September 4th
album anniversaries

Toxicity gets much of its force from the collision between jagged metal riffs and folk-influenced melodies. The music can turn from tightly controlled playing to something deliberately unruly, making the changes in direction as striking as the heavy passages themselves.

The off-kilter humour matters too. It gives the record a character that cannot be explained by aggression alone, with technical precision and unpredictability pulling against each other.

Dark, cinematic ambition defines this debut, which plays out like a fever dream of modern superstardom. It features a sprawling guest list that manages to feel cohesive despite the chaotic, high-energy shifts in tone.

Heavy, distorted basslines and experimental vocal processing define the sonic landscape of this 2015 release. It remains a definitive touchstone for the trap sound, blending gritty textures with polished, stadium-ready production.

Clocking in at over 90 minutes, this double album features the band's longest track ever recorded, the 18-minute epic "Empire of the Clouds." It stands as a massive, ambitious statement that showcases the group's ability to weave complex, progressive narratives into their signature heavy metal sound.

Recorded in Paris with longtime producer Kevin Shirley, the album captures a raw, live-in-the-studio energy that feels both expansive and intimate. The production highlights the interplay between the three-guitar attack and Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals, marking a triumphant return after a five-year hiatus.

Few records in heavy music history have shifted the landscape as violently as this 2001 masterpiece. It remains a benchmark for mathcore, blending chaotic technicality with a raw, emotional intensity that feels just as suffocating today as it did upon release.

Recorded during a period of intense personal turmoil for the band, the production captures a jagged, dissonant wall of sound that defines the early 2000s underground scene. Its relentless pace and intricate song structures solidified the group's reputation for pushing the boundaries of what aggressive guitar music could achieve.

Dan Auerbach assembled this project as a spontaneous creative outlet, pulling in a rotating cast of collaborators to record nearly two dozen songs in just a few weeks. The result is a loose, soulful collection that feels like a late-night jam session captured on tape.

Released on Nonesuch, the record leans into a gritty, garage-rock aesthetic blended with vintage R&B textures. It carries the raw, unpolished energy of a group of friends experimenting with fuzz pedals and classic songwriting structures.

Recorded during the band's legendary 1969 American tour, these performances mark the first time Mick Taylor joined the group on stage. The energy is raw and dangerous, famously described by critics as one of the greatest live rock albums ever committed to tape.

Everything about this record captures the transition from the psychedelic sixties to the grittier, blues-drenched sound of the early seventies. You can hear the massive stadium roar and the band’s tight, hungry chemistry as they tear through classics like Midnight Rambler and Sympathy for the Devil.