Revelations

Vader’s fifth album of original material (they released a covers compilation, Future of the Past, between their second and third full-lengths) was also their last with drummer Krzysztof “Doc” Raczkowski, whose John Bonham-like style gave their chugging, thrashy death metal a thicker low end than most of their peers. Combine that with guitarist/vocalist Piotr “Peter” Wiwczarek’s surprisingly hard rock-based riffing (the album’s opening track, “Epitaph,” begins with the same chord that kicks off Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock”) and the band’s willingness to shift gears, speeding up and slowing down like a truck going up and down a series of hills, Revelations will make you want to punch holes in the wall. Polish death metal bands are just heavier than their peers from other countries (check out Lost Soul and early Decapitated), and Vader are the all-time heavyweight champions.