HISTORY FLASHBACK – 30 years of EMP: 1998-2000
HISTORY FLASHBACK – 30 years of EMP: 1998-2000
Wow, we almost can't believe this: This fall – on November 27th to be precise – marks the 30th anniversary of EMP. Thirty. Like 3 and 0. Crazy, isn't it? However, we're not gonna plunge into an identity crisis but look back on the past three decades with pride. 30 years in which EMP developed from a tiny flyer catalogue to Europe's leading e-commerce retailer in the rock and entertainment business. Until our official birthday in November we are going to condense the past 30 years in ten blog posts – looking back on what happened with us, with metal and the rest of the great wide world. Let's carry on with the years 1998 to 2000!
In 1998 Moonspell released their “Sin/Pecado” album – which is why they were featured on EMP's first catalogue of that year. Behold:
However, other bands gave birth to beautiful daughters as well that year: Anathema – “Alternative 4”, Arch Enemy – “Stigmata”, Blind Guardian – “Nightfall in Middle-Earth”, Bolt Thrower – “Mercenary”, Godsmack – “Godsmack”, HammerFall – “Legacy of Kings”, Iced Earth – “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, Iron Maiden – “Virtual XI”, KISS – “Psycho Circus”, Metallica – “Garage Inc.”, Monster Magnet – “Powertrip”, Nightwish – “Oceanborn”, Queens of the Stone Age – “Queens of the Stone Age”, Rob Zombie – “Hellbilly Deluxe”, Savatage – “The Wake of Magellan”, Sentenced – “Frozen”, Slayer – “Diabolus In Musica” and System of a Down – “System of a Down” are only a few of that year's great metal releases. 1998 also marks the birth of bands like Rob Zombie and Unearth. Bullet For My Valentine are founded under the name Jeff Killed John (as a Nirvana and Metallica cover band).
And here comes the second EMP cover of 1998 – Blind Guardian are back with their masterpiece “Nightfall In Middle Earth”!
Dozens of cult movies originated in 1998. Including “The Big Lebowski”, “American History X”, “The Truman Show”, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, “Saving Private Ryan”, “Blade”, “There's Something About Mary” and “Lethal Weapon 4”. “Half-Life” shocked the gaming world – we are still waiting for part 3 by the way!
1999
EMP launched that year's merchandise season with a beautiful Gamma Ray cover:
A season which had lots of great albums in store: Amon Amarth – “The Avenger”, Behemoth – “Satanica”, Children of Bodom – “Hatebreeder”, Dark Tranquility – “Projector”, Dimmu Borgir – “Spiritual Black Dimensions”, Dream Theater – “Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory”, Immortal – “At the Heart of Winter”, Kreator – “Endorama”, Lacuna Coil – “In a Reverie”, Limp Bizkit – “Significant Other”, Machine Head – “The Burning Red”, Metallica – “S&M”, Nine Inch Nails – “The Fragile”, Rage Against the Machine – “The Battle of Los Angeles” and Slipknot – “Slipknot” rained down bloodily from metal heaven. A Perfect Circle, Avenged Sevenfold, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Sabaton and Trivium were born!
Paradise Lost released their somewhat controversial record “Host” which was featured on the cover of our summer magazine nevertheless.
Great back then and still great: movies like “Fight Club”, “Matrix”, “American Beauty”, “Being John Malkovich”, “Sleepy Hollow”, “The Sixth Sense”, “Ghost Dog”, “The Boondock Saints” and “Eyes Wide Shut”. “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater” hit the video game consoles and triggered a skater wave.
2000
Are the computers still running? Relief: they are. All this millennium panic had obviously been in vain.
“Comeback of the year”, the EMP magazine cover reads. Who again? Well, Iron Maiden of course! Lost son Bruce Dickinson had returned and the Brits delivered their fantastic “Brave New World” album.
Other bands released fantastic albums as well that year: AC/DC – “Stiff Upper Lip”, A Perfect Circle – “Mer de Noms”, Deftones – “White Pony”, Iron Maiden – “Brave New World”, Killswitch Engage – “Killswitch Engage”, Lamb of God – “New American Gospel”, Limp Bizkit – “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water”, Marilyn Manson – “Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)”, Nightwish – “Wishmaster” and Soulfly – “Primitive” for instance. Sad news though: Rage Against The Machine and Sacred Reich disbanded :(
However: “Metal God” Rob Halford released his first Halford album called “Resurrection” - reasons enough for us to put him on the EMP cover:
Surely you will gladly remember all of these movies from 2000: “Memento”, “Requiem for a Dream”, “Snatch”, “Gladiator”, “Almost Famous”, “American Psycho”, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, “High Fidelity”, “Tiger & Dragon”, “X-Men”, “Final Destination” and “The Beach” - good stuff, wasn't it?
Oh, and: 2000 marks the release of the most successful video game console of all times: Sony's PlayStation 2!
Check back soon for more awesome EMP flashbacks as we head into the 2000's!