1996

What a monster! 1996 fulfilled our hopes that kickass rock had begun to heal itself from the slew of confused and rehashed cookie-cutter rock that spewed forth in the early part of the decade. COC's "Wiseblood" delivered the most lethal injection of southern Sabbathy groove and dueling guitar greatness of any metal band in the last ten years. The band completed a triumvirate of excellent discs (following 1991's "Blind" and 1994's "Deliverance") at a time when 70s grooves and LIZZY-style was pretty darned scarce. When played at maximum levels, the dirtbox salvation dripping from Weatherman's axe in "Long Whip" and "Redemption City" could possibly conjure Lynott and Van Zant from the grave simultaneously. If flapping detuned strings and that "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers" vibe gets your heart pumping, "Wiseblood" is the disc for you. It's sometimes hard to believe that this was basically the same band that released hardcore/crossover stuff like "Animosity" in the mid 1980s.

Picks of the litter, 1996: