1.King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

2.Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick

3.Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

4.Metallica - Kill 'Em All

5.Slayer - Show No Mercy

      View entire list ››

1.Bathory - Bathory

2.Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

3.Mayhem - Deathcrush

4.Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky

5.Darkthrone - Under A Funeral Moon

      View entire list ››

Here is a list of MY favorite black(ish) metal albums (sometimes I like a little creamer...but no sugar). And yes I am aware that bands like Kreator and Amebix and not "Technically" black metal, but I don't care because they had a huge influence and their sound is very "blackened" on certain albums.

1.Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse

2.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

3.Ulver - Bergtatt - Et Eeventyr I 5 Capitler

4.Burzum - Filosofem

5.Alcest - Les Voyages De L'âme

      View entire list ››

As is the case with my other lists, this is for my own organizational purposes and is designed purely to help me keep track of all the many black metal bands and albums that I enjoy, since I can't keep all of this information in my head. It has no other benefit whatsoever and will likely result in tantrums should anyone else see it. I'm aware that I haven't listened to every black metal album that I should have. I only went down to the 6s on this list, so it's possible that I have listened to your favorite black metal album that you desperately need to suggest and I thought it was terrible. There are a lot of heinously incompetent black metal bands out there.

On the off-chance that you've found this and actually care about what I think (you shouldn't), be advised that my favorites come first. Some are favorites in the general sense; some are favorites within black metal. The first few of those are in some order and not so much after that.

Because this is for my own purposes and not intended to be a definitive list of pure black metal, there are some black metal-adjacent bands, or albums by black metal bands that may not themselves be black metal. That's why you'll find so much Sigh clogging up the top of the list. I prefer to keep whole discographies together on one list. I used to include Primordial, Forefather, and other such bands, but a while back I created a list for folk and I decided that those artists would fit better there.

I update these lists very infrequently. This was last updated December 7, 2022.

1.Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape

2.Sigh - Graveward

3.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

4.Sigh - Heir To Despair

5.The Meads Of Asphodel - The Murder Of Jesus The Jew

      View entire list ››

1.The Bug - London Zoo

2.Agalloch - The Mantle

3.Sarcófago - I.N.R.I.

4.Cheshyre - Cheshyre

5.Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky

      View entire list ››

These are the 211 essential hard rock/metal albums of the 80's, as were selected by the Greek Magazine "Metal Hammer" (August 2001 issue).

The albums followed by a star are the "must have", whereas the rest albums are the "could have".

1.Angel Witch - Angel Witch

2.AC/DC - Back In Black

3.Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell

4.Diamond Head - Lightning To The Nations

5.Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

      View entire list ››

This list is a guide to the first wave of Black Metal.
Releases here are considered to be a part of the first wave
or they stylistically are similar to the first wave bands.
Some releases are of thrash/death bands but please note that
at the time first wave wasn't really homogeneous style and that
those bands are included cause they were influence to the bands
that will later form Second wave.
Have in mind that First wave ceased to exist somewhere around 1987-1989.
Releases are ordered by release year.
Have fun!

1.Venom - Welcome To Hell

2.Venom - Black Metal

3.Mercyful Fate - Mercyful Fate

4.Slayer - Show No Mercy

5.Mercyful Fate - Melissa

      View entire list ››

OK ... so you have went trough my last list for all of you guitar nerds out there,learned few cool riffs ,probably tried to make a band or just to impress some girl,right? And you rune into new problem - the hot chicks are not into metal,and all your friends are into "grim and frostbitten stuff".So now is the right time to go to the nest level!!!
*As always solos are not part of discussion,
**Anyone who completed previous list should not have to have problems with this one
***ROCK ON !!!

1.Mayhem - Deathcrush

2.Megadeth - Symphony Of Destruction

3.Bolt Thrower - Those Once Loyal

4.Bathory - Return of Darkness and Evil

5.Venom - Countess Bathory

      View entire list ››

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

      View entire list ››

Here are my favorite METAL albums from 1980 to 1989.

1.Mayhem - Deathcrush

2.Sepultura - Schizophrenia

3.Sepultura - Beneath The Remains

4.Faith No More - The Real Thing

5.Tormentor - Anno Domini

      View entire list ››