10 Perfect Metal Albums With ZERO Flaws

For as much as metal was represented in the beginning of the 90's, things started to wane a little bit once grunge became a dominating force. Though the bands from Seattle did have a more brooding nature to their songs, nothing really stood out as forceful enough to be considered all-out metal. Things seemed to look a bit grim, but one little band from Texas was able to cut through the flannel and inject the entire scene with a ton of muscle.

At the time, Pantera was not necessarily a new face in the metal world, but their transition into their brutal final form was a sight to behold. Across Cowboys From Hell, guitarist Dimebag Darrell delivers one classic riff after another, from the swing metal of the title track to the ultimate intense ballad "Cemetery Gates."

However, one doesn't become one of metal's greatest band through just a guitarist. Right alongside Dime was his brother Vinnie Paul, who laid down some of the thickest grooves that kept every song tightened to the ground. At the same time, Phil Anselmo's gutteral howl made every song feel like the thoughts of a madman about to be unleashed. At a time when all metal had to be filtered through a different lens, Cowboys from Hell showed the next generation how powerful metal could be.