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1001 Metal Albums to Hear Before You Die
Album index | Top albums | Bottom albums | Album charts | Top lists | Staff picks


Thumbs up: +7
An ongoing list for personal use as well as for reference for beginners (& veterans alike). This is solely my personal opinion and taste (Death & Prog mostly but do give every genre a try). Basically will include albums I've rated 8 & above. Sorted by year since I'll need a Venn diagram to sort by genre (seriously MS please make it happen if possible). Will feature multiple releases per year (obviously) and per band (since if a band is putting out better albums it deserves more recognition). Keeping the metal faith alive from India

Created by: metalriff | 05.02.2021


1. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
1969
2. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
1969
3. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
1970
4. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
1970
5. Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself
1971
6. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
1971
7. Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
1971
8. Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
1973
9. King Crimson - Red
1974
10. Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
1975
11. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti
1975
12. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
1976
13. Rush - 2112
1976
14. Rainbow - Rising
1976
15. Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny
1976
16. Van Halen - Van Halen
1978
17. Rush - Hemispheres
1978
18. Rainbow - Long Live Rock 'N' Roll
1978
19. Motörhead - Overkill
1979
20. Rush - Permanent Waves
1980
21. Diamond Head - Lightning To The Nations
1980
22. AC/DC - Back In Black
1980
23. Rush - Moving Pictures
1981
24. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
1982
25. Metallica - Kill 'Em All
1983
26. Mercyful Fate - Melissa
1983
27. Accept - Balls To The Wall
1983
28. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
1984
29. Metal Church - Metal Church
1984
30. Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath
1984
31. Possessed - Seven Churches
1985
32. Marillion - Misplaced Childhood
1985
33. Exodus - Bonded By Blood
1985
34. Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
1985
35. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
1986
36. Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
1986
37. Flotsam And Jetsam - Doomsday For The Deceiver
1986
38. Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
1986
39. Whitesnake - Whitesnake
1987
40. Testament - The Legacy
1987
41. Sodom - Persecution Mania
1987
42. Savatage - Hall Of The Mountain King
1987
43. King Diamond - Abigail
1987
44. Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction
1987
45. Anthrax - Among The Living
1987
46. Voivod - Dimension Hatröss
1988
47. Vio-lence - Eternal Nightmare
1988
48. Testament - The New Order
1988
49. Slayer - South Of Heaven
1988
50. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
1988
51. Metallica - ...And Justice For All
1988
52. Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn
1988
53. Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II
1988
54. Forbidden - Forbidden Evil
1988
55. Death - Leprosy
1988
56. Crimson Glory - Transcendence
1988
57. Terrorizer - World Downfall
1989
58. Sepultura - Beneath The Remains
1989
59. Pestilence - Consuming Impulse
1989
60. Overkill - The Years Of Decay
1989
61. Obituary - Slowly We Rot
1989
62. Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness
1989
63. Kreator - Extreme Aggression
1989
64. Helstar - Nosferatu
1989
65. Faith No More - The Real Thing
1989
66. Coroner - No More Color
1989
67. Autopsy - Severed Survival
1989
68. Atheist - Piece Of Time
1989
69. Annihilator - Alice In Hell
1989
70. Slayer - Seasons In The Abyss
1990
71. Primus - Frizzle Fry
1990
72. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
1990
73. Nocturnus - The Key
1990
74. Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption
1990
75. Megadeth - Rust In Peace
1990
76. Kreator - Coma Of Souls
1990
77. Judas Priest - Painkiller
1990
78. Artillery - By Inheritance
1990
79. Annihilator - Never, Neverland
1990
80. Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
1991
81. Skid Row - Slave To The Grind
1991
82. Sepultura - Arise
1991
83. Sarcófago - The Laws Of Scourge
1991
84. Pestilence - Testimony Of The Ancients
1991
85. Overkill - Horrorscope
1991
86. Entombed - Clandestine
1991
87. Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream
1991
88. Death - Human
1991
89. Coroner - Mental Vortex
1991
90. Carcass - Necroticism: Descanting The Insalubrious
1991
91. Atheist - Unquestionable Presence
1991
92. W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol
1992
93. Solitude Aeturnus - Beyond The Crimson Horizon
1992
94. Sinister - Cross The Styx
1992
95. Sadus - A Vision Of Misery
1992
96. Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine
1992
97. Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power
1992
98. Malevolent Creation - Retribution
1992
99. Iced Earth - Night Of The Stormrider
1992
100. Faith No More - Angel Dust
1992
101. Dream Theater - Images And Words
1992
102. Demolition Hammer - Epidemic Of Violence
1992
103. Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade
1992
104. Alice In Chains - Dirt
1992
105. Paradise Lost - Icon
1993
106. Necrophobic - The Nocturnal Silence
1993
107. Morbid Angel - Covenant
1993
108. Demilich - Nespithe
1993
109. Death - Individual Thought Patterns
1993
110. Cynic - Focus
1993
111. Carcass - Heartwork
1993
112. Soundgarden - Superunknown
1994
113. Samael - Ceremony Of Opposites
1994
114. Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
1994
115. Machine Head - Burn My Eyes
1994
116. Kyuss - Kyuss
1994
117. Edge Of Sanity - Purgatory Afterglow
1994
118. Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops
1994
119. Vader - De Profundis
1995
120. Suffocation - Pierced From Within
1995
121. Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve
1995
122. Fear Factory - Demanufacture
1995
123. Down - Nola
1995
124. Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane
1995
125. Death - Symbolic
1995
126. Therion - Theli
1996
127. Satyricon - Nemesis Divina
1996
128. Opeth - Morningrise
1996
129. Edge Of Sanity - Crimson
1996
130. Cryptopsy - None So Vile
1996
131. Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
1997
132. October Tide - Rain Without End
1997
133. In Flames - Whoracle
1997
134. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech
1997
135. Therion - Vovin
1998
136. Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse
1998
137. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment
1998
138. Gorguts - Obscura
1998
139. Diabolical Masquerade - Nightwork
1998
140. Dawn (SWE) - Slaughtersun (Crown Of The Triarchy)
1998
141. Taake - Nattestid...
1999
142. Slipknot - Slipknot
1999
143. Opeth - Still Life
1999
144. Nevermore - Dreaming Neon Black
1999
145. Necrophagist - Onset Of Putrefaction
1999
146. Mr. Bungle - California
1999
147. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
1999
148. Lacrimas Profundere - Memorandum
1999
149. Immortal - At The Heart Of Winter
1999
150. Graveworm - As The Angels Reach The Beauty
1999
151. God Dethroned - Bloody Blasphemy
1999
152. Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
1999
153. Anathema - Judgement
1999
154. The Crown - Deathrace King
2000
155. Symphony X - V: The New Mythology Suite
2000
156. Saturnus - Martyre
2000
157. Quo Vadis - Day Into Night
2000
158. Martyr - Warp Zone
2000
159. Immolation - Close To A World Below
2000
160. Electric Wizard - Dopethrone
2000
161. Decapitated - Winds Of Creation
2000
162. Windir - 1184
2001
163. Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
2001
164. Tool - Lateralus
2001
165. Threshold - Hypothetical
2001
166. Thorns - Thorns
2001
167. System Of A Down - Toxicity
2001
168. Sodom - M-16
2001
169. Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape
2001
170. Shape Of Despair - Angels Of Distress
2001
171. Opeth - Blackwater Park
2001
172. Novembre - Novembrine Waltz
2001
173. My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours
2001
174. Kreator - Violent Revolution
2001
175. Katatonia - Last Fair Deal Gone Down
2001
176. Evergrey - In Search Of Truth
2001
177. Eternal Tears Of Sorrow - A Virgin And A Whore
2001
178. Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia
2001
179. Ark - Burn The Sun
2001
180. Symphony X - The Odyssey
2002
181. Star One - Space Metal
2002
182. Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos
2002
183. Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
2002
184. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
2002
185. Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane
2002
186. Opeth - Deliverance
2002
187. Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines
2002
188. Mourning Beloveth - The Sullen Sulcus
2002
189. Kalmah - They Will Return
2002
190. Isis - Oceanic
2002
191. Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness
2002
192. Decapitated - Nihility
2002
193. Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors
2002
194. Amon Amarth - Versus The World
2002
195. Windir - Likferd
2003
196. The Mars Volta - De-Loused In The Comatorium
2003
197. Swallow The Sun - The Morning Never Came
2003
198. Riverside - Out Of Myself
2003
199. Psycroptic - The Scepter Of The Ancients
2003
200. OSI - Office Of Strategic Influence
2003
201. Lost Horizon - A Flame To The Ground Beneath
2003
202. Katatonia - Viva Emptiness
2003
203. Kamelot - Epica
2003
204. Enslaved - Below The Lights
2003
205. Edge Of Sanity - Crimson II
2003
206. Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
2003
207. Thurisaz - Scent Of A Dream
2004
208. Slumber - Fallout
2004
209. Quo Vadis - Defiant Imagination
2004
210. Necrophagist - Epitaph
2004
211. My Dying Bride - Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light
2004
212. Motörhead - Inferno
2004
213. Mercenary - 11 Dreams
2004
214. Mastodon - Leviathan
2004
215. Lamb Of God - Ashes Of The Wake
2004
216. Isis - Panopticon
2004
217. Hibria - Defying The Rules
2004
218. Exodus - Tempo Of The Damned
2004
219. Enslaved - Isa
2004
220. Disillusion - Back To Times Of Splendor
2004
221. Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh
2004
222. Behemoth - Demigod
2004
223. Augury - Concealed
2004
224. Arsis - A Celebration Of Guilt
2004
225. Angra - Temple Of Shadows
2004
226. Uaral - Sounds Of Pain
2005
227. Taake - ...Doedskvad
2005
228. Sieges Even - The Art Of Navigating By The Stars
2005
229. Riverside - Second Life Syndrome
2005
230. Porcupine Tree - Deadwing
2005
231. Opeth - Ghost Reveries
2005
232. Noumena - Absence
2005
233. Nile - Annihilation Of The Wicked
2005
234. Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
2005
235. Mors Principium Est - The Unborn
2005
236. Kreator - Enemy Of God
2005
237. Kamelot - The Black Halo
2005
238. Hypocrisy - Virus
2005
239. Gojira - From Mars To Sirius
2005
240. Galneryus - Advance To The Fall
2005
241. Dark Tranquillity - Character
2005
242. Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal
2005
243. Akercocke - Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
2005
244. Tool - 10,000 Days
2006
245. Saturnus - Veronika Decides To Die
2006
246. Persefone - Core
2006
247. Melechesh - Emissaries
2006
248. Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance
2006
249. Insomnium - Above The Weeping World
2006
250. Gorod - Leading Vision
2006
251. Drudkh - Кров У Наших Криницn
2006
252. Diablo Swing Orchestra - The Butcher's Ballroom
2006
253. Benighted - Identisick
2006
254. Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side
2006
255. Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea
2006
256. Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain
2006
257. The Foreshadowing - Days Of Nothing
2007
258. Symphony X - Paradise Lost
2007
259. Swallow The Sun - Hope
2007
260. Skeletonwitch - Beyond The Permafrost
2007
261. Shining - V - Halmstad
2007
262. Sear Bliss - The Arcane Odyssey
2007
263. Rotting Christ - Theogonia
2007
264. Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet
2007
265. Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
2007
266. Machine Head - The Blackening
2007
267. Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught
2007
268. In Vain - The Latter Rain
2007
269. Gris - Il Était Une Forêt...
2007
270. Cobalt - Eater Of Birds
2007
271. Circus Maximus - Isolate
2007
272. Blotted Science - The Machinations Of Dementia
2007
273. Between The Buried And Me - Colors
2007
274. Antimatter - Leaving Eden
2007
275. Anaal Nathrakh - Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here
2007
276. Alter Bridge - Blackbird
2007
277. Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde
2007
278. The Monolith Deathcult - Trivmvirate
2008
279. The Faceless - Planetary Duality
2008
280. Textures - Silhouettes
2008
281. Sylosis - Conclusion Of An Age
2008
282. Septicflesh - Communion
2008
283. Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe
2008
284. Russian Circles - Station
2008
285. Origin - Antithesis
2008
286. Opeth - Watershed
2008
287. Meshuggah - ObZen
2008
288. In Mourning - Shrouded Divine
2008
289. Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh
2008
290. Esoteric - The Maniacal Vale
2008
291. Equilibrium - Sagas
2008
292. Dead Congregation - Graves Of The Archangels
2008
293. Darkspace - Dark Space III
2008
294. Cynic - Traced In Air
2008
295. Wine From Tears - Through The Eyes Of A Mad
2009
296. Vektor - Black Future
2009
297. Ulcerate - Everything Is Fire
2009
298. Swallow The Sun - New Moon
2009
299. Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
2009
300. Redemption - Snowfall On Judgment Day
2009
301. Obscura - Cosmogenesis
2009
302. Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest
2009
303. Mistur - Attende
2009
304. Mastodon - Crack The Skye
2009
305. Long Distance Calling - Avoid The Light
2009
306. Leprous - Tall Poppy Syndrome
2009
307. Karnivool - Sound Awake
2009
308. Dragged Into Sunlight - Hatred For Mankind
2009
309. Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect
2009
310. Animals As Leaders - Animals As Leaders
2009
311. Watain - Lawless Darkness
2010
312. Overkill - Ironbound
2010
313. Ihsahn - After
2010
314. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
2010
315. Blindead - Affliction XXIX II MXMVI
2010
316. Accept - Blood Of The Nations
2010
317. Vektor - Outer Isolation
2011
318. The Human Abstract - Digital Veil
2011
319. Septicflesh - The Great Mass
2011
320. Obscura - Omnivium
2011
321. Leprous - Bilateral
2011
322. Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
2011
323. Elder - Dead Roots Stirring
2011
324. Beyond Creation - The Aura
2011
325. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I
2012
326. Mgła - With Hearts Toward None
2012
327. Hypno5e - Acid Mist Tomorrow
2012
328. Cattle Decapitation - Monolith Of Inhumanity
2012
329. Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone
2012
330. The Ocean - Pelagial
2013
331. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)
2013
332. Shade Empire - Omega Arcane
2013
333. Persefone - Spiritual Migration
2013
334. Enshine - Origin
2013
335. Shylmagoghnar - Emergence
2014
336. Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel
2014
337. Mgła - Exercises In Futility
2015
338. Kauan - Sorni Nai
2015
339. Batushka - Litourgiya
2015
340. Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud
2015
341. Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary
2016
342. Vektor - Terminal Redux
2016
343. Be'lakor - Vessels
2016
344. Allegaeon - Proponent For Sentience
2016
345. Caligula's Horse - In Contact
2017
346. Archspire - Relentless Mutation
2017
347. Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology
2018
348. Riverside - Wasteland
2018
349. Amorphis - Queen Of Time
2018
350. Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination
2019
351. Soen - Lotus
2019
352. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Infest The Rats' Nest
2019
353. Borknagar - True North
2019
354. Paradise Lost - Obsidian
2020
355. TesseracT - War Of Being
2023


Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by metalriff ]



Comments

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Comments: 11   Visited by: 93 users
28.09.2021 - 12:19
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Wow - cool list!
I've seriously need to check out the early 2000's
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28.09.2021 - 14:17
Karlabos
Missing 723.
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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30.09.2021 - 16:38
metalriff
Written by Karlabos on 28.09.2021 at 14:17

Missing 723.

I didn't quite get you
----
1001 Metal albums to hear before you die
https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6531
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30.09.2021 - 17:59
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
I agree with all the one's on this list I've listened too, so judging by your music taste, I will check out the rest of the albums on this list at some point
----
Andy's 2024 album ranking
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30.09.2021 - 18:27
Starvynth
i c deaf people
Staff
Written by metalriff on 30.09.2021 at 16:38

Written by Karlabos on 28.09.2021 at 14:17

Missing 723.

I didn't quite get you

a little hint: 278 + 723 = 1001
----
signatures = SPAM
Loading...
07.10.2021 - 11:00
metalriff
Written by Starvynth on 30.09.2021 at 18:27

Written by metalriff on 30.09.2021 at 16:38

Written by Karlabos on 28.09.2021 at 14:17

Missing 723.

I didn't quite get you

a little hint: 278 + 723 = 1001

Sheesh I'm bad at math. Reminds me yet again that I'm a doctor
----
1001 Metal albums to hear before you die
https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6531
Loading...
07.10.2021 - 11:01
metalriff
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 30.09.2021 at 17:59

I agree with all the one's on this list I've listened too, so judging by your music taste, I will check out the rest of the albums on this list at some point

Yayy
----
1001 Metal albums to hear before you die
https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6531
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22.12.2021 - 02:29
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Came by just to say that I appreciate your tastes in music! I often see you liking comments in threads of my favorite albums, so it seems we have similar preferences

I'll admit I'm mostly familiar with albums from the 80s and 90s. In this list you have a lot of ones from the 2000s. I'll have to venture more into that era, but the ones I recognize I also like (albums from Bolt Thrower, Nile, Septicflesh, Edge of Sanity, and Vektor)

I'll try to use this list (as well as my list called "F3ynman's Checklist") as a metal to-do list!
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22.12.2021 - 05:14
metalriff
Written by F3ynman on 22.12.2021 at 02:29

Came by just to say that I appreciate your tastes in music! I often see you liking comments in threads of my favorite albums, so it seems we have similar preferences

I'll admit I'm mostly familiar with albums from the 80s and 90s. In this list you have a lot of ones from the 2000s. I'll have to venture more into that era, but the ones I recognize I also like (albums from Bolt Thrower, Nile, Septicflesh, Edge of Sanity, and Vektor)

I'll try to use this list (as well as my list called "F3ynman's Checklist") as a metal to-do list!

Thanks a lot man. I'm glad we share a similarly peculiar taste in music.
I believe that every era has amazing albums according to their own accord and especially that METAL IS NOT DEAD 🤘
----
1001 Metal albums to hear before you die
https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6531
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11.08.2022 - 15:55
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
I just counted the number of albums in this list that I've listened to: 120 out of 348. Pretty good, I think. But there's still a lot to discover!
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27.07.2023 - 05:21
Guib
Thrash Talker
Absolutely fantastic list, we have very similar taste. Love it!
----
- Headbanging with mostly clogged arteries to that stuff -
Guib's List Of Essential Albums
- Also Thrash Paradise
Thrash Here
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