12 Best Cult Hard Rock Albums Of The 90s

Long before they became kings ofthe space rock genre with masterworks like Black Holes and Revelations, Muse started off in the 90's as a humble rock band out of Devon, England. Even though they still hadn't quite dialed in their sound, the group's first outing on Showbiz was still an incredible feat of rock wizardry.

The entire record seems to be an exercise so Muse can get their sound together, as it ventures from different styles almost on a whim. This leads to some captivating left turns like the hypnotic ballad "Unintended" as well as the country styles present on the song "Falling Down." At the same time, the band perfectly juxtaposes these tracks with full-on punk assaults like "Sober," whose central groove sounds like the Sex Pistols if interpreted through Queen's amplifiers.

Then again, tracks like "Muscle Museum" are undeniably Muse, with a playful guitar harmony section that teeters across your speakers with incredible ease. This is the sound that the band would got on to refine on their next records, but it's still a worthy inclusion amid the scattered genre-hopping. The lads may not have found their sound just yet, but the talent displayed by this young and hungry band is something to behold.