Essential Metal Bands

[NinjaGeek]

I spend a lot of time looking for really out there crazy bands, and I recently realized I'm lacking some good straight up kick ass metal, which I'm occasionally in the mood for. So what are the bands that every metal head should have on their ipod?

Please note this is a pretty broad request, so please don't flood it with bands you really like or bands you think everyone should listen to. But rather bands that are the staples of metal and just kick loads of ass. I like all genres except for the -cores so thats not limited.

 

[Life Sucks]

Well, if a band is essential, you have heard them. Everyone will say: Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Dio, etc.

 

[NinjaGeek]

I haven't been listening to Metal for all that long, and as soon as I got into it I went straight for the weird stuff, so I'm quite lacking actually. Also essential bands doesn't necessarily mean the older bands who founded metal like black sabbath. I mean more of the bands that define modern metal as it is today.

 

[sceloporus]

Are you into harsh vocals or just clean?

 

[NinjaGeek]

I pretty much have no preferences, I can appreciate clean and rough vocals. Theres really nothing I don't like as long as it's metal.

 

[rfe]

Definitely recommended.

Bolt Thrower
Vader
Decapitated
Cattle Decapitation
Kataklysm
Morbid Angel
Suffocation
Dark Tranquillity
Arsis
Celtic Frost
Nile
Testament

 

[sceloporus]

Definitely recommended.

Bolt Thrower
Vader
Decapitated
Cattle Decapitation
Kataklysm
Morbid Angel
Suffocation
Dark Tranquillity
Arsis
Celtic Frost
Nile
Testament

good list but im going to add:
Necrophagist (best guitar ive ever heard)
Opeth (not my cup of tea but you might like em)
Wormed (very distinct sound)
amon amarth(even my freinds who dispise metal like these guys)
dying fetus (also not my cup of tea)
Krisiun (pretty brutal)

 

[hibernal_dream]

Adding to the list, straight up metal - no bullshit.

Early Dark Tranquillity
Early Fates Warning
Mercyful Fate (Melissa, namely)
Exodus
Helstar
Manilla Road
Cirith Ungol
Jag Panzer
Master's Hammer
Sacrifice
Early Coroner
Slough Feg
Running Wild (preferably early)

 

[rfe]

I also forgot to add At The Gates and Cryptopsy, at least their earlier albums which were pure genius.

 

[LivingCadaver]

you should check out:

death metal:
Bloodbath
Dismember
Unleashed
Gorguts
Incantation
Demilich
Arsis
Obituary
Morbid Angel

black metal:
Marduk
Darkthrone
Emperor
Mayhem
Burzum
Dissection
Immortal
Enslaved

folk metal:
Turisas
Finntroll
Ensiferum
Aes Dana
Vintersorg

grind:
Terrorizer
Repulsion
Napalm Death
Nasum

thrash:
Demolition Hammer
Vio-lence
slayer
Artillery
holy terror
metallica (first three albums: Kill 'em all, ride the lightning, master of puppets)
Hirax
Possessed

heavy metal:
diamond head
King Diamond
Motorhead
Iron Maiden

that should be a good start plus pretty much everything everyone else mentionned...

 

[Thoth-Amon]

um....
besides the big five or so metal bands that everyone knows... some great ones I would recommend:
Bathory; Burzum; Candlemass; Nokturnal Mortum; Emperor