10 Best Follow Up Albums In Hard Rock

After years of living in the shadow of Metallica, guitarist Dave Mustaine had turned Megadeth into one of the most feral thrash bands going in the scene. While the band had had many highlights on albums like Peace Sells, it wasn't until Rust in Peace that the band had their most streamlined sound, with each song functioning like a well-oiled machine.

Many saw Rust in Peace as the pinnacle of the band's commercial potential, but something even more magical was waiting around the corner. Going into rehearsals for Countdown to Extinction, Mustaine started turning in some of his greatest riffs from the epic chug of "Symphony of Destruction" to the demented swagger of "Sweating Bullets." Even the times when the band "softened" up their sound still made for fantastic metal tracks on "Foreclosure of a Dream."

Without sacrificing too much of its heaviness, Countdown to Extinction ended up being one of the most successful albums of the band's career, even finding its way onto the Billboard charts. Though Metallica would take an equally daring leap on their Black Album, Countdown to Extinction remains the more true metal release of the pop breakthroughs. Grunge may have been just under their noses, but this record marked a great final chapter for the prime days of thrash.