Sophomore Success - 10 Metal Artists who Improved from their Debut

The sophomore slump. When a second offering is vastly inferior to a high quality initial offering. The Jaws 2 syndrome. Or RGIII. There aren’t many things in the world more disappointing then a terrible follow up effort.

You know it very well in the music world. When an artist breaks onto the scene with a stunning debut album. Pushing a genre’s boundaries, melding styles like never before. Or simply just sending out a straight up damn good album. Then offering a second helping which can never live up to the loft expectations.

However, there are plenty of instances within the metal universe where a bands second album is vastly superior to their debut. That feeling of overwhelming joy when you first watched Terminator 2. Sometimes the improvement is so great that it becomes the defining piece of their entire career.

That’s not to say the debut offering is bad. In some cases they are great albums by themselves. Just the ensuing step up is significant. So here we have 10 examples where their sophomore effort greatly surpasses it’s predecessor.

Gojira – The Link

DIY debut album from the French metal titans is raw, slightly disjointed and sounds like the independent album it is. Gojira were clearly finding their sound with their death metal opener Terra Incognita. Only showing glimpses of the progressive powerhouse they would become.

It would be their third album From Mars to Sirius when they broke through to the minds of the masses. But second album The Link is a vast step up from their debut. The production quality is greatly improved, the progressive elements are more pronounced, and we get the first bite of the crushing guitar tone that is signature Gojira today.

Trivium – Ascendancy

Debut album Ember to Inferno is a very good album – Trivium don’t do bad albums. But the production quality isn’t great and it is mostly carried by the crushing riffing and youthful energy back when they were still teenagers. The rerecording of tracks from this album done recently highlight the simple song writing quality of this album.

However their sophomore effort Ascendancy would see Trivium immediately breakthrough to one of the premier metalcore bands of the mid 2000s. In my opinion, follow up album Shogun is their greatest work. But there is no doubt Ascendancy is their defining work. Pull Harder, Gunshot, Like Light. Defining tracks during a golden age of metalcore.

Gloryhammer – Space 1992

Heroes of Earth joined forces to produce Tales from the Kingdom of Fife in 2013. Showcasing the gloriously over the top story telling that we know and love today. A top effort for a debut album – tale of mighty warrior Angus McFife and the epically named The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee becoming fan favourites.

However follow up Space 1992: Rise of the Chaos Wizards cemented the Gloryhammer style. The song writing greatly improved. The fantasy film score feel turned up to the max. As tongue-in-cheek as you can possibly get. Gloryhammer have reached headline tour status never swaying from their signature style. Let us hope when we reach the distant future of 1992 these mighty heroes will be here to save us.

Children of Bodom – Hatebreeder

Much like Trivium above, debut album Something Wild from Children of Bodom is a showcase of technical proficiency and youthful exuberance. Strong neo-classical influence, inventive song structures. Guitar and keyboard interchanging in ways never experienced before. It’s mind boggling that teenagers can write albums of this quality.

However it would be follow up Hatebreeder when Children of Bodom would mature and produce a career defining album. Loosing none of the energy, technical proficiency and experimentation of their debut. But with a stronger emphasis on album flow and song writing. Melding everything perfectly. Closing track Downfall would close out their live shows for the rest of their career.

Metallica – Ride the Lightning

There is very much a theme of youthful energy to many debut metal albums. Sometimes they even contribute to defining an entire genre and provide inspiration to countless bands. Maybe none more so than debut album Kill ’em All by thrash metal titans Metallica. It was fast, visceral and uncompromising. However it is sophomore effort Ride the Lightning which is their defining work.

Yes Master of Puppets is probably remembered more as their defining work. And as a rounded musical masterpiece I am inclined to agree. But I put it to you that Ride the Lightning is Metallica‘s best album. The guitar intro to the title track. For Whom the Bell Tolls‘ bass riff. The up tempo riffing of Trapped Under Ice and Creeping Death. Too many highlights to possibly name in one go.

Cannibal Corpse – Butchered at Birth

It’s funny looking back at certain artists and how their debut is vastly different to subsequent offerings. The early speed metal of Slayer. Do you remember that time Pantera were a glam band? Debut album Eaten Back to Life from death metal legends Cannibal Corpse is mostly a gritty thrash album. A far cry from how we know them today.

During the initial wave of death metal coming out of Florida in the early 90s, their sophomore album Butchered at Birth changed things markedly. They toned down the thrash metal influences and took a big swing in the death metal direction they helped to pioneer. Chris Barnes found his trademark guttural scowl and they never looked back.

Mastodon – Leviathan

When your sophomore album is widely recognised as one of the defining albums throughout metal history, you know it will be on this list. Mastodon‘s debut album Remission is a brutal, pounding tide of sludge and grime. Totally uncompromising and all the better for it. We get the first taste of the repetitive, progressive droning sound that Mastodon are famous for.

But it was follow up effort Leviathan that really broke ground, shooting Mastodon to the metal elite. A concept album based on Herman Melville’s famous white whale. The main riff from opening track Blood and Thunder has reached legendary status. The whole album gels together with expert precision, but retains much of the visceral experience of their debut. Mastodon would go on to take technicality and experimentation to new heights. But they will never top Leviathan.

Rammstein – Sehnsucht

The industrial metal pioneers from Berlin have risen to upper echelon of metal music through a mix of writing tremendous music and stage shows that are pretty much unmatched. Debut album Herzeleid showcased the relentless riffing and pounding style Rammstein have dished out for over 20 years now. Rising to the utmost elite of the metal crowd.

Rammstein grew up considerably by their sophomore studio album Sehnsucht. The tempo slowed down slightly, the production quality improved and Engel and Du Hast have become staples of their catalogue. Not a single bad song, and more catchy hooks than the annual angler of the year awards. It would take another album for Rammstein to break through on the international stage, but Sehnsucht was a big step up for the German behemoth.

Avenged Sevenfold – Waking the Fallen

It’s hard to think back to a time when Avenged Sevenfold put out straight up metalcore. They have since evolved through varying styles, keeping that progressive and experimental edge that sets them apart from much of the similar crowd. Achieving breakout success as a result. Debut album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet started them off with a heavy goth punk influence, but not yet finding their sound.

With guitar talisman Synyster Gates now in the fold for the whole recording process, sophomore album Waking the Fallen was a giant leap for the SoCal crew. Syn‘s signature note heavy shredding beginning to come to the fray. The prototypical metal riff in Unholy Confessions. The softer side echoing from I Won’t See You Tonight Part’s 1 and 2. A big step towards the frontrunners we know and love today.

Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing

One of the defining metalcore bands, Killswitch Engage have gone through phases with both Jesse Leach and Howard Jones leading the way. Did you know lead guitarist Adam D was their drummer in the early days? I often forget that too. Their debut eponymous album went by largely without a huge amount of fanfare.

It was however on the release of their follow up album Alive or Just Breathing that Killswitch Engage became one of the front runners of the metalcore glory days. Lead track My Last Serenade has been played countless times and is one of the most known and well loved metalcore songs. Jesse Leach left the band after this album and they moved in a more melodic direction. But Alive or Just Breathing is still the defining Killswitch album.

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