Best & WORST Nu Metal Albums RANKED (From 2000)

[@MetalTrenches]

MORE Nu Metal Videos: kzbin.info/aero/PLGt4fzX5jyuepFXkwmILRFkL8-XgQytt-&si=xl7tzluKjmHJM1Tk Become a CHANNEL MEMBER: kzbin.info/door/7LNTDMxhrWFiz9F0_v5jwwjoin

[@thiagopena3258]

Hey Metal Trenches, what do you think was the most disappointing album?

[@fortheloveofnoise]

Is that really the only Mudvayne album you love? For me, the first 3 are amazing, and each one was better than the last of those 3.

[@MrDustinbagz333]

Nothingface violence is perfection. Top 5 albums of all time for nu metal.

[@joewar2028]

Yes

[@ceedivine]

Agreed!

[@Rev-Tones]

Agree skeltons is better tho

[@m.daigeaun2563]

Violence wasn't as strong an album as Nothingface's prior release. As for Ultraspank's Progress, it's one of my top 10 from the genre. They could have been bigger but I don't think the label pushed them enough so they got lost.

[@joewar2028]

@@m.daigeaun2563 they were on a tiny label, right?

[@themoviejournal3080]

Never thought I’d see Primer 55 and Nothingface in a KZbin thumbnail in 2024 haha 🍻

[@IzunaSlap]

Max Cavalera is amazing. He successfully managed to transition away from 80's thrash metal into groove metal (Chaos AD), industrial metal (Nailbomb) AND nu metal (Soulfly) without falling on his face. The 90's and early 2000's were a rough time for 70's and 80's metal bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica and Slayer. They didn't know how to handle the new innovations of grunge, groove, industrial, and nu metal, and many of them flopped on their faces trying to jump on these bandwagons. Max was different, however, was different. For him, I think, his style changes weren't bandwagon jumps for the sake of remaining relevant; he actually LOVED the new styles of 90's music and happily embraced them, making the styles his own. He still sounds great both live and in studio to this day. He deserves recognition as a metal god for staying true to himself and kicking ass for nearly 40 years.

[@BrioAbjure]

The Nothingface disrespect is amazing. You should probably do a deeper dive of their catalog because Violence should have been Amazing tier at least.

[@MetalTrenches]

Different strokes. That is all. I have listened to this album enough times to know how I feel about it. I wouldn’t presume to tell you how you should.

[@BrioAbjure]

@@MetalTrenches For sure man! You do you of course. I can't help but question your "method" for ranking these tier vids though. Also some questionable taste w/ Apt 26, Hamlet, Project 86, Seotaiji imo. Could have maybe included Pitchshifter "Deviant", Embodyment "The Narrow Scope of Things" (banger), Shuvel "Set It Off", Stuck Mojo, RATM, Chimaira, Blindside, Downset, Glassjaw, Finger 11...

[@MetalTrenches]

@@BrioAbjure I don’t consider RATM or Glassjaw to be nu metal. Chimaira didn’t have an album in the year 2000 (we’re looking at the year, not the decade). The rankings themselves are simply based on my personal enjoyment.

[@diegosuarez3655]

Nothingface was too heavy for so many them. For me , VIOLENCE is pure perfection, you don't skip any track.

[@Rev-Tones]

NOTHINGFACE!!!!!!!! (One of my favorite bands rip Matt holt ) all there albums are amazing you gotta check out there other stuff skeltons is one if there best. I don't care that your not a huge fan of them but they were pretty damn fucking good edit: you have all my respect now for putting strait up rip Lynn and Dobbs. Ps:if you do a 2001 album nu metal video check out reveille bleed the sky kick ass band they were awesome thanks.

[@MatthewHastreiter]

I'm 39 now and I love the height of callousness just as much as I did when it first came out. The depth of emotion in that album still lingers with me. Play God and transparent we're definitely my favorite tracks

[@doomusrlc]

10:58 I remember when this album came out, it was such a big deal among the scene at the time. That music video definitely hits in the emotions.

[@joewar2028]

Man, this brought me back. I owned 95% of these as an 18-19yr old. That Primer album is good, but their second is such an underappreciated album

[@ghostnote-6]

Agreed. I usually don't like when bands change so much between albums but The New Release was a huge improvement.

[@adamperez254]

Nothingface is amazing. The song Thousand Lies goes hard. Everlasting God stopper.

[@Rev-Tones]

Wish we got that other album😢 rip Matt holt

[@adamperez254]

@@Rev-Tones absolutely.

[@Durkhead]

Blue skin by nothingface is a fuckin banger

[@Cwin-ny6bp]

Nothingface is one of my favorite bands, and Blue Skin is on the shortlist for songs I might consider their best.

[@Cwin-ny6bp]

Nothingface’s categorization as nu metal was definitely one of the most tenuous IMO. They were more like a mixture of alternative metal and groove metal beyond Pacifier. They had guitar solos and basically no elements of hip hop or various other nu metal trappings after their debut. They share some sonic similarities with the likes of Mudvayne and Slipknot, but they’re even further from the core of nu metal than those groups.

[@arokowski]

Big fan of the channel, Great List revisiting my senior year of High School.. I think you nailed the rankings with the exception of Nonpoint 'Statement' should be a notch higher...

[@ericajade2601]

These videos are always interesting to me as I completely disregarded this stuff at the time. I was in college by that point and my tastes in metal were of the "real metal" sort. I appreciate the historical retrospective even if it was stuff I only heard in passing or knew only by name.

[@Saliva1]

Favorites for me this year are LP, Taproot, Spineshank, Soufly, Disturbed, Deftones

[@KOBRA96-45]

Legit the only Union Underground song I can remember is the one from WWE

[@talesxavier5752]

Across The Nation.

[@KOBRA96-45]

@@talesxavier5752 Yeah that one

[@jasondorst13]

South Texas Deathride is certified banger material.

[@UUCFights]

check out Relative ash's album "our time with you" if you get a chance it came out in 2000

[@diegotool]

It's always a good exercise to compare different sensations and taste on music. Although, I would never imagine seeing Primer 55, Apartment 26 or Kittie over Nothingface, Ultraspank and Earth Crisis, and placing them very low; but yet, there is always someone with a different perception.

[@quentinbringthenumetalchil5125]

Lots of albums on this list, ranging from Okay to Perfection, are albums that contain songs I go back to from time to time. I can’t get enough of how good of year 2000 was for nu metal.

[@FearTractorist]

Check out New Killer America by Skrape for the 2001 ranking. You can hear a variety of influences like Helmet, Filter, Alice in chains, Deftones, a bit of Pantera, and Static-X, and all of them blend really well together. It is a great sounding record (Ulrich Wild), too. Weirdly, the two opening tracks are the weakest; I recommend Goodbye, Rake, I know, Kill control, Sleep. Had to spread the word, as, sadly, the album does not get the attention it deserves. Cheers

[@joerazz91]

Everything you said about disturbed is how I feel about papa roach. Never got into them

[@Forestgravy90]

Both absolutely honking bands for idiots

[@getdrippy4416]

Whoa. Lmao. Man you got me with the Apartment 26. Haven't thought about that in agesssss.

[@jesusdelarosa1204]

Taproot's Gift is like the perfect formula for non peak nu metal... 10/10 album

[@SubArchitectDJ]

Nah. Derivative and uninteresting

[@jesusdelarosa1204]

@@SubArchitectDJ Derivative 100%. At the end every genre is derivative... In Nu metal they're like 7 main bands...

[@6sKi6z6]

Primer 55’s song “The Big Fuck You” is probably the best song on there besides the final track.

[@laurisaarinen1126]

Really nice to see Back To The Primitive at the top tier! One of the more underrated nu metal works, i love the whole thing with all the guest features and different genre blends. Now i gotta check out that Spineshank album - i always liked New Disease as it was featured in Shaun Palmer snowboarding for PS2. Also checking out Primer 55, doesn't sound half bad. Oh yeah, and Snot... I love Get Some and for some reason i never listened to Strait Up.

[@ebenezerspludge8369]

Great list, Loved all these albums except for Seotaiji and Hamlet. Never heard of them.

[@hectorThechilldudeonacouch]

Solid list, great stuff

[@garrysanderson9957]

I remember Backwards from the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack. I also remember Taproot’s Poem being massive. That’s obviously not from Gift but that single is the one I’m most familiar with. I had a lot of these albums. Had my chin length hair in mini plaits, wore baggy jeans and a fishing vest (gotta have lots of pockets😜). I’d include Earthtone 9 - Arc’tan’gent on this list. Psycore had an album in 99. Absolute nostalgia trip here 😊

[@kevintrjohnson]

I was hoping that you would have included Relative Ash--Our Time With You, but that's a pretty obscure album from a one and done band.

[@speakerdestroyer425]

Thanks for this nice little trip down memory lane, i loved a lot of these albums when i discovered nu metal. Think the only disagreements id have with your ranking would be the project 86, which i still jam to this day and i think the lyrics and vocals are the strongest elements of, and the nothingface album id rank side by side with deftones. Nothingface were a criminally underrated nu metal band, always really liked matt holt's vocals and they had a bit of a heavier edge to them than their nu metal contemporaries. Agreed that white pony is the best here though.

[@tetfol3315]

These Taproot's and Spineshank's albums are really fun, personally I think that Nonpoint's album is quite fantastic, it's catchy, heavy, well composed (they had even guitar solo there).

[@DonarsOak]

Hearkens back to the days of yore... an era of music I've learned to appreciate. It faded out rather quick over the next few years, thanks to radio rock on ClearChannel stations and the return of Headbangers Ball.

[@LurchyScott]

The only two albums I disagree with in terms of their placements would be Awake (I was a big Godsmack fan in High School) and The Sickness (I'd place them both a tier above) but other than those two? I completely agree with your opinions man. White Pony and L.D 50 are two of my absolute favorite albums of all time and to me they still hold up to this day. Good stuff man.

[@SubArchitectDJ]

Perfection is perfection 👌🏻except Starfish should be in there

[@icastfist]

I know you can't include every nu metal album released but along with Linkin Park and Deftones the album i listened to the most and still enjoy playing from time to time is 'One Minute Silence - Buy Now... Saved Later'.

[@lewisb85]

It's a absolute banger, saw them supporting slipknot they got a bigger reaction than the knot. I just remember the insane pit.

[@guillermoacevedo4644]

WOW that Hamlet album caught me by surprise. Pleanty of Nu metal latin bands. Good job, u r a professional.

[@jbsvikes]

I remember thinking the Earth crisis album slither was kinda nu metal but i honestly i dig it.

[@superstan3290]

I can’t wait to see the ranking of 2001 nu metal albums

[@IzunaSlap]

Sevendust- Animosity yeeeeeaaaahhh

[@Brando-Lee3725]

Strait Up was killer especially at the time . And I LOVE the song Absent , the last song Lynn recorded before he died . Which seemed like some crazy foreshadowing lyrically .

[@reidood]

My "Perfection" albums from this list: Hybrid Theory, Gift and 13 Ways to Bleed On Stage

[@munkikyng]

would lostprophets "fake sound of progress" be numetal? i know the singer is a pos, but still...?

[@xwolfiegreenwoodx]

LD 50 is the only album here I still listen to regularly. I love Earth Crisis but I definitely blocked their Nu-Metal phase from my memory.

[@DeathMetalConnoisseur]

I love older nu metal 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@budafuka]

That mention of South Texas Deathride unlocked some ancient memories in my brain. What a terrible song. Nu metal has to be the weirdest metal classification as rarely does any of the music from band to band sound similar. I guess it's more of a time defining thing than a genre. And I still love Infest. I listened to it front to back a couple of weeks ago. Still think there's not a dull song on there.

[@Rev-Tones]

13 ways is the only album you like by cold why dont you like there first album the red cover one i think thats there best??

[@ghostnote-6]

Spineshank is the top album for me by far. I had the digipak with bonus tracks and even those were awesome. Still listen to it semi-regularly. Deftones #2 I don't listen to it that often anymore, but it was kind of instrumental into getting me into other types of music at the time. Was really disappointed at first because it strayed so far from Around the Fur (which is still my fave Deftones) but really came to appreciate it. Project 86 #3. They're still putting out good albums. I much prefer non-nu Earth Crisis, but Provoke is a banger track off that album. The lyrics as well. I only like a couple of Primer 55 songs here, but they really stepped up the quality of the songwriting on their next and last album. Not even distinguishable as the same band, but still delightfully cheesy and fun. Taproot... never liked it beyond "Poem" which got some MTV airplay. I know I didn't like it because I paid like $15 for it and my broke ass tried really hard to enjoy anything I spent money on. I always disliked Papa Roach, HedPE Godsmack and Disturbed. With Disturbed, I didn't like Draiman's voice or delivery, and I was already a big Stompbox fan and I thought Disturbed's breakout hit had ripped off Stompbox's track No Woods. Obviously that's not the case, but it gave me another reason to latch onto to not like this band that everybody else was loving. If you've never heard of Stompbox, check them out! They're like if Helmet were a bunch of burly drunken lumberjacks.

[@kidbonesonline]

Was listening to Papa Roach when this video was put in my notifications. 🤘

[@markstultz383]

I was hoping Amen- "S/T" would be in this. I love the first album to this day.

[@joevhetkenllyespinoza7118]

Check the Mute album by Scars of Life

[@mattdeinken6580]

I liked primer 55's new release album

[@gabriellongworth]

Deftones! I remember listening to Engine No. 9 in 5th grade and being like “W.T.F.!” 🫨 Best band of that era by far. I’m a newer viewer of this channel. I love the coverage and have discovered bands that I cannot stop listening to already, Entheos for one. I do have a hard time jumping back into Nu Metal era beside a handful of bands. I am 37 so not too much older than you (I think) so the majority of your opinions align with mine. My oldest brother introduced us younger siblings to Metallica and Megadeth when I was 7. We discovered Down and Pantera not long after. That shaped my taste in metal forever. I have been diving much deeper into Death Metal beyond Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse and Misery Index recently because of the wide range of bands you provide. I immediately saw Aborted just a few weeks ago (incredible live set) because I discovered them on your channel. Thank you for the awesome metal content! \,,/,

[@MetalTrenches]

Thanks!

[@gabriellongworth]

You bet, also the Chaos and Carnage show in Detroit was epic

[@mattywoo3649]

Kittie was straight trash basic ass riff Earth crisis is miles above that band but basic and simple is the mass.

[@Ryan-cu5tz]

Relative ash, Slaves on Dope, Factory 81, Shuvel, were good albums that came out in 2000 also.

[@jeffbeyer383]

3rd Strike also

[@ThusISpake]

White Pony, without competition. Fully agree on that.

[@FuriousMetal1968]

Ultraspank - Progress is criminally underrated 🤘 And Godsmack isn't Nu- Metal. I think you were reaching a bit on this one. Mudvayne is hands down the best album on this list 🤘🍻😎

[@MetalTrenches]

I mean I literally said that Godsmack isn't really nu metal in the video, but that particular album has enough of the DNA (10:27). Sometimes I feel like people just skip past my explanations lol...

[@FuriousMetal1968]

@@MetalTrenches I didn't skip past , I just don't think it's Nu Metal. And I hate the term Butt Rock!? Where did that come from, lol

[@adamperez254]

The first Project 86 album goes hard. Not a dull track.

[@mrThorleifsen]

Those brings me back to the good ol' times

[@gabix7488]

White Pony, Hybrid Theory, LD 50,Awake, The Sickness, Infest, Chocolate Starfish are my fav from this list I would like to add, Vapor Transmission by Orgy on the list, that was a great record

[@LikelyHexoadine]

the bizkit isnt limping today sadly. Amazing list, but I do kinda have it against The Sickness. (a top 5 for me, personally.) Also, being a nerd here, Deftones weren't really nu metal when WP came out anyways, xD.

[@mikepenny8940]

Yes!! Soulfly!! Son song is one of my favorite songs!?

[@misterscarisma]

Glad you mentioned the US Navy goes Godsmack ad campaign. Most don't remember or know about it. 😁 God bless, America.

[@DrProfessorMD]

I was on the Union Underground street team. I didn't even like the band, that's just what we did back then.

[@ImJuSTaStatistic]

I listened to Earth Crisis till 2008’s Breed the Killers and I don’t remember Slither at all. I must’ve repressed that. They were always funny though just how militant they were about killing people who oppress animals and whatnot. They had some bangers though

[@Rev-Tones]

Hey metal trenches i dont mean to comment alot ik you might hate that but when you go to relisten to all these albums do you use your old cds or youtube? PS:i still only listen to physical lol

[@MetalTrenches]

My CD rips in itunes

[@Rev-Tones]

@@MetalTrenches ok got it so you owned most of these albums and just ripped them into iTunes I used to rip them into my computer when I worked at f.y.e back in the day got shit tones of promo albums still have hatebreed preservecence instore play copy 😅

[@MetalTrenches]

I still have a lot of the CD’s 🤘🏻

[@smote_his_ruin]

Pressure 4-5, Factory 81, Apartment 26, Primer 55.. Nu Metal became the most over saturated genre maybe of all time.

[@ICLight412]

Really, you listening to music now of any genre? Everything over saturated.

[@Jakehammer29]

Another solid album is Stuck Mojo's Declaration of a Headhunter

[@Nope-gu3ph]

LP all the way man.

[@lewisb85]

One minute silence- By now saved later was an under rated classic from back then as well. they supported slipknot loads in europe.

[@pedroazevedo2067]

Surprised by the absence of Amen.

[@Triboro_Gigolo]

Linkin park and Limp bizkit clearly made the best nu metal in the genre , they were the pioneers of that sound, Korn included !

[@Jgrav]

One minute silence - buy now, saved later. Top to bottom banger still

[@father042]

Nothingface at just good is crazy

[@underworld6103]

Brad in a trenches video is a thing I’d never thought I’d see

[@mr.bonez3150]

I was SO not expecting Seo Taiji! ultramania is underrated!

[@Brokenenglishspeaker]

It was very popular in korea

[@simazza6206]

Another great nostalgia trip. Still got quite a few of these on USB in the car. Will be educating (or possibly traumatising) my son on the school run tomorrow 😂

[@scottcordell1618]

Agree with most but Disturbed for me was one of the best besides Mudvayne and Linkin Park Never got into Deftones. I do have most of those Cds. Nu Metal changed my outlook on music as I grew up listening to late 80s and 90s HipHop rap

[@jeffnduran]

Hey I got Korn's Follow the Leader album on those "scam" 15 albums for 15 dollars things. LOL

[@jeffnduran]

I had no idea what I was getting into...😂

[@MetalTrenches]

I’m calling it a scam not because you don’t get good albums, it’s a scam because they are actually tricking you into a monthly overpriced subscription fee

[@jeffnduran]

@@MetalTrenches gotcha lol

[@Foxentails]

Really? That Nothingface album is excellent.

[@Tenkiller10]

Seotaiji album deserves to be higher. at least Amazing imo

[@Pokethememedealer]

Nonpoint mentioned 🔥

[@reesejohnson8421]

I always thought "Welcome" by Taproot was pretty good too. After that, they lose me.

[@sotsindustries1]

*Again: I agree with 1,000% with pretty much where ya put everything here on this list MT* although *I'd probably* put The Sickness (Disturbed) and Violence (Nothingface) just a notch higher and Awake by Godsmack actually just *1 level* lower ngl... 😛 *ALSO:* I GOTTA check out Seotaiji now! 💥 (another band ig u could call "similar" to them/him/another "nu metal group/artist from another country" are *Folder* out of Italy who are sometimes - still - referred to as the "Italian Limp Bizkit," ntm and my favorite album by them is a tie of *both* versions of Keep The Flow - 2001). 🤘 🐲 🦘 🤙 🥂

[@marvelmite1]

Own half the list, all baught during high-school in 2000

[@ryanmcmillin5313]

Papa Roach debut album was actually Old friends from young years

[@damu1969]

I've forgotten how every NM singer had a Bart Simpson hairdo back then.

[@oorgasmatron17]

and the Korn ?

[@MetalTrenches]

Korn did not have an album in the year 2000…

[@Joemama55122]

Kittie and Disturbed Papa Roach ❤

[@blashmusic363]

How can you say it’s corny and yet be wearing a mask

[@jeffbeyer383]

Missing 3rd Strike, Relative Ash, and Full Devil Jacket

[@m2ht309]

I wouldn’t call ld.50 a new metal album but fuck am I glad you put it in perfection because holy fuck has an album never had such and incredible final few songs the entire thing is incredible although most of the songs take a lot of attention to enjoy

[@MetalTrenches]

It's like a quintessential nu metal album. I can't think of an argument as to why it would NOT be considered that. Glad you love it though.

[@Mercury_Shadow]

Nothingface never gets enough love. I would put it over Spineshank. Also I know its blasphemy but Linkin Park is wildly overrated.

[@Rev-Tones]

Don't agree with the LP overrated part but nothingface should have been massive

[@kennethmartinez1167]

Sorry man but youre way off on violence by nothingface. That album is criminally underrated

[@MetalTrenches]

We just disagree. That is all

[@Dax11eleven]

What time to be alive 😊

[@mootkickee]

Deftones don’t have a bad album, in my opinion. OHMS gets played just as much as around the fur or koi. Feels like they still haven’t reached their peak

[@malfeitor1349]

By Myself is my favorite Hybrid Theory song

[@diskyboy86]

This is the point where nu-metal went butt rock for me. It was never one of my favorite genres but at least you had stuff like Korn, Roots, Candyass, Wisconsin Death Trip, Hellbilly Deluxe and S.C.I.E.N.C.E. early on. Never cared for Linkin Park, Slipknot, Deftones, SOAD, Mudvayne, Limp Bizkit and so on. The only good nu-metal album that 2000 brought us was Vapor Transmission, which you didn't include even though you mentioned Orgy 😭

[@IzunaSlap]

2001 REALLY rocked the butt. That was when Staind full on became Nickelback.

[@kenplotzke86]

Infest NEEDS to be in perfection imo

[@JustAnotherHeavyMetalManiac]

Is it just me or do a lot of these bands sound exactly the same?

[@YesMan-uy4cj]

because they all sound sh*t they sound the same yes

[@MetalTrenches]

Not at all imo. They share genre tropes, but I’d argue if you listen to the albums they all sound fairly different

[@JustAnotherHeavyMetalManiac]

@@MetalTrenches Eh, I’ll take your word on it, but just from the little snippets you’ve played a lot of them do sound very similar.

[@StormRising]

Psst! That's cause Nu Metal sucks! (Also it's the same as the Hair Metal wave in the 80s)RATM apologized for bringing us such awfulness like Limp Suckshit (BTW RATM rules along with Deftones! but i don't consider em Nu Metal)

[@YesMan-uy4cj]

@@StormRising yes but those two sucks too

[@Jesuscrisis]

I've always thought cold drummer looked like undertaker

[@smote_his_ruin]

You forgot Factory 81!