miller_time22

Hi everyone-
There seems to be plenty of metalheads around this forum for a thread like this, but who are your top 10 heavy metal bands of all time? For my list, I've chosen to exclude some of the bands that are often seen as hard rock (AC/DC, Zep, GNR, Kiss, Van Halen), but use your own judgment. If you classify these bands as metal, include them, but I didn't want this thread to devolve into the classic "Is this band truly metal?" arguments. Also, feel free to include your favorite album by each artist as well or any thoughts on why your favorites kick ass.

Here's my list:
1) Megadeth- Favorite album- Rust in Peace- The band and album that got me into metal. I've listened to this album hundreds of times. I love the technical proficiency of this band and there's just something about Mustaine's riffs that always grabs me. Looking forward to the new record underway currently as well.

2) Iron Maiden- Favorite album- Piece of Mind- What an amazing catalog of metal these guys have put together. I had a heck of a time choosing a favorite album as I love most everything, but didn't let Quest for Fire stand in my way. : )

3) Black Sabbath- Favorite album- Black Sabbath- This list wouldn't be possible without this band. While I still prefer the groundbreaking work done with Ozzy, in recent years, I've grown to greatly appreciate the albums made with Dio more than I used to. Also, it's incredible to see these guys still crushing skulls at their age with their new Heaven and Hell album.

4) Metallica- Favorite album- Master of Puppets- While they finally seemed to have realized that while they are a decent "rock" band, they are an amazing metal band and are playing to their strengths with Death Magnetic and recent set lists.

5) Judas Priest- Favorite album- Sad Wings of Destiny- Like Maiden, the sheer volume of awesome metal in this band's catalog is staggering. Rob Halford's voice is killer enough to send chills down your spine.

6) Pantera- Favorite album- Vulgar Display of Power- A band that grew heavier and heavier as they went along. This band also holds a special place for me due to being the first concert I ever attended in 1994 along with Type O Negative opening. I hope someday Phil and Vinnie can bury the hatchet.

7) Ozzy (solo)- Favorite album- Diary of a Madman- While his recent output leaves a lot to be desired, the bona fide classics made with Randy Rhodes cements his spot on this list. I also really dig Bark at the Moon, with Jake E. Lee doing his best with the near impossible task in replacing Rhodes.

8) Mastodon- Favorite album- Leviathan- The most recently formed band on this list. I think these guys are on an amazing roll and am excited to see what they come up with next. They manage to put together technically complex metal concept albums while somehow not pushing things into the realm of self-parody or ridiculousness.

9) Sepultura- Favorite album- Chaos A.D.- This band is on this list due to the Max years as I honestly haven't followed them as close since that time. But, everything up through Chaos A.D. and a portion of Roots is some of my favorite metal.

10) Slayer- Favorite album- Seasons in the Abyss- While I feel this band has been in a rut at times and don't always agree with their umm...worldview, the intensity and aggression of their best work requires them to be on this list.

Honorable mentions: Anthrax, Down, Opeth, Type O Negative, White Zombie

cdollaz

Maiden - Number thru Seventh Son might be the best 5 album run ever
Priest - Although I think they have few great albums, they have a lot of great songs
Ozzy - I think that, in addition to his rocking stuff, he has the best ballads out there. Love his voice.
Dio - Has a lot of marginal albums, but the first 2 are classic
Sabbath - A lot of crap, but quite a few classic also
Metallica - Load thru St. Anger are abortions, but the rest are awesome
Megadeth - Really only like about half their albums, but really like those
Dream Theater - Other than Falling Into Infinity, I think all of their albums are at least good
Queensryche - Or maybe Warning thru Promised Land is the best 5 album run ever

Mordred

Metallica
Opeth
Savatage
Testament
Anthrax
Dream Theater
Iron Maiden
Megadeth
Within Temptation
Helloween

I'm not sure if Scorpions should count, so I tossed in Helloween in their place

Goat3001

In no particular order:

Metallica
Iron Maiden
Pantera
Sabbath
Ozzy
Slayer
Opeth
Priest
Iced Earth (haven't really listened to them since Horror Show, but that is a great metal album and I really enjoyed their previous stuff)

B5Erik

I'll try to limit my list to bands that were considered to be Heavy Metal at some point from the 80's until now (meaning some bands were considered Heavy Metal in the 70's that clearly were not will not be on my list - KISS, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, hell, even Led Zeppelin was called a Heavy Metal band by many people back then).

My Top 10 Heavy Metal Bands:

1. Iron Maiden
2. DIO
3. Armored Saint
4. Black Sabbath (Would be higher if more consistent)
5. Metallica
6. Saxon
7. Megadeth
8. Helloween
9. Ozzy Osbourne
10. Anthrax

I reserve the right to edit and make changes to this list as I feel like I'm forgetting someone....

But that list is pretty darned close and even if I edited it it wouldn't change much.


edit - DUH, now I know who I'm forgetting -
11. Judas Priest
12. Testament (I HIGHLY recommend their latest album, The Formation of Damnation)

bunkaroo

No particular order (how I feel now - not an "all time best list"):

Opeth
Fear Factory
Type O Negative
Rammstein
Dream Theater
Iron Maiden
Within Temptation
Fates Warning
Metallica
Megadeth

nothingfails

Air effing Supply man!!!

Supermallet

Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
Van Halen
Black Sabbath
Ozzy Osbourne
Mercyful Fate
Deep Purple
Dio
Diamond Head
And, of course, Jethro Tull

dick_grayson

Opeth
Metallica
Motorhead
Iron Maiden
Dimmu Borgir
In Flames
Children of Bodom
Black Sabbath
Slayer
Death

no order

panchor

I have top 5, top 10 would be difficult

1-Iron Maiden
2-Helloween
3-Metallica
4-Black Sabbath
5-Judas Priest

miller_time22

I noticed a few people list Dream Theater. Outside of their "To Tame a Land" cover on the Maiden Heaven tribute album, I've never listened to a lot of their work. Yourmusic.com has Systematic Chaos. Is this a decent primer for the band?

cdollaz

Systematic Chaos is a decent album, but I wouldn't start there. I think that the 3 release that are the most lauded by fans are Images And Words, Scenes From A Memory, and Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. Those are all good, but if you are looking for their heaviest album, it is Train Of Thought. It is good also. Whatever you do, do not start with Falling Into Infinity.

tonyc3742

Ozzy
Sabbath
Slayer
Maiden
King Diamond/Mercyful Fate (ok, I'm cheating a little)
Suicidal Tendencies
S.O.D. (although this is mostly nostalgia)
GWAR
If Sabbath is here, I guess Alice Cooper would fit as well
Motorhead

Jason

Maiden
Dio
Sabbath
Manowar
Hammerfall
Blind Guardian
Metallica
Priest
Mercyful Fate
Bathory (Viking stuff)

slop101

1-10: Iron Maiden

They're pretty much the only metal band I can listen to (and I've been a fan since '83).

kefrank

In my opinion, these lists are incomplete without Meshuggah.

7Keys

Iron Maiden
Bruce Dickinson (solo)
Helloween
Gamma Ray
Anthrax
Megadeth
Metallica (through Black album)
Queensryche (not very good since Empire)

miller_time22

I'll probably start with Train of Thought since it sounds more up my alley. Thanks a lot for the comments.

cactusoly

1) Judas Priest - I even have a Priest tat
2) Black Sabbath - Ozzy, Dio, and Ian Gillian
3) Iron Maiden
4) White Zombie / Rob Zombie
5) Testament - got the VIP tix for Montreal
6) Corrosion of Conformity
7) Metal Church
8) Helloween
9) Anthrax
10)Shadows Fall

Favorite non metal, metal bands
1) Alice Cooper
2) Kiss
3) AC/DC
4) Rainbow Dio era
5) Deep Purple

covenant

1. Black Sabbath
2. Early Ozzy
3. Judas Priest
4. Dio
5. Down
6. sHeavy
7. Hatebreed
8. BLS
9. Electric Wizard
10. Lamb of God

I was really reaching for the last couple....I listen to alot more rock and hard rock than pure metal.
Wolfmother
AC/DC
Green day
Korn
RATM
Buckcherry
and of course alot of classic rock...Kansas, Boston, Cheap Trick, Nazareth, etc...etc..

Jason

These guys rule!

Rypro 525

not in order
maiden
dream theater
nightwish
lamb of god
children of bodom
cannibal corpse
amon amarth
alestorm
slayer
metallica
septurla

johnbook

More of a Hair metal/Hard Rock guy, but these are the metal bands i love/like...

Iron Maiden - Everything

Megadeth - Favorite's are, Countdown To Extinction and Youthanasia

Judas Priest - British Steel and everything after except the non Rob Halford period, yes even Turbo love me some Turbo

Ozzy - Everything except his newest album Black Rain, IMO that album was terrible, favorites are Bark at the Moon and Ultimate Sin

Dio - Just about everything

Grim Reaper - Just about Everything

Metal Church - First 3 are killer

Black Sabbath - Dio/Gillian era's

Metallica - Love everything up to the black album, like a few songs off Death Magnetic

Pantera - The only album i care for by them is Far Beyond Driven, great metal album, love Dimebag on this


Other Honorable Mentions...IMO

Accept - Balls to the Wall is a great album

System of a Down - Love "Mezmerize"

Savatage - Love "Hall of the mountain King"

Anthrax - Enjoy, State of Euphoria and Sound of white Noise, everything else by them, nay

LickTheABCs

Black Sabbath (Paranoid/Heaven and Hell)
Iron Maiden (Somewhere In Time)
Hellhammer/Celtic Frost (Demon Entrails/To Mega Therion)
Burzum (Filosofem)
Judas Priest (Sad Wings of Destiny)
Death (Symbolic)
Suffocation (Effigy of the Forgotten)
Morbid Saint (Spectrum of Death)
Megadeth (Rust In Peace)
King Diamond/Mercyful Fate (Abigal/Melissa)

Ok, I cheated a little. Sue me.

Hiro11

First a few standards that can't be denied:
Pre Black Album Metallica
Pre Countdown Megadeth
Mastodon
Opeth, particularly Morningrise
Golden-era Maiden
Golden era Sabbath
Pretty much any Meshuggah

Then a few "is this metal?"
Godflesh
Isis
Torche
Mars Volta
Boris