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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This list contains most beautiful, majestic and soul-touching releases I've ever experienced.
My most favorite genres are Black Metal, Post Metal, Shoegaze, Doom Metal, Ambient and Neo-Classical in general .

Albums are ranked by the year,I think this way is more useful.

I will keep expanding my list as i can.

1.Anathema - The Silent Enigma

2.Blut Aus Nord - Ultima Thulée

3.Deinonychus - The Silence Of December

4.Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I - Fathers Of The Icy Age

5.Burzum - Filosofem

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1.Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Piñata

2.Periphery - Periphery II: This Time It's Personal

3.Woods Of Ypres - Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light

4.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

5.Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind

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I've always been a huge fan for psychedelic music of any and all kinds. The enveloping atmosphere, the ability of minimalist solos to create a grand sense of harmony, and all those deliciously trippy effects that you can zone out with... they all come together for such a stimulating, otherworldly experience. This is often the type of music I'm most comfortable with: dazing, mind numbing, and hypnotizing.

My psychedelic definitions (including, but not limited to)
1. Very free flowing and (often) formless guitar playing. Specific soloing style of focusing more on the individual notes themselves to create a grand harmony around the main rhythm at hand.
2. Intense manipulation of guitar tone, including feedback, delay, looping, etc.
3. Heavy use of electronic effects. This is something that goes back to the earliest psychedelic bands of the 60s who used hammond organ and harpsichord, but today it's evolved into a wide range of keyboards, synths, equalizers, etc.

Recs both encouraged and appreciated.

1.Aarni - Bathos

2.Æthenor - En Form For Blå

3.Angst Skvadron - Sweet Poison

4.Atomikylä - Erkale

5.Bong - Stoner Rock

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Its in alphabetical order by albums... Some albums on this list may or may not be the exact description of Black or Doom Metal or their subgenres. They just seem to fit for my taste and way I like my Black And Doom dosage. I'm sure some may say Les Discrets and Alcest and other bands on the list can't be Black or Doom because of their sounds and lyrical themes, but if their music gives me that darkness that let's say Watain or Gorgoroth give in Black Metal just without the Satanic lyrics and more of the emotions of Blackness and Doom then to me its Black Metal and the same goes to whatever Doom bands are on my list. If anyone checks out my list, thanks.

1.Mental Home - Угра

2.Forgotten Tomb - ...And Don't Deliver Us From Evil

3.Profetus - ...To Open The Passages In Dusk

4.Narrow House - A Key To Panngrieb

5.A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays

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I list the black metal artworks which are the most different and appealing, at least for my eyes, and give a brief excuse for a somewhat explanation of why I think it.
Edit: As suggested, I gave a link to the inages of the albums not feat. here non MS. For all the other ones... Well, one can always click on the album name.

1.A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays

2.A Forest Of Stars - Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring

3.Abigail Williams - Becoming

4.Ad Hominem - Dictator

5.Alcest - Le Secret

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I know I probably speak for a lot of people when I say that, very often, the artwork that a band chooses for a particular album can be the icing on the cake, essential to giving a visual depiction that tops off the overall aesthetic of the music. There are plenty of albums that I simply couldn't imagine listening to without staring, zoned out, to the big ball of glorious that is their cover art. Here are some such albums. In alphabetical order by band. Links to full images of the covers have been provided, as well as credits to the artists.

1.Aarni - Bathos

2.Absu - The Sun Of Tiphareth

3.Atheist - Unquestionable Presence

4.Bathory - Blood Fire Death

5.Blue Öyster Cult - Fire Of Unknown Origin

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My favorite BM records. Recommendation are more than welcomed.

1.777Babalon - Eschatological Beast Of The Revelation

2.Advent Sorrow - As All Light Leaves Her

3.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

4.Agruss - Morok

5.Aion - Verses Of Perdition

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1.Devin Townsend - Epicloud

2.3 Inches Of Blood - Long Live Heavy Metal

3.Testament - Dark Roots Of Earth

4.Threshold - March Of Progress

5.Barren Earth - The Devil's Resolve

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My favorites of 2012.
Please comment and/or suggest me stuff!

1.Ysengrin - To Endotation

2.Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma

3.Sigh - In Somniphobia

4.Diskord - Dystopics

5.Nocturnal Vomit - Cursed Relics

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A lot of bands have great debut albums. Obviously this list is just a fraction of all the great debut albums out there, but it's a start. I'll keep expanding this list continuously, so all suggestions are welcome (granted they are featured on MS). All the albums here are ranked according to genre and then alphabetically. If a certain album belongs to the (in your opinion) wrong genre, then definitely let me know.

1.

2.Aarni - Bathos

3.Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfonia

4.Diablo Swing Orchestra - The Butcher's Ballroom

5.Sadness - Ames De Marbre

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Because I reached the word limit on the previous list, and don't want to lose my quite excellent in-depth descriptions. Those without descriptions are from my other list.

1.Sylosis - Monolith

2.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

3.In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

4.Abigail Williams - Becoming

5.Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Area 52

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1.Enslaved - RIITIIR

2.Ancestors - In Dreams And Time

3.Wintersun - Time I

4.Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas

5.Royal Thunder - CVI

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1.Ektomorf - Black Flag

2.Ex Deo - Caligvla

3.Testament - Dark Roots Of Earth

4.Lacrimosa - Revolution

5.In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

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1.Testament - Dark Roots Of Earth

2.Ex Deo - Caligvla

3.Lacrimosa - Revolution

4.In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

5.Pro-Pain - Straight To The Dome

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