GMD Poll: Top Ten Albums of 1994

"Hvis Lyset Tar Oss is the worst Burzum album (of the black metal stuff)" - @The Ozzman
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2) Transilvanian Hunger by Darkthrone
So pure... so cold...

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"What's so great about Transilvanian hunger? Lack of variety?" - @Bathoryswans

"To me, Transilvanian Hunger communicates human impulse detached from human emotion. It's a totally inhumane sound. That's an abstract idea, I know, and I'm sure other people would put it differently, but I think that's in the region of why this record is so compelling to so many people. It fucks with the way we normally hear humans express themselves and in doing so depicts a very primal experience." - @crimsonfloyd

"I don't see it as Darkthrone's best of their black metal." - @CASSETTEISGOD

"Transilvanian Hunger defines Black Metal. Nuff said." @Spiderchrist

"TransYlvanian Hunger is barely even music. :)" - @zabu of nΩd

"It took me about 5 listens of "TransYlvanian Hunger" to grasp its brilliance. Really, that was the album that made me come to terms with black metal and opened my eyes to what it is all about. Until then, I really didn't know what I was listening for in BM, but "TransYlvanian Hunger" almost single handedly changed that." - @Addo_Of_Nex

"When I first listened to Darkthrone, it was like nothing I've ever heard. It was instant for me." - @mutantllama

"TransYlvanian Hunger blows and is annoying." - @CF87

"It really was like being transported into another world (more than likely a cold, Norwegian forest in the midst of a winter night) as hyperbolic as it might sound. Honestly its still like that whenever I listen to it. Those riffs, the vocals, the production. I'd never heard anything like it." - @Oblivious Maximus

Chosen by:
Dazed and Brutal (#1)
crimsonfloyd (#2)
Terasophe (#3)
Serjeant Grumbles (#3)
TechnicalBarbarity (#4)
Master_Yoda77 (#4)
rms (#4)
Vilden (#6)
Krow (#6)
spikes77 (#6)
Anom@nder Rake (#9)
Atomic Tide (#10)

TOTAL POINTS: 74

1) De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas by Mayhem
Only dead trees are growing here...

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"Attila sounds like a drunk clown for most of the album (though I love his performance on the title track)" - @crimsonfloyd

"in my opinion Mayhem was a garbage band that everyone thinks is super kvlt and awesome even though they only achieved their cult following for reasons I shouldn't have to point out." - @ProphetofHatred

"Mayhem `De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is the perfect Black Metal record. Despite that I do not listen to it very often. Nothing in the genre captures the same vibe and atmosphere of the album, the guitars are great, drums are excellent. It's the perfect medium with production. I have no problem with Attila's vocals either. It is very distinct album." - @CF87

"Man, I can rock out so hard to De Mysteriis when I'm all drunkified" - @divine_torture

"The riffs are completely different, it doesn't force-feed the listener "atmosphere" through 10+ minute songs, the drumming is more dynamic, and overall it doesn't sound anything like any other classic black metal album unless you want to point something out to me." - @HamburgerBoy

"Honestly, I'll give Attila some credit here. I thought that some parts of his performance on the album are great but then there are some ridiculously stupid parts like on Curse of Eternity where he just growls like a moron over that one riff. The problem is that he has to stand up against Dead, who has that chilling and influential ringwraith howl that would go on to be a staple of a lot of bands." - @Talos of Atmora

"Absolute masterpiece of evil and coldness. Vocals are my favourite aspect of this album funnily enough." - @CASSETTEISGOD

"I sometimes skip Funeral Fog when listening to De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Dont really like the track." - @EspaDa

"Took me the longest of all the Norwegian classics to truly appreciate, but might just be my favourite along with A Blaze in the Northern Sky. Final two tracks peak higher than just about anything in metal." - @Phylactery

"De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is the worst of the classic black metal albums" - @The Ozzman

Chosen by:
Phylactery (#1)
Terasophe (#2)
Vilden (#2)
Omni (#2)
no country for old wainds (#2)
Master_Yoda77 (#3)
Dazed and Brutal (#3)
Serjeant Grumbles (#4)
Anom@nder Rake (#4)
HamburgerBoy (#6)
-CyanideChrist- (#7)
TechnicalBarbarity (#8)
Slayed Necros (#9)
crimsonfloyd (#10)

TOTAL POINTS: 91
 
Great list. DMDS is too high, but I get it has the greatest crossover appeal of the big three black metal albums from this year. With the exception of Mortuary Drape, everything at least made my honorable mentions, so I'm happy.
 
3 out of the top 5 albums are black metal and a funeral doom album In the top 10? In crowd strikes again.

Hvis lyset tar oss, Transilvanian Hunger, and De mysteriis dom sathanas are far from some obscure albums. They're all in the top 5 for metal albums released in 1994 on RYM.

The only real in-crowd pick I see is Gorement.
 
3 out of the top 5 albums are black metal and a funeral doom album In the top 10? In crowd strikes again.

Three black metal albums? In '94? Wow, it's almost like this year was the creative peak for the genre of something. Besides, that record is surpassed by 4 death metal albums in the top 5 for '91, not to mention a few other years with 3 death metal albums making it that high. But do continue to kvetch about the in-crowd at the end of every one of these polls; it is your raison d'etre, after all.