Metal History

If one wanted to take a trip down the annals of metal history from beginning to present, say in 20 albums, what would they be? If this can't be done in 20 albums please come as close as you can. I would assume that you would have to cross genre lines as well. Please include some Christian metal as well, although I am fairly certain that Stryper would make the list. I don't really know who would make the list other wise I wouldn't be asking the question.

Bands that I think are important.
Steppenwolf
Black Sabbath
Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
Metallica
Anthrax
(?)

Those are about all I can think of but wouldn't know which albums and where to place them.

Just my opinion here ... but for history I'd say:

1. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

2. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny

3. Venom - Welcome to Hell

4. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

5. Stryper - To Hell with the Devil (to include something Christian)

6. Metallica - ... And Justice for All

7. Manowar - Kings of Metal

8. Riot - Thundersteel

9. Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

10. Helloween - Pink Bubbles Go Ape

11. Manowar - Triumph of Steel

12. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven & Hell Pt. 1

13. Testament - Demonic

14. Sodom - M16

15. Stratovarius - Elements Pt. 2

16. Therion - Lemuria/Sirius B

17. Leaves' Eyes - Vinland Saga

18. Nightwish - Dark Passion Play

19. Brainstorm - Downburst

20. Saint Deamon - Pandeamonium

Oh man...this thread has 'disaster' written all over it.

I can almost hear ToB now..."That band isn't metal!".

tohostudios wrote:

Oh man...this thread has 'disaster' written all over it.

I can almost hear ToB now..."That band isn't metal!".

This is just each one's opinions though. So it should be okay.

i think Ult's thread was removed completely. can't find it anywhere.

1.) Led Zeppelin - IV
2.) Deep Purple - In Rock
3.) Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
4.) Scorpions - Virgin Killer
5.) Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
6.) Motorhead - Ace Of Spades
7.) Venom - Black Metal
8.) Mercyful Fate - Melissa
9.) Metallica - Ride The Lightening
10.) Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
11.) Possessed - Seven Churches
12.) Helloween - Walls Of Jericho
13.) Slayer - Reign In Blood
14.) Napalm Death - Scum
15.) Death - Scream Bloody Gore
16.) Kreator - Extreme Aggression
17.) Danzig - II: Lucifuge
18.) Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick
19.) Burzum - Det Som Engang Var
20.) Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas


hmmm, that only got me up to the mid 90's. i'd have to go beyond 20 to finish properly.

mc666, it's in the RIP section.

ultmetal wrote:

mc666, it's in the RIP section.

ah, cool. thanks.

Sorry, I didn't know this had been asked before I'll do a search then make myself a compilation folder on my HD and then listen to it. That is my intent in asking.

bgast1 wrote:

Sorry, I didn't know this had been asked before I'll do a search then make myself a compilation folder on my HD and then listen to it. That is my intent in asking.

your thread isn't exactly the same. it just touched on a similar aspect.

I don't think it can truly be done in 20, or even 30, but I'll try to keep it as short as I can. I'm not saying that these are the best albums ever, nor even necessarily the best albums by the band in question, but each one is important, historically speaking.

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Deep Purple - Machine Head
Rainbow - Rising
Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
Van Halen - Van Halen I
Judas Priest - British Steel
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
AC/DC - Back In Black
Venom - Welcome to Hell
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Scorpions - Blackout
Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil
Celtic Frost - Morbid Tales
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Megadeth - Peace Sells
D.R.I. - Crossover
Death - Scream Bloody Gore
Napalm Death - Scum
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I
Bathory - Hammerheart
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Metallica - Black Album
Darkthrone - A Blaze In the Northern Sky
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Dark Tranquility - Skydancer
Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power
Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
Gamma Ray - Land of the Free
Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Nile - Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka
Lamb of God - New American Gospel
Shadows Fall - Of One Blood

That's up through 2000. I think it's too soon to accurately judge the historical importance of metal released after that.

I couldn't even make it out of the 90's.....


1. Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum
2. Steppenwolf - The Second
3. Deep Purple - In Rock
4. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
5. Led Zeppelin - S/T
6. Deep Purple - Machine Head
7. Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies
8. Judas Priest - Sin After Sin
9. Rainbow - Rising
10. Motorhead - Ace of Spades
11. Venom - Welcome To Hell
12. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
13. W.A.S.P. - S/T
14. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
15. Megadeth - Peace Sells But Who's Buying
16. Fates Warning - Awaken The Guardian
17. Slayer - Reign In Blood
18. Helloween - Walls Of Jericho
19. Deliverance - Weapons Of Our Warfare
20. Helmet - Meantime

Thanks everyone. I presume that these are in chronological order. I will attempt to find and compile these albums into a folder on my hard drive and listen until my heart is content. I know that I already own several of them.

In fact some are my favorite albums of all time. I remember seeing Deep Purple -- In Rock on the list. Man that album brings back memories. I love that album.

1. Blue Cheer-Vincebus Erptum
2. Jimi Hendrix Experience-Are You Experienced?
3. Led Zeppelin-II
3. Black Sabbath-s/t
4. Deep Purple-In Rock
5. Alice Cooper-Love it to Death
6. Aerosmith-Rocks
7. Rainbow-Rising
8. Scorpions-In Trance
9. KISS-Alive
10. Van Halen-s/t
11. Raven-All for One
12. Venom-Black Metal
13. Metallica-Master of Puppets
14. Slayer-Reign in Blood
15. Motley Crue-Too Fast for Love
16. Yngwie Malmsteen-Rising Force
17. Judas Priest-British Steel
18. Morbid Angel-Blessed are the Sick
19. Death-Human
20. Soundgarden-Bad Motor Finger
21. Queen-s/t
22. AC/DC-Highway to Hell
23. Pantera-Vulgar Display of Power

Running Wild - Death or Glory
WatchTower - Control and Resistance
Queensrÿche - Rage For Order

all make worthy additions

1. BLACK SABBATH - s/t
2. JUDAS PRIEST - Unleashed in the East
3. IRON MAIDEN - Killers
4. MERCYFUL FATE - Melissa
5. METALLICA - Ride the Lightning
6. DIO - Holy Diver
7. YNGWIE MALMSTEEN - Rising Force
8. METAL CHURCH - s/t
9. MEGADETH - Peace Sells
10. SLAYER - Reign in Blood
11. EXODUS - Fabulous Disaster
12. ANTHRAX - Spreading the Disease
13. QUEENSRYCHE - Operation: Mindcrime
14. MORBID ANGEL - Blessed are the Sick
15. PANTERA - Vulgar Display of Power
16. DREAM THEATER - Images and Words
17. CANNIBAL CORPSE - The Bleeding
18. DEATH - Symbolic
19. SUFFOCATION - Pierced from Within
20. EMPEROR - Anthems to the Welkyn at Dusk

1. Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptus
2. Led Zeppelin - 1
3. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
4. Deep Purple - Machine Head
5. Scorpions - Taken by Force
6. Van Halen - 1
7. Judas Priest - Hell Bent...
8. AC/DC - High Voltage
9. Motorhead - Ace of Spades
10. Diamond Head - Lightning...
11. Iron Maiden - Killers
12. Metallica - Kill 'em All
13. Trouble - Psalm 9
14. Metal Church - MC
15. Savatage - Sirens
16. Stryper - Soldiers...
17. Skid Row - Slave...
18. Dark Angel - TDNH
19. Death - Symbolic
20. Pantera - CFH

manny wrote:

15. Motley Crue-Too Fast for Love

glad someone recognized Motley's contribution to the scene. those first two albums pretty much set the standard for the commercial 80's era.

Troublezone wrote:

Blue Cheer
Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath
Deep Purple
Scorpions
Van Halen
Judas Priest
AC/DC
Motorhead
Diamond Head
Iron Maiden
Metallica
Metal Church
Savatage
Stryper
Skid Row
Slayer
Dark Angel
Death
Pantera

can't name the albums?

mc666 wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Blue Cheer
Led Zeppelin
Black Sabbath
Deep Purple
Scorpions
Van Halen
Judas Priest
AC/DC
Motorhead
Diamond Head
Iron Maiden
Metallica
Metal Church
Savatage
Stryper
Skid Row
Slayer
Dark Angel
Death
Pantera

can't name the albums?

It is hard to choose a single album...

mc666 wrote:

manny wrote:

15. Motley Crue-Too Fast for Love

glad someone recognized Motley's contribution to the scene. those first two albums pretty much set the standard for the commercial 80's era.

Agreed! Still love the first two Motley Crue albums.

1. Jimi Hendrix Experience-Are You Experienced?
2. Iron Butterfly-Heavy
3. MC5-Kick Out The Jams
4. Led Zeppelin-II
5. Black Sabbath-s/t
6. Alice Cooper-Killer
7. Deep Purple-Machine Head
8. Sweet-Desolation Boulevard
9. Rush-s/t
10. Nazareth-Hair Of The Dog
11. Rainbow-s/t
12. AC/DC-Back In Black
13. Scorpions-Animal Magnetism
14. Saxon-Wheels Of Steel
15. Van Halen-Women And Children First
16. Diamond Head-Lightning To The Nations
17. Riot-Fire Down Under
18. Metallica-Ride The Lightning
19. RATT-Out Of The Cellar
20. Motley Crue-Dr. Feelgood

Doing some more just to complete the list:

21. Slayer-Reign In Blood
22. Faith No More-The Real Thing
23. Megadeth-Rust In Peace
24. Primus-Frizzle Fry
25. Nirvana-Bleach
26. "thebandthatshallneverbementionedagain"-Follow The Leader
27. Black Label Society-Sonic Brew
28. Rammstein-Mutter
29. 3 Inches of Blood – Here Awaits Thy Doom

I kept it as close to 20 as I could so there is definitely a few holes and some sub-genres completely unmentioned but here goes..

1. High Tide - Sea Shanties
2. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
3. Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
4. Deep Purple - Machine Head
5. Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
6. Rainbow - Rising
7. Rush - 2112
8. Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations
9. Motorhead - Ace of Spades
10. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
11. Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath
12. Metallica - Master of Puppets
13. Slayer - Reign in Blood
14. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
15. Pantera - Cowboys From Hell
16. Megadeth - Rust in Peace
17. Dream Theater - Awake
18. Death - Symbolic
19. Opeth - Blackwater Park
20. System of a Down - Toxicity
21. Tool - Lateralus
22. The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
23. Mastodon - Leviathan

These lists are very well thought out, I'm impressed. The only thing I would add off the top of my head would be The Stooges- Fun House, it was about the heaviest most aggressive thing out there in 1970, and the fact that it ended up influencing Punk perhaps more than Metal when all was said and done is hindsight.

Wow! A specific number of albums is difficult. I think there could be many groups of 20 albums all giving an accurrate history of metal b/c it all has meant something different to us.
But no matter where you start or where to go to with this list, to me, you would have to include major albums from, '83-'84 as that is where metal SPLIT into subgenres (IMO). Among others:
--Iron Maiden Number of the Beast ('82)
--Quiet Riot Metal Health
--Accept Restless and Wild
--Metallica Kill em All
--Venom At War with Satan
--Slayer Show No Mercy
--Motley Crue Shout at the Devil
IMO, almost all bands of today can trace their way back to one of these influences/directions, etc. I know there was still Priest (who along with Black Sabbath and Maiden influenced seemingly everyone) as well as many other influencial bands not mentioned in my short list. But I'm not talking merely influence but this is where clear differences in sound, song writing, 'flavor', image, etc became more noticeable and important than it ever did before. At least to me and my metal journey........

OK - I will try...

1. Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced?
2. Black Sabbath - Paranoid
3. Deep Purple - Machine Head
4. KISS - Alive!
5. Scorpions - Tokyo Tapes
6. AC/DC - Let There Be Rock
7. Motorhead - Ace Of Spades
8. Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind
9. Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith
10. Quiet Riot - Metal Health
11. Trouble - Psalm 9
12. Ratt - Out Of The Cellar
13. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
14. King's X - Gretchen Goes To Nebraska
14 a. Deliverance - S/T
14 b. Bride - Live To Die
15. Skid Row - Slave To The Grind
16. Slayer - Reign In Blood
17. Dream Theater - Images & Words
18. Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death
19. Mastodon - Crack The Skye
20. Astral Doors - New Revelation