CiG
Approximately Infinite Universe
Hahahaha. Good ol' Ezra Cobb.
Surprised to see no Grave Digger or Gamma Ray.
1. Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane
2. Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side
3. Abigor - Nacthymnen (From the Twilight Kingdom)
4. Symphony X - The Damnation Game
5. Death - Symbolic
6. Necromantia - Scarlet Evil Witching Black
7. Mütiilation - Vampires of Black Imperial Blood
8. Saint Vitus - Die Healing
9. Ulver - Bergtatt
10. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Pt. II
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Darkthrone - Panzerfaust (Easily in my top 20)
Dark Tranquility - The Gallery (Another one of my top 20 and one of the best melodic death metal releases of all time)
Graveland - Thousand Swords (Great album)
Opeth - Orchid (Somewhat unrefined compared to their later albums but still has excellent instrumentation and palpable atmosphere)
Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings
Summoning - Minas Morgul (To this day, one of the best LotR-inspired things in this entire genre)
Yngwie Malmsteen - Magnum Opus (Pure shredding badassery that goes straight for the jugular and I love it)
Surprised to see no Grave Digger or Gamma Ray.