I think that my number 1 on the list would be
Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder
It was one of the first metal albums i bought back when i was a kid and its kinda stuck on my mind. Even today as i listen to it, it sounds good and still addictive. Nostalgic.
Second would have to be Sentenced's Cold White Light , ultimately the best sentenced effort since ever. I think only maybe Katatonia has the ability to make me even more depressed.
And yeah, Katatonia's The Great Cold Distance has grown on my very much and it just keeps getting better and better. This was the first time i heard Katatonia and it kinda stuck on me so i had to by all their albums altho not the earlier death metal-works.
The rest of the list i'll just add some of IMO good albums
Opeth - Still Life (very good as an whole and the songs work seperately too)
Sentenced - Amok (agressive, golden stream of lapland gives the image of germans burning lapland
)
Slipknot - Vol. 3 Subliminal Verses (something totally different from their earlier works, everyone should check it out)
Pain - Rebirth (party album
uke: )
Suicide Commando - Axis of Evil (EBM, if you dare to hear dance beat and some shreaking vocals)
hmm there's so many but there's a few to listen for a start...