Top 200 Metal Masterpieces of All Time

Top 200 Metal Masterpieces of All Time

List image
A list by
Vasil de Shumen
Created
March 10, 2012
Entries
200
Endorsements
44
RANKING CRITERIA :

- Originality [ 35% of the rating ]
- Songwriting [ 35% of the rating ]
- Performance [ 30% of the rating ]
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Rainbow - Rising
1976
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Death - Symbolic
1995
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Coroner - Grin
1993
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Cynic - Focus
1993
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Dio - Holy Diver
1983
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Death - Human
1991
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Opeth - Still Life
1999
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Raven - Wiped Out
1982
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Death - Leprosy
1988
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Toxik - Think This
1989
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Trouble - Psalm 9
1984
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Opeth - Orchid
1995
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Savatage - Sirens
1983
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Warlord - Deliver Us
1983, cassette edit.
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Disclaimer: All top lists are unofficial and do not represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
[ More lists by Vasil de Shumen ]

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Comments: 79 Visited by 976 users
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Elite

Posts: 21306


Permalink
22.03.2014 - 16:35
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Elite

Posts: 21306


Written by [user id=4365] on 22.03.2014 at 16:25
The best course of action when dealing with someone who thinks Bloodbath are an experimental death metal band.

Same guy? Could have saved me from responding in the first place had I known that.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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Posts: 350


Permalink
22.03.2014 - 21:02

Posts: 350


Written by Dr. Strawberry on 22.03.2014 at 08:20


... Black Sabbath songs' composition are too simple. Today we can name it - "commercial"

Simplicity is not always a disadvantage In the case of early Black Sabbath the simplicity is a sign of genius ...
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Posts: 698


Permalink
23.03.2014 - 06:19

Posts: 698


Written by [user id=4365] on 22.03.2014 at 16:25

Written by Troy Killjoy on 22.03.2014 at 16:12

I think it's probably safer if we just agree to disagree.

The best course of action when dealing with someone who thinks Bloodbath are an experimental death metal band.

Canadian Alliance (Red-Hair Punk Kid + Home Alone Caveman) showed their close cooperation !
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!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Permalink
23.03.2014 - 12:18
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Dr. Strawberry on 23.03.2014 at 06:19

Canadian Alliance (Red-Hair Punk Kid + Home Alone Caveman) showed their close cooperation !

Yes, we're called the common-sense brigade.
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Posts: 350


Permalink
23.03.2014 - 19:54

Posts: 350


If you want to post comments, you can discuss the selection or the ranking.

I don't want petty bickering. Please ...
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Posts: 698


Permalink
30.04.2014 - 20:56

Posts: 698


Can we call Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Van Halen - Metal ?
Could it be better to categorise this way :
Ozzy Osbourne - Heavy Hard Rock
AC/DC - Heavy Blues Rock
Van Halen - Hard Rock
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Posts: 350


Permalink
+2
30.04.2014 - 22:01

Posts: 350


Written by Dr. Strawberry on 30.04.2014 at 20:56

Can we call Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Van Halen - Metal ?
Could it be better to categorise this way :
Ozzy Osbourne - Heavy Hard Rock
AC/DC - Heavy Blues Rock
Van Halen - Hard Rock

My personal understanding about Metal isn't limited to the burden and aggression of the sound. Metal has specific Spirit. I recognize that Spirit in each of these three albums.
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Posts: 104


Permalink
11.07.2015 - 01:10

Posts: 104


Nice list!
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Posts: 350


Permalink
11.07.2015 - 08:52

Posts: 350


Written by indexqwest on 11.07.2015 at 01:10

Nice list!

thanks I'm glad you approve my selection ...
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Posts: 100


Permalink
26.02.2016 - 02:05

Posts: 100


Very sympathetic list! If I got such one then about 30%+ albums will be the same.
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Posts: 350


Permalink
26.02.2016 - 09:18

Posts: 350


Written by Tomas Piller on 26.02.2016 at 02:05

Very sympathetic list! If I got such one then about 30%+ albums will be the same.

Thanks man For many people this selection seems too retro ...

What is your opinion about my list Best Albums of the New Millennium ?
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Posts: 100


Permalink
26.02.2016 - 18:13

Posts: 100


Written by Vasil de Shumen on 26.02.2016 at 09:18

What is your opinion about my list Best Albums of the New Millennium ?

Checked it out and the intersection is quite smaller there, say 10%, for two reasons i guess
- for some reason I don't dig and never have Opeth, Nevermore and Mastodon which are apparently some of your staples (and many other people's)
- I don't know a LOT of albums there yet, like more than half

That being said there are still entries I really love, mainly albums from Vektor, Slough Feg, Green Carnation, Rigor Mortis, The Crown, Angra.

Btw: you can check what are the pinnacles for me from the new milenium from the first 15 entries of my annual list here
http://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=4480
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Posts: 350


Permalink
26.02.2016 - 20:06

Posts: 350


Written by Tomas Piller on 26.02.2016 at 18:13

Written by Vasil de Shumen on 26.02.2016 at 09:18

What is your opinion about my list Best Albums of the New Millennium ?

Checked it out and the intersection is quite smaller there, say 10%, for two reasons i guess
- for some reason I don't dig and never have Opeth, Nevermore and Mastodon which are apparently some of your staples (and many other people's)
- I don't know a LOT of albums there yet, like more than half

That being said there are still entries I really love, mainly albums from Vektor, Slough Feg, Green Carnation, Rigor Mortis, The Crown, Angra.

Btw: you can check what are the pinnacles for me from the new milenium from the first 15 entries of my annual list here
http://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=4480

Slough Feg became one of my favorite bands in recent years. They carry the spirit of early Iron Maiden.

Your list is interesting despite our difference in the selection criteria ...
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Posts: 350


Permalink
09.06.2016 - 01:07

Posts: 350


Written by [user id=159927] on 08.06.2016 at 22:10

Vital remains? all of their albus are master pieces! (except for the debut and maybe the second one)

Good death metal but many cliches...
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LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Permalink
10.06.2016 - 17:20
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Another metal fan that didnt make it to the 21st century
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F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor

Posts: 3432


Permalink
07.07.2021 - 14:25
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor

Posts: 3432


Great collection! (Although I don't completely agree with the order) - but these are all undeniably classics!
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Posts: 350


Permalink
08.07.2021 - 08:02

Posts: 350


Written by F3ynman on 07.07.2021 at 14:25

Great collection! (Although I don't completely agree with the order) - but these are all undeniably classics!

In fact, approximately 70 albums ( actually 35% of all ) are undisputed classics.The other albums have a controversial status (according to music journalists) and many don't recognize them as masterpieces. In addition, Full Moon, Dunbarrow, Ludicra, Lazarus Sin, Fatal Opera and Bitches Sin are unknown to 99,5% of metal fans. Almost the same can be said for Slauter Xstroyes, Ophthalamia, Legend (JER), Chastain and Hammers Of Misfortune.
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Posts: 13
Permalink
31.08.2025 - 15:42

Posts: 13
What a boring list. You live in the past.
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Posts: 350


Permalink
31.08.2025 - 18:14

Posts: 350


Written by Muzmuz on 31.08.2025 at 15:42

What a boring list. You live in the past.

It is a fact that I mostly like metal from the first 30 - 35 years. But there is another fact - 80% of the stuff I now listen to was released in the last 20 years. But in most new records I don't find the inspiration and vitality that was characteristic of the first 30 years. There is virtuosity, there is extravagance, there are curiosities, there are samples - that is, there is "modernity". But missing that thing who makes one record brilliant (or masterpiece) - the combination of real inspiration (on the one hand) and the ability to create original and fresh compositions without clichés (on the other hand).

If I wanted to be interesting, the list would include many new and underground bands. But my purpose is to point on the most valuable in the metal history. Therefore, the presence of classical groups is necessary and justified. Also - the old bands music is known art, but of such a kind that it cannot be surpassed by any later metal pieces, precisely because it isn't only form but SPIRIT.
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