The Top Ten Metal Albums -- Ever!
 

I'd like to feature this in Metal Month II if possible. Just list your top ten metal albums --- of any/every subgenre --- in order from ten to one. If you want to write a little about why they're so good you're welcome, but all I really want is a list so I can tabulate, add up and see what are considered overall the top ten Heavy Metal albums of all time. I'll then review them next month in reverse order.

Okay .... Go!

10. Godflesh - Streetcleaner: Industrial Metal album. Love it to pieces. Listening to it again today actually.

9. Melvins - Gluey Porch Treatments: These guys know how to mix sludgy metal with punk influences.

8. Discordance Axis - The Inalienable Dreamless: This is "grindcore" but there's definitely elements of Metal in there. Awesome album.

7. Jesu / Battle of Mice - Jesu / Battle of Mice: Post Rock/Shoegaze on the first side and then some more sludgy atmospheric metal on the second side. Listening to it as I type.

6. Melvins - Houdini: My favourite Melvins album. Great stuff. Stoner/Sludge.

5. Mastodon - Leviathan: Y'all know what Mastodon are all about. Some proggy elements, some sludge.

4. Tool - Ænima: Tool kick ass, and this album invariably kicks a lot of it too.

3. miRthkon - Vehicle: Avant-Garde Metal. If you haven't heard it yet, I am sure you will love it.

2. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath: Self explanatory.

1. Electric Wizard - Dopethrone: The epitome of stoner metal as far as I know. Brilliant.

Love that you put up their first album. As flawed as the second half is, the A-Side is one of the most metal things ever recorded.

Which is why Paranoid is a better album.

10. Lykathea Aflame—Elvenefris: Grindcore meets Killing Joke in the middle east and the results are amazing.

9. Gridlink—Amber Gray: Some of the tightest grindcore songwriting and playing I've ever heard.

8. Shining—Blackjazz: What happens when a jazz band makes a metal album? Pure awesomeness.

7. High On Fire—Death Is This Communion: Though generally regarded as doom, I see this as more of a new take on thrash than anything else, and a terrific one at that.

6. Faith No More—Angel Dust: Flawless from beginning to end. Filled to the brim with their usual musical diversity but somehow more focused and a lot more intense.

5. Psychofagist—Il Secondo Tragico: A little grindcore, a little sax, and a whole lot of fantastic.

4. Electric Wizard—Witchcult Today: Often overlooked, but I think it's their best. The 70s reimagined with a lot more balls.

3. Slayer—Reign In Blood: There isn't much to say about this that hasn't already been said but nevertheless it's a classic that really upped the ante with regards to what metal could be.

2. Ufomammut—Idolum: Outer space doom that is just massive and stunning.

1. Swarrrm—Nise Kyûseishu Domo: This has all the heaviness and craziness I look for in metal and is also somehow almost catchy at times. Every last bit is astonishing.

None of the songs on Paranoid are as good as "Black Sabbath", "The Wizard", or "NIB". That riff on "Black Sabbath" is the very essence of metal, distilled into three perfect notes, on the first song, of the first album, of the first metal band. Never in the history of metal has such a brilliant statement of intent been lain down at the very moment of a band's introduction to the world. And we've already discussed the poor album flow that messes up the first half. Great album, but its flaws affect my enjoyment of it more than the debut's. And then there's that evil atmosphere on Black Sabbath. Man, that is one awesome album.

gonna have to look into that Jesu/Battle of Mice split


10. Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss personally i don't think you can make a list without Slayer....and this is my favorite album

9. Demonic Death Judge - Knee sludgy stoner metal from Finland...i got nothing more...this **** just fucking rocks

8. Sunn0))) - Black One pure drone....like a mist of poisonous gas slowly crossing no mans land and blanketing the troops in the trenches

7. Godflesh - Streetcleaner easily a five star album for me....the computer drums mixed with that crushing bass.....and guitar work ...misanthropy at its best

6. Thorr's Hammer - Dommedagsnatt crushing, slow and methodic....i'd like to see any pop princess try and hit the notes this chick does

5. Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape avant-garde progressive black metal?....what ever this is it's ****ing amazing....definitely the thinking man's album

4. Asunder - A Clarion Call i guess this would be funeral doom....that title works as this album is three 14 minute songs of slooooooooow crushing riffs with satanic chanting...and cello

3. Bongripper - Satan Worshipping Doom yeah! i could seriously listen to this album for the rest of my life....this....in my opinion...is what all metal...esp doom metal aspires to be

2. Bathory - Blood Fire Death wow listening to this really brings back some great memories....not sure is this is even considered black metal anymore.....but when i first heard it in 92 or 3 this was some of the evilist **** i had ever heard.....perfectly played....haunting as well as atmospheric and trashing....just a damn near perfect heavy metal album

1. Neurosis - Enemy of the Sun this is the album that really got me into Neurosis...i mean it opens with lines from what is probably my favorite novel and follows the same formula....in mine eyes this album is perfect

This just barely escaped being on my list. Such a great album.

I guess mine is something like

10. Burzum - Filosofem
9. Autopsy - Mental Funeral
8. Teitanblood - Seven Chalices
7. maudlin of the Well - Bath
6. Faith No More - Angel Dust
5. Kreator - Pleasure to Kill
4. Drudkh - Blood In Our Wells
3. At The Gates - The Red In the Sky Is Ours / Neurosis - Souls At Zero (I guess I made a top 11)
2. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
1. Acid Bath - When the Kite String Pops

10. Cavalera Conspiracy - Inflikted
09. Faith No More - Angeldust
08. Iron Maiden - Number Of The Beast
07. Iron Maiden - Powerslave
06. Metal Church - Metal Church
05. Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
04. Metallica - Ride the Lightning
03. Slayer - South Of Heaven
02. Dio - Holy Diver
01. Michael Schenker Group - Built To Destroy

I numbered them randomly, since I love all pretty much equally. I had a rough time selecting only 10.