Metal was on a decidedly dark path going into the ‘90s as the psychedelic and occult vibes practiced by forefathers like Black Sabbath began phasing into themes of violence, politics, and despair. Though classic thrashers Metallica and Slayer continued their reign, a diaspora of new subgenres suddenly emerged. Cannibal Corpse, At the Gates, and Entombed turned up the distortion and grumbled a new kind of grotesque beauty as the disciples of death metal, while Type O Negative and Marilyn Manson spewed a new American heaviness that favored gothic and industrial vibes. In Norway, murders and church burnings heralded the menacing, blast-beat-filled black metal of Mayhem, Darkthrone, Emperor, and Immortal. Pantera and Sepultura doubled down on the thrash of the ‘80s and took it down a groovier and even more aggressive road.