RANKING CRITERIA :

- Originality
- Songwriting
- Performance

Neither the popularity among the fans nor the commercial success (or unsuccess) of the albums were taken into account in the selection.

1.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

2.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

3.Metallica - Master Of Puppets

4.Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality

5.Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind

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Some albums are really good. Many of these are good all the way around. And, in many cases, there is a single song that stands out, sometimes it's the last song on the album. This is a list of those songs.

For a more in depth look at this, I've codified each into a given category:
Type 1 - 'The long song at the end.' Often the title track. These have a tendency to be most well written and dynamic pieces on the album.

1.!T.O.O.H.! - Order And Punishment (Řád A Trest)

2.Abigail Williams - Becoming

3.Agalloch - The Mantle

4.Amon Amarth - Versus The World

5.Anekdoten - Vemod

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Almost all album titles fall in one of two categories: The album shares the title with one of its songs (the title track) or, alternatively, the album title is independent from the songs (no title track).

However, there are examples of songs that have a central link to the album title without sharing the same name. In these cases, certain lyrics from the song were chosen as the album title.

This (alphabetical) list shows the names of these “hidden title tracks” and the central lyrics that gave the name to the corresponding album.

Please feel free to suggest more of your favorite metal/hard rock examples of these “hidden title tracks”.

1.40 Watt Sun - Wider Than The Sky

2.A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays

3.Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops

4.Agalloch - The Mantle

5.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

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I was thinking of a title that could attract people but failed miserably. This is a list of albums that are often disliked, albums people find disappointing or bad but nevertheless albums I enjoy. I will also list albums I think are low rated or underappreciated, albums I think deserve(d) a better fate.

1.Black Sabbath - Never Say Die!

2.Helloween - Chameleon

3.Paradise Lost - Host

4.Queen - Hot Space

5.Deep Purple - Abandon

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These are the 211 essential hard rock/metal albums of the 80's, as were selected by the Greek Magazine "Metal Hammer" (August 2001 issue).

The albums followed by a star are the "must have", whereas the rest albums are the "could have".

1.Angel Witch - Angel Witch

2.AC/DC - Back In Black

3.Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell

4.Diamond Head - Lightning To The Nations

5.Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

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Another band that is difficult to rank, with no two lists that are the same.

1.Dream Theater - Awake

2.Dream Theater - Images And Words

3.Dream Theater - When Dream And Day Unite

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

5.Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity

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This alphabetical list presents bands that took the inspiration for their name from films (movies, tv series, documentaries).

Please feel free to suggest more examples of metal/hard rock band names that are inspired by films.

1.Alien Queen - Matriarch

2.Alien Weaponry - Tū

3.Anaal Nathrakh - The Codex Necro

4.Austrian Death Machine - Total Brutal

5.Bhayanak Maut - Bhayanak Maut

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Recently, instead of scouring too much the albums of the year I'm in, I decided to take a deeper journey and appreciate progressive music (prog metal/rock). While I'm still in the early beginnings of my journey, I decided to make a list to the albums I fully listen to so that I can keep charting my voyage in these vast seas. Some albums are not yet added because I need to listen them well and grab my favorites out, and some bands are on queue. I'm also eager to hear some recommendations, so thanks in advance for them!

1.Ayreon - The Human Equation

2.Barren Earth - The Devil's Resolve

3.Blotted Science - The Machinations Of Dementia

4.Control Denied - The Fragile Art Of Existence

5.Dream Theater - A Change Of Seasons [EP]

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Dream Theater! Once my favourite band of all time, now number 2. I took an involuntary break from them for a while, and upon return realised my feelings had changed to a lot of their music. Also since at some point I stupidly deleted my old ranking of them, I feel now is the time to make a new one.

Feel free to bash my terrible taste.

1.Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings

2.Dream Theater - Dream Theater

3.Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

4.Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

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

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Just a list of debut albums. From Heavy Metal to Black Metal.

1.HammerFall - Glory To The Brave

2.Dio - Holy Diver

3.Angra - Angels Cry

4.Slayer - Show No Mercy

5.Galneryus - The Flag Of Punishment

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Sove very good releases have been created without the inclusion of the vocalist that a band is famous for having; the one everyone thinks of when the group is mentioned. Sometimes these bands surprise us with a well-known replacement, a fill-in, or a remaining band member. These releases are more than worthy of listening to, liking, loving, or even (in some cases) proclaiming superiority over the regular line-up. This was put together quick, and will be tweaked and fine-tuned as time goes on.

1.The Crown - Crowned In Terror

2.Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh

3.Judas Priest - Jugulator

4.Pyramaze - Immortal

5.Black Sabbath - Born Again

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1.Dream Theater - Awake

2.Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

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

4.Dream Theater - Images And Words

5.Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

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1.X Japan - Blue Blood

2.Exodus - Fabulous Disaster

3.Kreator - Extreme Aggression

4.Overkill - The Years Of Decay

5.Testament - Practice What You Preach

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That's all.

1.Dream Theater - Awake

2.Dream Theater - Images And Words

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

4.Dream Theater - Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence

5.Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity

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Simple ranking of all my favorite albums. Favorite song from the album in the notes. Sure to change/expand as I learn and explore more within metal.
2023: This was starting to get too long so I split it into separate lists for albums at each ranking 10 to 7. This list will no longer be updated.
10: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6891
9: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7213
8: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7512
7: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=8058

1.Madder Mortem - Eight Ways

2.Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side

3.Ayreon - 01011001

4.Ulcerate - The Destroyers Of All

5.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

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