Top 10 Heavy Metal Albums

[CiG]

Back In Black isn't so good that it needs to be shoved onto a metal list even though it's not metal. I'd forgive any of the previous albums being included before I'd forgive Back In Black.

 

[Bryant]

"8. Def Leppard - Hysteria"

A lot of people think of Def Leppard as just rock so I am surprised people here are calling true metal... Not the Hysteria isn't one of the prettiest song I have ever heard...

I think Lep was more or less metal on their first two releases. They just ended up going more rock style on Pyro,wrote great songs in that style, got famous and got more and more pop.

 

[Bryant]

Back In Black isn't so good that it needs to be shoved onto a metal list even though it's not metal. I'd forgive any of the previous albums being included before I'd forgive Back In Black.

Ehhh...... to each his own. I respect your opinion, but to me, BiB is a masterpiece. Every song is fantastic. The same goes for Tesla's Mechanical Resonance. It is rock, pure and simple. However, it makes my top ten list just like BiB and it is close enough to being metal, some agree with me.

 

[CiG]

I found it to be unnecessarily poppy in certain places, I also much prefer Bon Scott and the overall energy and sound he gave to Acca Dacca.

 

[Bryant]

Jag Panzer - Ample Destruction
Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian

FW would make my list with Perfect Symmetry. While Dream Theater's Images and Words is still to this day the proverbial measuring stick for progressive metal, Fates Warning's "Perfect Symmetry" is the release that is the cornerstone of the sub-genre.

 

[Hawk]

Jag Panzer - Ample Destruction
Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian

FW would make my list with Perfect Symmetry. While Dream Theater's Images and Words is still to this day the proverbial measuring stick for progressive metal, Fates Warning's "Perfect Symmetry" is the release that is the cornerstone of the sub-genre.

Both releases that Slayed Necros mentioned there are total and utter classics in my book.

I think that Jag Panzer's ‘Ample Destruction is a monster of an album! Great guitar work from a young Joey Tafolla and the aggressive vocals from the Tyrant himself! Together with the ’Tyrants EP’ this is some of Jag Panzer strongest work. And that saying something if you ask me.

I personally find 'Perfect Symmetry’ lacking in energy. In contrast: ‘Awaken The Guardian’ is in my all time favorite album list. The vocal lines on that album are hauntingly beautiful.
One of the reasons why John Arch is my favorite singer.

‘Awaken The Guardian’ for me, is near progressive perfection, even though the production is primitive at best, and one of the albums that got the progressive metal movement started.
These days I would put ‘Awaken The Guardian’ street lengths before 'Images and Words’. Especially the vocals on 'Images and Words’ are really getting on my nerves.

All in My Humble Opinion of course...

 

[Slayed Necros]

FW would make my list with Perfect Symmetry. While Dream Theater's Images and Words is still to this day the proverbial measuring stick for progressive metal, Fates Warning's "Perfect Symmetry" is the release that is the cornerstone of the sub-genre.

Fair point. I like Perfect Symmetry quite a bit too, but I come from a black/death/thrash background so I'm relatively new to progressive metal in general. Awaken the Guardian has a magic surrounding it that I find difficult to articulate. It's been a favourite of mine since I first heard it and I can't see it being bested anytime soon.

 

[PrincessHades]

Back In Black isn't so good that it needs to be shoved onto a metal list even though it's not metal. I'd forgive any of the previous albums being included before I'd forgive Back In Black.

It's a metal album. Hard rock is a marketing term, and there are very few bands I'd actually apply that term to. SInce this is a "heavy metal" list, I decided to avoid subgenres to keep my list from being almost completely comprised of extreme metal.

10. AC/DC-Back in Black
9. Motorhead-Ace of Spades
8. Judas Priest-British Steel
7. Led Zeppelin-Presence
6. Dio-Holy Diver
5. Iron Maiden-Iron Maiden
4. Black Sabbath-Dehumanizer
3. Black Sabbath-Master of Reality
2. Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath
1. Black Sabbath-Paranoid

 

[CiG]

Heavy metal is also a marketing term, originally. But no, Back In Black is not a heavy metal album, not in my opinion.

Feel free to share specific examples of why it is.

 

[Vince Neil lover 1961]

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

 

[Dog Hates Us All]

My personal all-time top 10 metal albums (in no particular order):

Metallica - Master of Puppets
Testament - Low
Corrosion of Conformity - Blind
Lamb Of God - Ashes of The Wake
Slayer - Seasons In The Abyss
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Iron Maiden - The Number of The Beast
Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power

 

[CiG]

It's heavy metal as in the specific genre, man.

 

[Azerzakos]

1. Motörhead - Ace of Spades
2. Black Sabbath - Vol 4
3. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
4. Motörhead - Orgasmatron
5. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
6. W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol
7. King Diamond - Abigail
8. Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
9. W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P.
10. Judas Priest - Painkiller