This timeline is definitely down my alley. Here's what I think would have to happen...
- Metallica puts out And Justice For All as critics praise the album with Cliff Burton's innovative bass playing alongside James Hetfield's epic lyric writing.
Also, on the note of Metallica, they end up winning the grammys for best hard rock act as opposed to getting "robbed" by Jethro Tull.
- Diamond Darrell and Vinnie Paul quit Megadeth citing "extreme creative and personal differences" with Dave Mustaine. The Abbott brothers go on to reform Pantera and Cowboys From Hell sells more units as the Abbott brothers are more well known in this TL. The experience with Dave Mustaine also helps the Abbott brothers in learning how to deal with drug-addicted band members (Applies later on).
- Despite the Seattle Grunge movement, Anthrax does NOT get kicked from their label and therefore continues to produce good but not incredible selling albums throughout the 90's.
- A relatively new metal band in the early 90's from Seattle known as Alice in Chains decides to stay with a more traditional heavy metal sound as opposed to jumping on the Grunge bandwagon.
- For some reason, American record companies start focusing on the music coming out of Europe in the mid 90's, specifically in Scandinavia. Therefore, bands like Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, Darkthrone, Hammerfall, and Blind Guardian become more prominent earlier on in North America.
- A little known band from California known as Death Angel is able to perform on the Clash of the Titans tour as in this TL, their drummer Andy Galeon is not seriously injured in a car accident. Although in OTL, they were replaced by AIC, the result of Death Angel doing the tour is a delayed awareness and perhaps lessened impact of the Seattle movement. (Perhaps this would be what inspires AIC to stay with a more metal sound and image)
- Nirvana is never picked up by any major labels, and as a result, they are seen as a respectable indie band but nothing more. Nirvana eventually breaks up later in the 90's and fades into music trivia obscurity.
(OK, so I know that my timeline format isn't exactly the most coherent but maybe somebody can piggyback off of these ideas.)
- Oh, and Cradle of Filth fill the niche that normally Marilyn Manson would.