To commemorate the fine 30th Anniversary of metal’s most venerable and storied label, Metal Blade Records, the writers of BraveWords.com have gotten their metalheads together and come up with a list of the Top 30 coolest, most legendary, rockingest, most influential, most deserving of fame and notoriety, releases founder/CEO Brian Slagel and crew have issued since forging the fire way back in mom’s garage in 1982. As has become tradition ‘round here, we are presenting them – through January and February – in reverse order, leading eventually to the penultimate slab of iron ever to carry an esteemed Metal Blade catalogue number.

#10) GRIP INC. – Nemesis (1997)

By Chris Tighe

Not exactly sure why GRIP INC. didn’t receive the accolades they so richly deserved during the nine years that they existed. Despite issuing four extremely original and memorable full-lengths that pounded the crap out of the competition, they were never embraced en masse by either critics or fans. It’s especially weird that such a high quality unit would be rejected, despite having the talents of SLAYER's Dave Lombardo within its ranks. Anyway, the album in hand is the band’s follow-up to their Power Of Inner Strength opus, which remains one of the greatest extreme metal debuts of all time. While Power was chock-a-block with relatively straight-forward, hard-as-nails thrash, 1997’s Nemesis found the band stretching its legs as it were. Sure, the thrash was as steely-eyed and refreshing as ever, but here the band inject more exotic sections/songs into the fray, making this an almost progressive feast. Vocalist Gus Chambers (no longer with us due to a deadly mix of medication and booze in 2008) turns in a pained, shouty performance further setting the band’s sound apart from the competition. Damn, I miss this band.

BraveWords.com

Top 30 Metal Blade Releases Of All Time

#30) FALCONER – Falconer (2001)

#29) KING’S X – Black Like Sunday (2003)

#28) LETHAL – Programmed (1990)

#27) SACRIFICE – Apocalypse Inside (1993)

#26) CANNIBAL CORPSE – Kill (2006)

#25) THE RED CHORD - Fed Through The Teeth Machine (2009)

#24) THE CROWN – Deathrace King (2000)

#23) VADER – Revelations (2002)

#22) GWAR – Scumdogs Of The Universe (1990)

#21) FATES WARNING – Awaken The Guardian (1987)

#20) CATTLE DECAPITATION – Humanure (2004)

#19) PRIMORDIAL – To The Nameless Dead (2007)

#18) BRAINSTORM – Liquid Monster (2005)

#17) CIRITH UNGOL – One Foot In Hell (1986)

#16) THE ORGANIZATION – The Organization (1993)

#15) KING DIAMOND – The Puppet Master (2003)

#14) BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Unhallowed (2003)

#13) SIX FEET UNDER – Warpath (1997)

#12) BOLT THROWER – Those Once Loyal (2005)

#11) AS I LAY DYING - Frail Words Collapse (2003)

#10) GRIP INC. – Nemesis (1997)