1992 in heavy metal music
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1992.
Newly formed bands
- Ancient
- Boris
- Callenish Circle
- Carpathian Forest
- Cephalic Carnage
- Cruachan
- Dew-Scented
- Dies Irae
- Disciple
- Disgorge
- Edguy
- Esoteric
- Evoken
- Fight
- Freak Kitchen
- Gates of Ishtar
- Godgory
- Gorgoroth
- Graveworm
- Judas Iscariot
- Legion of the Damned
- Lord Belial
- Lordi
- Memento Mori
- Moonspell
- Naglfar
- Nasum
- Necrophagist
- P.O.D.
- Quo Vadis
- Rudra
- Sirrah
- Skinless
- Stone Sour
- The Chasm
- Vince Neil
- Wolfgang
Reformed bands
- Mercyful Fate
Albums
- 24-7 Spyz – Strength in Numbers
- AC/DC – AC/DC Live
- Alice in Chains – Dirt
- Alice in Chains – Sap
- Amorphis - The Karelian Isthmus
- Anathema - The Crestfallen
- Anthem – Domestic Booty
- Anvil – Worth the Weight
- Asphyx - Crush the Cenotaph
- At the Gates – The Red in the Sky Is Ours
- Atrocity - Todessehnsucht
- Autopsy – Acts of the Unspeakable
- Bad4Good – Refugee
- Bangalore Choir – On Target
- Benediction - Dark is the Season
- Biohazard – Urban Discipline
- Black Sabbath – Dehumanizer
- Blind Guardian – Somewhere Far Beyond
- Body Count – Body Count
- Bolt Thrower – The IVth Crusade
- Bon Jovi – Keep the Faith
- Brain Dead – From the Ecstasy
- Brutal Truth - Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses
- Burzum – Burzum
- Candlemass – Chapter VI
- Cannibal Corpse – Tomb of the Mutilated
- Celtic Frost – Parched with Thirst Am I and Dying
- Comecon - Megatrends in Brutality
- Cro-Mags – Alpha Omega
- Damn Yankees – Don't Tread
- Darkthrone – A Blaze in the Northern Sky
- Danzig – '
- Def Leppard – Adrenalize
- Deicide – Legion
- Deliverance – Stay of Execution
- Demolition Hammer – Epidemic of Violence
- Dirty Looks – Five Easy Pieces
- Dismember - Pieces
- Dream Theater – Images and Words
- Drive – Diablero
- Earthshaker – Earthshaker
- Edge of Sanity - Unorthodox
- Edwin Dare – Unthinkable Deed
- Exhorder – The Law
- Exodus – Force of Habit
- Extreme – III Sides to Every Story
- Faith No More – Angel Dust
- Fear Factory – Soul of a New Machine
- The Gathering - Always...
- Godflesh – Pure
- Gorefest – False
- Maestro Alex Gregory – Paganini's Last Stand
- Grave - You'll Never See...
- Gun – Gallus
- Gwar – America Must Be Destroyed
- Hardline – Double Eclipse
- Heavens Gate – Hell for Sale!
- Heavens Gate – More Hysteria
- Helmet – Meantime
- Darren Housholder – Darren Housholder
- Hypocrisy – Penetralia
- Incantation - Onward to Golgotha
- Immortal – Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism
- Impetigo - Horror of the Zombies
- Iron Maiden – Fear of the Dark
- Killers – Murder One
- King's X – King's X
- Kiss – Revenge
- Krabathor - Only Our Death Is Welcome...
- Kreator – Renewal
- Kyuss – Blues for the Red Sun
- Lacrimosa – Einsamkeit
- Life Sex & Death – The Silent Majority
- Loudness – Loudness
- Lynch Mob – Lynch Mob
- Tony MacAlpine – Freedom to Fly
- Malevolent Creation – Retribution
- Yngwie Malmsteen – Fire and Ice
- Manowar – The Triumph of Steel
- Massacre - Inhuman Condition
- Marduk - Dark Endless
- Megadeth – Countdown to Extinction
- Ministry – '
- Monster Magnet – Tab
- Monstrosity – Imperial Doom
- Mortification - Scrolls of the Megilloth
- Motörhead – March ör Die
- My Dying Bride – As the Flower Withers
- My Dying Bride – Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium
- Napalm Death – Utopia Banished
- Necrophagist – Requiems of Festered Gore
- Nembrionic - Themes on an Occult Theory
- Neurosis – Souls at Zero
- Nine Inch Nails – Broken
- Nirvana – Incesticide
- Nocturnus – Thresholds
- Non-Fiction – In the Know
- Obituary – The End Complete
- Oomph! – Oomph!
- Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power
- Pan.Thy.Monium - Dawn of Dreams
- Paradise Lost – Shades of God
- Pitchshifter – Submit
- Pro-Pain – Foul Taste of Freedom
- Psychotic Waltz – Into the Everflow
- Racer X – Extreme Volume II Live
- Rage – Trapped!
- Rage Against the Machine – Rage Against the Machine
- Reverend – Live
- Rollins Band – The End of Silence
- Running Wild – Pile of Skulls
- Sadus – A Vision of Misery
- Saint Vitus - C.O.D.
- Saints & Sinners – Saints & Sinners
- Samael - Blood Ritual
- Saxon – Forever Free
- The Screaming Jets – Tear of Thought
- Sinister - Cross The Styx
- Skid Row – B-Side Ourselves
- Slaughter – The Wild Life
- Slik Toxik – Doin' the Nasty
- Sodom – Tapping the Vein
- Solitude Aeturnus – Beyond the Crimson Horizon
- Steelheart – Tangled in Reins
- Stratovarius – Twilight Time
- Spinal Tap – Break Like the Wind
- Suicidal Tendencies – Art of Rebellion
- T-Ride – T-Ride
- Tankard – Stone Cold Sober
- Testament – The Ritual
- Therapy? – Pleasure Death
- Therapy? – Nurse
- Therion - Beyond Sanctorum
- Tiamat – Clouds
- TNT – Realized Fantasies
- Tourniquet – Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance
- Triumph – Edge of Excess
- Trixter – Hear!
- Trouble – Manic Frustration
- T.T. Quick – Thrown Together Live
- Ugly Kid Joe – America's Least Wanted
- Unleashed – Shadows in the Deep
- Unruly Child – Unruly Child
- Vader – The Ultimate Incantation
- Vengeance Rising - Released Upon the Earth
- Viper – Evolution
- Viper Brazil – Vipera Sapiens
- Vital Remains – Let Us Pray
- Von – Satanic Blood
- Von Groove – Von Groove
- W.A.S.P. – The Crimson Idol
- Warrant – Dog Eat Dog
- Warrior Soul – Salutations from the Ghetto Nation
- White Zombie –
- Wildside – Under the Influence
Disbandments
- Armored Saint
- Atheist
- Britny Fox
- Europe
- Nightfall
- Nitro
- Ratt
- Stryper
- White Lion
Events
- Alice in Chains release their widely popular concept album, Dirt.
- Motörhead's drummer Phil Taylor finally leaves after recording "Ain't No Nice Guy" for the March or Die album. The drummer on that album is Tommy Aldridge, who was replaced by Mikkey Dee after recording the album.
- Metallica frontman James Hetfield suffers second and third-degree burns due to a pyrotechnic accident during the Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour.
- Living Colour's bassist Muzz Skillings leaves and is replaced by Doug Wimbish.
- On April, 20, The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert is held. Top heavy metal/hard rock acts such as Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica, Extreme and the heavy metal parody band Spinal Tap perform, as well as heavy metal/hard rock legends such as Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, and Tony Iommi.
- Body Count sparks nationwide controversy over the song from their self-titled debut album, "Cop Killer".
- Vince Neil leaves Mötley Crüe and is replaced by John Corabi
- Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo is replaced by Paul Bostaph.
- Fantoft Stave Church near Bergen, Norway is destroyed by Varg Vikernes of Burzum on June 6. Other church burnings attributed to black metal musicians also took place throughout Scandinavia.