Metal Storm logo
Top lists


Order by:  Date | Popularity | Show all



Thumbs up: +5
Top 30 Heavy Metal Albums

Heavy Metal (like most people I imagine) was one of the first metal genres I got into around 2005. My friend introduced me to Iron Maiden and from there I was hooked! He would recommend me which of their albums to buy each month from HMV with my saved up pocket money (one of the highlights of the month). Thanks to MS, I've now discovered many more incredible heavy metal bands such as Judas Priest, Deep Purple and King Diamond.

So here are my favourites of the genre with my rating, its sub-genre and release year:

(Score is an average of each album's song ratings, full list located here)

If you discovered any new albums or like the same sort of heavy metal, be sure to give this list a thumbs-up and leave a comment so more people can find these amazing bands!

My other lists:
Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 25 EPs (also ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
Top 200 Overrated Albums (trigger warning)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)

1.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
2.Metallica - Metallica
3.Iron Maiden - Powerslave
4.Judas Priest - Painkiller
5.Deep Purple - Machine Head

      View entire list ››
Created by nonZero on 11.03.2024



Thumbs up: +4
Top 200 Metal Releases Of All Time

I have finally caved in and made a top 200 list. The main focus here is metal, so no Rush, no King Crimson, Deep Purple, or GY!BE are in the list, but I do still love those bands and others that could have qualified.
The list mostly contains albums, but some EPs, demos, splits, and compilations are also featured every now and then. I also tried to avoid including demos or EPs that were too short but there’s still a few of them.
Enjoy!

1.Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
2.Windir - Arntor
3.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane
4.Sigh - Hangman's Hymn: Musikalische Exequien
5.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

      View entire list ››
Created by Roman Doez on 21.02.2024



Thumbs up: +2
The Top Albums Of Ch'ti

This is my top albums (only with those where I gave 8 or more). I will update the list now and then

1.Slipknot - Iowa
2.Megadeth - Rust In Peace
3.Opeth - Ghost Reveries
4.Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja
5.Slipknot - Slipknot

      View entire list ››
Created by Ch'ti on 06.02.2024



Thumbs up: +2
THE METAL BIBLE Part II: The 80s

Welcome to what I consider the "1980s Metal Bible" or in other words, a list of records of various genres in the arrays of Metal and Hard Rock that I deem essential or at least very recommended to listeners of hard and heavy music. In this second part we conquer the mighty decade that many deem as the classic decade of Metal. This and the other parts of this journey through the decades may be a very overwhelming list. I essentially try to collect all albums in the History of Metal that strike me as worthwhile. May this be a guideline for people that seek for an entrance to a particular genre or certain bands. In no means I am saying, that this list is indisputable by any means. I consider these my personal picks for albums that should be listened to by die-hard metal fans at least once. Hopefully you can discover some new music or relate with my picks. If I missed something that you would include in such a list, please tell me in the form of a comment. Enjoy! \,,/

1.Tygers Of Pan Tang - Wild Cat
2.Krokus - Metal Rendez-Vous
3.Witchfynde - Give 'Em Hell
4.Angel Witch - Angel Witch
5.Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard Of Ozz

      View entire list ››
Created by pandrstudios on 02.06.2023



Thumbs up: +7
Making My Way Through The MS Top 200

The MS top 200 is supposed to represent the absolute peak of metal music, the timeless classics. I have been listening to metal for about 6 years now and would consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the genre. Yet, I have barely heard half of what the top 200 has to offer. I am now on a quest to listen to it all and give an honest opinion on what I thought of it.
This list will show every album of the top 200 and if I've listened to it whether it's an all-time favourite of mine (+++), I really like it (++), I like it (+), it’s good (*), it’s not great (-), I really dislike it (--) or I hate it from the bottom of my heart (---). The same symbols will be used to characterize what I think my opinion of the albums I haven't heard yet will be, based on my knowledge of the bands and of the genre they play. (?) signifies that I have no idea of whether I'll enjoy it or not and (/) means that my opinion of the album is probably obsolete, and I need to listen to it again. A ★ means the album is in my own top 200.
Edit: The bottom of the top 200 has been changing a lot, with some stuff formerly in the list now closer to 240th, so this is now a top 250. I’m not sure I want to expand the list further down, but I’ll see whenever it’s completed if I feel like going for a top 300 or something like that.
Best discoveries so far: Wildhoney, Nightfall, Out Of Myself, Portal Of I, Autumn Aurora, Nemesis Divina, Abigail, V: Hävitetty, Sounds Of Pain.

1.
2.
3.W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol
4.Saturnus - Veronika Decides To Die
5.Ensiferum - Ensiferum

      View entire list ››
Created by Roman Doez on 13.04.2023



Thumbs up: +1
Mixed Discography Ranking - Maiden, Priest, And Sabbath

This is the most unquestionably difficult ranking I could undertake. The # of albums I consider borderline flawless from each of these bands is ridiculous. Over a dozen albums from these 3 bands have legitimate arguments to be considered the greatest traditional heavy metal album of all time.

I have a few rankings that are likely hot takes here
** Yes, I like Dance of Death more than most folks. Title track and Paschendale are both top 10 Maiden songs, and Montsegur is only a small step behind that. Those 3 songs are better than anything on Brave New World to me, but the rest of BNW is better and higher quality.
** Yes I kinda like Turbo. It's silly but it's fun and the guitar work and Rob's vocals are absolutely stellar. That kinda sucks about Ram It Down, it's got some of Priests' best lead guitar work and I don't think Rob ever sounded better, but dear lord, some of those songs...
As for the top 6 albums here, honestly put them in whatever order you want. They're that close to me and mood depending it could change

1.Black Sabbath - Paranoid
2.Judas Priest - Painkiller
3.Iron Maiden - Powerslave
4.Black Sabbath - Sabotage
5.Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance

      View entire list ››
Created by sgtrobo on 09.04.2023



Thumbs up: +2
Great Album Covers 👍👍👍

A list of my favorite album covers

1.Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
2.Mercyful Fate - Melissa
3.Slayer - Reign In Blood
4.Motörhead - Motörhead
5.Iron Maiden - Powerslave

      View entire list ››
Created by Blackcrowe on 31.03.2023



Thumbs up: +8
Metal Songs And Albums That Inspired The Names Of Other Bands

This is an alphabetical list of metal songs and albums that inspired the names of other artists.

Please feel free to suggest more examples.



1.Amebix - No Sanctuary: The Spiderleg Recordings
2.Anathema - Alternative 4
3.Arch Enemy - Black Earth
4.Architects - Ruin
5.Bathory - Under The Sign Of The Black Mark

      View entire list ››
Created by Plattner on 10.03.2023



Thumbs up: +1
My Must Listen Albums

1.Agalloch - Pale Folklore
2.Agalloch - The Mantle
3.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain
4.Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea
5.Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

      View entire list ››
Created by P3YM4N on 12.12.2022



Full Album Reactions On The Metal Junkie Youtube Channel

All of the albums that I did full reactions of on my Youtube channel, The Metal Junkie. link here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMetalJunkie/featured

1.Death - Symbolic
2.Rush - Hemispheres
3.Judas Priest - Defenders Of The Faith
4.Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell
5.Rammstein - Mutter

      View entire list ››
Created by Coolingsrock on 02.12.2022



Black Sabbath Album Rankings

1.Black Sabbath - Paranoid
2.Black Sabbath - Sabotage
3.Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
4.Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
5.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

      View entire list ››
Created by sgtrobo on 18.11.2022



Thumbs up: +2
Starting On Metal? A Beginner’s List

So … you want a start listen Metal and you don’t know how to start? Then this list is for you.

1.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
2.Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast
3.Saxon - Denim And Leather
4.Rush - 2112
5.Van Halen - 1984

      View entire list ››
Created by Blackcrowe on 14.09.2022



Thumbs up: +2
TheJahrhead's Totally Biased Personal Favorites

1.Megadeth - Rust In Peace
2.Disforia - The Age Of Ether
3.Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
4.Ayreon - The Theory Of Everything
5.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

      View entire list ››
Created by TheJahrhead on 03.09.2022



Thumbs up: +3
Black Sabbath Ranked

1.Black Sabbath - Paranoid
2.Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell
3.Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
4.Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
5.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

      View entire list ››
Created by ScreamingSteelUS on 05.08.2022



Thumbs up: +1
1001 Metal Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

Welcome to what I consider the "1001 Metal Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" or in other words, a list of records of various genres in the arrays of Metal and Hard Rock that I deem essential or at least very recommended to listeners of hard and heavy music. This may be a very overwhelming list but I essentially try to collect all albums in the History of Metal that strike me as worthwhile. May this be a guideline for people that seek for an entrance to a particular genre or certain bands. In no means I am saying, that this list is indisputable by any means. I consider these my personal picks for albums that should be listened to by die-hard metal fans at least once. Hopefully you can discover some new music or relate with my picks. If I missed something that you would include in such a list, please tell me in the form of a comment. Enjoy! \,,/

1.High Tide - Sea Shanties
2.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
3.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
4.Sir Lord Baltimore - Kingdom Come
5.Josefus - Dead Man

      View entire list ››
Created by pandrstudios on 31.05.2022