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4 Metal Albums From 1997 Your Cool Uncle Listens to in His Garage
The article highlights four metal releases from 1997 that it presents as influential or enjoyable choices for fans exploring heavier music. It frames them through a playful ‘cool uncle’ nostalgia, while emphasising their distinct contributions to doom, symphonic black and melodic death metal.
– Electric Wizard, *Come My Fanatics…*: described as a landmark doom-metal record, with a loose, heavy and gritty sound that helped establish the band’s influence. – Dimmu Borgir, *Enthrone Darkness Triumphant*: praised as symphonic black metal at its peak and noted as the Norwegian band’s first release with English lyrics. – Acid King, *Down with the Crown*: technically an EP, but included for its downtuned, fuzz-heavy sound and frontwoman Lori S.’s distinctive vocals. – In Flames, *Whoracle*: presented as an accessible introduction to melodic death metal, praised for its guitar work and blend of growled yet approachable vocals.
In short
- Four 1997 releases showcase different metal subgenres.
- Electric Wizard and Acid King represent heavy doom sounds.
- Dimmu Borgir and In Flames broaden the list’s range.
Explained simply
Metal spans a wide range of sounds, from slow, distorted doom to fast music that combines harsh vocals with intricate guitar playing. The albums here come from different corners of that scene, including doom, symphonic black metal and melodic death metal.
Electric Wizard and Acid King are associated with doom’s heavy, fuzz-laden sound, while Dimmu Borgir pair black metal with orchestral elements. In Flames are part of melodic death metal, which combines death metal’s growled vocals with prominent melodies.
The records also reflect how varied heavy music was in the late 1990s. They can offer newcomers a starting point for exploring different styles and how bands shaped their sounds.