.

 

[Carbonized]

Hmm, Mutha's Day might fall into this category, maybe? *shrug* AND! I think Life of Agony were full on metal! Well, until Soul Searching Sun came out hah. Love that band.

 

[Mr. Lapin Kulta]

I won't say anything bad about anyones tastes here but yeah Matt, Helmet is definitely something I consider being crap I just don't get that kind of music.

The 90's was definitely not a bad decade for metal. I grew up in the 90's and most of my favourite albums are from that period. I could make a list of hundreds of albums that make the decade amazing. When people say Nirvana killed metal and the alt thing took over, they only consider the "overground" status. I mean, that scene had no effect whatsoever on real metal. From the early/mid-90s you have the rise of norwegian black metal, Florida and Sthlm death metal, the resurrection of german power/speed. Plus bands like Dissection, Samael, Sentenced, Amorphis, Rotting Christ, Nifelheim, Iced Earth and so on and so on and so on The underground thrived here in Sweden and Europe at least.

 

[Mr. Lapin Kulta]

Will definitely look into Into Another!

 

[TribunalRecords]

Would Only Living Witness apply here? Fantastic band. Also, really like what Leeway was doing during this period. Hell, Life Of Agony as well. These are about as alt as I get. Sorry.

Yes, totally OLW would fall into this area here, plus LOA. So you dig the 90s era Leeway eh? There are a few decent songs, but I can never make it through an entire album. haha.

 

[TribunalRecords]

I won't say anything bad about anyones tastes here but yeah Matt, Helmet is definitely something I consider being crap I just don't get that kind of music.

The 90's was definitely not a bad decade for metal. I grew up in the 90's and most of my favourite albums are from that period. I could make a list of hundreds of albums that make the decade amazing. When people say Nirvana killed metal and the alt thing took over, they only consider the "overground" status. I mean, that scene had no effect whatsoever on real metal. From the early/mid-90s you have the rise of norwegian black metal, Florida and Sthlm death metal, the resurrection of german power/speed. Plus bands like Dissection, Samael, Sentenced, Amorphis, Rotting Christ, Nifelheim, Iced Earth and so on and so on and so on The underground thrived here in Sweden and Europe at least.

Nirvana simply changed the way major labels were signing acts. Mainstream metal was already dying out, Nirvana and the grunge movement just sealed the deal. The industry moves in cycles and it was the end of one for sure.

To say Helmet is crap is your opinion but they influenced an entire hardcore genre. Nobody was doing the start/stop riffing except maybe Clutch on their Pitchfork 7" but even then they were biting off Helmet. Like i said you may believe it to be crap, but Meantime was hugely influential whether bands want to admit it or not.

As far as other bands I listed I still listen to them regularly probably because I listened to them so much while in college. Hell, Warrior Soul played my college to like 5 people. Johnny Blade you were there I think. Jeremy as well.

 

[Mr. Lapin Kulta]

Yeah I know Helmet were very influential. I say nothing against that. Hardcore in general is not my cup of tea though. I like the Cro-Mags, when they thrash, but beyond that I don't like any hardcore whatsoever. I hung around bands like Refused and such when the Umeå hardcore scene exploded but never got into that either. The 90s were all about underground metal for me (mainly the more extreme stuff) and that is perhaps why I never got into it.

I think it was very different here in Sweden than in the US also. Helmet, Nirvana, Quicksand and those kind of bands were on heavy rotation on MTV Europe but I never knew anyone who listened to MTV-bands. In our world Iced Earth were the saviours of metal haha and we still thought they were huge overseas. We honestly figured they must sell out Long Beach arena night after night hehe

 

[TribunalRecords]

Yeah I know Helmet were very influential. I say nothing against that. Hardcore in general is not my cup of tea though. I like the Cro-Mags, when they thrash, but beyond that I don't like any hardcore whatsoever. I hung around bands like Refused and such when the Umeå hardcore scene exploded but never got into that either. The 90s were all about underground metal for me (mainly the more extreme stuff) and that is perhaps why I never got into it.

I think it was very different here in Sweden than in the US also. Helmet, Nirvana, Quicksand and those kind of bands were on heavy rotation on MTV Europe but I never knew anyone who listened to MTV-bands. In our world Iced Earth were the saviours of metal haha and we still thought they were huge overseas. We honestly figured they must sell out Long Beach arena night after night hehe

Interesting. Very different over here. But that is a cool perspective as to why you didn't get into this stuff like we did over here.

I was actually in attendance at Refused last (full set) show (before their recent reunion) here in Greensboro at my old alma mater, Guilford College. Was amazing show with Catharsis and Frodus on the bill as well. They definitely were not in good spirits I remember - several of them not speaking to one another. The guitarist and I chatted about his more metallic band Purusam a bunch.

Speaking of Purusam, let me know if you can find their last album used over there. the one that looks like a book. mine is wrecked from fire.

 

[Mr. Lapin Kulta]

Interesting. Very different over here. But that is a cool perspective as to why you didn't get into this stuff like we did over here.

I was actually in attendance at Refused last (full set) show (before their recent reunion) here in Greensboro at my old alma mater, Guilford College. Was amazing show with Catharsis and Frodus on the bill as well. They definitely were not in good spirits I remember - several of them not speaking to one another. The guitarist and I chatted about his more metallic band Purusam a bunch.

Speaking of Purusam, let me know if you can find their last album used over there. the one that looks like a book. mine is wrecked from fire.

I've noticed over the years that "metalheads" (in lack for a better word) from Europe and the US have very different views when it comes to what went down in the 90s. I've always been quite open-minded about music but generally the "MTV-metalsound" was despised amongst my friends and hardrock fans in general.

I saw Refused live many times back in the day. But as I said I was never a fan of their music. I do think there is some interesting stuff on "The Shape..." though.

It's a shame about "Daybreak Chronicles". I've had that one since the late 90s and actually sold it just this autumn. I should've known! I will be on the look-out for a copy mate!

 

[TribunalRecords]

hahaha, just my luck! well, i have my cd i just cannot open the booklet. haha, it is sealed shut.