Unsung: The Best Of Helmet (1991-1997)

Had there not been Helmet, then a whole genre of metal wouldn't have been born. Bands such as Godsmack, Pantera, Linkin Park, System of a Down, and a generation of nu-metalists owe their very careers to Page Hamilton's noisy, snarling guitars, John Stanier's scatter gun drumming, and Henry Bogdan's nasty, assertive bass. One of the earliest bands to combine a jazz sensibility with hardcore, this New York-based band's dedication to pairing their textured bone crushing riffs with elegant off-kilter time signatures, and well-crafted and surprisingly sensitive lyrics, like the dark ambient philosophy of "Unsung" or the ghostly imagery of "Wilma's Rainbow," has earned them a place in rock's annals. Sadly underrated during their six-year tenure, these early metal fusionists carved out a niche for themselves that has never been filled after they pulled the plug in 1997. This 21-track collection, which has been digitally remastered, revives those glory years and illustrates just how groundbreaking Helmet really was. From the stately Hendrix-esque "Bad Mood," to the sheer genius of "Just Another Victim," their rap metal synthesis from the soundtrack of Judgment Night, featuring House of Pain, Helmet gave heavy metal thunder a good name, and some much needed innovation. --Jaan Uhelszki