No matter the medium, good sequels are usually difficult to pull off. After all, they must succeed both as the newest entry in the creator’s catalog and as an extension of the specific narrative and/or musical foundation(s) that preceded them.
In the case of rock and metal, there have certainly been some lackluster follow-ups to celebrated concept records. Take, for instance, Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose (2006), Queensrÿche’s Operation: Mindcrime II (2006) and Rob Zombie’s Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (2010). However good or bad they are as isolated works, they failed to measure up to their forbearers.
Luckily, the 10 LPs on this list prove that it’s totally possible for bands to do justice to their earlier triumphs with direct continuations. In fact, several of the following picks still rank as their respective artists’ top albums.
Clearly, the original isn’t always the best.
The Best Sequel Albums in Rock + Metal
Worthy successors that continue a saga.