15 Most Underrated Hard Rock Albums Of All Time
1. Reload - Metallica
Anything that Metallica released after the success of the Black Album seems to be reviled by many hardcore metalheads. After the band cut their hair and started to move away from their metal roots, many felt their well of fantastic riffs had run dry. With all the scorn thrown in its direction, the actual sound of Reload is far better than metalheads might want you to think.
Look, these tracks are not nearly as indelible as something like "Master of Puppets," but what is on display here still feels like a genuine artistic progression for the band. Songs like "Devil's Dance" and "Better Than You" continue the slower heavy material the band were working with on the Black Album while "Low Man's Lyric" shows a dark and twisted approach to songwriting. Even hits like "The Unforgiven II" still feel fresh as the years have gone on. And no matter what you say, "Fuel" still kicks ass no matter what stripe of Metallica fan you are.
This record doesn't come close to topping albums like Ride the Lightning, but the highlights still make it feel like a genuinely solid Metallica record. Regardless of their "sell-out" status, these songs still boast that same greatness that made us fall in love with Metallica all those years ago.