Back in 1994, heavy music was in a transitional stage. Grunge had either wiped out or significantly dented the popularity of much of the thrash and glam bands that dominated the previous decade (although that scene was about to suffer its own traumatic fall from grace with the death of Nirvana’s iconic frontman Kurt Cobain). Plus, the emergence of gangsta rap, with its genuine sense of danger and a multitude of larger-than-life personalities, dragged several eyes toward it and away from guitar music.
During this time, the metal bands that did succeed were the ones that adopted something that felt at least partially connected to the zeitgeist; Pantera and Sepultura were both clearly heavy metal bands yet brought in a sense of groove that traditional 80s metal lacked. Tool and Life of Agony shared Nirvana’s emotional fragility and sensitivity. Machine Head and Biohazard were supremely heavy whilst borrowing the aesthetics and mannerisms of hip-hop.
