These are the Top 20 albums in no particular order that i consider to be the darkest, most powerful, inspirational metal i have heard

1.Secrets Of The Moon - Privilegivm

2.Watain - Sworn To The Dark

3.Dissection - Reinkaos

4.Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton

5.Behemoth - Thelema 6

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RANKING CRITERIA :

- Originality
- Songwriting
- Performance

Neither popularity among fans nor commercial success (or unsuccess) of the albums were taken into account in this selection.

1.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

2.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

3.Metallica - Master Of Puppets

4.Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality

5.Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind

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1.Death - Human

2.Opeth - Still Life

3.At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul

4.Dismember - Like An Ever Flowing Stream

5.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

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The choice of the albums was made according to aesthetic criteria, taking into account only the musical merits of the recordings. Neither the popularity among the fans nor the commercial success (or unsuccess) of the albums were taken into account in the selection.

1.Anacrusis - Screams And Whispers

2.Megadeth - Rust In Peace

3.Death - The Sound Of Perseverance

4.Pantera - Cowboys From Hell

5.Death - Symbolic

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This is a list of some of my favorite speedy ripping Black and Blackened Death metal albums...

1.1349 - Hellfire

2.Abigail Williams - In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns

3.Angelcorpse - The Inexorable

4.Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton

5.Anagnorisis - Overton Trees

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1.Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

2.Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness

3.Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger

4.1349 - Hellfire

5.Burzum - Belus

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1.Rhapsody Of Fire - Legendary Tales

2.HammerFall - Glory To The Brave

3.Children Of Bodom - Something Wild

4.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

5.Windir - Sóknardalr

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These my all time favorite albums.
Not in a particular rank

1.Amorphis - The Beginning Of Times

2.At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul

3.Arch Enemy - Anthems Of Rebellion

4.Carcass - Heartwork

5.Children Of Bodom - Tokyo Warhearts

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My List album 4 Black and ghotic ' fans members

1.Abigor - Verwüstung / Invoke The Dark Age

2.Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side

3.Anaal Nathrakh - Passion

4.Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

5.Belphegor - Goatreich - Fleshcult

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*** READ ME *** This list is about the greatest metal albums of all-time, from all sub-genres and all countries. You won't see bands like Deep Purple, Rush, BOC, Zeppelin, etc., nor will you see bands like Tool, Rage ATM, Melvins and Soundgarden. While I love many of those bands, my definition of metal does not include them.

1.Black Sabbath - Paranoid

2.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

3.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

4.Death - Symbolic

5.Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

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My favorite bands...

1.Void Of Silence - Human Antithesis

2.Why Angels Fall - The Unveiling

3.Before The Rain - Frail

4.Ataraxie - Slow Transcending Agony

5.Virgin Black - Requiem - Mezzo Forte

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***Limit 2 albums per artist***

1.Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger

2.Burzum - Filosofem

3.Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

4.Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse

5.Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

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My take on the greatest albums ever... (No, early 70s Black Sabbath is NOT metal, and neither is Led Zeppelin.)

1.Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

2.Cradle Of Filth - Cruelty And The Beast

3.King Diamond - Abigail

4.Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

5.Slayer - Reign In Blood

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1.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

2.Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky

3.Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss

4.Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

5.Bathory - Blood Fire Death

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Ordered. One album per band.

1.Limbonic Art - In Abhorrence Dementia

2.Judas Priest - Painkiller

3.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

4.Helloween - Walls Of Jericho

5.Slayer - Show No Mercy

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