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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:28:27 GMT -5
#101"Itโs their first album since the death of drummer and founding member Adrian Guerra, who passed away in 2016, and so their first album written in the blunt light of public grief. Having hit the bottom of their reserve, they spend the record scraping together something like hope." ~Pitchfork "On paper, an hour-plus of crushing plod should turn off all but the most devoted acolytes. Bell Witch defy expectations with a beautiful, haunting expression of sorrow and loss unlike any Iโve experienced." ~AngryMetalGuy "Bell Witchโs vision of what lies beyond is filled with both rippling beauty and the looming threat of negation. Still, somehow, itโs a tempting invitation." ~TinyMixTapes
Hello and welcome to another metal list by your favorite metallic admin. This time, we'll be looking at the albums that have impacted the metal genre and influenced artists to follow, while also being pretty damn good. These are albums that have gone down in history for their greatness and are being highlighted here. This time, however, I'm using quotes from other sites to showcase why the albums are good and not writing something myself, just to leave out a bit of bias. Which album will be #1? Stick around and find out!
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:29:45 GMT -5
100:"It was a good time then, it's a good time now. La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1 is just one of those metal anomalies whose shadow I am fortunate to get to stand in from time to time, especially around Halloween." ~autothrall (Metal Archives) "These tales of psychic demons, speeding cars, and strange happenings with their punchy riffs, filthy, yet charismatic vocals, and deranged attitude deserve to be listened to." ~psychoticnicholai (Metal Archives) "If you're a fan of groove metal, and haven't heard this album, do yourself a favor and take a listen to this masterpiece." ~Unitron (MetalMusicArchives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:31:10 GMT -5
#99"I have a feeling this is their โlightning in a bottleโ moment and their high water mark, especially with most of the band leaving right after they finished recording. It actually got me to research Swedish history and itโs quite fascinating stuff!" ~AngryMetalGuy "No matter where or how you first listen to it, Carolus Rex will have you hooked from start to finish. And you'll keep coming back, not to gain a new perspective or discover hidden layers of meaning โ there aren't any โ but to get another fix of the addictive glory." ~Midnight Rambler (Metal Archives) "It's well done, cinematic, symphonic, melodic power metal that tells a grand story of Swedish history. Take the ride if you so dare." ~SeaOfTranquility
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:32:56 GMT -5
#98"The Satanist is as untamed and direct as its title suggests: a flawless paean to free will and the human spirit." ~The Guardian "The best damn thing Behemoth have done up to this point in their 23-year career." ~MetalInjection "Behemoth have not only released the most important album of their career, but one of their best as well." ~Loudwire
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:34:07 GMT -5
#97"Little did I know in a few short years, this album would be played regularly on my stereo." ~SleazeRoxx "I think that the first thing I should mention is that So Far, So Good... So What! is one of my favourite albums." ~Rhinosaurus (Metal Archives) "So many great songs are here, this is a classic album of thrash metal and also one of the best in the genre." ~Cnuk (RateYourMusic)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:35:18 GMT -5
#96"Overall, "WASP" is a hell of a debut and THE end-all example of 80s L.A. metal done right. The bandmates, especially Blackie and Holmes, put forth unholy energy and attitude that easily turn the scenesters of the day into quivering puddles. If you fancy yourself a fan of traditional American heavy metal, particularly that of the ballsy and controversial type, then get a hold of "WASP" now! If you refuse, then I'll have no choice but to fuck you like a beast...." ~Metal_Jaw (Metal Archives) "WASP is a great record, hands down. I can listen it for hours and hours and don't get bored of it. It's heavy metal in it's purest form and it's totally essential." ~cyclone (Metal Archives) "So at the end of the day, the album reminds us that A) not everything from L.A. sucked and B) W.A.S.P. were the biggest, raunchiest, baddest band of misfits and miscreants on the block. Hail Blackie Lawless!" ~VoiceofHell (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:36:50 GMT -5
#95"With Sunbather, Deafheaven have made one of the biggest albums of the year, one that impresses you with its scale, the way Swans' The Seer did last year. Like M. Gira's masterpiece, it has the ability to capture the attention of people who don't normally listen to heavy music. It's also one of the most successful examples of a band using black metal as a starting point and ending up somewhere else entirely. People cite the short-lived San Francisco band Weakling's seminal 2000 album Dead as Dreams as the pinnacle of American black metal; Sunbather is another. Like Weakling, Deafheaven have changed things with this record-- black metal won't be the same now that it's been released. Of course, folks will argue over just how black metal-- or even metal-- Sunbather is, and will discuss the "un-metal" pink cover art and the fact that Clarke could probably be a J. Crew model. These kinds of arguments are irrelevant. Instead, try focusing on how much better Sunbather is than any other black metal album released this year, and how it's, by far, one of the best in any genre. Or, maybe, just talk to your friends about what it feels like to listen to a modern classic." ~Pitchfork
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:38:07 GMT -5
#94"Glenn Danzigโs first eponymous album was a thunderous, Rick Rubin-produced progression of his moody, Evil Elvis sound. Itโs the pinnacle of goth populism." ~Pitchfork "A steady and interesting listen from start to finish. Hard rockers and โmetalersโ alike should be urged to check this out." ~Robert Garland (Sputnik Music) "This is an album that can suit pretty much every metalhead. There is heavy metal, doom metal, gothic metal, and even a bit of speed metal in "Soul on Fire" and "Am I Demon". It's a well rounded heavy metal album that is guaranteed to please the listener." ~Iron Wizard (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:39:20 GMT -5
#93"All in all this is a milestone in metal, and it certainly deserves that credit. This oft-cited masterpiece is one that metal goth fans can listen to over and over again with enthusiasm, however disaffected that enthusiasm is with teenage angst and gothic distain." ~topofsm (MetalMusicArchives) "Iโll be the first to say that all this sounds like the product of a madman (and, knowing Steele, most probably is), though I feel that the band knew what this would sound like and made it anyway. All of the messed up genre-hopping and black humour (which becomes real โblackโ humour during โKill All the White Peopleโ โ โDen we be freeโ) continues to scramble brains and mess with minds to this day, while I would guess that goths might still play half of the album in absolute earnest, not to mention doom fans liking it every now and again. In fact, probably the greatest compliment that one can pay Bloody Kisses โ other than acknowledging how influential this has been โ is that youโll never forget the album even if you really donโt like it. And, for an absurdly long, convoluted, and humorous gothic metal release, thatโs quite a compliment." ~gasmask_colostomy (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:40:34 GMT -5
#92"Life must feel good in the Maiden camp. Remarkably, some are saying that Brave New World is Iron Maiden's finest output to date. Pretty strong sentiments to compare a bunch of ol' blokes' output at present with some of the finest heavy metal albums ever created. Sitting with pint in hand and with plenty of repeated listens, I'm in awe. This album wrestles EVERY comeback to the ground. In one word, Brave New World is mature, a record created by experience itself, the six-piece far from weathered by the sands of time. Maiden have made great albums in the past, but with Brave New World the whole unit is aligned in synch with fascinating results. Harris is still holding the reigns tightly, but he's not overbearing. Nicko McBrain has indeed found his chops and he's damn hard to air-drum to again! The three axe attack is audible with increased listens, a bloody army of riffs. Dickinson, well kiss this man's feet. And virtually EVERY track is an epic. At the very end of the record, producer Kevin Shirley includes McBrain's in-studio comment: "Ohhhh, I fucking missed it," regarding some miscue. These lads have far from missed it. Thank you." ~Brave Words
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:42:39 GMT -5
#91"Explosive. Searing. Chaotic. Unstoppable. Glorious. - These are words that come to mind when pondering Destroy Erase Improve." ~Grabbag (Metal Archives) "Meshuggah was, and still is an oddity in the world of extreme metal. What they did during the mid-90's was combine many of the new metallic styles of the time into something punchy and groove-laden, but also wild, intricate, and filled with the sounds of a robot-dominated future of piston drums and the rending of steel put into guitar-play. Pounding rhythms and complicated solos that fry nerves are the norm across this slab of furious and oddly hyper-intelligent metal. Destroy Erase Improve is an album that turned the trend of groovy metal on its head and brought it to peak form and technicality. This is metal that's full of blasts of chunky aggression, great builds and releases, as well as a jagged sound that reminds me of industrial robots pounding together heavy equipment in rhythm with all the aggression and precision of a Terminator." ~psychoticnicolai (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:44:46 GMT -5
#90"Stained Class remains one of Priest's absolute finest albums and one of the pinnacles of their seventies era material along with Sad Wings of Destiny. It shows them dropping some of the progressive tendencies that album had in favor of a more molten, pristine sound that remains compelling although it might sound a bit more straightforward. All of the songs display energy and passion that you'll very rarely witness in a metal album. There's a purity that really stands out as a strong point." ~The Metal Crypt "Forty years on, Stained Class still stands at the heart of the Priest discography, a dark monolith of unrelenting power, infused with the sorrows of its protagonists who have looked into the depths of the world and humanity, and found them sorely wanting. It still sounds today like it has been freshly forged from the furnace, glowing and pulsating with the raw energy that sits at the core of not just heavy metal music, but the force of life and nature itself. It is recommended not just for anyone curious about getting into Judas Priestโs body of work but also for anyone who wants to know and understand more about the foundations and keystones of heavy metal." ~CosmicEquilibrium (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:46:20 GMT -5
#89"Like football fans have certain dates marked on their calendars for potentially colossal matches, death metal fans have September 17th swirled within a blood red circle, heralding the new album from British grind-gore lords, CARCASS. As we can never have Chuck Schuldiner and DEATH back, then let chaos reign upon the formidable shoulders of CARCASS. Their new album "Surgical Steel" is what death metal pundits have been chalking their hopes on. Fret not, pundits. Only bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker and guitarist Bill Steer remain from the original lineup, but "Surgical Steel" is all that and a gleaming rachiotome ready to pare." ~Blabbermouth "Liverpool death metal pioneers Carcass' immaculately produced, linguistically rich comeback album might be calculated, but it doesn't feel forced: Surgical Steel is a document of middle-aged lifers trading ponderous maturity for the visceral thrills they relished in their prime." ~Pitchfork "Walker and Steer have mentioned in recent interviews that their only goals were to match previous career highs Necroticism and Heartwork, and to reclaim their sound from their many imitators. Mission fucking accomplished, gentlemen." ~AngryMetalGuy
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:48:05 GMT -5
#88"Ultimately, there's very little to dislike about Mastodon. I can't imagine why anyone with even half an interest in the preservation of metal as a legitimate art form doesn't have a copy of Leviathan on his shelf. These guys aren't part of the tedious mediocrity they've been lumped in with, nor do they hold any contempt for their audience or their forefathers. They're simply one of the best things we metal fanatics have going for us." ~Pitchfork "Mere seconds into Leviathan's heaving opener, "Blood and Thunder," it's clear that the group succeeded: The listener is buffeted by surging waves of guitars, guttural screams and relentless squalls of drum fills. Deeper tracks like the fully unhinged "Megalodon" and the slow-building opus "Hearts Alive" only drag us deeper into Mastodon's dark sound and vision." ~Rolling Stone "This album has been blowing me away every single time since my first listen. Pure guitar and drum power, massive vocals and an incredible, overwhelming atmosphere. You can almost visualize the giant white whale and its hunters on the stormy sea before your eyes. I've never heard anything like this album before. It's just exactly how Progressive/Sludge Metal should be. It's the pinnacle of the genre." ~TheDrPepperPower (RateYourMusic)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:50:16 GMT -5
#87"When you listen to The Call of the Wretched Sea, try to imagine yourself falling into the infinitely deep ocean while a huge haunting whale is observing you from high above in the water." ~BloodHawk39 (RateYourMusic) "The Call of the Wretched Sea is an embarrassment to funeral doom metal โ an embarrassment of riches, and an embarrassment to all of the other albums in the genre which have neither hope nor prayer of living up to it. Allow me to dispose of all pretense and state that this is not only my favorite funeral doom album, but one of my favorite albums in all of metal. It should be yours, too. It is no surprise that so many fans of funeral doom list this as their favorite album, because it is not only massive, but transcendent. I mean transcendent in the literal sense. The experience of The Call of the Wretched Sea is fathoms beyond that of ordinary funeral doom." ~GiantRex (Metal Archives) "Please pick it up, this album is flawless." ~Blood_and_Vitriol (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:52:15 GMT -5
#86"The Jester Race did more to make death metal accessible to a wider audience than any other album save perhaps Entombed's landmark Wolverine Blues. To purists, that may be a sin as unforgivable as the band's later move into mass-market metalcore, but The Jester Race's place in metal history is assured nonetheless." ~AllMusic "It further cemented the Gothenburg sound as the prevalent genre in the mid-90โs and lifted In Flames into the upper echelon of metal. If youโre ever in need of all-you-can-eat riffs and melodies, this is the album to spin." ~CadenZ (Metal Archives) "The Jester Race is the perfect example of flawlessly executed melodic death metal with some angry vocal work, thought-provoking lyrics and great riffing and the cool use of acoustic guitars mixed perfectly among the heaviness. The production job is crisp and the drumming and bass work merely completes the rout. If you have not heard this then I highly recommend it as In Flames proved on here that they are more than a cut above the average Gothenburg band." ~psychosisholocausto (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:53:29 GMT -5
#85"Hell Awaits is easily one of the best releases in Slayer's catalog (and 1985 for that matter). It is entertaining, evil, and chaotic. It is everything I wanted in a thrash album from the time (and then some). It is the benchmark for what extreme metal should be." ~Metal_1990 (Metal Archives) "It takes real talent to merge progressive metal, thrash and black metal seamlessly into one sound whilst making it sound effortless. It's a heavenly shame that Slayer never wrote songs like this again. Even Phil Anselmo admits this loss. Hell Awaits separates the real Slayer fans from the edge-lords who think the band was a joke before Reign In Blood (and that includes you Eddie Trunk)." ~TrooperEd (Metal Archives) "There seems to be only one reason why the musicians did not bury the band after this release, although "Hell Awaits" was unsurpassable. You all know exactly what I am implying. "Reign in Blood" was in the making. But please note: the band chose a completely different songwriting approach on this record. A wise decision. With a view to "Hell Awaits", "Hell Awaits Part II" would doubtlessly not have had a chance to achieve a comparable level. But this applies to every goddamn album of the genre worldwide. Thus, as mentioned above, you do not have to look for a better thrash metal release. Or to express it in the words of Tom Araya: "What you seek for canยดt be found / In sea or sky or underground"." ~Felix 1666 (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:54:43 GMT -5
#84"With At The Heart Of Winter, Immortal finally cemented their legendary status within Black Metal forever, if they weren't considered legends already, with this landmark 1999 masterpiece proving to be one of the genres most perfectly executed and memorable albums ever." ~BestBlackMetalAlbums "The result is a clarity and focus that few purveyors of the genre succeeded at finding, a painstakingly organized assemblage of black metal's base elements into a disciplined purity of metal that prefers the power of the almighty riff instead of the occasionally overblown classical structuring of much-lauded stalwarts Emperor and Cradle of Filth or the strange experimentation that Mayhem and Arcturus would undertake. At the Heart of Winter should sway even black metal naysayers into the Immortal camp." ~AllMusic "I can't say any more positive things about this release that I haven't already said. It's just a masterpiece and if you listen to it and am not impressed, then your taste in black metal is bitter. There's nothing wrong with this album whatsoever. It completely dominates and own it today!" ~Orbitball (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:56:15 GMT -5
#83"Bon Jovi's trick is to use heavy-metal chords and still sound absolutely safe. Rock & roll used to be rebellion disguised as commercialism; now so much of it is commercialism disguised as rebellion. Bon Jovi is safe as milk; Metallica harks back to the time when rock's bite was worse than its bark." ~Rolling Stone "This album rewards the listener who keeps coming back. While "Master of Puppets" and "Ride the Lightning" seem to be far more dynamic records on the first listen, "...And Justice For All" exhibits the bands most creative songwriting and riffs, and, in my opinion, upon repeated listens, surpasses the majesty of the aforementioned releases. A true thrash masterpiece; the last the band would ever create." ~shantivj (Metal Archives) "Truly a testament to thrash metal and the way music as a whole can be created." ~BlackMetal213 (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 14, 2018 23:57:58 GMT -5
#82"The year is 1987. The mayhem and fury unleashed by Metallica's "Master of Puppets" and Slayer's "Reign In Blood" is still fresh and the fires are still burning! There is no room for second grade bands to look eye to eye with the sovereigns of metal. Stillโฆthe world was about to witness the rise of one of thrash metal's most worthy contributors! Testament storm into the scene with "The Legacy" and let the rest of the boys of Bay Area Thrash know that the war for the throne is far from over! "The Legacy" is 100% pure, fist-clenching, lethal and remorseless metal with some of the angriest riffs Testament ever came out with. Everything about this disc is grade A! (bear in mind, it was 1987, so I am not including the production factor here). From the monster solos in virtually every song, to Chuck Billy's infuriated 'vokills', "The Legacy" does not know when to quit! The album starts off with "Over The Wall" that sure enough gives you a very good taste of what's to come. The rest of the album follows suit with the same pattern of lightning fast guitars, vocals and drums without ever stopping to take a breathe! The only and only problem with this album, which is of infinitesimal concern, is lack of much originality. Testament delivered just pure Bay Area Thrash styled music here that stood on its own above much of the rest only because it kicked so much ass! Not because it was anything new. Although this is one of the finest albums out there, Testament's next endeavor โ "The New Order" not only matched this quality, but arguably surpassed it. But still, "The Legacy" was the work that gave Testament the cult following that it was to enjoy in the future. Where would the world of Thrash metal be without this album! Not much else to comment as anyone reading this should already have heard this album, or at least heard OF it. As for those who don't fall into either category, you are at the wrong place my friends." ~MetalCrypt
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