Metal Mayhem's Top 100 Metal Bands of All-Time, 55-51

Hello everyone,

Here is the latest installment of Metal Mayhem's Top 100 Metal Bands of All-Time, number 60-56. In this portion of the countdown, we have another diverse set of bands, so here we go.

55. Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is a grunge band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and vocalist Layne Staley. Despite the fact that they are often associated with the grunge movement, Alice in Chains combines aspects of metal, blues, and acoustic rock. Jerry Cantrell has often stated that he considers the band a heavy metal act. In my humble opinion, they are one of the best bands that came from the grunge era due to their metal sound which I often attribute to the screeching vocals of Staley. Their best album was the groundbreaking 1992 release Dirt which was the band's best selling and best reviewed album of their career. Unfortunately, Staley passed away in 2002 from a drug overdose. The band has recently reformed with William DuVall as lead singer. Their latest effort, Black Gives Way To Blue, was not only a fitting tribute to the great Layne Staley, but a triumphant return of the best band that came out of the nineties.
Here is "We Die Young."

54. Korn

Korn is an American Nu Metal band from Bakersfield, California that formed in 1992. They are an important band because they were the first band to be branded under the sub-genre Nu Metal. Korn is famous for their emotional and intense performances, most notably in the song "Daddy." Their live performance was what initially drew me to the band. When I was younger, I went to see them in Nashville, Tennessee on a whim, and it was one of the best shows that I had seen. Although I have never been a big fan of Nu Metal, Korn is without a doubt the best in a sub-genre of mediocrity. I would rather classify them as straight metal, but they are credited with as the first Nu Metal band in history, so I won't tinker with that.
Here is "Make Me Bad."

53. King Diamond

King Diamond is an eponymous Danish metal band that formed in 1985 by King Diamond after the breakup of Mercyful Fate. Unlike Mercyful Fate's focus on satanism, King Diamond focused more on horror stories and other tales of macabre. If you have never heard this band before, the falsetto vocals of King Diamond are the most unusual, and perhaps one of the most influential in metal history. I would recommend their album  Abigail.
Here is " The Family Ghost."

52. U. F. O.

UFO was an English heavy metal band that formed in 1969, and are famous for being an early influence on bands during the New Wave of British Metal. Iron Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris often cited UFO as his greatest influence. For that reason alone, UFO finds a place at number 52.

Here is "Give Her the Gun."

51. Delaine

Delain is a Dutch symphonic metal band that formed in 2002 by former Within Temptation pianist Martijn Westerholt and Charlotte Wessels. Along with Nightwish and Within Temptation, Delain is one of the best symphonic metal bands on the planet. Their albums April Rain and We Are the Others are must owns for anyone that digs this brand of metal.
Here is "Get the Devil Out of Me."

As always, thank you for reading!
Marty Sabin