12 Most Brutally Heavy Metal Albums EVER

Metal had one hell of a start in the 90's. With bands like Megadeth and Metallica putting out some of their best work, it seemed that heaviness would be the new calling card for rock going forward. Then grunge happened and everything went dark. However, no one could have predicted the next sonic bludgeoning to come out of Texas.

Armed with the heaviest riffs ever made, Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power was the one record that kept metal thriving in the mainstream. While the band's previous release Cowboys From Hell also had a certain degree of heaviness, their work with Terry Date on this record made for songs that had the weight of a semi-truck. The riffs from Dimebag Darrell are absolutely astounding, which are offset by his brother Vinnie Paul annihilating the kit on every track. Even when the speed is dialed down on songs like "Walk," the vocals of Phil Anselmo keep you on the edge of your seat.

While most metal releases can be heavy to the point of feeling off-putting, this album strikes just the right balance of catchiness and ferocity that makes you want to headbang from the first few notes. Pantera may not be with us anymore, but the metal world was in a much better place after this record was unleashed upon the world.