7. Given To The Rising (2007)

Neurosis has never broken up, but Given To The Rising still felt like a comeback upon its release. After exploring bleak soundscapes for the better part of a decade, the band used this record to unlimber the oppressive weight that defined their '90s material.

It's unusual for bands that shift away from metal to return to the genre, but Given To The Rising may be the most capital-M Metal offering in the Neurosis pantheon. Its mood is stark and bestial; its sound matches its cover. The dusty Americana that crept into the band's sound during the early aughts is nowhere to be found. In its place is riff-worshipping menace. "At The End Of The Road" is one of the most tense and sinister songs in Neurosis's catalog, keening airlessly for four minutes before unleashing a titanic single-note beatdown.

Given To The Rising is not the most adventurous album that Neurosis ever recorded. As far as sheer riffing firepower goes, though, it's hard to beat.