1998

For all the goth metal lunatics out there that worship TYPE O NEGATIVE and anything released by SAMHAIN, TENEBRE's "Grim Ride" is about as good as it gets. Their rip-roaring 1998 sophomore disc "Grim Ride" has all the ingredients you crave like black lace, pale skin, skulls, morgues, and bloodletting. But TENEBRE brings much more to the table than the typical dead girl shtick. From the very first minute, this album will simply rock the paint right off the walls with crunchy, speeding riffs, and drums courtesy of basher Joel Linder that will restore your belief in the almighty double-bass rhythm. Top it all off with the hearse-without-a-muffler vocals of Kallie Metz, and you've got the absolute height of ripping death rock. Haven't heard it? We highly recommend selling pints of your blood until you have saved up enough cash to pick up this baby.

Picks of the litter, 1998: