Guitar World's Top Ten Metal Albums

[Guest benoitrulz4life]

10. Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation

9. UFO - Strangers in the Night

8. Motörhead - Ace of Spades

7. Slayer - Reign in Blood

6. Judas Priest - British Steel

5. Metallica - Master of Puppets

4. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast

3. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

2. AC/DC - Back in Black

1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

 

As a rabid fan of all these bands, I have nothing to say on the matter except that "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is one of the most underrated metal songs ever, and UFO is one of the most underrated bands ever.

[Guest caboose]

10. Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation

9. UFO - Strangers in the Night

8. Motörhead - Ace of Spades

7. Slayer - Reign in Blood

6. Judas Priest - British Steel

5. Metallica - Master of Puppets

4. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast

3. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

2. AC/DC - Back in Black

1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

 

As a rabid fan of all these bands, I have nothing to say on the matter except that "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is one of the most underrated metal songs ever, and UFO is one of the most underrated bands ever.

I've only heard half of that list, and I agree with the five I have heard, (Metallica - Master of Puppets, Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction, AC/DC - Back in Black, Black Sabbath - Paranoid, Motörhead - Ace of Spades)

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

I must ask...where the hell is anything Max Cavalera related? Granted, he never really had the mainstream success of a lot of those bands, but honestly, how can you leave off Chaos A.D.? Beneath The Remains?! Hell if you wanna, stick Roots on there, I don't care just give the man a lil respect.

 

I won't even get into how much I despise AC/DC.

 

Outside of those, no huge arguements. I don't necessarily like all of those bands but I understand why they were selected.

[Guest MrRant]

I have 6 of the 10.

 

Motörhead - Ace of Spades

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

AC/DC - Back in Black

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

10. Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation

 

bLeH

 

9. UFO - Strangers in the Night

 

bLeH

 

8. Motörhead - Ace of Spades

 

Yes

 

7. Slayer - Reign in Blood

 

I prefer Seasons....

 

6. Judas Priest - British Steel

 

Yes

 

5. Metallica - Master of Puppets

 

Hell Yes!

 

4. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast

 

Any Maiden album is fine w/ me.

 

3. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

 

Not MetaL

 

2. AC/DC - Back in Black

 

Not Metal

 

1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

 

Yes

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

Highway to Hell is as good or better than Back in Black.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

10. Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation

 

Haven't heard the whole thing. I dislike every song I've heard by them.

 

9. UFO - Strangers in the Night

 

Never heard this.

 

8. Motörhead - Ace of Spades

 

Belongs on this list.

 

7. Slayer - Reign in Blood

 

Divine Intervention is better, but there must be Slayer here, and I have no complaints with this choice.

 

6. Judas Priest - British Steel

 

I don't like it, but I can see why it's on here.

 

5. Metallica - Master of Puppets

 

No comment...

 

4. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast

 

See Judas Priest.

 

3. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

 

I'm not too surprised to see this here, but it definitely wouldn't be on my list of ultimate metal albums.

 

2. AC/DC - Back in Black

 

Hard rock. Not metal.

 

1. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

 

Sabbath at number one, so I can't bitch, but the Self Titled album is better, dammit.

 

Glaring omissions: No Sepultura. No Deep Purple. No Vulgar Display of Power, and No Acid Bath. (Not in the sense that it would possibly make a magazine's list like this, but their first release is definitely a top ten all time metal album by a country mile.)

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

I see 6 actual metal albums.

[Guest benoitrulz4life]

Actually they're all metal, as defined by allmusic.com, the most informative web site ever on the subject:

 

"Of all rock & roll's myriad forms, heavy metal is the most extreme in terms of volume, machismo, and theatricality. There are numerous stylistic variations on heavy metal's core sound, but they're all tied together by a reliance on loud, distorted guitars (usually playing repeated riffs) and simple, pounding rhythms. Heavy metal has been controversial nearly throughout its existence — critics traditionally dismissed the music as riddled with over-the-top adolescent theatrics, and conservative groups have often protested what they perceive as evil lyrical content. Still, despite — or perhaps because of — those difficulties, heavy metal has become one of the most consistently popular forms of rock music ever created, able to adapt to the times yet keep its core appeal intact. For all its status as America's rebellion soundtrack of choice, heavy metal was largely a British creation. The first seeds of heavy metal were sown in the British blues movement of the '60s, specifically among bands who found it hard to adjust to the natural swing of American blues. The rhythms became more squared-off, and the amplified electric instruments became more important, especially with the innovations of artists like the Kinks, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and the Jeff Beck Group. Arguably the first true metal band, however, was Led Zeppelin. Initially, Zep played blues tunes heavier and louder than anyone ever had, and soon created an epic, textured brand of heavy rock that drew from many musical sources. Less subtle but perhaps even more influential was Black Sabbath, whose murky, leaden guitar riffs created a doomy fantasy world obsessed with drugs, death, and the occult. Following the blueprint laid down by Zep and Sabbath, several American bands modified heavy metal into more accessible forms during the '70s: the catchy tunes and outrageous stage shows of Alice Cooper and Kiss; the sleazy boogie of Aerosmith; and the flashy guitar leads and wild party rock of Van Halen (not to mention the distinctively minimalist grooves of Australia's AC/DC). In the late '70s, a cache of British bands dubbed the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (including Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Motorhead) started playing metal faster, leaner, and with more menace than ever before. They helped influence a new American metal scene known as thrash in the '80s, which took shape as a reaction to metal's new mainstream pop breakthrough, which came courtesy of Def Leppard's Pyromania. Metal enjoyed its greatest presence on the charts during the '80s, thanks to a raft of glammed-up pop-metal bands, but thrash bands played complex riffs at breakneck speed, sometimes dispensing with vocal melody altogether. Thrashers like Metallica and Megadeth built rabid cult followings that pushed them into the mainstream around the same time that grunge wiped pop-metal off the charts. Mainstream metal in the '90s centered around a new hybrid called alternative metal, which (in its most commercially potent form) combined grinding thrash and grunge influences with hip-hop and industrial flourishes, though it broke with metal's past in downplaying the importance of memorable riffs. Meanwhile, the underground grew harsher and bleaker, producing two similar, thrash-derived styles known as death metal and black metal, which produced some of the most abrasive, intense, hyperspeed music and graphic shock tactics the metal world had yet witnessed."

 

And Thin Lizzy's album should "Jailbreak", my bad.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Yay! Trust a music website created by people that probably don't listen to it over somebody whose been listening to the music their entire life! I love choosing sources that don't know fully what they're talking about, don't you?

 

AC/DC is blues rock. Thin Lizzy is hard rock. Guns N' Roses are hard rock. That eliminates 3 right there. Judas Priest were iffy at times.

 

EDIT: If you'd like, benoitrulz, I'll dissect the article piece-by-piece.

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

I think the website was created by people who do listen to it.

[Guest redbaron51]

I posted this list about 2 weeks ago.

 

I'm too lazy to dig it up.

 

AoO: Deep Purple was in Classic Rock and Pantera was mentioned in Nu-Metal

[Guest ZGangsta]

By the way, i have this magazine, and the list is of the 10 most influential metal albums pertaining to the guitar.

It is not a list of "Guitar World's Top Ten Metal Albums" it doesn't take anything but guitar into account.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

...and Pantera was mentioned in Nu-Metal

Me and AoO need to whoever decided that they were nu-metal...

 

I had an idea it was guitar-oriented, the mag being GUITAR WORLD and all. But they should still get their genre's right.

[Guest benoitrulz4life]

Go ahead and dissect it Corey. I'd be interested in your opinions, since I have been reading and respecting allmusic's reviews and essays for years and have always found them to be a competent and reliable source of information.

 

And yeah, I knew it was guitar oriented, but it didn't come out that way when I typed it in the subject line. And sorry if this was already posted.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

"Of all rock & roll's myriad forms, heavy metal is the most extreme in terms of volume, machismo, and theatricality. There are numerous stylistic variations on heavy metal's core sound, but they're all tied together by a reliance on loud, distorted guitars (usually playing repeated riffs) and simple, pounding rhythms.

Half-true. Loud and distorted instruments are indeed a large part of metal. However, I'd like to see whoever says "metal rhythms are simple" play the main riff of Cannibal Corpse's "Devoured By Vermin" in a heartbeat. Not extremely complicated, admittedly, but it's not child's play.

Heavy metal has been controversial nearly throughout its existence — critics traditionally dismissed the music as riddled with over-the-top adolescent theatrics, and conservative groups have often protested what they perceive as evil lyrical content. Still, despite — or perhaps because of — those difficulties, heavy metal has become one of the most consistently popular forms of rock music ever created, able to adapt to the times yet keep its core appeal intact. For all its status as America's rebellion soundtrack of choice, heavy metal was largely a British creation. The first seeds of heavy metal were sown in the British blues movement of the '60s, specifically among bands who found it hard to adjust to the natural swing of American blues. The rhythms became more squared-off, and the amplified electric instruments became more important, especially with the innovations of artists like the Kinks, the Who, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and the Jeff Beck Group. Arguably the first true metal band, however, was Led Zeppelin.

Ask ANY metalhead. Black Sabbath pre-dates Zeppelin in terms of forming and recording. Black Sabbath was also the first band to be called heavy metal by music critics. I'm not 100% sure on the proper phrasing, but a critic compared Black Sabbath's sound to "a bunch of heavy metal pots and pans being thrown down the steps."

Initially, Zep played blues tunes heavier and louder than anyone ever had, and soon created an epic, textured brand of heavy rock that drew from many musical sources.

**cough, cough**BLACK SABBATH**cough, cough**

Less subtle but perhaps even more influential was Black Sabbath, whose murky, leaden guitar riffs created a doomy fantasy world obsessed with drugs, death, and the occult. Following the blueprint laid down by Zep and Sabbath, several American bands modified heavy metal into more accessible forms during the '70s: the catchy tunes and outrageous stage shows of Alice Cooper and Kiss; the sleazy boogie of Aerosmith; and the flashy guitar leads and wild party rock of Van Halen (not to mention the distinctively minimalist grooves of Australia's AC/DC).

Cooper is straight-up rock n' roll with a horror movie theatrical feel. KISS themselves deny ever being metal or anything but rock n' roll for parties. Van Halen falls into the same category as KISS, as they were/are straight-up party rock.

In the late '70s, a cache of British bands dubbed the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (including Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Motörhead) started playing metal faster, leaner, and with more menace than ever before. They helped influence a new American metal scene known as thrash in the '80s, which took shape as a reaction to metal's new mainstream pop breakthrough, which came courtesy of Def Leppard's Pyromania.

Yes AND no. While NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) was INSANELY influential to the US Thrash scene (which is fairly obvious, especially since Motörhead albums and shirts can be found in the collection of ANY member of an 80's US thrash band), the Thrash scene was also more of a reaction to the way the world was in general as opposed to just the popularizing of bastardized metal where the size of a singer's hair and the colors of the guitarist's spandex was more important than the songs themselves (ie. GLAM ROCK).

Metal enjoyed its greatest presence on the charts during the '80s, thanks to a raft of glammed-up pop-metal bands, but thrash bands played complex riffs at breakneck speed, sometimes dispensing with vocal melody altogether. Thrashers like Metallica and Megadeth built rabid cult followings that pushed them into the mainstream around the same time that grunge wiped pop-metal off the charts.

Once again, yes AND no. No band that recorded Thrash was popular at the time OF their thrash recordings when grunge came about, with the maybe exception of Slayer (whose popularity is mostly due to being a touring band as opposed to being mainstream).

Mainstream metal in the '90s centered around a new hybrid called alternative metal, which (in its most commercially potent form) combined grinding thrash and grunge influences with hip-hop and industrial flourishes, though it broke with metal's past in downplaying the importance of memorable riffs.

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Not a single REAL metal band did that. The only one that came close to blending hip-hop and actual metal was Stuck Mojo, but the music was more of a blend of NWOBHM guitar work with early 80's hardcore, all with a funk edge. This quote describes Nu-Metal, which is NOT metal. Nu-Metal came about as a term to market aggro (aggressive rock) and rap/rock bands to kiddies who once heard by their older siblings that "metal was badass," or something such as that.

Meanwhile, the underground grew harsher and bleaker, producing two similar, thrash-derived styles known as death metal and black metal, which produced some of the most abrasive, intense, hyperspeed music and graphic shock tactics the metal world had yet witnessed."

Death and black have been around about just as long as thrash has. Venom, arguably the first black metal band, formed a few years prior to Metallica, and released the album Black Metal (considered the first black metal album, thus the title) in 1982, jsut when thrash was starting to make its way into underground popularity in the US. Death metal largely grew popular in Florida in the mid-1980's thanks to bands like Death and, in the late 80's, Cannibal Corpse.

 

AoO, feel free to offer your views into each of my points.

[Guest Dace59]

*Reads and agrees*

[Guest benoitrulz4life]

Actaully, Zeppelin predates Sabbath in both categories. Zep formed in mid '68 while Sabbath formed in '69. Led Zeppelin also released their first two albums in 1969 before Black Sabbath even released their first (self titled, 1970).

 

I also think everybody has a different definition of metal, and the article just tried to blend all opinions into one so as to make it as accessible as possible.

 

And just because Kiss or Van Halen never admitted they were metal doesn't mean they weren't. Even though they could be more easily classified as hard rock they still have some metal characteristics, i.e. blistering guitar solos of Van Halen or the sometimes menacing lyrical content and the aforementioned pounding rhythms of Kiss and Alice Cooper. Even though I'm sure you're familiar with them already, just listen to "God of Thunder" or "Eighteen".

 

Also, the article mentioned that death/black metal "grew" harsher and bleaker, not that it formed at the same time as alternative metal. Ask the average metal fan from the eighties about death metal and then ask today's fan and you'll likely get more response from the current fan.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Actaully, Zeppelin predates Sabbath in both categories.  Zep formed in mid '68 while Sabbath formed in '69.  Led Zeppelin also released their first two albums in 1969 before Black Sabbath even released their first (self titled, 1970).

Not true. The earliest form of Black Sabbath, Polka Tulk, formed some time in 1967. Ozzy joined, and the band changed its name to Earth in '68. The band finally settled on Black Sabbath as a way to both market their sound AND gain slight controversy.

 

I also think everybody has a different definition of metal, and the article just tried to blend all opinions into one so as to make it as accessible as possible. 

Apparently, they asked the people at VH1, Kerrang!, and Metal Edge instead of the people at Metal-Is.com and Pit Magazine.

And just because Kiss or Van Halen never admitted they were metal doesn't mean they weren't.  Even though they could be more easily classified as hard rock they still have some metal characteristics, i.e. blistering guitar solos of Van Halen or the sometimes menacing lyrical content and the aforementioned pounding rhythms of Kiss and Alice Cooper.  Even though I'm sure you're familiar with them already, just listen to "God of Thunder" or "Eighteen".

As a fan of both Cooper and KISS, I know both tracks very well. "God Of Thunder" is also my second favorite KISS track (right behind "War Machine," actually). Neither man's work is metal. Compare their music with that of Motörhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest, three bands from the same era in time that WERE metal.

Also, the article mentioned that death/black metal "grew" harsher and bleaker, not that it formed at the same time as alternative metal.  Ask the average metal fan from the eighties about death metal and then ask today's fan and you'll likely get more response from the current fan.

If you also ask the average metal fan from the 80's who the heaviest band in the world is, they'll say Iron Maiden or Metallica. Even in the 80's that wasn't true. Knowledge is gained after events have occurred and are through. Of course a modern metalhead would know more about death and black metal than one around when those subgenre's were formed.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I'm a relatively new metalhead (though I still consider myself an actual rock fan..I have no clue what you would classify Tool, Nirvana, and SYSTEM OF A DOWN~ under, since those are my top 3 faves, and have been for quite some time) and even I wouldn't consider Led Zepp metal. They played very very hard rock, but the true godfathers of metal are Sabbath.

 

I agree and disagree with the notion that everyone has a different idea of what metal is. There are certain groups of people who have or haven't been exposed to that kind of music, and depending on your level of exposure you will have a different definition of what it actually is. I couldn't stand death metal, and I still dislike some of Cannibal Corpse's stuff sicne it's mainly shock value and all...Amazingly though, I like Six Feet Under better even though it sounds basically the same (and yes I do know the Chris Barnes connection there). I dislike Black Label Society and earlier when I mentioned them I got flamed majorly for saying that, but still it sounds relatively nu-metal, especially for Zakk Wylde. Whassupwitdat? Either way, Sabbath owns them both.

 

And on the top ten metal albums, I've only heard most of Master of Puppets, but I still think Ride the Lightning is the better album. Yes Fade to Black is immensely played out, but the rest of the album is absolutely fantastic. On top of it, I think it's what really put metal on the map for a lot of kids back in the 80's, and it made me appreciate metal's roots a lot more as well.

[Guest Dace59]

Tool - Prog Rock

Nirvana - Grungue (Hard Rock + Punk IIRC, and a poppy form of it at that in the end)

S.O.A.D. = Nu Metal (Alt. Rock with tiny metal influences, and an X Factor, in theri case Hardcore Punk)

 

No Metal at all there.

But that's beside the point as the points are all reasonible. So you like Metal, it's just not your total fav. genre it seems. And NO ONE could blame you for that in anyway.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

...

Half-true. Loud and distorted instruments are indeed a large part of metal. However, I'd like to see whoever says "metal rhythms are simple" play the main riff of Cannibal Corpse's "Devoured By Vermin" in a heartbeat. Not extremely complicated, admittedly, but it's not child's play.

 

The only one that came close to blending hip-hop and actual metal was Stuck Mojo,

 

AoO, feel free to offer your views into each of my points.

1. Better example of a drum part: Any Dillinger Escape Plan or Cryptopsy breakdown. Origin and Nile have sick drummers too.

 

2....and Snot.

 

The Internet also helped death metal immensely, people are more aware of tours, have resources to buy the cds, not to mention file sharing, which lets people hear stuff from the genre without having to know a morbid weird fucker who is prone to sharing his stuff.

 

Good call on the salient Sabbath points. You get a bloody cookie.

[Guest redbaron51]

Zeppelin...Metal????

 

Who wrote this?

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

AS far as guitar work, I prefer Johnny the Fox by Lizzy. The rest of the list is ok, for guitar purposes. Now, I have my own list of the best Metal albums, and I'd like to share them with you.

 

10.Soudn of White Noise-Anthrax

9.Something Wicked this Way Comes-Iced earth

8.Far Beyond Driven-Pantera

7.Hell Bent for Leather-Judas Priest

6.Ace of Spades-Motorhead

5.Seventh Son of a Seventh Son-Iron Maiden

4.Seasons in the Abyss-Slayer

3.Chaos A.D.-Sepultura

2.City-Strapping Young Lad

1.Master of Puppets-Metallica

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

Can't disagree a whole lot with that list. Minor things to disagree with, but its mostly just placement or whatever. I'd also replace Judas Priest with Dream Theater's Scenes From A Memory, or Awake (yes, they're metal albums, shut up). Also might get rid of Anthrax for Opeth.

[Guest Dace59]

Dream Theater are metel even if they don't want to admit to it.

[B. Brian Brunzell 0]

Metal or not, there isn't a better band on the planet than Dream Theater. They're simply too fucking good, bottom line.

[Guest Dace59]

I think something could be argued about that.

 

But they are AT LEAST as good as anyone else in the world.

That and they seriously rule ass.

 

(Y) @ Me for getting them played on the Radio (ok, so it was a digital Metal station, but still)

[Guest Vitamin X]

Tool - Prog Rock

Nirvana - Grungue (Hard Rock + Punk IIRC, and a poppy form of it at that in the end)

S.O.A.D. = Nu Metal (Alt. Rock with tiny metal influences, and an X Factor, in theri case Hardcore Punk)

 

No Metal at all there.

But that's beside the point as the points are all reasonible. So you like Metal, it's just not your total fav. genre it seems. And NO ONE could blame you for that in anyway.

SOAD IS NU METAL!?!?!

 

I've always considered them either hard rock or alternative metal. I always thought Nu Metal was the rapcore, hip hop influenced metal like Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park.

 

In the metal category, I found I do like Opeth, Impaled Nazarene, Cryptopsy, Six Feet Under, Mayhem, and Agalloch. I liked Shadows Fall too, and I can't say I haven't found a lot of good new music from these boards, but like I said it's the fault that metal doesn't have a lot of exposure even to someone who never leaves the house and spends pretty much all day on the net or at work.

 

And yeah metal isn't my total favorite category, as a matter of fact I realyl have no total favorite category. My tastes tend to lean towards rock/metal, but I honestly and truly like EVERYTHING and think it's retarded when I see people that like ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY AND EVERYTHING ELSE SUCKS. That's like having a one dimensional music taste. Hell I love what I listen to, but I love jazz, classical, and even some Kotzenjunge-type pop/dance stuff.

 

And I'm curious as to what Corey's or for that matter any of the other members on the board in particular think of Ride the Lightning over Master of Puppets...

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

I prefer Puppets, simply because the tracks "Trapped Under Ice" and "Escape" are not on it. I don't mind those songs, but they're filler tracks with decent riffs. As I've said earlier, the only filler track on Puppets was "The Thing That Should Not Be." But its purpose was to cool off the listener after "Battery" and "Master Of Puppets" so they could get ready for "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)," "Disposable Heroes," "Leper Messiah," "Orion," and "Damage, Inc."