10 Darkest Rock Albums Of The 90s

As much as it would be cliche to say that rock got real in the '90s, there is an element of truth to that. Outside of the millions of bands that were popping up left and right in the wake of the grunge revolution, there were still loads of bands that were tapping into new territory that was a lot more authentic than what hair metal had prepared us for. The times were starting to change, and things went into a lot more morbid territory.

Although most of these classics stand as some of the greatest records of the '90s, they also mark a point where the music started to sound a lot more foreboding. And these aren't like black metal either. These were genuine mainstream rock acts that just so happened to have songs that could chill you to your core if you weren't careful.

Along with filling the void left by hair metal, the tone of these albums are pitch black, with songs that leave you with no hope by the end and more than a few chills running down your spine. It might be a bit of a rough ride, but rock and roll was never meant to make you feel comfortable. Just let these albums wash over you and let the darkness sink in.

Going for a dark album after a while in the spotlight tends to feel like career suicide in some cases. Usually when you reach the point in your career when the dour songs come flooding in, it's usually time to hang up your credentials and realize that you're not hip with the kids these days. So naturally that meant it became one of Depeche Mode's most highly acclaimed albums ever.

Then again, all the signs for Depeche Mode had been leading to an album like Violator, which stands as the strongest collection of songs in their catalog. That doesn't mean that it's necessarily a good time all the way through, with even the singles like Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus having a bit of a sinister streak behind them. From a band that already wrote songs like Blasphemous Rumours, this was obviously the next step in the evolution.

Compared to the commercial potential of other synth rock albums, most of these songs are meant to build ambience and put you in a certain mood, especially Waiting for the Night, which feels like the twilight hours where everything is shrouded in darkness. Although most of the synth-driven pop would be out the door in just a few years, this was the best ominous note to go out on.