I was tasked with listing my ten favorite metal albums. Shit like this is hard for me, and I lend it far too much importance, as evidenced by the fact that I turned a simple, friendly facebook tagging thing into an entire blog post. Here it is then…
Note: this list does not include Iron Maiden or Testament, as either band would quickly take over the list. The albums are subject to change without notice, and the list is presented here in no particular order:
1. Voivod – Dimension Hatröss (1988) – Headfucked spacey French-Canadian thrash metal that tells a story about a nuclear vampire who creates a portal into a new dimension and visits there in an attempt to extract the knowledge and wisdom of its residents. Dissonance abounds. Recommended track: “Experiment”.
2. Metallica – Ride the Lightning (1984) – Best Hetfield vocals ever, plus “The Call of Ktulu”. Recommended track: “For Whom the Bell Tolls”.
3. Anthrax – State of Euphoria (1988) – My first Anthrax album, and it left a huge impression on 11-year-old me. I know it’s not their best (that honor obviously goes to Persistence of Time), but it’s my favorite. Recommended track: “Be All, End All”.
4. Brutal Truth – Need to Control (1994) – This shit is heavy…weird and heavy. There’s a didgeridoo on this bastard, for fuck sake! Recommended track: “Godplayer”.
5. Slayer – Reign in Blood (1986) – Not a wasted second on this motherfucker. Recommended track: “Raining Blood”.
6. Nile – Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka (1998) – South Carolinian self-taught Egyptologist Lovecraft fans show late 90’s death metal a new path. It’s tight as fuck. Recommended track: “Opening of the Mouth”.
7. Carcass – Reek of Putrefaction (1988) – I might be the only person on earth who likes the first Carcass album the best, but it’s honestly the only one I ever listen to all the way through. I’m fascinated by its foulness, repugnance, and lack of budget. Recommended track: “Suppuration”.
8. Pantera – Far Beyond Driven (1994) – My gateway drug into extreme metal. Recommended track: “Strength Beyond Strength”.
9. Vio-Lence – Eternal Nightmare (1988) – These Bay Area Thrash Metal lunatics came along in the Second Wave of Thrash Metal and not-so-gently reminded everyone that thrash bands could still play fast. The vocals are a deal-breaker for some people, but I fuckin love them! Sean Killian sounds like a complete lunatic, gibbering and jabbering away like a rabid animal, only seconds away from becoming totally unhinged. Recommended track: “Serial Killer”.
10. King Diamond – Abigail (1987) – I had some difficulty choosing between this and Mercyful Fate’s first full-length, Melissa. Ultimately, the Abigail storyline gave it the edge, as I tend to thoroughly enjoy cohesive and well-executed concept albums, but it was awfully hard to deny “Satan’s Fall” and “Curse of the Pharaohs”. I wish someone would make Abigail into a movie, and not totally fuck it up in the process. Recommended track: “Abigail”.
What are your favorites? Feel free to discuss in the comments.
Until next time, stay heavy.