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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 1:32:13 GMT -5
#61"June 14th 1989. Metal fans the world over are astounded by what is now one of the most infamous metal records of all time. Slowly We Rot by Obituary is still every bit as relevant, not to mention gut wrenchingly ferocious, today as it was on the day of itโs release." ~Yeahtoast (SputnikMusic) "What more can be said about this death metal classic? When it was first released way back in 1989, metal fans were absolutely floored, and with good reason. Perhaps it was the crushing brutality that bands like Death and Possessed had not quite accomplished yet. Maybe it was John Tardy's vocals, which to this day still melt the ears of even the most hardened death metal fans. In addition to the vocals and the sheer heaviness of this album, the best ingredient which made Obituary stand out was songwriting." ~reignmaster (Metal Archives) "Obituary remain one of the most original death metal bands in style. This is pretty much an essential album for death metal fans and is a very good introduction to the genre." ~Wez (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:51:08 GMT -5
#60"I assume youโre not new to metal and already know why this album is important." ~Valfars Ghost (Metal Archives) "Throughout the 40-ish years of the genre's existence, there have been metal albums which reek of promise and potential, brilliant musicianship and complex compositional qualities, lyrics of social, political, personal or sacrilegious significance. 'Black Metal' is not one of those albums. It shares none of those qualities. It simply exists to kick your ass and then do lines off that kicked ass while popping shots of whiskey, inhaling the most rancid cigarettes imaginable and sodomizing your old lady." ~autothrall (Metal Archives) "This sophmore effort proved that Venom weren't a one trick pony, or even a novelty act. They broadened their sound, refined it and made it still sound heavy as balls, while still retaining the catchiness that Welcome to Hell possessed." ~TableofHELL (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:52:38 GMT -5
#59"All the virtues Accept displayed on previous works, taken to their maximum point. Flawless and awesome from start to finish, this will not disappoint any listener out there. Turn it on." ~facupm (SputnickMusic) "For all the denigration that the 80s had suffered at the hands of a number of musical outlets, including MTV and Kerrang magazine (both of whom had originally been very supportive of metal bands during the genreโs heyday); most of the best work from that time has maintained its prestige. Beavis and Butthead and all the other brainless caricatures of 90s mainstream culture can rip on these guys to their hearts content, but this is the sort of music that never dies, and the testimony of dozens of bands including Primal Fear, Gamma Ray, and Iron Savior show forth a band and an album that will be influential for decades to come. For the yet to be educated in the fine art of German heavy metal demolition, your sickness can be cured with $12 and a trip to the local music store, provided theyโre stocking real stuff like this." ~Hells_unicorn (Metal Archives) "If anyone should ever ask you what on earth was and how did heavy metal sound in the early 80โs, leave aside the pointless analyses and answer him: Balls to the Wall. It is an album-gospel for metal in that decade and an everlasting heavy metal monument." ~evermetal (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:54:06 GMT -5
#58"I remember first hearing of this album a couple years ago, and I wrote it off as some sort of Slayer clone. Come to find out, (after listening to this masterpiece) I was horridly wrong. This album created one of my favorites styles of music. That style is the mighty death metal! Possessed changed the landscape of extremity on that day in 1985. The genre of metal would never be the same, this album gave rise to thousands of bands/albums that would follow in the coming years." ~Metal_1990 (Metal Archives) "Every once in a while an album comes along, in which the world is ill prepared. Such albums touch on aspects of metal that one formally thought impossible. Previously established boundaries are eroded away, leaving behind expectations that are often left unfulfilled by future generations of classics. Like an astronaut who has ventured to the moon, we are left asking: โwhat can possibly be next?โ Seven Churches defines the concept." ~tidalforce79 (Metal Archives) "Seven Churches not only stands as among the most cutting edge, forward thinking and beautifully primitive of pretty much any '80s thrash album, it is also amongst the most hellish, twisted and fucking heavy of those albums too." ~Napalm_Satan (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:55:31 GMT -5
#57"Unfortunately, In Flamesโs pitiful ascent to stardom has followed the same whoring path as Cradle of Filth and Dark Tranquility, shying away from its roots, and metal altogether, to become a glossy-video, mass-market supergroup. However, they were a truly talented band that produced amazing albums before their downfall, just like the aforementioned British Filth. โColonyโ is one such album. โColonyโ is a masterpiece." ~XuL_Excelsi (Metal Archives) "As far as melodic Death metal goes, In Flames absolutely rules, and this album is there to prove it." ~MetalCrypt "Colony's arrangements experiment with sound effects, melodic guitar leads, varied textures, and Hammond organ, adding more detail, contrast, and dramatic structure to the rush of their onslaught and making it a definite step forward for the group." ~AllMusic
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:56:47 GMT -5
#56"I've listen to "The Bleeding" numerous times and I haven't been bored of it once. This album is defiantly Cannibal Corpse's best record and is one of my favorite albums of all time. From my standpoint, this album is essential for any metal fan." ~Rock n World "The Bleeding is an absolutely essential Death Metal album and could be considered as an entry point for anyone who is unfamiliar with the genre to sink their teeth into. This is a fast and furious display of aggression that is packed full of great songs such as Stripped Raped And Strangled and the trill-infested madness that is Staring Through The Eyes Of The Dead. As part of a genre not renowned for being catchy The Bleeding could be considered as somewhat of an anomaly but it is a good form of anomaly and finds the band at their peak of creativity." ~psychosisholocausto (Metal Archives) "This is their best and if you don't own this and call yourself a Cannibal Corpse fan, you're a liar and a whore. If you are a fan of death metal or want to see if you will enjoy death metal, this is an album you'll want." ~OfBloodandIron (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:58:21 GMT -5
#55"With Diary of A Madman Ozzy establishes himself as a solo artist in the hearts of metal fans. He throws away the label of the Sabbath singer for good and becomes a leading face in the heavy metal scene." ~evermetal (Metal Archives) "Sadly this would be the last chapter in Rhandy Rhodesโ brief tenure as a metal guitarist before his tragic end. People often ask why he is always heralded as a revolutionary; he didnโt do anything that others hadnโt already done before. To this I simply answer, look at the songs he wrote, look at the riffs and solos he penned, they are neither the fastest nor the most insane but they speak to the ears with a truly unique voice, one that was silenced before it had a chance to fully realize itโs potential." ~hells_unicorn (Metal Archives) "Ozzy Osbourneโs solo material is infinitely lacking compared to his work in Black Sabbath, but this is the one album that makes you forget that. Ozzyโs finest solo moment, as well as Randy Rhoads finest performance, is virtually without fault." ~DawnoftheShred (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 15:59:10 GMT -5
#54"Scream Bloody Gore is truly an important point in the evolution of metal, and it has a sound that backs up its reputation. If you are looking to get into death metal, but don't know where to start, I'd certainly suggest this as a starting point." ~Iron Wizard (Metal Archives) "One of the most iconic debuts in the history of metal kicks off the legacy of Death as we know it. Filled with gory lyrics, blistering instrumentation, and the undeniable presence of Chuck Schuldiner, Scream Bloody Gore is as classic as death metal gets." ~qJukeZach (Metal Archives) "''Scream Bloody Gore'' is the bible of death metal. It was the reference for countless bands worldwide that started to play this fast, crushing and insane genre of music, everyone making it in their own way, helping the style to evolve and leaving several legendary releases. But this one has EVERYTHING. It's the base for all those bands who came later. It represents death metal sound in it's pure form, and every death metal fan worships this with devotion and pleasure." ~LORDCOPROMONSTER (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:00:42 GMT -5
#53"The atmosphere that permeates this disc is unique; if I was a pretentious bastard Iโd call it divine. In an anti-Christian way. The bold statement โEmperor performs Sophisticated Black Metal Art exclusively!โ on the back cover is hard to back up, but damn โ these Norse fuckers pull it off. โAnthems to the Welkin at Duskโ has been one of my favorite albums since it was released, and I wouldnโt want to change one single second on it. The songwriting is genius, the execution is immaculate, the production is greatโฆif this isnโt perfection, what is?" ~CadenZ (Metal Archives) "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk might be the pinnacle of the Norwegian black metal scene. Emperor truly made their place in metal history with this masterpiece. It's sheer complexity is incredible, and the performance is amazing." ~Lars_Stian (Metal Archives) "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk was less groundbreaking for its time than In the Nightside Eclipse. History and context be damned in this case however; if the debut was a promise, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk answered the call in every way. It's finally as violent and cathartic as becomes a band like Emperor. I know the question still rages today that more technically inclined metal bands lack the same potential to be cathartic as a rawer counterpart. Then again, I'm sure the answer would be far closer to positive if more bands were like Emperor. Even the bands that followed closest in their footsteps have very seldom channelled the same swirling wrath. The album's nearly twenty years old, and it still sounds dangerous. I'd say that's the big distinction between Emperor's first pair of records. If In the Nightside Eclipse amazed me for the fact it came out in 1994, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk inspires the same feeling for the fact alone this music was made by humans." ~ConorFynes
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:02:30 GMT -5
#52"In 1993 there was a great, powerful ancient force that rose up and devoured the death metal scene whole! Thisโฆis Covenant." ~Empyreal (Metal Archives) "Morbid Angelโs โCovenantโ is a very proficient display of death metal technique and musicianship that solidifies the bandโs importance in the genre. With a strong focus on straightforward riffing and more complex rolling drum rhythms, Morbid Angel shows off skillful songwriting and musical ability while still playing in a very direct style." ~Five_Nails (Metal Archives) "If Hell would have background music, this Morbid Angel album would suit it the best." ~I_Cast_No_Shadow (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:04:06 GMT -5
#51"After years of wild thrash metal, Metallica simplified everything and became the biggest band in the world. The Black Albumโs dark, muscular sound would permanently alter the course of heavy music." ~Pitchfork "Prior to this album, most critics dismissed Metallica as an over-hyped garage band, which would never catch on beyond the core of dedicated, cult-like fans. Metallica would prove them wrong and make many in the ever-changing industry reconsider the scope of genres which have mass appeal. The album would be a major influence for the post-grunge sound of the mid to late nineties and be the absolute pinnacle of Metallicaโs long and successful career. As Hammett simply referred to it; โit is our Dark Side of the Moonโ." ~Classic Rock Review "โThe Black Albumโ doesnโt deserve the hate it gets. Youโd probably get tired of playing the same style of music too, if you did it every day for ten years. Itโs still heavy metal with an altered formula that works very well. Itโs good to see Metallica has the ability to pull off a slow song that shocks the system like โNothing Else Mattersโ. Not everyone can stray from their typical style and be successful at it. Metallica went from being a great metal band to great rock musicians on this album. Itโs not a perfect record, but it became a blueprint for how you could evolve your music while still maintaining your roots. This is considered a classic album for a reason." ~drkguitar (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:13:11 GMT -5
#50""Rising" became by far the best album of the band even though it does not seem to be as good-selling as the next following release. The album's level of musicianship is worth its price in gold; thus, no single chance to get it should be missed, and it deserves a more in-depth listening in order to find out how great is its music." ~ballcrushingmetal (Metal Archives) "Could this be one of the first speed metal albums ever recorded? It is often argued so. Rainbow Rising is also argued as one of the first power metal albums to be made. How can this album be so unknown to many people? It's a shame that this album didn't do as much rising to the top as it should have. Then again, blame it on punk rock." ~Shane McNealy (Metal Archives) "This is the greatest thing Dio ever put his name on. Some will point to Heaven and Hell, some point to Holy Diver, and a few even point to Dehumanizer, but this is it." ~StainedClass95 (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:14:44 GMT -5
#49"When it comes down to it, Alice in Hell stands out not just amidst not only Annihilator's discography, but in thrash metal as a whole. Every song delivers powerful, blazing guitar work on all fronts from bass to lead work. Throw in a great production job, a charismatic and fittingly angry vocal delivery, and whatโs left is one of the absolute best thrash debuts." ~InfinityX (Metal Archives) "This is THE Annihilator album." ~grain_silo (Metal Archives) "This was a great accomplishment for thrash metal, and those of you who were privleged enough to know about them in the early 90's would probably agree with me. This album gave me everything I wanted in a metal album, plus some. Please, I am begging you, if you don't have this album or the next one, buy it, you will not be disapointed." ~MetalReviews
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:16:08 GMT -5
#48"Diamond Head is one of those bands that pop into your head when you hear the word "influential". However, I feel that for about 99% of that time, this is the only album that comes to mind...and I can see why. This is an album is not modern-sounding by any means, but dammit, it's awesome. This is actually pretty diverse. It features elements of blues rock, hard rock, and some garage rock, as well. For this reason, even people who don't like heavy metal could find themselves listening to this masterpiece, every once in a while." ~Caleb9000 (Metal Archives) "Diamond Head, a band that (kinda) came to fame with the help of Metallica, after they covered not one, but 2 songs from this LP. I looked it up to see what all the commotion was about, and what I discovered, was one of the best albums in the entire new wave of British heavy metal movement, and an album that still gets regular plays from a person who is much more a thrash fan than a NWOBHM fan." ~Superreallycool (Metal Archives) "This is, in my humble opinion, one of the best albums in the whole NWOBHM movement. Not saying that I have heard everything from that era, but it is up there competing with classics such as Satan's Court in the Act, Iron Maiden's self titled debut, Venom's Black Metal and Tygers of Pan Tang's Wild Cat." ~Dr Nielson
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:18:51 GMT -5
#47"Heaven and Hell convinces with focused songwriting, passionate individual efforts and truly collaborative teamwork. Despite the individual quality of each of the eight songs, the sum is greater than its parts as this album as a whole showed the true potential of the heavy metal genre back then, was the starting point of heavy metal's most glorious decade and has achieved a remarkable legacy that hasn't lost its impressive charm. Even nearly four decades after its initial release, Heaven and Hell is a brilliant example that change can be an enriching and positive thing. I'm a massive fan of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's early years and I will always prefer Ozzy Osbourne's gloomy uniqueness over Ronnie James Dio's more theatric approach but I have to admit that Heaven and Hell is a very good album that has stood the test of time. In days where the metal community seems to divided between more conservative minds and more experimental fans, this genre could need another Heaven and Hell that unites both sides because of its excellent quality." ~kluseba (Metal Archives) "I think that Heaven and Hell is a huge, pre-emptive "fuck you" to the "No Black Sabbath past Ozzy" crowd, and it proves how adaptive the band were in incorporating a new, very different vocalist into their lineup. This is a great album, an essential." ~Iron Wizard (Metal Archives) "Heaven and Hell is an absolute classic of the heavy metal world, and it is one of the most well done and consistent albums by this band." ~stainedclass2112 (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:21:12 GMT -5
#46"This is a great traditional metal album that has a conceptual nature. It revolves around King and his grandmother and the haunting of the mysterious powers of "them". The story gives the album an interesting thread to link to, but itโs the music that takes center stage on "Them". Thereโs plenty of shining guitar work and wonderful vocal harmonies to be found on this album, much like its predecessor Abigail. Choosing a favorite between these two albums is difficult, because both are excellent." ~MetalCrypt "You cannot be a fan of King Diamond and not have a copy of Abigail and Them. Two equally twisted concept albums that feature some of the most inspired music in King Diamondโs back catalogue." ~DemonsZone "Bottomline, this is a undisputed metal classic, one of King's best albums, and definetly among my favorite albums of all time. King never dissapoints. Ever. Never. Ever. Never." ~KissTheDemon (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:23:11 GMT -5
#45"Necroticism is essential death metal. Angela Gossow cries herself to sleep every night wishing she could make something this good." ~TrooperEd (Metal Archives) "โNecroticismโ is a complex maelstrom of ideas, a rare work of genius, a truly unique and nearly flawless masterpiece the likes of which come around only once every so often. It is not easy to fully grasp and takes a while to get into, but once you do, you will surely realize how absolutely essential it really is." ~lonerider (Metal Archives) "All of these elements combine to make one utterly sublime masterclass in death metal artistry, one of the true, inarguable classics of immense significance and historical importance in heavy metal. Truly the greatest Carcass album of all time, and one of the best albums you will ever hear in your entire life. Seek it out now, and revel in the festering slime of โNecroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious.โ" ~Crank_it_up_to_666 (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:25:02 GMT -5
#44"South of Heaven is Slayer continuing to kick more ass and carve their name in more wrists. An improvement over its predecessor and probably the only Rick Rubin album that stands toe to toe with Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits. Begat your cunting daughters you bastard sons!" ~TrooperEd (Metal Archives) "Slayer, here, simply know how to create perfect Slayer songs. It's like they looked at the first three albums and said "okay, we did riffy, we did dark, we did fast, now let's do Slayer." Because if "Slayer" was an adjective, it would describe the entire album. The songs are so incredibly well crafted, taking a good number of different bits for each song and just lining them up as a cohesive and ultimately decimating whole. They do it with such a way that if, for example, a song starts with an evil bit, and it segues to an aggressive one, the evil never fades away. Rather than part-after-part that you'd find on most thrash albums, everything flows into each other perfectly, everything becomes an integral part of a whole. And the whole is ultimate Slayer. The fictional adjective. And the noun." ~droneriot (Metal Archives) "If โReign In Bloodโ was the signal that sonic apocalypse had finally come of age, โSouth Of Heavenโ cemented the deal. On this album, Slayer refined their sound, finding their groove and proudly displaying a collection of songs that firmly established them as the dark lords of metal that they truly are. Emerging with an overall sound that is quite tempered in comparison to the all-out chaos of โReign In Bloodโ, Slayer initiates here the slower, but no less impacting death-crush that would spawn hundreds of imitators." ~Erin_Fox (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:26:48 GMT -5
#43"Death's Leprosy changed the game of death metal." ~Reviews From The Other Side "What is death metal? That's a big question and one that has been argued over countless times. I'm not the biggest fan of the genre, nor do I particularly care about whether Possessed got there first or whether Death's debut full-length Scream Bloody Gore was death metal in the true sense, but what I do know is this - Leprosy has everything that death metal really needs." ~gasmask_colostomy (Metal Archives) " If someone who has not ever heard death metal wants to hear some of it, then the very first thing that I would recommend to him/her is Death's "Leprosy"." ~Caleb9000 (Metal Archives)
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Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Jul 15, 2018 16:27:50 GMT -5
#42"Heavily promoted, and not surprisingly, defined as a major milestone in the genre due to its success and the utter stickiness of some of the songs." ~autothrall (Metal Archives) "British Steel was the album where Judas Priest finally found a mainstream American audience and launched the heavy metal band into stadium headliners. The album reached the Top 40 in the American album charts, while faring even better in the groupโs home Britain. This orchestrated move towards a more commercial sound and away from the complexity of their earlier material, helped open the door for a new style of heavy rock which persisted throughout the new decade." ~ClassicRockReview "I shit you not, this record is literally one of the best heavy metal records of all time. More than Screaming for Vengeance and almost as good as Painkiller." ~Decibelle (RateYourMusic)
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