America's greatest metal artists

[zabu of nΩd]

Van Halen's a pretty significant band, but definitely not metal.

 

[AchrisK]

I think the following should be considered:

Nevermore
Psychotic Waltz
Agent Steel

Pantera = no way. I agree with formica that they have mostly negatively influenced metal.

So maye I may also include:

(big 4)
Metallica (pre-Justice)
Megadeth
Anthrax
Slayer

Possessed
Suffocation
Atheist
King's X
Death
Solitude Aeturnus

 

[challenge_everything]

I also agree no way on Pantera (or Down for that matter, even though they're better). Kyuss aren't a metal band in my book.

My list would be:

Possessed
Death
Suffocation
Metallica
Dream Theater
Slayer
Morbid Angel
Megadeth
Tool
Cynic

I don't think any USBM is worthy of consideration, even though I've been enjoying much of it lately.

 

[rfe]

Where the hell is Agalloch on this list?

 

[challenge_everything]

Why is formica banned?

 

[zabu of nΩd]

I also agree no way on Pantera (or Down for that matter, even though they're better). Kyuss aren't a metal band in my book.

My list would be:

Possessed
Death
Suffocation
Metallica
Dream Theater
Slayer
Morbid Angel
Megadeth
Tool
Cynic

I don't think any USBM is worthy of consideration, even though I've been enjoying much of it lately.

Kyuss isn't a metal band, but Tool is?

Where the hell is Agalloch on this list?

Not sure what's supposed to be so great about them. Sure, as far as atmospheric BM goes in the U.S. they've pretty much got that subgenre cornered, but if you consider all the Scandinavian bands they're borrowing ideas from, they're really not that drastically unique. They pretty much sound the same on all their material, and they're generally driven more by atmosphere than by songwriting.

 

[rfe]

Eh, that's what I believe is so great about them, their masterful work with atmosphere. To each his own. Other than that though, it's a solid list.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Well, if we go by votes (for lack of anything better at the moment), the top 10 would be:

Morbid Angel
Metallica
Slayer
Death
Suffocation
Possessed
Megadeth
Testament
Dream Theater
Dio

In roughly that order.

Atheist, Kyuss, and Xasthur are close behind. Kyuss's status as a metal band is under debate, I guess. I haven't heard any negative comments about Alice in Chains and Clutch (besides "not metal"), and I'm pretty sure both would rank pretty high on the list if their styles weren't so at odds with the general listener base here.

As far as the preponderance of death metal on the vote-based list, I can't really comment on Death, Suffocation, Possessed, or Testament. As far as Slayer, I'm only familiar with "Reign in Blood", which I don't think would single-handedly earn them a spot on the list (it's practically a half hour of the same set of musical ideas repeated over and over).

Now, if anyone can vouch for any of those death metal bands as being less creative than Slayer, then I think we can safely take them off the list. I'll have to leave that up for debate, though.

 

[challenge_everything]

Where the hell is Agalloch on this list?

Yeah what was I thinking. Agalloch definitely need to be on this list. I have no doubt that in 10 years they will be considered as influential as many of the bands already named.

 

[Vilden]

Ok, just checking, am I the first one to mention fucking PENTAGRAM?!

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Oh yeah - good call.

I've only heard Be Forewarned. Was that supposed to be their best, or are there better ones? That album didn't impress me a whole lot, apart from maybe "Vampyre Love".

 

[Vilden]

Be Forewarned is not bad at all, but I think their first two albums Pentagram and Day of Reckoning are their best. They are just essential if you like any doom at all.

 

[Thoth-Amon]

slayer
metallica

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Be Forewarned is not bad at all, but I think their first two albums Pentagram and Day of Reckoning are their best. They are just essential if you like any doom at all.

Yeah, I'll have to listen to those when I get a chance.

 

[ShredHeadJHJ]

5) Down
6) Kyuss
8) Clutch

I take it that you're basically trying to find the 10 American bands with the most credintials to form your list, correct? If so I don't think any of those 3 bands belong. You could even put the other two of The Big Four (Anthrax; Megadeth) & Testament on the list & it would be more whole, & those are just Thrash bands.

I've never even heard clutch & I don't think they're even very popular. Pantera is indeed influential, but I don't think Down belongs. I've never even met a Kyuss fan... Sorry for the objective debate...

I've never heard too much Type O Negative, but I so believe they had a swell fan base. Alice in Chains is not really Metal, but still a great band that was zero cheese & quite influential in the overall American scene I believe.

Death woould have been a good addition to help Morbid Angel carry the torch for Florida Death Metal. Suffocation is pretty up there as well for NYDM. Also, don't forget about Prog Metal, where Dream Theater are as big as you can get in that genre.

I think your list is probably alright except for the 3 I picked out. I would add Dream Theater, Death, & Testament in place of those.

 

[ShredHeadJHJ]

Possessed
Death
Suffocation
Metallica
Dream Theater
Slayer
Morbid Angel
Megadeth
Tool
Cynic

I think that looks a bit more solid, with the exception of Possessed. They don't seem to have enough credintials. Put Queensrÿche or mybe Fate's Warning or Symphony X in that spot, because you can't include too much Thrash & Death. The list needs some Power/Prog. Also, swap Cynic with Atheist & you're about there... Or maybe exclude Atheist/Cynic...

Tool is borderline, but they're a big band that a lot of Metal Heads are into. I think with a list like this you can't get all the hardc0re tr00 metal bands & make the list solely of those kinsd of bands. It needs to be a list that a majority of semi-informed people will instantly relate to.

Fates Warning 666, I know you're a hardcore metal head, but you have to include Metallica on a list like this They're the biggest Metal band ever to come out of America, like them or not.

 

[Zephyrus]

I can agree with adding Devourment to the list. Their impact on brutal death metal has transcended the national scene as a global influence.

 

[skeptik]

Pentagram
Slayer
Metallica
Megadeth
Death
Morbid Angel
Fates Warning
Manowar
Dream Theater
Suffocation

In terms of influence, I would say.

 

[Zephyrus]

Ah, how could I forget Pentagram! They're my favorite US Doom band.

*endorses Dodens' list*

 

[ShredHeadJHJ]

*endorses Dodens' list*

Wow, that's probably the best list I've seen yet. I'm only questionable about Manowar, but that's probably just because I was never into them or even interested in them much.