This is very simple, I took the ratings for a bunch of alternative metal albums on MS and ranked them accordingly

To qualify:
The album must have been released when the band was labelled as "Alternative Metal" by MS. So for example the three most recent Gojira albums count, but early Gojira does not.

The band must have more than 10 fans on MS

Therefore this is not a reflection of my opinions, rather a reflection of numbers so if you wanna get mad, get mad at the numbers, not me. And remember that this really isn't that serious

1.Mass Hysteria - Contraddiction

2.Tool - Lateralus

3.The Butterfly Effect - IV

4.Tool - Ænima

5.Mass Hysteria - Le Bien-Être Et La Paix

      View entire list ››

1.Shylmagoghnar - Emergence

2.Galneryus - Angel Of Salvation

3.Blindead - Affliction XXIX II MXMVI

4.Batushka - Litourgiya

5.Leprous - Bilateral

      View entire list ››

An ongoing list for personal use as well as for reference for beginners (& veterans alike). This is solely my personal opinion and taste (Death & Prog mostly but do give every genre a try). Basically will include albums I've rated 8 & above. Sorted by year since I'll need a Venn diagram to sort by genre (seriously MS please make it happen if possible). Will feature multiple releases per year (obviously) and per band (since if a band is putting out better albums it deserves more recognition). Keeping the metal faith alive from India

1.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

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

3.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III

4.Black Sabbath - Paranoid

5.Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself

      View entire list ››

This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.Jacobs Dream - Jacobs Dream

2.Jambinai - Onda

3.James LaBrie - Static Impulse

4.Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn

5.Jassa - Lights in the Howling Wilderness

      View entire list ››

Updated 14.4.2024

My rather personal and improvised take on the subject matter. The list is pretty wage, I'll be updating it a lot and the order might vary a little depending on some things, but they're all great and awesome records no matter what. If there are some great records missing, that doesn't necessarily mean I consider them bad, maybe I just forgot about them or just haven't listened to them enough to consider them personal favourites.

Limited to metal and rock albums found on Metal Storm. Most of them (at least 90%) are anyway, so doesn't matter. The absent ones are mostly more pop and synth oriented stuff and some really obscure jazz and fusion albums.

1.Marillion - Marbles

2.Anathema - Weather Systems

3.Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

4.Moonsorrow - Voimasta Ja Kunniasta

5.Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja

      View entire list ››

Tool is probably my favourite band,
And because I am not very positive that they'll drop a new Album this year (or this century...) I want to share some good music with a Tool-vibe.
Please keep in mind that I don't want to reduce the following bands efforts to their similarity to Tool.
Suggestions are welcome.

1.Lucid Planet - Lucid Planet

2.Soen - Cognitive

3.Rishloo - Feathergun

4.Prisma - You Name It

5.Source (USA) - Return To Nothing

      View entire list ››

Back when I joined the site in 2011, I did a customary top 100 album list. Every year since then, when I've looked back at it it's become increasingly unrecognisable from my own tastes. Seeing bands I once listened to daily vanish from my playlists, new bands emerge as favourites, and bands even come and go in my reckonings during that time period (Iced Earth, Alcest, even Pain Of Salvation and more certainly peaked in my listening habits around 2011-12 to slowly vanish into obscurity). Now that it's just gone 5 years since I did that list, I thought I might do an updated list just to see how much my tastes have shifted. Whilst compiling the list, I pretty much worked on gut instinct, which was weird as I found myself almost disregarding albums I know I like whilst promoting albums I'm honestly undecided on - it almost seemed to veer away from album quality at times to embracing a subconscious effect the albums have had. Anyway, here it is, plus some honorable mentions that I was surprised missed out.

1.Dream Theater - Images And Words

2.Sylosis - Monolith

3.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

4.Agalloch - The Mantle

5.Protest The Hero - Kezia

      View entire list ››

A bunch of albums with a big circle on the cover

1.Karnivool - Sound Awake

2.Skyclad - The Silent Whales Of Lunar Sea

3.Death - Scream Bloody Gore

4.Pentagram - Pentagram

5.Russian Circles - Empros

      View entire list ››

1.Karnivool - Sound Awake

2.Opeth - Blackwater Park

3.Angra - Temple Of Shadows

4.Tool - Lateralus

5.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

      View entire list ››

Well, it's been over 8 years since their last album, at it this rate it may be over a decade. While we are waiting, here are some other bands with a similar sound to check out. Also don't forget to check out Maynard's other projects, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer.

1.Soen - Cognitive

2.Deftones - White Pony

3.Karnivool - Sound Awake

4.Chevelle - Point No. 1

5.September Sky - Bright Sides to Dark Days

      View entire list ››

1.Opeth - Blackwater Park

2.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

3.Green Carnation - Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness

4.Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja

5.Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet

      View entire list ››

1.Katatonia - Night Is The New Day

2.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

3.Insomnium - Across The Dark

4.Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition

5.Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs

      View entire list ››

My top 50 albums of all time.

1.Dream Theater - Images And Words

2.Judas Priest - Painkiller

3.Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death

4.Iron Maiden - Brave New World

5.Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime

      View entire list ››

The following are my favorite Metal releases this year, I might edit this list as/if I discover albums that are worthy of a spot. So enjoy, and check the following albums if you didn't already. It's a long list, well because I decided to list all the albums I enjoyed + this list is for myself more than anyone

1.Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

2.Hooded Menace - Never Cross The Dead

3.Procession - Destroyers Of The Faith

4.Alcest - Écailles De Lune

5.Necrite - Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

      View entire list ››

These are my 20 favorite albums ever. There is a lot of a prog here, which is my favorite genre.

My taste isn't exactly defined yet, but that's because I'm still young.

1.Dream Theater - Images And Words

2.Porcupine Tree - In Absentia

3.Tool - Lateralus

4.Riverside - Second Life Syndrome

5.Opeth - Blackwater Park

      View entire list ››