10 Best Metal Albums Of The 90's

With the release of Megadeth's political juggernaut Rust in Peace, Dave Mustaine had set a new standard in terms of virtuosic heavy metal performance. However, the success of Metallica's rise to stardom led to Mustaine's competitive streak rearing its head. Determined to have the next record reach the same amount of acclaim as his former bandmates, Countdown to Extinction is one of the best collection of songs the band had ever made.

Free from their nefarious drug habits, the band ventured back to Los Angeles and seemed to come up with hits on an almost-daily basis, with "Sweating Bullets" and "Symphony of Destruction" arriving through pure osmosis. While the songs may have dialed back the intensity a bit, Mustaine's knack for writing interesting melodic passages led to some interesting sonic moments on songs like "Foreclosure of a Dream."

This album was also made with one of the best lineups the band has ever had, with Marty Friedman's licks sending metal listeners to musical ecstasy and Nick Menza's drums laying down an impeccable heavy metal groove. Whether or not Mustaine outdid Metallica is certainly up for debate, but metal fans won out in the end with one of Megadeth's greatest album experiences.