Lots of genres, not repeating any Band (except Therion, but with 3 different styles). You cannot go wrong with this list, some nice Starts to any kind of Metal.
The list is sorted by year, but has not…

1.Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime

2.Atheist - Unquestionable Presence

3.Therion - Symphony Masses - Ho Drakon Ho Megas

4.Cynic - Focus

5.Amorphis - Tales From The Thousand Lakes

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Current Top 100 as of September 2019. Having listened to metal for 45 years or so - here are my favourites (favourite track). One album limit per band. Enjoy!…

1.Absu - Absu

2.AC/DC - If You Want Blood You've Got It

3.Agalloch - The Mantle

4.Akercocke - Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone

5.Alcest - Écailles De Lune

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Here are my top 25 albums for 2008…

1.Equilibrium - Sagas

2.Protest The Hero - Fortress

3.Mirrorthrone - Gangrene

4.Opeth - Watershed

5.Oceans Of Sadness - The Arrogance Of Ignorance

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1.Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient

2.In Mourning - Shrouded Divine

3.Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter

4.Threshold - Dead Reckoning

5.Seventh Wonder - Mercy Falls

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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…

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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This list, like the others, is only in alphabetical order. If I had to pick a favorite then it would be Darkspace's 'III' hands down.

1.Ásmegin - Arv

2.A Forest Of Stars - The Corpse Of Rebirth

3.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

4.Averse Sefira - Advent Parallax

5.Black Lotus - Harvest Of Seasons

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This is a list of bands featuring some of the best guitar work. This covers overall writing, riffs, grooves, and whatnot.
It isn't really in any particular order.

1.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

2.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

3.Leprous - Tall Poppy Syndrome

4.The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Hate, Dominate, Congregate, Eliminate

5.Animals As Leaders - Animals As Leaders

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Top 50 of 2008. Albums I rated 8 and above.

Album count: 210
Average rating: 6.84…

1.Septicflesh - Communion

2.Opeth - Watershed

3.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

4.Ihsahn - AngL

5.Dornenreich - In Luft Geritzt

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1.Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery

2.Lunatic Soul - Lunatic Soul

3.Opeth - Watershed

4.Septicflesh - Communion

5.Moonsorrow - Tulimyrsky

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I feel like my overall favorites list is getting too long. I'm splitting it up by rating.

1.So Hideous - None But A Pure Heart Can Sing

2.Metallica - Re-Load

3.Faetooth - Remnants Of The Vessel

4.Inferi - The End Of An Era

5.Midnight Odyssey - Biolume Part 1 - In Tartarean Chains

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1.Esoteric - The Maniacal Vale

2.Darkspace - Dark Space III

3.Equilibrium - Sagas

4.Septicflesh - Communion

5.Ayreon - 01011001

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1.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

2.Ayreon - 01011001

3.Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery

4.Cavalera Conspiracy - Inflikted

5.Cynic - Traced In Air

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1.Warrel Dane - Praises To The War Machine

2.Cynic - Traced In Air

3.Ihsahn - AngL

4.Gojira - The Way Of All Flesh

5.Pin-Up Went Down - 2 Unlimited

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