Classic Albums

[waif]

I feel like it might be useful to create a massive running list of all the albums in various genres that are considered "classics" or "must-haves" or "essential" or whatever for purposes of directing n00bs and whatnot. I'm not gonna waste my time creating a massive list, however, if this is just gonna get closed, so do other people think this would be a worthwhile endeavor?

 

[zabu of nΩd]

This has to exist somewhere on the internet, but I'm up for doing it.

The list should probably be broken down by genre if we do it.

 

[The Ozzman]

Whatever happened to the thread where we were trying to define what metal is and the characteristics of different subgenres?

 

[waif]

Yeah, definitely by genre and even subgenre, and maybe chronologically too.
Like:
Heavy Metal - 70s
Heavy Metal - 80s
Heavy Metal - 90s
Heavy Metal - 00s
with all the trad metal classics from that decade in there.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Here are some starters, with the goal of sticking to one album per band:

Classic/Traditional
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Motorhead - Overkill
Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'N' Roll (depending on your definition of metal, I guess)

Symphonic/Neo-Classical:
Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force
Therion - Vovin

Symphonic Black:
Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant
Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk

Black (first wave):
Venom - Welcome to Hell
Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Black (second wave):
Darkthrone - Transylvanian Hunger
Mayhem - De Mysteriis dom Sathanas

Power:
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys
Nightwish - Oceanborn
Stratovarius - Episode

Progressive:
Dream Theater - Images and Words
Opeth - Still Life

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Whatever happened to the thread where we were trying to define what metal is and the characteristics of different subgenres?

I think everyone got bored of it.

I'll probly resurrect it at some point, though. I'd still like to work on it.

 

[waif]

I think we'd have to go with more than one album per band, as it's meant to be a comprehensive list. So at least the first 4 from both Sabbath and Motorhead, and everything from maiden up to the 90s. And the first 6 from bathory, i'd say. And this list would get so long we'd have to organize by decade as well. But yeah, good starter.

 

[skeptik]

Heavy Metal:

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
Black Sabbath - Volume 4
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Black Sabbath - Sabotage
Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny
Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
Judas Priest - Stained Class
Judas Priest - Hell Bent For Leather
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden - Killers
Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind
Iron Maiden - Powerslave
Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Diamond Head - Lightning To The Nations
Angel Witch - Angel Witch
Blitzkrieg - A Time Of Changes

Traditional Doom Metal:

Pentagram - Relentless
Pentagram - Day Of Reckoning
Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus
Saint Vitus - Hallow's Victim
Saint Vitus - Born Too Late
Trouble - Psalm 9
Trouble - The Skull
Revelation - Salvation's Answer
Revelation - Never Comes Silence
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
Candlemass - Nightfall

US Death Metal:

Possessed - Seven Churches
Death - Scream Bloody Gore
Death - Leprosy
Massacre - From Beyond
Incantation - Onward To Golgotha
Incantation - Mortal Throne Of Nazarene
Morpheus Descends - Ritual Of Infinity
Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick
Deicide - Deicide
Deicide - Legion
Obituary - Slowly We Rot
Obituary - Cause Of Death
Autopsy - Severed Survival
Autopsy - Mental Funeral
Suffocation - Human Waste
Suffocation - Effigy Of The Forgotten
Suffocation - Pierced From Within

US Thrash Metal:

Metallica - Kill 'Em All
Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Metallica - ...And Justice For All
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!
Megadeth - Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?
Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Slayer - Show No Mercy
Slayer - Haunting The Chapel
Slayer - Hell Awaits
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Overkill - Feel The Fire
Overkill - Taking Over
Overkill - The Years Of Decay
Nuclear Assault - Game Over
Exodus - Bonded By Blood
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
Sadus - Chemical Exposure
Sadus - Swallowed In Black

US Power Metal:

Attacker - Battle At Helms Deep
Helstar - Nosferatu
Omen - Battle Cry

 

[waif]

Good idea with dividing by region as well.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Alright, I can see the point of multiple albums per band, but I think there should still be a way of denoting what's arguably the best/most-famous album for each. You could put an asterisk to the right of those or something.

 

[The Butt]

I'd stick Painkiller into Nec's list as well.

 

[supseudonymous]

Trouble - The Skull

Wait... this is good? There's a used copy sitting at the FYE by me for like $6, but I was dissuaded from buying it because of all the reviews bashing it as a horrendous disappointment in comparison to Psalm 9.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Some of the following might apply equally to doom metal, but I'm not sure how you would differentiate among those, really.

Stoner
Cathedral - The Ethereal Mirror
Cathedral - The Carnival Bizarre
Electric Wizard - Return Trip
Electric Wizard - Dopethrone
Orange Goblin - Time Travelling Blues
Orange Goblin - The Big Black
Sleep - Dopesmoker

 

[The Ozzman]

Wait... this is good? There's a used copy sitting at the FYE by me for like $6, but I was dissuaded from buying it because of all the reviews bashing it as a horrendous disappointment in comparison to Psalm 9.

It has to be good if Dodens likes it

 

[The Ozzman]

Sludge:
Acid Bath - Paegan Terrorism Tactics
Corrosion of Conformity - Deliverance

 

[zabu of nΩd]

more sludge:

Down - NOLA
Eyehategod - Take as Needed for Pain

 

[waif]

Alright, I can see the point of multiple albums per band, but I think there should still be a way of denoting what's arguably the best/most-famous album for each. You could put an asterisk to the right of those or something.

Yeah. Totally. That'll lead to a certain number of arguments, but it'd be worth it - make it clear to n00bs which one is the best to pick up and stuff.
So say:
80s
Trad Metal
England:
Iron Maiden - Killer
Iron Maiden - The Number of The Beast*
Iron Maiden - Powerslave
Iron Maiden - Peace Of Mind
Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
Motorhead - Ace of Spades *
Judas Priest - British Steel
Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance *
Judas Priest - Hell Bent For Leather

etc...(putting SSoaSS under prog here, but that's debatable)

 

[skeptik]

Wait... this is good? There's a used copy sitting at the FYE by me for like $6, but I was dissuaded from buying it because of all the reviews bashing it as a horrendous disappointment in comparison to Psalm 9.

Whoever bashes The Skull is a monumental faggot that should die for having such a shitty opinion. I was debating on whether or not to include Run To The Light as well.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

I'd advise against splitting the list up by time period, since it'll produce some rather awkward cutoff points. I think with terms like NWOBHM and 1st/2nd wave black metal we can do most of the work of splitting bands up by time period.

 

[waif]

True...by movement rather than decade...if we divide it up by region it should be enough.