In Flames was the band that opened the gateway to the metal dimension for me, 15 years ago. I've recently rediscovered them, giving even their newer albums serious consideration, after being separated for about 10 years, and as such, I think they deserve a list of their own, best to worst, with some comments. I included the two EPs "The Mirror's Truth" and "Subterranean", as they contain more than one new original song. Unfortunately this excludes two of my favourite IF songs, Goliaths Disarm Their Davids and Watch Them Feed. Compiling this list, I realise I very much look forward to IF's next release!

1.In Flames - Colony

2.In Flames - The Jester Race

3.In Flames - Subterranean

4.In Flames - Reroute To Remain

5.In Flames - Battles

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1.Destruction - Eternal Devastation

2.Destruction - Infernal Overkill

3.Destruction - Spiritual Genocide

4.Destruction - The Antichrist

5.Destruction - All Hell Breaks Loose

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1.Kreator - Gods Of Violence

2.Benighted - Necrobreed

3.Cytotoxin - Gammageddon

4.Dyscarnate - With All Their Might

5.Decrepit Birth - Axis Mundi

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1.The Ferrymen - The Ferrymen

2.Beast In Black - Berserker

3.Dragonfly - Genesis

4.Serenity - Lionheart

5.Ancestral Dawn - Souldance

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1.Carcass - Surgical Steel

2.ReinXeed - A New World

3.Running Wild - Resilient

4.Skeletonwitch - Serpents Unleashed

5.Muro - El Cuarto Jinete

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1.Cradle Of Filth - Cryptoriana: The Seductiveness Of Decay

2.Ayreon - The Source

3.Sepultura - Machine Messiah

4.Myrkur - Mareridt

5.Communic - Where Echoes Gather

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1.Cradle Of Filth - Midian

2.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

3.Queens Of The Stone Age - Rated R

4.Marilyn Manson - Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death)

5.Decapitated - Winds Of Creation

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1.Orphaned Land - Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs

2.Mors Subita - Into The Pitch Black

3.Kalmah - Palo

4.Rivers Of Nihil - Where Owls Know My Name

5.Yossi Sassi - Illusion Of Choice

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These are my top Symphonic Black Metal Albums, limited to one per band. Some of these bands have multiple amazing albums, but I wanted to include some of the less heard of bands in this. A few of these might not quite be considered Symphonic Black Metal, but it is close enough for me.

1.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

2.Anorexia Nervosa - New Obscurantis Order

3.Dimmu Borgir - Spiritual Black Dimensions

4.Old Man's Child - Revelation 666 - The Curse Of Damnation

5.Carach Angren - Death Came Through A Phantom Ship

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1.Wintersun - Wintersun

2.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

3.Ensiferum - Ensiferum

4.Septicflesh - Communion

5.Insomnium - Above The Weeping World

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Due to my love for power metal recently being rekindled I thought I'd make a list of my all time favorite power metal albums. Some of those mentioned here are crossing over into different musical directions, but I still consider them to be mainly or at least to some extent power metal.
Also I'll limit myself to only one album per band.
The layout will be band/album/favorite song from the album

1.Crimson Glory - Transcendence

2.Fates Warning - Awaken The Guardian

3.Blind Guardian - A Night At The Opera

4.Lethal - Programmed

5.Sanctuary - Refuge Denied

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1.The Ruins Of Beverast - Exuvia

2.Aosoth - V: The Inside Scriptures

3.The Acacia Strain - Gravebloom

4.Suffocation - ?Of The Dark Light

5.Memoriam - For The Fallen

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1.Aetherian - The Untamed Wilderness

2.While She Sleeps - You Are We

3.Crimfall - Amain

4.Shade Empire - Poetry Of The Ill-Minded

5.August Burns Red - Phantom Anthem

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Loose order. Not complete

"Extreme" metal albums only

Updated 5/28/22

1.Delusional Parasitosis / Ecchymosis / Dissevered / Bleeding - Scaphism 4-Way Split

2.Cenotaph (TUR) - Perverse Dehumanized Dysfunctions

3.Human Excoriation - Celestial Devourment

4.Devangelic - Phlegethon

5.Perverted Dexterity - Spiritual Awakening

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