Essential Metal Albums

The following is a list of the essential metal albums. It's official in no way, and feel free to add to the list.

I'll start off with the three "M"s:

Metallica - Master of Puppets
Probably one of the greatest metal albums of all time, Master of Puppets is your first essential. This is easily Metallica in their finest hour and is the same reason why people can hate all their recent stuff yet still consider themselves a fan.
Other high recommendations by this artist:
Ride the Lightning
Kill 'Em All

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Number of the Beast here is also an album of extremely high recommendation. This is arguably Maiden's best work (though I'm more of a Powerslave fan).
Other high recommendations by this artist:
All of their other albums. Seriously.

Megadeth - Rust in Peace
This and Peace Sells are what really make Megadeth so awesome. The other albums are top notch too, but these two stand out as their best. With classic Megadeth songs such as Hangar 18 and Holy Wars, along with my personal favorites Take No Prisoners and Tornado of Souls. The rest of the tracks are top notch as well.
Other recommendations:
Every one of them except for The World Needs a Hero and Risk.

Pantera - Far Beyond Driven

Dream Evil - The Book of Heavy Metal

Kreator - Pleasure to Kill

Judas Priest - Painkiller

Dio - Holy Diver

Care to define metal?

Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
Care to define metal?

Wikipedia is your friend.

As said on the site, metal is defined by it's distorted guitars, powerful drums, and loud bass.

I would have mentioned the Black Sabbath album Paranoid, but there's this whole argument going on whether they're metal or hard rock.

Originally posted by RagnaViper
Wikipedia is your friend.

As said on the site, metal is defined by it's distorted guitars, powerful drums, and loud bass.

I would have mentioned the Black Sabbath album Paranoid, but there's this whole argument going on whether they're metal or hard rock.

I didn't ask what the accepted definition was, I asked how you are defining it, for the purposes of this thread.

The above description would apply to The Prodigy.

As you state, there is a big overlap between metal and hard rock, so I was asking how you are defining it here.

What wouldn't be metal? What would?

Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
I didn't ask what the accepted definition was, I asked how you are defining it, for the purposes of this thread.

The above description would apply to The Prodigy.

As you state, there is a big overlap between metal and hard rock, so I was asking how you are defining it here.

What wouldn't be metal? What would?

The main thing with metal is distorted guitars. Hard rock uses distorted guitars as well, but metal uses it FAR more. Another major thing is the drumming. Normally there's a fair bit of double bass. If you need an example of metal drumming, compare the following band's drumming: Metallica and Quiet Riot. I'm not a drummer myself, but you should be able to differentiate metal and hard rock drumming from these two bands. I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty bad at explaining drumming. The easiest way to recognise metal is with the distorted guitars. Metal uses loads of it.

If you're questioning a band's metalness, just ask me and I'll try my best to clarify.

Well, I have my own opinions on what is metal as well. Just thought it'd be easier for the thread's sake if people know what's expected.

A lot of metal doesn't use distorted guitars as much as overdriven guitars.

Oh well, suppose it's just gonna be whatever people think it is.

I'd suggest anything by Tool; SOAD; Black Sabbath; DEP from Calculating Infinity onwards; anything by Fantomas.

Irony being I could argue a case for all the previous being in a different genre.

MOP is probbaly the definitive metal album in my opinion (while not being my favourite). Has the perfect mix of quality and classic status.

Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
Well, I have my own opinions on what is metal as well. Just thought it'd be easier for the thread's sake if people know what's expected.

A lot of metal doesn't use distorted guitars as much as overdriven guitars.

Oh well, suppose it's just gonna be whatever people think it is.

I'd suggest anything by Tool; SOAD; Black Sabbath; DEP from Calculating Infinity onwards; anything by Fantomas.

Irony being I could argue a case for all the previous being in a different genre.

MOP is probbaly the definitive metal album in my opinion (while not being my favourite). Has the perfect mix of quality and classic status.

Agreed on the MOP thing. My personal favorite metal album is Iron Maiden's Powerslave, but MOP is the more definitive album.

One thing though, could you define overdriven guitars? I'm not familiar with that terminology.

Distortion pedals literally distort the tone, overdrive is more like a volume/power boost, without distorting the original tone.

This thread must be setting a record at the moment: every view has led to a reply.

Originally posted by Victor Von Doom
Distortion pedals literally distort the tone, overdrive is more like a volume/power boost, without distorting the original tone.

This thread must be setting a record at the moment: every view has led to a reply.

😄

Thanks for the explanation. Anyway, I'm fairly certain that most metal bands use distortion (if not all of them). If a band doesn't use distortion but uses a major volume boost, chances are that they're hard rock with metal influences.

Originally posted by RagnaViper
😄

Thanks for the explanation. Anyway, I'm fairly certain that most metal bands use distortion (if not all of them). If a band doesn't use distortion but uses a major volume boost, chances are that they're hard rock with metal influences.

They probably do all use it at some point...much of the guitar on MOP is an overdrive pedal though, not a distortion pedal.

Anyway that's here nor there, metal definitely has powerful guitar in some sense. Heavy drumming- likely to involve double bass.

I often feel that the vocal is what defines metal.

ANYWAY... that's a whole other topic.

Essential metal albums anyone?

Cowboys From Hell by Pantera: One of those cases where if you have to ask why, you've not heard it.

Master of Puppets by Metallica: Pretty much been said.

Paranoid by Black Sabbath: Many could argue that it's a template for what hard rock and metal would become. Though I feel it's more rock, it's probably allowed here.

Calculating Infinity/Miss Machine by The Dillinger Escape Plan: The first is way more heavy and has a much rawer sound on the vocals. The latter is much more melodic, because Greg is a better singer than Dimitris, but can also go crazy with the vocals. Whilst I think Calculating Infinity is the definining Dillinger album, I'd most certainly recommend Miss Machine.

As said before: Tool, Fantomas, System.

Prometheus - The Disciple of Fire and Demise by Emperor: Incredible work of genius considering Ihsahn wrote it all on his own. Has possibly the creepiest riff ever in the song Grey. Very exciting, fresh, always great to listen to.

-AC

pantera's 'far beyond driven' should be replaced with cowboys from hell.

slayers 'reign in blood' and 'seasons in the abyss' should be on their

also:

sepultura - chaos A.D
metallica - ride the lightning

and possibly:
opeth - deliverance
dream theater - train of thought
The Haunted - made me do it
Mastodon - Leviathan

and, in my opinion 😛 :

lamb of god - ashes of the wake
lamb of god - as the palaces burn
caliban - the opposite from within
cannibal corpse - tomb of the mutilated
children of bodom - follow the reaper
god forbid - gone forever
heaven shall burn - antigone
necrophagist - epitaph
novembers doom - the pale haunt departure
primus - frizzle fry
rage against the machine - rage against the machine
shadows fall - the war within
shadows fall - the art of balance
slipknot - vol 3: (the subliminal verses)

Yes, I forgot Leviathan.

Also anything Opeth, at all.

-AC

Didn't mention Opeth so as not to exhume the genre argument that's currently dead.

I'd agree with Subliminal Verses, Leviathan, Prometheus and any prior Emperor really.

Will RATM be the first controversial pick...

anything by High on Fire 😛

Originally posted by Df02
anything by High on Fire 😛

i saw them live, matt pike's shredding was amazing.

Doesn't Matt tend to try and deafen his audience though?

-AC

whenever he sung almost the whole crowd flinched! and i was stnading right next to the amps so it was even worse for me!

*cracks knuckles*

Opeth isn't what I would call essential. It's worth the listen, but it's an acquired taste.
Dillinger isn't metal but (despite the fact that I really hate them) it is worth a listen.
Neither SOAD, Tool, or Fantomas are metal but definitely worth a listen.

EDIT-
OK, SOAD can be considered metal but it's pretty arguable. Not bad, just not essential metal.

Slayer's Reign in Blood is quality stuff, but check out some Kreator before you delve deeper.
Sepultra's good but their 80s stuff was the best.
Good call on Dream Theater.
Haunted and Mastodon aren't necessarily essential but they're good. Better for after you've checked out the three m's.

Nick, I'll leave your opinion alone for now, but I will give you a nod for Children of Bodom.

Meshuggah - too difficult to choose 1 album