Explosion of Metal Sub-Genres Leads to New Bands
In the mid- and late 1990s, metals return to the underground and sub-genre experimentation spurred a new wave of metal groups. One of the most popular sub-genres was ‘Nu Metal’. It incorporated elements ranging from death metal to hip hop, often including DJs and rap-style vocals. The genre spawned bands such as SLIPKNOT, LINKIN PARK, KORN and DISTURBED. Other sub-genres like ‘Industrial Metal’ spawned NINE INCH NAILS, MINISTRY, and MARILYN MANSON. And ‘Alternative Metal’ (a label that was applied to a wide spectrum of acts) introduced the world to groups like ALICE IN CHAINS, SOUNDGARDEN, and TOOL. This new mix of genres, and the successes of each, demonstrated that “pancultural metal could pay off”, as described by Ian Christe.
Ozzfest is Born
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne leveraged the popularity of subgenres like Nu Metal to create Ozzfest in 1996. Ozzfest was an annual festival tour (now periodic) featuring performances by music groups in a variety of metal genres. It paired the newly popular bands/genres with some of the then older, more traditional, metal bands and exposed them to a new generation of fans. Partially due to the success of Ozzfest, and the reinvigorated fan-base, national media began to talk of a resurgence of heavy metal. In fact, in 1999 Billboard noted that there were more than 500 specialty metal radio shows in the United States, nearly three times as many as ten years before.
The Original BLACK SABBATH Lineup Reunites
Any decade in which the founding fathers of heavy metal reunite should be considered a good decade! Three-Fourths of BLACK SABBATH reunited to co-headline Ozzfest in 1997 and were eventually joined by the fourth original member, drummer Bill Ward, in December of ’97. This marked the groups first true reunion since 1979. After Ozzfest ’97, the band went on a number of worldwide tours and even won their first Grammy Award in 2000 for “Best Metal Performance”.
ICED EARTH Masters U.S. Power Metal
One band that never garnered the attention they deserved is US based power metal band ICED EARTH. Victims of bad timing, by the time the group found their footing in the mid-90’s, metal music was at is lowest point. The lack of fanfare did not stop them, however, from releasing a run of all-time best metal albums: Burnt Offerings (1995), The Dark Saga (1996) and Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998). All three received their share of critical acclaim, especially Burnt Offerings and The Dark Saga (both made our list of metal albums with no bad songs). In addition, their live album Alive in Athens was released in 1999 and is among the greatest live albums ever.
As a metal fan, it’s easy to look back at ’90’s with frustration and disdain. It’s certainly justified, especially when you talk about the nosedive in popularity, the lack of financial stability for most bands, and the subsequent stress and frustration. That said, the turmoil and hardships of the ’90s proved, and reinforced, one fact: the heavy metal community is strong, resilient, and adaptable. We are so quick to dismiss the entire decade but the environment allowed for a boom in creativity and inspiration. Take 5 minutes and look up some of the great albums that were released in the 1990s and you will see what I mean. The decade was rough in a lot of important ways for metal. Looking back, however, there was a lot of good that came from it and the decade helped to shape the metal community we have today.
Check next week for “Why the 1990s Were A Terrible Decade for Heavy Metal”
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