My/Your Top 10 "Metal" Albums

[Mr. Bungle]

Overall, I think In Abstentia or Lightbulb Sun are their best albums. Right up there with those though, is Fear of a Blank Planet. Since you're really into metal, you'll probably love that album. It's really heavy at times, but also more progressive at other times. These are all great albums. The Sky Moves Sideways is a good album, but not as good as some of the others I think. Deadwing is also really solid.

I agree with Lightbulb Sun and In Absentia, but to be honest, I was really dissapointed with Fear Of A Blank Planet, musically and vocally, it was great as always, but I wasn't thrilled with the lyrics for the most part.

 

[waif]

I'll probably get one of their older albums and one of their newer at the same time to experience both styles. I like Pink Floyd, particularly Dark Side and Wish You Were Here, although I do not get the hype for the Wall.

 

[DTJeff]

Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
A bit of an odd choice in the eyes of many I'm sure. But for me I've always just found this to be the must undeniably perfect album Maiden have ever done. The production is flawless, the playing is flawless, the songs are really strong, and unlike many other Maiden CDs, is incredible consistent start to finish and doesn't have an obvious filler track. Also Adrian Smith basically did the majority of his best work to date in these 8 tracks.

Queensryche - Operation : Mindcrime
Needs no introduction really. This is one of the greatest albums of all time, and anyone who has heard it knows why. Anyone who has seen it performed live knows even more why.

Savatage - Streets
One of the best and most emotional albums start to finish. It's a shame it was originally intended to be so much more, but it is still amazing in my eyes, and "Believe" is the only song that has ever made me cry.

WASP - The Crimson Idol
Yes, I have a concept album fetish. I actually am not that big of a WASP fan but musically this disc finds them at their most pleasant for me, and I absolutely LOVE Blackie's use of re-occurring lyrics, melodies, and whatnot. It really helps make this one of the strongest concept albums out there musically.

Circle II Circle - Burden of Truth
The newest album on this list by a long shot. Came out in 2006 and just blew everything out of the water for me. One of the only albums I've ever heard where I can honestly say I love every song. 2 years later and after a very steady listening pace through the entire time, it hasn't lost a beat in my mind.

Iron Maiden - Brave New World
This was my introduction to Maiden, and essentially the better side of metal. Many of these tracks still stick with me as absolutely amazing, and some of the best work Maiden have ever done. However, I admit this is here more for personal attachment than quality.

Blind Guardian - Imaginations From the Other Side
Yeah, I think this is better than Nightfall. I think Imaginations is easily the best thing BG have ever done in terms of songwriting. Each track on here is an absolute classic.

Savatage - Edge of Thorns
My formal introduction to Savatage, and thus to the god amongst men that is Zak Stevens. Sadly this is one of their stronger works yet the last for the sadly missed Criss Oliva.

Fates Warning - Parallels
Easily their most accessible album, yet also my favorite. The songs here are just damn catchy and lack no substance for it. The production, the playing, the songwriting, everything about this album is perfect from start to finish.

Symphony X - V
When I heard this album years ago it was like nothing I'd ever heard before, and several years later that hasn't changed. This is Symphony X at their creative and experimental peak to me, and Russell Allen uses the versatility of his incredible voice to the max.

Honorable mention:
Evergrey - In Search of Truth
Though Recreation Day has stronger individual tracks, this easily works the best as a whole album of all their releases. Just brilliant. There's really not much else to say.


That was hard.
Other noteworthy mentions for:
Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth
Stratovarius - Visions
Edguy - Hellfire Club
Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory

 

[Mr. Bungle]

^^^ Nice list man, I agree with your Blind Guardian selection, although NFIME has a better production, I think that Imaginations...is a stronger album overall.

 

[DTJeff]

Thanks.

 

[Rick Pierpont]

Thanks.

I agree! Definitely an awesome list! Some of my favorites on there as well as some bands that other albums are among my favorites.

 

[waif]

I just reread my list and to my horror discovered such a glaring and unforgivable omission that I am contemplating hari kiri. I seem to have somehow forgotten Fates Warning's Awaken The Guardian. This album is, to me, the absolute pinnacle of whatever it is. They're generally considered progressive metal, but I think that's a kind of bland description and I'm not sure that album falls into that category, but regardless, it's perfection. The intro guitar solo to Guardian is probably my favorite guitar solo of all time (I'm not a guitar solo nut, I like them short and sweet).

So that can replace Reign In Blood.

 

[Rick Pierpont]

I just reread my list and to my horror discovered such a glaring and unforgivable omission that I am contemplating hari kiri. I seem to have somehow forgotten Fates Warning's Awaken The Guardian. This album is, to me, the absolute pinnacle of whatever it is. They're generally considered progressive metal, but I think that's a kind of bland description and I'm not sure that album falls into that category, but regardless, it's perfection. The intro guitar solo to Guardian is probably my favorite guitar solo of all time (I'm not a guitar solo nut, I like them short and sweet).

So that can replace Reign In Blood.

YES!!!! Awaken the Guardian is definitely one of my top ten metal albums and is WAY up on my list of all times, as well as top ten prog metal. Its that damn good! AtG is my favorite Arch-era FW and Perfect Symmetry is my favorite Alder-era FW. Perfect Symmetry is in my top ten of all time, but I don't know if it is metal enough to be in that list, but I love it!

I've been thinking about these lists and haven't relaly thought about limiting to a genre so much, so to really make my top ten metal list, it really starts to take me back to when I was into more metal than prog. It is difficult for me to seperate the genres now though.

 

[Mr. Bungle]

Awaken the Guardian is definitely top 10 worthy, fantastic album.

 

[SharkBlack]

Fates Warning - Awaken The Guardian

Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality

Coroner - Mental Vortex

Entwine - Dieversity

Anathema - Judgement

Green Carnation - Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness

Therion - Theli

Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World

Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Sentenced - The Cold White Light

Honorable Mention... Can be mixed in depending on my mood...
Pagan's Mind - Enigmatic Calling
Amorphis - Silent Waters
Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane
In Flames - Colony
Fates Warning - Pefect Symmetry
Dream Theater - Scenes From A Memory
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
Death Angel - Act III
Emperor - Athems To The Welkin At Dusk
Eyefear - A World Full Of Grey

WHAT'S UP FELLERS???

Brett

 

[Brucekg]

ok, I'll give my .02 worth here too, I don't usually give a long drawn out explanation since these are the albums *I* happen to love.


Dream Theater -- Black Clouds & Silver Linings (yea I have the pre release version complete with all the cover tracks and instrumentals, IMO this cd simply kicks ass)
Kamelot -- Ghost Opera
Symphony X -- Paradise Lost
Fates Warning -- Spectre Within
OSI -- First Album
Savatage -- Gutter Ballet
Sentenced -- Frozen
Angra -- Holy Land
Blind Guardian -- Imaginations From thetat Other Side
Black Sabbath -- Mob Rules

Honorable Mention: WASP -- Crimson Idol; Porcupine Tree -- Deadwing (only because it isn't ALL metal, otherwise it would be on the list); DGM -- Frame; Eldritch -- Blackend Day; Rainbow -- Rising (I know it's considered classic rock, but it's still heavy); Evergrey -- Recreation Day; Edguy -- Savage Poetry; plus a few others but I think this is enough :>

 

[SavinoPalumbo]

This is gonna be tough, but here we go, in no particular order:

Zero Hour-The Towers Of Avarice
Simply amazing. Incredibly technical, but retains a beauty that many technical bands lack. The lyrics are fantastic, and the vocal delivery by Eric Rosvolt is amazing. And on kind of a side note, my favorite album cover/art ever. As another poster mentioned above, if not for the "no repeats" rule, every Zero Hour album would be on this list, they are my favorite band

Faith No More-Angel Dust
A fantastic follow-up to the also good The Real Thing. They probably could have become a mainstream hit after TRT, but they decided to go the opposite direction, and for fans, the results could not be better. Mike Patton IMO is the most diverse and talented vocalist out there. So much variety can be found on this album.

Queensryche-Operation Mindcrime
One of the greatest concept albums of all time, Geoff Tate gives a legendary performance. Not a single weak track on the album

Dream Theater-Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence
This was a tough choice, I had to put DT on my list, and it was between this, Scenes From A Memory, and Awake, all of which are amazing. I think it is their most progressive and experimental album, and that's why I chose it.

Symphony X-The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
Wow, what an amazing album this is! From the powerful, exciting opener, to the incredibly epic title track, this album pleases from start to finish. Symphony X has many great albums, but this is the one I would use to introduce potential new fans.

Mr. Bungle-Self Titled
This is the best album I have for freaking out my closed-minded friends. Incredibly creepy and sinister, with an odd blend of pretty much any genre you can name, including circus and porno music, I think this is the most varied album in my vast collection.

Spiral Architect-A Septic's Universe
I LOVE this album, one of the most technical that I have. This is the kind of album that just wont get boring, there are too many layers in there to discover.

Iced Earth-Something Wicked This Way Comes
I'm a pretty big Iced Earth fan, and I think this is their best album, especially the "something wicked" trilogy.

Into Eternity-Buried In Oblivion
Mixing Death, Black, Progressive, and Power Metal styles together, Into Eternity created an absolute masterpiece. I'm usually not a fan of the Death Metal Growls or the Black Metal Shrieks, but IE does them right, plus they mix in clean vocals, and the "choir" type vocals used in most power metal.

Porcupine Tree-In Absentia
A great concept albums about a serial killer, this is IMO, Porcupine Tree's best album, it was also the first one to contain consistent elements of metal, as well as their normal progressive rock styling. Songs like Prodigal, Gravity Eyelids, and Blackest Eyes make the hair on my neck stand up straight

Honorable Mentions:
Iron Maiden-Powerslave
Opeth-Blackwater Park
Tool-Lateralus
Fantomas-Suspended Animation

So I know this was posted a year ago, but I was just browsing the forum and didn't notice this before. What a fantastic list! Love to see FNM, Bungle, ZH, and Ptree all on it. I didn't know Bungle was considered metal or I would have put California at the top of my list. My top 5 albums of all time definitely include California, The Downward Spiral, and El Cielo by Dredg.

 

[Towing Jehovah]

Lateralus - Tool I hardly consider this album metal but theres no way I could leave it out of a top 10 list

Monoliths & Dimensions - Sunn O))) Another album that dances on that fine line of metal. Technically it wouldn't be metal, but the sheer volume and heaviness would say otherwise. A beautiful piece of art that invokes so much imagery. The final track Alice is one of the most profound pieces of music that i've ever heard. It's like cosmic jazz in a droning format.

Oceanic - Isis

s/t - Khanate abrasive, jagged and just plain nasty. Stephen O'Malley is genius.

Silver - Jesu crushing, bleak and beautiful.

Nothing - Meshuggah

Alternative 4 - Anathema

Mabool - Orphaned Land

A Sun That Never Sets - Neurosis

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

I missed a lot.. Like October Rust!!