Top 10 Heavy Metal Albums
- Thread starter John Black
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CiG
Dimension Hatröss
- Nov 24, 2002
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Yes
Except for Pantera, Slayer and Van Halen the rest is fairly OK, but again not even close to the real thing for a 10 top HM albums.
CiG
Dimension Hatröss
CiG
Dimension Hatröss
Bryant
Mr. Sleepy
While that is far from my top ten list, it still kicks ass !! VH is a rock band, but I would have put AC/DC "Back in Black" in the top ten and they are also a rock band. MOP, Cowboys and Holy Diver would be on my list, or really close.
CiG
Dimension Hatröss
Hi guys! Thanks for the reply! What would be your own top 10 in this case?
- Manilla Road - Metal
- Cirith Ungol - King Of The Dead
- Legend - From The Fjords
- Simson - Delilah
- Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
- Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind
- Warlord - And The Cannons Of Destruction...
- Saxon - Saxon
- Brocas Helm - Into Battle!
- Attack - Return Of The Evil
- Nov 24, 2002
- 14,104
- 156
- 63
- 57
Hi guys! Thanks for the reply! What would be your own top 10 in this case?
Damn that's a dense one, wish you have asked it back in '84, would have been simpler. Also a lot of the albums I consider essential are from the 70's when (at least for me) the thing was hard rock IMO more than heavy metal (and not what people use to call hard rock these days).
Let's see, and the FSM have mercy on my soul:
1) Black Sabbath - "Heaven And Hell" (that's obvious)
2) Judas Priest - "Defenders Of The Faith" (you want a metal God?)
3) Iron Maiden - "Powerslave" (not my favorite but I think they peaked with that one)
4) Motorhead - "Ace Of Spades" (believe me, The Hammer's coming down!) *up to here is a no brainer*
5) Metallica - "Master Of Puppets" (we can't deny Metallica's influence in the genre, not only thrash)
6) Coroner - "Mental Vortex" (a textbook on how to play technical thrash)
7) Candlemass - "Nightfall" (for all who claim to play doom put there, this is how)
8)Helloween - "Keeper Of The Seven Keys pt.1" (all Euro power metal comes from these guys, even if they dropped the ball long ago)
9)Venom - "Welcome to Hell" (whatever you may say, this was the origin of black metal)
10) Dream Theater - "Image And Words" (I believe the modern prog metal movement owes a lot tho these guys)
Yeah I know I left out a zillion bands including some may consider basic, but since I don't like them I can't be objective regarding those. On the other hand I left out another zillion bands I love but I have to recognize that may not be "true metal" or that important for a top ten.
Sue me.
CiG
Dimension Hatröss
Pretty hard to categorise all this. For instance, if Metallica is allowed in there, is Megadeth? And I reckon 'Rust in Piece' is a better album than 'Cowboys from Hell'. The Van Halen raises several difficult questions as well as far as how that fits and where we're drawing the line between metal and rock. And as for Venom, there's no way I'm putting any of their albums in any sort of top 10.
If we're looking at garden variety 'Heavy Metal' that excludes the best in the 'genres' (eg Emperor/Opeth etc) then going from the vibes of the initial list, mine might look like:
1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
2. Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
3. Megadeth - Rust in Piece
4. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
5. Fear Factory - Demanufacture
6. Metallica - Master of Puppets
7. Dio - Holy Diver
8. Def Leppard - Hysteria
9. Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
10. Slayer - South of Heaven
If we're looking at garden variety 'Heavy Metal' that excludes the best in the 'genres' (eg Emperor/Opeth etc) then going from the vibes of the initial list, mine might look like:
1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
2. Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
3. Megadeth - Rust in Piece
4. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
5. Fear Factory - Demanufacture
6. Metallica - Master of Puppets
7. Dio - Holy Diver
8. Def Leppard - Hysteria
9. Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
10. Slayer - South of Heaven
This looks more like it. My list looks like a bunch of gateway bands rather than 'Heavy Metal' albums in that specific genre.
Bryant
Mr. Sleepy
That is actually a pretty badass list there Brother Vern !! I would have thrown Accept in there high on the list, added Yngwie and moved "Images and Words" higher, but I still think it is a great list of 1992 and older metal. Also Metal Church would have to be on there as well. With a list like that, I might even have to refuse to make it 10 releases. I couldn't bump many of those out.
I am actually surprised Yngwie isn't on your list. He did more or less create a metal sub-genre. As I said in an earlier post.... tough to leave some hard rock out as well. Back in Black and Mechanical Resonance are rock albums, but it is something every meta;-head should own. Another one is Operation Mindcrime. Tough to leave that off a greatest releases, or Holy Diver ? Too many gems......... not enough slots.
- Nov 24, 2002
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Well bro, like you perfectly summarized "Too many gems......... not enough slots."
If I have to make my own top ten, most probably a lot of what I put will not be there. But I tried to be a bit objective (just a bit, you know me
) and put some bands an albums that were essential in the development of metal in the last 35 years.I'm not into Accept, Mercyful Fate, Queensryche, Slayer, and many other bands people hold sacred. I love Dio with Rainbow and Blacks Sabbath, but his solo work doesn't pick my interest much.
Since the OP asked for heavy metal I tried to be into the genre, without being just traditional metal or too broad (as I dislike sub-genres like death and black). I would have went with some BOC, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Thin Lizzy, Rush, Riot, Uriah Heep, Whitesnake, Nazareth, Alice Cooper and even AC/DC (like it or not "Back In Black" is a milestone).
You know I have all Malmsteen, but the last one, still neoclassical for me is just a branch of the power metal sub-genre, so I would have to also give credit to Hammerfall for reviving the interest in it (at least the Euro version). Also I left out Megadeth, Metal Church, Anthrax, Armored Saint, Testament, Warlock, Angel Dust, Chastain, Meliah Rage, Skyclad, Pretty Maids, Mekong Delta, Exciter, Cathedral, Angra . What about bands like Baron Rojo, Heavy Load, Loudness, Sortilege, V8, Ossian, Turbo, Tarot, that led (or still lead) the heavy metal revolution in their countries either in English or their native language?
This type of posts (top ten) work to keep the forum alive (which I'm thankful for) and to irritate people LOL. But all is clean fun.
My regards to Harumi, see you in September.
Gargamel Bojangles
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CiG
Dimension Hatröss
A pizza without cheese is just fucked up dough with a salad on top.
Platinum Maze
Random Star
I wrote down about 15 of my absolute favorites off the top of my head, and tried to keep it 1 per group/artist (but mentioned a couple that can swap in/out on any given day):
(not in any order)
Dio - Holy Diver
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (or Powerslave)
Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith
King Diamond - Abigail
Queensryche - Rage for Order (or The Warning)
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Van Halen - Fair Warning (or 1984)
Scorpions - Lovedrive (or Love at First Sting)
Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Accept - Metal Heart
Loudness - Thunder in the East
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Death Angel - Act III
UFO - Strangers in the Night
(not in any order)
Dio - Holy Diver
Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (or Powerslave)
Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith
King Diamond - Abigail
Queensryche - Rage for Order (or The Warning)
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Van Halen - Fair Warning (or 1984)
Scorpions - Lovedrive (or Love at First Sting)
Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Accept - Metal Heart
Loudness - Thunder in the East
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Death Angel - Act III
UFO - Strangers in the Night
Burzum_Maiden
I am the table
Can't make a top ten really, but I'll at least try. Here goes...
In no particular order
1. Iron Maiden - Already impossible to choose... Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Book of Souls and the self-titled would be the albums I'd pick from
2. Metallica - Master of Puppets. In MY opinion their best, but only just ahead of Ride the Lightning
3. Slayer - Reign in Blood would be my choice, as it's the first album of theirs I heard, although Show No Mercy, South of Heaven, Seasons and Christ Illusion are also amazing.
4. Testament - The New Order. So good. Nothing else to say. Some relatively weak spots (A Day of Reckoning, Nobody's Fault) but there's not a completely terrible track on the album. The clean sections get a bit too dragged out as well, but none of them are terrible so it's forgivable.
5. Burzum - Another difficult choice... Either Filosofem or the self-titled debut. Such dark and emotional black metal, and one of the precursors to depressive black metal like Shining. I love the ambient tracks just as much as the metal tracks. Check out The Ways of Yore too, it's pretty good.
6. Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. No, not Transilvanian Hunger, although it's great too. I prefer this album, maybe because of it's slightly more varied style. I mean, the entire of Transilvanian Hunger is just constant blast beats, which gets tiring to listen to in one sitting. There are some slower, more groove based songs on this album like In the Shadow of the Horns, which I like.
7. Mgła - either Exercises in Futility or With Hearts Toward None. Some of the darkest and most emotional black metal I've ever heard, and that's quite a bold claim to make. More depressing than pathetic, wimpy DSBM bands like Silencer, and it's not even DSBM. The best black metal band since the 90s, far better than Shining and the abomination that is post-black metal (musically it's okay, but it's not even close to being black metal). Great lyrics, very misanthropic but poetic and well written. Such a killer guitar tone, and the drummer is a beast!
8. Black Sabbath - Paranoid. So great. Nuff said.
9. Death - Symbolic or The Sound of Perseverance. Both very progressive and melodic, and very meaningful lyrics. The solos and riffs are amazingly well composed, and both albums have amazing bass and drum performances (goddamn Richard Christy). R.I.P. Chuck, we miss you
10. maybe Cult of Luna's Salvation? I could go for Lamb of God, or Megadeth... This is why I said it would be impossible for me to choose just 10. But this album is simply astonishing. Probably the slowest album on my list, and weirdly one of the first metal albums I ever heard, with the exception of Maiden, Sabbath and Zeppelin. I do normally like my metal to be faster than typical sludge, doom, stoner or in this case post-metal, but there are exceptions. Quite obscure and not what most people would think of when they think of heavy metal, but believe me this is one heavy album. Brutal drumming, crushing guitars and bass and some of the most monstrous vocals I've ever heard. I love the climaxes in these songs, they are unbelievably heavy and contrast well with the softer moments. The soft moments are very soft but not wimpy, and are all well written to compliment the heavy sections. One of the few bands I've heard within heavy metal who actually use electronic instruments to their advantage rather than their destruction. Amazing post-metal, certainly worth a listen.
Sorry for rambling, but I feel like a list is pointless if you don't give your reasons for your choices...
In no particular order
1. Iron Maiden - Already impossible to choose... Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind, Powerslave, Book of Souls and the self-titled would be the albums I'd pick from
2. Metallica - Master of Puppets. In MY opinion their best, but only just ahead of Ride the Lightning
3. Slayer - Reign in Blood would be my choice, as it's the first album of theirs I heard, although Show No Mercy, South of Heaven, Seasons and Christ Illusion are also amazing.
4. Testament - The New Order. So good. Nothing else to say. Some relatively weak spots (A Day of Reckoning, Nobody's Fault) but there's not a completely terrible track on the album. The clean sections get a bit too dragged out as well, but none of them are terrible so it's forgivable.
5. Burzum - Another difficult choice... Either Filosofem or the self-titled debut. Such dark and emotional black metal, and one of the precursors to depressive black metal like Shining. I love the ambient tracks just as much as the metal tracks. Check out The Ways of Yore too, it's pretty good.
6. Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. No, not Transilvanian Hunger, although it's great too. I prefer this album, maybe because of it's slightly more varied style. I mean, the entire of Transilvanian Hunger is just constant blast beats, which gets tiring to listen to in one sitting. There are some slower, more groove based songs on this album like In the Shadow of the Horns, which I like.
7. Mgła - either Exercises in Futility or With Hearts Toward None. Some of the darkest and most emotional black metal I've ever heard, and that's quite a bold claim to make. More depressing than pathetic, wimpy DSBM bands like Silencer, and it's not even DSBM. The best black metal band since the 90s, far better than Shining and the abomination that is post-black metal (musically it's okay, but it's not even close to being black metal). Great lyrics, very misanthropic but poetic and well written. Such a killer guitar tone, and the drummer is a beast!
8. Black Sabbath - Paranoid. So great. Nuff said.
9. Death - Symbolic or The Sound of Perseverance. Both very progressive and melodic, and very meaningful lyrics. The solos and riffs are amazingly well composed, and both albums have amazing bass and drum performances (goddamn Richard Christy). R.I.P. Chuck, we miss you
10. maybe Cult of Luna's Salvation? I could go for Lamb of God, or Megadeth... This is why I said it would be impossible for me to choose just 10. But this album is simply astonishing. Probably the slowest album on my list, and weirdly one of the first metal albums I ever heard, with the exception of Maiden, Sabbath and Zeppelin. I do normally like my metal to be faster than typical sludge, doom, stoner or in this case post-metal, but there are exceptions. Quite obscure and not what most people would think of when they think of heavy metal, but believe me this is one heavy album. Brutal drumming, crushing guitars and bass and some of the most monstrous vocals I've ever heard. I love the climaxes in these songs, they are unbelievably heavy and contrast well with the softer moments. The soft moments are very soft but not wimpy, and are all well written to compliment the heavy sections. One of the few bands I've heard within heavy metal who actually use electronic instruments to their advantage rather than their destruction. Amazing post-metal, certainly worth a listen.
Sorry for rambling, but I feel like a list is pointless if you don't give your reasons for your choices...
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