This is very simple, I took the ratings for a bunch of alternative metal albums on MS and ranked them accordingly

To qualify:
The album must have been released when the band was labelled as "Alternative Metal" by MS. So for example the three most recent Gojira albums count, but early Gojira does not.

The band must have more than 10 fans on MS

Therefore this is not a reflection of my opinions, rather a reflection of numbers so if you wanna get mad, get mad at the numbers, not me. And remember that this really isn't that serious

1.Mass Hysteria - Contraddiction

2.Tool - Lateralus

3.The Butterfly Effect - IV

4.Tool - Ænima

5.Mass Hysteria - Le Bien-Être Et La Paix

      View entire list ››

1.Metallica - Death Magnetic

2.Forefather - Steadfast

3.Trivium - Shogun

4.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

5.Theocracy - Mirror Of Souls

      View entire list ››

1.Megadeth - Rust In Peace

2.Disforia - The Age Of Ether

3.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

4.Ayreon - The Theory Of Everything

5.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

      View entire list ››

1.System Of A Down - Mezmerize

2.Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor

3.Firewind - Allegiance

4.Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

5.Paradise Lost - In Requiem

      View entire list ››

1.Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine

2.Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory

3.Korn - Korn

4.Soulfly - Prophecy

5.Linkin Park - Meteora

      View entire list ››

These are my favorite metal albums of all time! To enter this list, the album must be out for at least a year, as I feel it gives me the time to really digest the record and fully comprehend its meaning. If you have any recommendations on albums that I might enjoy, considering the ones on this list, please leave your suggestions.

1.Opeth - Blackwater Park

2.Metallica - ...And Justice For All

3.Opeth - Ghost Reveries

4.Sepultura - Beneath The Remains

5.Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name

      View entire list ››

Must Listen: The First 7

1.Ayreon - 01011001

2.Firewind - The Premonition

3.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

4.Warrel Dane - Praises To The War Machine

5.Disturbed - Indestructible

      View entire list ››

1.Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

2.Empyrium - Über Den Sternen

3.Draconian - Under A Godless Veil

4.Disturbed - Indestructible

5.Sentenced - Shadows Of The Past

      View entire list ››

A list of bands ordered by the biggest difference between their highest rated album on MS and their lowest rated album on MS. Finally my Excel skills paid off. Some ratings may be a bit outdated. Open to suggestions because I barely scratched the surface.

1.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

2.Metallica - Lulu [Collaboration]

3.Celtic Frost - Monotheist

4.Celtic Frost - Cold Lake

5.Machine Head - The Blackening

      View entire list ››

While the order in each decade is purely personal preference, there are several rules for a song qualifying for the list. First off, the band has to be notable. I'm not going to define what that means, but I'm sure you'd agree all the bands in the list are notable. There are plenty of riffs from obscure bands I'd rather put, but I know my love for Tarby doesn't make him the greatest riff maker of the 21st century. Second, each artist can only appear once in a decade, this is to prevent the best riff makers from hogging the list and adding some variety, showing how metal has changed over time. Decades are measured by when the song was recorded, not released, and when it's unclear the beginning of recording is used. This is mainly because a lot of definitive early metal songs were released in 1970, but recorded in 1969. Third, the song itself has to be notable. Here are things that can qualify as being notable: the song was release as a single, has music video made for it, was released as a single, was the title track for an album (note that Crawl through Knives meets this criteria because it was the original title for Come Clarity, and there is no way in hell Come Clarity is getting best riff of the decade ), is included on a greatest hits compilation album, was nominated for a Grammy or musical award of similar caliber, was included as a track in a notable film or video game, was covered by a notable band, or has a Wikipedia page for some miscellaneous reason. Finally, the song needs to be metal. Misirlou gets the pass despite predating metal as it was probably the single most influential song on the development of metal, and while many of the other songs in the other songs are better classified as hard rock, I can find a source listing them as heavy metal.

1.

2.King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

3.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

4.Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

5.Deep Purple - In Rock

      View entire list ››

Metal albums that blow me away every time I hear them. Loosely ordered... list gets less organized as it goes on. My favorite song from each album is included.

1.Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

2.Faith No More - Angel Dust

3.Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

4.Tool - Ænima

5.Metallica - ...And Justice For All

      View entire list ››

1.Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

2.Iron Maiden - Killers

3.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

4.Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind

5.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

      View entire list ››

most memorable releases sorted by year
* - especially interesting albums

1.

2.Ashenspire - Hostile Architecture

3.Soen - Imperial

4.Thy Catafalque - Naiv

5.Kayo Dot - Blasphemy

      View entire list ››

1.Warrel Dane - Praises To The War Machine

2.Cynic - Traced In Air

3.Ihsahn - AngL

4.Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh

5.Pin-Up Went Down - 2 Unlimited

      View entire list ››

Like my own 2009 top list, it's been extremely hard to narrow down to a final twenty because of so many releases in recent years. But twenty it is and of course, I cheated again with my other two lists of overlooked albums and influential albums. These lists are by no means a definition, but a musical statement and hopefully you reading this list can find out something you haven't heard of before and enjoy it as much as I do. Yes, some big names are missing, some are too obscure while some are too mainstream, but I listen to what I like. Just be sure to give them a go with youtube and internet downloads readily at your disposal ^ ^ Some that didn't quite make it into the list but would want to mention them anyway as they are awesome nonetheless: Bison B.C., E-Force, Hail Of Bullets, Keldian, Draconian, Deadlock, Shadowkeep, Battlelore etc

1.Oceans Of Sadness - The Arrogance Of Ignorance

2.Textures - Silhouettes

3.UnSun - The End Of Life

4.Septicflesh - Communion

5.Poisonblack - A Dead Heavy Day

      View entire list ››