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1.
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Iron Maiden - Brave New World
Heavy Metal. This album will always be the greatest album for me, it introduced me to metal and quite literally changed my life. "Blood Brothers", I have literally listened to this song over a thousand times, I would like it to be played at my funeral. |
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2.
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Katatonia - Night Is The New Day
Gothic Doom Metal/Aternative Rock. Having listened to this album once when it came out, I was not impressed, which is why I was so surprised on my second listen, this is undoubtedly one of the saddest album's I have heard, and I really like sad music. "Day And Then The Shade" or "The Longest Year", hard to choose between those two songs. |
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3.
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Sentenced - The Cold White Light
Suomi/Depressive Heavy Metal. One of my first metal albums as well, and truly depressing, I am saddened that Sentenced ended over the rather mediocre follow-up to this album, if they had to disband, this album would have been more ideal. "No One There". |
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4.
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Wintersun - Time I
Extreme Power Metal. I fail to understand what is so brilliant about Wintersun's debut, I found it really boring, however this album is so brilliant that Wintersun quickly became one of my favourite bands of all time. "Time" This song is the most epic song ever. |
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5.
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Omnium Gatherum - Beyond
Melodic Death Metal. The best melodic death metal I have heard, and I am a huge fan of melodic death metal, it was a tie between this and Insomnium's "Above The Weeping World", however this album is just slightly better. "White Palace". |
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6.
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Insomnium - Above The Weeping World
Melodic Death Metal. They once were, for me, the kings of melodic death metal, and they still remain the most sorrowful melodeath band around. An epic masterpiece of an album. "In The Groves Of Death" or "Last Statement". |
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7.
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Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
NWOBHM. My second favourite album by my favourite band of all time, each song tells a story, and an epic one at that. "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" or "The Evil That Men Do". |
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8.
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Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows
Melodic Death Metal. This and "Beyond" makes OG my favourite melodeath band, beating even Insomnium. I am very excited for the Insomnium Gatherum combination. "Soul Journeys" or "New World Shadows". |
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9.
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Suidakra - Crógacht
Melodic Death/Folk Metal. A really epic story told to perfection by this concept album, Suidakra's best by far. "Conlaoch" or "Baile's Strand". |
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10.
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Green Carnation - Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness
Dark Progressive Metal. One song, one heartbreaking song of joy and agony, a story composed based on the true event's of the composer's son being born at roughly the same time as his daughter passing away. The solo at around 40 minutes in is probably my favourite part. |
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11.
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Katatonia - Dead End Kings
Gothic Doom Metal/Aternative Rock. Disappointing at first but then I tried looking for the flaws, and I came up with very little. Truly an astonishing album, it means a lot to me. "Lethean". |
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12.
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Saturnus - Veronika Decides To Die
Gothic Doom Metal. Definitely the most depressing album on this list, besides Swallow The Sun, Saturnus are probably the most consistent band on this list. "I Long". |
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13.
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Swallow The Sun - The Morning Never Came
Melodic Death Doom Metal. Truly fantastic music and a truly depressing album, this still remains my favourite Swallow album as it is for most I imagine. "The Morning Never Came" |
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14.
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Slumber - Fallout
Melodic Doom Metal. Serious brilliant melodeath/doom from these Persians based in Sweden, atmosphere is key to this album, and its atmosphere is dark, moody, sad and everything you can expect from melodic metal. "Rapture" |
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15.
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Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde
Black Metal/Shoegaze. One of the few types of black metal that I actually like, if it can really be called black metal, very atmospheric and rather happy. The last song sounds like Disney music honestly. "Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde". |
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16.
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Insomnium - One For Sorrow
Melodic Death Metal. This one is one hell of a grower, after the minimal disappointment of "Across The Dark", I was hoping for "Above The Weeping World Part II" and while it wasn't quite that, I eventually found this to overtake ATD and approach ATWW in terms of excellence. "Every Hour Wounds". |
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17.
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Nightwish - Once
Symphonic Power Metal. The best Nightwish album by miles, nothing else they've ever done will even approach this album, there is no weak track on this album. "Ghost Love Score". |
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18.
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Suidakra - Caledonia
Melodic Death/Folk Metal. I originally found this to be quite lacking in the heaviness department, it seemed to me that they stripped down the raw power of Suidakra. However I listened to it again recently and wow, this is even better that Ensiferum's debut imo. "Highland Hills". |
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19.
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Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
Heavy Metal. I really don't understand the hate towards this album, I am a fan of all the eras of Iron Maiden, and I find this to be one of their most original and excellent albums in their whole discography. "For The Greater Good Of God" or "The Legacy". |
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20.
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Swallow The Sun - Emerald Forest And The Blackbird
Melodic Death Doom Metal. TMNC will always be Swallow's best album, however this album isn't far behind, I'd heard a bit of Swallow before, but I found them boring. This album really opened my eyes to the beauty of them and now they remain one of my favourite bands of all time, because of this album. "Emerald Forest And The Blackbird". |
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21.
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Suidakra - Book Of Dowth
Melodic Death/Folk Metal. The almost perfect follow-up to Crogacht and once again a concept album. While I feel the story and the music aren't as epic as said predecessor, this is still miles better than most folk-influenced bands out there, and I really like folk metal. "Dowth 2059". |
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22.
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Swallow The Sun - Hope
Melodic Death Doom Metal. At one point my favourite album, this album spoke to me on depths that the others in Swallow's discog haven't quite reached, it became an inspiration to me. "Don't Fall Asleep". |
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23.
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Saturnus - Saturn In Ascension
Gothic Doom Metal. This makes me want to cry, perhaps not as much as VDTD, but this isn't far behind, absolutely excellent doom that really makes you wonder about the mental stability of the composers. "Wind Torn". |
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24.
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Swallow The Sun - New Moon
Melodic Death Doom Metal. Congrats to Swallow for making four albums of theirs appear on this list, making them my most consistent band. Many complain that this album is too 'soft' for them, however I find this to have some of their darkest material, such as "These Woods Breathe Evil", "Lights On The Lake" and "Weight Of The Dead". My favourite track is either "Weight Of The Dead" or "New Moon". |
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25.
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Alcest - Les Voyages De L'âme
Black Metal/Shoegaze. I've heard a handful of these blackened shoegaze bands, but Alcest remains the king, this album is really atmospheric and definitely sadder than their debut. "Autre Temps". |
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26.
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Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance
Gothic Doom Metal/Aternative Rock. Originally my favourite Katatonia album and I personally find their bonus stuff to be their best on this album. "Dissolving Bonds" or "My Twin". |
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27.
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Enthrope - Tomorrow's Dead Days
Dark Melodic Death Metal. Somewhat similiar to Omnium Gatherum, however a bit more original and progressive perhaps, nevertheless this is really brilliant melodeath. "End It All". |
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28.
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Finsterforst - ...Zum Tode Hin
Pagan Folk Metal. Pagan to the extreme and also incredibly epic, with the shortest song being over 11 minutes, these tracks really speak to me. "Untergang". |
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29.
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Long Distance Calling - Avoid The Light
Post Rock. This bluesy, rock, post music is really some of the best the post genre has to give, very fun music that the whole family can enjoy. "359 Degrees". |
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30.
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Soulfallen - Grave New World
Melodic Death/Symphonic Metal. Quite a sorrowful album, the symphonic touches to this superb melodeath makes this an excellent album and definitely not one to miss. "We Are The Sand" or "A Hearse With No Name". |
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31.
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The Howling Void - The Womb Beyond The World
Funeral/Symphonic Doom Metal. Slow doom drenched in symphonic choir-like keyboards and extreme repetition, yet still so ominous. "Eleleth". |
