GMD Poll: Top 10 Metal Albums of the 1980's

[Vegard Pompey]

No Maiden? The fuck is wrong with this forum

 

[crimsonfloyd]

Nice list. The absence of anything from Iron Maiden, or the NWOBHM makes it a bit unbalanced. Also, the Adramelch and Bolt Thrower albums are both awesome, in my top 10 for their respective years, but top 10 for the entire decade is a bit rich.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

Also, can we do the 70s next?

 

[no country for old wainds]

No Maiden? The fuck is wrong with this forum

having several classic albums is gonna split votes alas. five different maiden albums got mentions i think (surprisingly no powerslave though!). i bet piece of mind might've made the top 10 if hbb had ranked his shit.

i'd like to see the 11-20 range if CC gets the chance. thanks for doing this btw dude!

Also, can we do the 70s next?

this is long overdue methinks

 

[CiG]

there are much better BT albums than that one bro

There are only 2 Bolt Thrower albums released in the 1980's dummy.

 

[-CC-]

i'd like to see the 11-20 range if CC gets the chance. thanks for doing this btw dude!

1 Metallica - Ride the Lightning 54.5
2 Metallica - …and Justice for All 41
3 Slayer - Reign in Blood 36
4 Mercyful Fate - Melissa 29.5
=5 Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian 28
=5 Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness 28
7 Fates Warning - The Spectre Within 26.5
8 Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos 23
9 Adramelch - Irae Melanox 22.5
10 Slayer - Hell Awaits 21
=11 Metallica - Kill 'Em All 19
=11 Sepultura - Schizophrenia 19
13 Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus 17.5
14 Death - Scream Bloody Gore 17
15 Slayer - Show No Mercy 16
=16 Autopsy - Severed Survival 14
=16 Megadeth - Peace Sells…But Who' Buying? 14
=18 Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion 13
=18 Obituary - Slowly We Rot 13
=20 Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations 12
=20 Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman 12
=22 Exodus - Bonded by Blood 11.5
=22 Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind 11.5
=24 Motorhead - Ace of Spades 11
=24 Voivod - Killing Technology 11
=26 Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II 10
=26 Mortal Sin - Face of Despair 10
=26 Sarcofago - I.N.R.I 10
29 Voivod - Nothingface 9.5
=30 Carcass - Symphonies of Sickness 9
=30 Détente - Recognize No Authority 9
=30 Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden 9
=30 King Diamond - Abigail 9
=30 Plasmatic - Coup d'Etat 9
=30 Viking - Do or Die 9
=30 Voivod - Dimension Hatross 9
=30 Warlord - And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun… 9

 

[challenge_everything]

Even the best NWOBHM albums (looking at you Maiden) tend to have a fair bit of filler. I voted for Lightning to the Nations but can't say I'm a big fan of Sucking My Love or Sweet and Innocent.

 

[Bloopy]

Also, can we do the 70s next?

We should. Also we should each pick Top 20 of given we haven't done the years individually. With our 1st pick getting 20 points, 2nd getting 19 points etc.

 

[no country for old wainds]

that would’ve been a great suggestion for this poll, but less great for a ‘70s poll imo. there aren’t exactly a ton of ‘70s metal albums. guess it depends how strict we’re being about genre though

 

[CiG]

I think there's probably enough to do it. 8 albums from Sabbath alone, 3 from Motörhead, 5 from Priest, then there's Rainbow, Deep Purple, Budgie, Scorpions, Riot, Saxon and Accept's debuts etc.

 

[no country for old wainds]

yeah i guess. rocka rolla isn’t metal imo but the rest is justifiable there

 

[Bloopy]

A bit of NWOBHM. Heavy Load, Buffalo, Bang, Bow Wow, and psych/prog bands whose debut was heavy enough to get them into Encyclopaedia Metallum like Lucifer's Friend, Sir Lord Baltimore and Night Sun. Flower Travellin' Band is called a selected exception there but are metal enough too I reckon.

So there's plenty. I don't think we're too strict around here, and some of the albums with heavy metal as secondary on RYM are fair game, eg. Rocka Rolla or Budgie - Bandolier.

 

[no country for old wainds]

fair enough, if we’re throwing the net that wide i’m cool with it. i do think some of those are categorically not metal but i’m also not gonna pass up the chance to pimp some heavy psych.

 

[CiG]

I agree that Rocka Rolla isn't metal. Doubt it will dominate lists anyway.

 

[alex76]

I agree that Rocka Rolla isn't metal. Doubt it will dominate lists anyway.

It should.

 

[CiG]

It should.

Nah not really.

 

[Bloopy]

I feel like I'm listening to a metal album when I hear Rocka Rolla. The metal of the time, basically. It sounds like Priest, or Deep Purple's 'metal', and the bluesiness puts me in mind of Sabbath. 'Winter' sounds like the Budgie stuff I'm calling metal. Albums that may be more than half softer stuff and ballads, but still have some of the heavier parts to seal the deal.

 

[CiG]

It has a metallic edge but there's so much boogie and blues present that to me it has always felt like a hard rock album. Even if I agreed to consider it a metal album, I don't think it's very strong as an album.

"Run of the Mill" slays though.

 

[alex76]

Whatever one wants to call it, some of the lead work on that album is damn near unparalleled.