Your top 10 METAL albums of all time(including Dream Theater)!

[ErHaO]

Ooof, that is extremely hard, metal-only would probably look something like this:

1: Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth
2: Ayreon - The Human Equation
3: System of a Down - Mezmerize
4: Ayreon - The Theory of Everything
5: Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
6: Wintersun - Wintersun
7: Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
8: Iron Maiden - Powerslave
9: Symphony X - Divine Wings of Tragedy
10: Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls

But anything in my top 50 metal is probably top 10 metal material, depending on when you ask me.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

3. Metallica-Kill' Em All

Not to say you are wrong or anything, because Kill 'em All is a great album, but I find this is an interesting choice considering Ride the Lightning took the raw thrash energy of Kill em All and fused it with much better song writing and more memorable riffs. Although there is no denying the strength of songs like Phantom Lord or Four Horsemen or Seek and Destroy. Both are fantastic albums either way.

[TAC]

I consider Kill 'Em All the greatest Heavy Metal album of all time.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

I consider Kill 'Em All the greatest Heavy Metal album of all time.

I'm curious how you feel about Ride the Lightning in comparison.

[TAC]

Honestly, I don't even think it's close. I loved KEA when it came out, but RTL I thought sounded too refined. Other than Creeping Death and Fade To Black, I don't think anything stands up. KEA was groundbreaking.

What RTL does have are memorable and melodic solos by Kirk Hammett.  But it lacks the overall aggression and rawness of KEA.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

1. The Ocean - Pelagial
2. Avantasia - The Scarecrow
3. Dream Theater - Awake
4. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine
5. Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape
6. Orbs - Asleep Next To Science
7. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice
8. Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
9. Architects - Lost Forever, Lost Together
10. Between the Buried and Me - Colors

Here's my attempt, limiting to one album per artist. Pelagial is definitely number one, but the others are much less certain.

[The Walrus]

Honestly, I don't even think it's close. I loved KEA when it came out, but RTL I thought sounded too refined. Other than Creeping Death and Fade To Black, I don't think anything stands up. KEA was groundbreaking.

What RTL does have are memorable and melodic solos by Kirk Hammett.  But it lacks the overall aggression and rawness of KEA.

Totally respect your opinion TAC but man do I disagree about that last part. RTL is one of the rawest, angriest metal albums I've heard (yeah there are heavier albums but they don't sound as naturally mean and aggressive as a lot of the tracks on RTL to me). KEA lacks the power and thrashy-ness of RTL to me but it's still a great album. James sounds so angry on RTL and the guitars have that perfect thrash sound. Early Metallica FTW.

[TAC]

It's all good, K-lox.

I think even in the short time between KEA and RTL, James's voice matured quite a bit. And obviously the production is much better. I think that plays a big part.
Plus I think RTL is a bit more focused. KEA, with its Mustaine influence, sounds like a bunch of kids. But to me, that's it's charm. I love the Dehaan version from a few years ago. It gives a modern feel to the songs.

I easily rank RTL as #4 of the first 4 Metallica albums.

[The Walrus]

I don't know about this Dehaan version but I want to hear it now.

[TAC]

https://www.livemetallica.com/live-music/0,458/Metallica-mp3-flac-download-6-8-2013-Dehaan-at-Orion-Music-and-More-Detroit-MI.html



At Metallica's Orion Music fest in 2013, there was a band called Dehaan on the bill in the early afternoon. Turns out it was actually Metallica and they came out and played Kill 'Em All. It's a f'n killer show and well worth the purchase.

[The Walrus]

Rad. Putting this on the list. 

[TAC]

Rad. Putting this on the list. 

Definitely do that. It's tremendous.

[jammindude]

I'm not trying to open debate or discussion, I just want a brief disclaimer that for personal deeply held personal beliefs, I strongly object to Slayer's message and music (I don't care what Tom Araya says about his personal life) and I refuse to listen to them or own anything they put out.   Having said that, I *used* to be one of their biggest fans....and if I'm being completely objective, I still think Reign in Blood is the greatest metal album of all time...and I don't think anything will ever come close to its concise ferocity.

The part where you say you refuse to listen to them, yet still consider Reign in Blood to be the best metal album ever really intrigues me. I'm not exactly a Slayer fan and know next to nothing about them, but I take it it's the anti-religious message that prevalent in Slayer's music that puts you off? If I'm not mistaking Tom Araya has repeatedly stated that he doesn't consider Slayer's music to be anti-religiious per se, as he is a Christian himself. I hope I'm not opening a can of worms here, but you 'objective' approach to this list is curious.

2. Sepultura - Beneath the Remains
4. Forbidden - Green

Also these two... I find Beneath the Remains to be barely listenable and Green is an album I haven't heard in ages. I rarely see it mentioned if at all, interesting pick!

Without going into P/R territory....Reign in Blood doesn't have quite as many anti-Christian themes as their previous output (which was VERY much that way).   But Slayer in general (IMHO, moreso than any of the other "big 4" by quite a big margin) carries the POV of very hateful and bitter attitudes.   I imagine it's mostly Kerry who is responsible for this.  He's famous for going on record as hating people in general.  He was once quoted as saying, "If I wasn't doing this, I would be a serial killer."   Implying that he is so full of hatred for mankind in general, that if he wasn't taking out his aggression in music, he would use much more violent methods.    Some people might say kudos to him for taking it out in a "healthy" way....but if you're full of that much animosity, I'm not interested in being the receiver of the byproduct.   Anyone with that much hate really needs to look at themselves and ask if they are truly and deeply happy.  And if you're not, what can you do to turn it around.    But I digress.   

TLDR version - I don't want to be exposed to messages of hate at all.    Frustration I can understand.   Bitter hatred...not so much.

[Stadler]

So, looking back at The TAC Top 50 Thread from 6 years ago, I don't think anything has changed. Since we're talking Metal, I'm going to remove bands like Dream Theater, Rush, MSG, Thin Lizzy, and Alice Cooper.

1. Iron Maiden-The Number Of The Beast
2. Helloween-Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pts 1&2
3. Metallica-Kill' Em All
4. Dio-Holy Diver
5. Black Sabbath-Heaven And Hell
6. Riot- Narita
7. Accept-Metal Heart
8. AC/DC-Let there Be Rock
9. Ozzy-Blizzard/Diary
10. Def Leppard-High n Dry

Not exactly, but mine looks a lot like this.   

1. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
2. Ozzy - Diary Of A Madman
3. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
4. Dio - Holy Diver
5. Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith
6. Fastway - Fastway
7. Twisted Sister - You Can't Stop Rock and Roll
8. AC/DC - For Those About To Rock
9. Motorhead - Another Perfect Day
10. Def Leppard-High n Dry

[TAC]

That's pretty high for Fastway, which for me was a pretty disappointing album.

[Stadler]

I consider Kill 'Em All the greatest Heavy Metal album of all time, other than Number Of The Beast.

I just read Animal Farm, sorry.

[TAC]

  TLDR version - I don't want to be exposed to messages of hate at all.    Frustration I can understand.   Bitter hatred...not so much.
[/quote

J-dude, I hear you on that. We were just talking about KEA and RTL. In early high school, I was pretty much very into thrash metal but hit hit me midway through high school that that kind of metal just wasn't attractive, mainly because of image. But it wasn't until Helloween and Garage Days that got me back into that kind of metal. Speed stuff.


I hear you on Slayer. I'm pretty selective on what I listen to by them still today. But I still like a lot of the early stuff for the most part.

[jammindude]

So, looking back at The TAC Top 50 Thread from 6 years ago, I don't think anything has changed. Since we're talking Metal, I'm going to remove bands like Dream Theater, Rush, MSG, Thin Lizzy, and Alice Cooper.

1. Iron Maiden-The Number Of The Beast
2. Helloween-Keeper Of The Seven Keys Pts 1&2
3. Metallica-Kill' Em All
4. Dio-Holy Diver
5. Black Sabbath-Heaven And Hell
6. Riot- Narita
7. Accept-Metal Heart
8. AC/DC-Let there Be Rock
9. Ozzy-Blizzard/Diary
10. Def Leppard-High n Dry

Not exactly, but mine looks a lot like this.   

1. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
2. Ozzy - Diary Of A Madman
3. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
4. Dio - Holy Diver
5. Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith
6. Fastway - Fastway
7. Twisted Sister - You Can't Stop Rock and Roll
8. AC/DC - For Those About To Rock
9. Motorhead - Another Perfect Day
10. Def Leppard-High n Dry

Stads....you had me until For Those About to Rock.

Don't get me wrong, it's a criminally underrated AC/DC album, and it KILLS me that the band seems to hate it so much.   And you know that you and I see eye to eye most of the time on AC/DC discussions (Phil Rudd is an amazing drummer...Blow Up Your Video was the last great AC/DC album....etc...etc...)  But seriously putting this album on the list above ALL other AC/DC albums??   Seriously?

I'm in agreement with Brian Johnson who has gone on record that Powerage is AC/DC's finest moment.   Even Eddie Trunk looked at him like, "REALLY?"  But Brian's right.   Powerage is AC/DC at their peak before Mutt came along and made them streamline everything.

[TAC]

I think Let There Be Rock KILLS Powerage, save for Riff Raff.

And hell yes, Blow Up Your Video is great!!

[Stadler]

That's pretty high for Fastway, which for me was a pretty disappointing album.

For whatever reason, I love that album.  I even like the second one better, but it's less metal.   I don't think Fastway makes it if I can put more than one album by a band on there (Under The Blade by TS is better, as is Killers by Maiden and Stained Class by Priest).  I also debated - strongly - whether Van Halen or Kiss belong there.  I decided if MSG doesn't make it, neither to they.   Deep Purple, Zeppelin and Whitesnake were mooted too, and missed the cut.   

[TAC]

Well, yeah, it's a Metal album list. MSG is a Top 5 all time album for me.

[Stadler]

Stads....you had me until For Those About to Rock.

Don't get me wrong, it's a criminally underrated AC/DC album, and it KILLS me that the band seems to hate it so much.   And you know that you and I see eye to eye most of the time on AC/DC discussions (Phil Rudd is an amazing drummer...Blow Up Your Video was the last great AC/DC album....etc...etc...)  But seriously putting this album on the list above ALL other AC/DC albums??   Seriously?

I'm in agreement with Brian Johnson who has gone on record that Powerage is AC/DC's finest moment.   Even Eddie Trunk looked at him like, "REALLY?"  But Brian's right.   Powerage is AC/DC at their peak before Mutt came along and made them streamline everything.

Ugh, I went back and forth on this.  My problem is, my favorite of the Bon years is High Voltage, NOT a metal album.  Then Dirty Deeds, also not metal.    I went back and forth between Highway To Hell and FTATR, and becuase I personally like FTATR better (that might be their best album consistency-wise) that's where I went.    "Night Prowler" and "Beatin' Around The Bush" are their best "metal" songs, though, in my opinion.

[jammindude]

I *HATE* it when people change the definitions of things.   People forget that, in the 70's, Aerosmith was a "heavy metal" band.   It seems amazing in 2018, but it's true.   

In 1980, you could walk into a record store, and there was a "heavy metal" section.   What do people imagine was in this section?   Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and nothing else??

Floating definitions of metal drive me nuts sometimes.   

[TAC]

I don't know J dude. The telegraph was once cutting edge technology.

[jammindude]

I don't know J dude. The telegraph was once cutting edge technology.

 

touche

[Stadler]

I *HATE* it when people change the definitions of things.   People forget that, in the 70's, Aerosmith was a "heavy metal" band.   It seems amazing in 2018, but it's true.   

In 1980, you could walk into a record store, and there was a "heavy metal" section.   What do people imagine was in this section?   Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and nothing else??

Floating definitions of metal drive me nuts sometimes.

I don't disagree but some of those classifications were suspect.  Was "Rainbow" metal?  According to some of those records stores, yes.   I'm old enough to remember going to a Dio show and it was 90% dudes in jeans, and either black leather or jean jackets with patches all over the back.  The 10% girls looked like either the chicks from Vixen or Motley Crue.   And guaranteed, on half of those jackets was Rush, Van Halen, Rainbow or MSG. 

Going to concerts in the '80's was the bomb-diddley.   I miss that so much.   

[jammindude]

I *HATE* it when people change the definitions of things.   People forget that, in the 70's, Aerosmith was a "heavy metal" band.   It seems amazing in 2018, but it's true.   

In 1980, you could walk into a record store, and there was a "heavy metal" section.   What do people imagine was in this section?   Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and nothing else??

Floating definitions of metal drive me nuts sometimes.

I don't disagree but some of those classifications were suspect.  Was "Rainbow" metal?  According to some of those records stores, yes.   I'm old enough to remember going to a Dio show and it was 90% dudes in jeans, and either black leather or jean jackets with patches all over the back.  The 10% girls looked like either the chicks from Vixen or Motley Crue.   And guaranteed, on half of those jackets was Rush, Van Halen, Rainbow or MSG. 

Going to concerts in the '80's was the bomb-diddley.   I miss that so much.

You haven't disclosed your opinion on Powerage....I'm curious.  Your thoughts on both the album, and BJ's opinion of it.

[Nekov]

SFAM is my #1 album of all time so obviously it would be first on the list. The rest I'm not sure how to rank nor do I fell like it 

DT - Scenes from a Memory
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Pantera - Cowboys from Hell
Pure Reason Revolution - The Dark Third
Tool - 10,000 Days
Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side
Haken - Affinity
The Devin Townsend Project - Addicted!
Nightingale - Retribution

[The Walrus]

The 'floating label' thing still happens. There have been so many times I've ordered a straight-up metal CD from Amazon and there's a sticker on the case calling it 'hard rock' (and not just some stock ID label, like an advertisement label saying 'hard rock from [artist] featuring [METAL NAMES HERE])

[Stadler]

I *HATE* it when people change the definitions of things.   People forget that, in the 70's, Aerosmith was a "heavy metal" band.   It seems amazing in 2018, but it's true.   

In 1980, you could walk into a record store, and there was a "heavy metal" section.   What do people imagine was in this section?   Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and nothing else??

Floating definitions of metal drive me nuts sometimes.

I don't disagree but some of those classifications were suspect.  Was "Rainbow" metal?  According to some of those records stores, yes.   I'm old enough to remember going to a Dio show and it was 90% dudes in jeans, and either black leather or jean jackets with patches all over the back.  The 10% girls looked like either the chicks from Vixen or Motley Crue.   And guaranteed, on half of those jackets was Rush, Van Halen, Rainbow or MSG. 

Going to concerts in the '80's was the bomb-diddley.   I miss that so much.

You haven't disclosed your opinion on Powerage....I'm curious.  Your thoughts on both the album, and BJ's opinion of it.

I love Powerage; I think it's way underrated and I think that the fact that it's relatively under played make it a gem.  I don't know if it's their "finest moment"; I do understand why he said that.  It's probably the one "pure" AC/DC record up to Highway to Hell, and if you discount the Lange influence (which I understand but don't agree with) then it's really the only one.  High Voltage is a cobbling of older and newer songs, Dirty Deeds wasn't released in the U.S. until later (and is also a cobbling), Let There Be Rock is a cobbling (I think they threw Problem Child on every early record just because).   So I get it. 

[Bolsters]

Only the US versions of those are cobbled though. Your High Voltage is a combination of the Australian High Voltage album and their second album called T.N.T. for example.

[Indiscipline]

The 'floating label' thing still happens. There have been so many times I've ordered a straight-up metal CD from Amazon and there's a sticker on the case calling it 'hard rock' (and not just some stock ID label, like an advertisement label saying 'hard rock from [artist] featuring [METAL NAMES HERE])

The industry has never had a clue about the floating label thing. I remember my older brother had a compilation/anthology double album named Heavy Metal, Vol (whatever). I must have spun it a thousand times as a kid, and I still can remember a good slice of the playlist, which crammed together tunes like:

Freewheel Burning by Judas Priest
Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult
I'm Alive by Helloween
Easy Livin' by Uriah Heep
Bark at the Moon by Ozzy Osbourne
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by Gary Moore
All For One by Raven
Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent
Bang Your Head by Quiet Riot

I was rather confused.

[Stadler]

Only the US versions of those are cobbled though. Your High Voltage is a combination of the Australian High Voltage album and their second album called T.N.T. for example.

Of course; and I have both (on record).    The original, very first High Voltage is actually one of my favorite AC/DC records.  But that's the point.  You've got songs with a what, 16 year old Angus, a different drummer (Phil did not play on the original High Voltage).   With Dirty Deeds, you've got songs from 1976, re-recordings, add-ons (Problem Child), etc.  That's why I say Powerage is the first "pure" AC/DC record, as it was all recorded at once (in between Mark Evans and Cliff Williams on bass, so we know this). 

[bosk1]

Here's my top 10 at this moment.
1.  Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
2.  Queensryche - Promised Land
3.  Def Leppard - Pyromania
4.  Y&T - In Rock We Trust
5.  Redemption - Snowfall on Judgment Day
6.  Megadeth - Countdown To Extinction
7.  Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier
8.  Symphony X - Underworld
9.  Whitesnake - s/t (1987)
10.  Metallica - And Justice For All

Some honorable mentions:
Scorpions - Love at First Sting
Warlock - Triumph and Agony
Blue Murder - Blue Murder
Badlands - Voodoo Highway
Doro - Force Majeure
Flotsam & Jetsam - Drift
Testament - The Ritual
Tesla - The Great Radio Controversy
Ozzy - Bark at the Moon
Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Nightwish - Once
Lacuna Coil - Comalies
Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything
House of Lords - Sahara

[MirrorMask]

Impossible to tell, but I'd still pick Scenes from a Memory as the best album, since it floored me so completely and utterly when I first heard it. On release day. Not even knowing it was Metropolis 2 thanks to not having yet the internet!

Another album that floored me was Trans Siberian Orchestra's Beethoven's Last Night. All the theatrical side of music, I love it because of that record.

Iron Maiden is my favorite band ever, so their two favorite albums of mine, Piece of Mind and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, both deserve a mention.

Blind Guardian also deserve a mention, with either Imaginations from the Other Side or Nightfall in Middlearth... or both.

Helloween also, impossible to not mention Keeper of the Seven Keys pt 2.

Judas Priest's Painkiller also should be in there.

And Virgin Steele's two "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" albums are both fantastic.