| The 25 Most Influential Albums for me |
| 1 |  | Iron Maiden
Powerslave
Perfection from start to finish. This album almost ruined music for me
because everything sounded inferior after this. The guitar work by Dave
Murray and Adrian Smith is almost overwhelming and Bruce Dickinson is at
his best. I have played air guitar more than a few times to this amazing
album |
| 2 |  | Lamb of God
Ashes of the Wake
The most influential heavy metal album of all time for me. When Ashes of
the Wake was first released I was not into this genre of music. But the
second I heard The Faded Line my musical taste shifted to a much heavier
sound and I have never looked back since. |
| 3 |  | Metallica
Ride the Lightning
My favorite trash metal album ever. The soloing is mind-blowing, try
finding a faster (cohesive) solo than what Kirk does on Trapped Under Ice.
This and Master of Puppets are by far Metallica?s best but I give the edge
to Ride the Lightning because it never lets up from start to finish. |
| 4 |  | Darkest Hour
Undoing Ruin
I don?t know why but I always go back to this album time and again. I
probably have heard With a Thousand Words to Say but One more than any
other metal song ever made. The lyrics on this album really speak to me
(dark but oddly uplifting), and for me John Henry has the best melo-death
vocals out there. And they kick serious ass live. |
| 5 |  | Slayer
Seasons in the Abyss
I was lucky enough to see Slayer play this album live in its entirety on the
Seasons of the Abyss 20th anniversary tour in 2010. Reign in Blood is
classic, but adding more atmosphere was a great idea and gives the songs
more replayability |
| 6 |  | As I Lay Dying
Frail Words Collapse
A lot of the more modern Metal albums on this list came out between 2003-
2005. And it makes perfect sense since this time of my life was absolutely
dominated, all day every day by this new wave of heavy metal. Forever, 94
Hours and Elegy and all classics. And live Tim Lambesis is (was) a beast! |
| 7 |  | Between the Buried and Me
Alaska
I wish BTBAM would go back to this sound. Yes, it is more straightforward
(by their standards) than Colors, but holy shit they fucking rule on this
album. The production is top notch, it is still extremely progressive, and
(besides Mordecai on The Silent Circus) it has their three best songs (1 ?
All Bodies, 2 ? Selkies: The Endless Obsession, and 3 ? Alaska) |
| 8 |  | Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Coming out in 1992, for my money this is the best album of the 90?s. When
I first started listening to them I was in a bit of a rap phase (Dr Dre, Eminem
that sort of thing), so RATM and the Beastie Boy?s were always playing in
my car. |
| 9 |  | Killswitch Engage
Alive or Just Breathing
I went to the Taste of Chaos concert in 2005 mainly to see Underoath, A
Static Lullaby, and The Used. I left that show converted to Killswitch. They
destroyed all other bands on stage that day. To this day Fixation on the
Darkness, My Last Serenade and Life to Lifeless as essential heavy metal
anthems. I have seen them twice live in 2014 and they still kill. Welcome
back Jesse.! |
| 10 |  | Iron Maiden
The Number of the Beast
Similar story to Powerslave. Iron Maiden was life consuming when I first
picked up their discography. Not as great as Powerslave, but hey, they are
the only band that made my list with two albums. |
| 11 |  | Sublime
Sublime
This was the soundtrack to more parties than anything else I can
remember. The album plays more like a best of for Sublime. Sad that they
will never make more music, but what they did put out was classic. Lay
back, get a little stoned and throw this album on and nothing will ever
sound better. |
| 12 |  | Beastie Boys
Paul's Boutique
I was going to leave this album off as it is more rap/hip-hop than anything
else listed, and I am going to make a top rap album list? but this is truly
genre-bending and a classic album no matter what category you put it
under. There will never be another ?Beastie Boys? as sampling like they did
so liberally is almost impossible on this level now. This is their undisputed
masterpiece, and an album I know almost every word to. |
| 13 |  | Dark Tranquillity
Damage Done
If Lamb of God, Darkest Hour, and As I Lay Dying defined one period of my
life, then Dark Tranquillity and In Flames (among others) defined the next
stage in which I was heavily influenced by the Melodic Death Metal bands
from Sweden/Finland. To me, this is the pinnacle of the genre. They are
one of only 3 bands on this list that I have yet to see live (Black Sabbath
and Led Zeppelin being the other 2). But I am going to see them in Toronto
in January. Couldn?t be more excited. |
| 14 |  | Trivium
Ascendancy
Pull Harder on the Strings of your Martyr along with With a Thousand
Words to say but One by Darkest Hour are two of the most played songs of
my life. This album has a bit of everything, killer guitar work, crushing
vocals, and even a ballad thrown in for good measure. Trivium has never
been able to re-produce the brutality of this album, and to be honest I don?t
think they are trying to. Their more commercial sound now does nothing
for me, but back in 2003 when I first heard this album I was hooked. |
| 15 |  | In Flames
Clayman
This was the first Melodic Death metal album I ever heard and damn am I
lucky that it was. So many memorable songs off this album. Plus it is
extremely accessible so if you ever wanted to check out this genre of
music, this would be the first album I personally would recommend. Even
though they have lost a few fans with their turn of sound lately, there is no
denying that they helped pioneer the Gothenburg Metal sound and
influences hundreds of bands that followed in their footsteps. |
| 16 |  | Deftones
Around the Fur
The heaviest album the Deftones ever made also happens to be my favorite
(White Pony a very close second). A bit more mainstream than what I
typically listen to, but damn, no one can do distorted vocals like Chino can. |
| 17 | | Marilyn Manson
Lest We Forget ( The Best Of Marilyn Manson)
A best of on a list of best albums? Hell ya! There is not one song on this
album that I would consider bad (couldn?t say that about his discography).
Basically, if I was to put together 17 songs by Manson I would be hard
pressed to add anything to this track list. I once had this CD in my car
playing on repeat for a month, and it never got old. This is how you make a
best of album! |
| 18 |  | Underoath
They're Only Chasing Safety
I have seen Underoath live 6-8 times, and that was in a 2-3 year time span
when I was in highschool. So yes, I have to put them on this list and say
that they helped shape where my musical tastes were heading. While not
what I listen to now, I can still throw this record on and reminisce about the
days that I did. A very nostalgic album for sure. |
| 19 |  | Led Zeppelin
Physical Graffiti
I know I know, having Zeppelin this low (as well as Sabbath) is criminal.
But they just weren?t what I was into until I started going back and listening
to all the 70?s rock bands. To me they were always an oldies band my
parents liked. I guess in University I began listening to Zeppelin and I still
do to this day. |
| 20 |  | Silverstein
When Broken Is Easily Fixed
Silverstein was a local band, they are from Burlington, Ontario (?Canada)
which is 15 minutes up the road from where I lived. Anyway, I saw them in
2002 at the local YMCA where they played to about 50 people. This was
even before they released their first LP? I loved every minute of that night,
and since they played almost every other weekend at local venues I have
probably been to see them 10+ times. Another band that I don?t listen to
now but I did see them a year or two ago in Toronto and they are still going
strong. |
| 21 |  | Black Sabbath
Master of Reality
Finally a Black Sabbath album on the list! Of all their records this one for
some reason stood out above all. Sweet Leaf, Children of the Grave, and
Into the Void are three of my favorite Sabbath songs recorded. I checked
out their new album ?13? a few months ago and it seems like they are
harking back to a time where the guitars are tuned low and the sludge/
doom sound is back. I found it impossible to make a best of list and keep
Sabbath off it! |
| 22 |  | Extol
Extol
This is my favorite record of the last 5 years. It is the only album to come
out after 2005 (wow I sort of just realized this? that I don?t have any recent
stuff on this list). I would say that at the moment I am mainly listening to
progressive death metal, and for me this is the best thing that I have heard
in a long time. It reminds me of Between the Buried and Me from 8-10
years ago. You just have no idea where they will take you from one song to
the next, and everything on here is memorable in its own unique way.
Maybe if I make another list like this in 10 years this album will reach ?
classic status? for me, but for now it will have to settle for #22. |
| 23 |  | Misery Signals
Of Malice and the Magnum Heart
I was completely blown away by Misery Signals when I first heard them. I
suppose you can label them a metalcore band, but that would be doing
them a great disservice as they really don?t sound like any other band that I
can think of. Live, these guys have crazy energy, and they have not
released one bad album. What other Metalcore band 4 albums in can claim
that. Not many. |
| 25 |  | Unearth
The Oncoming Storm
Yet another from the so called ?New Wave of American Heavy Metal?
period. This album definitely did not have a filler track, or a slowdown, from
the opening track until the end. The guitar work is fast and catchy, the
bass and drum are loud and a focal point for Unearth, and lead vocalist
Trevor Phipps has such a smooth sound its ridiculous. My only complaint
is that it is too polished, and could have used a bit more rawness. Still, this
is an epic album. |
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