A list of quality sophomore releases.

1. Agalloch - The Mantle

2. Alice In Chains - Dirt

3. Anthrax - Spreading the Disease

4. Asphyx - Last One On Earth

5. Atheist - Unquestionable Presence

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It's the baddest, the most agressive and the most pure Heavy Metal subgenre... Thrash Metal!

1. Slayer - Reign in Blood

2. Metallica - Ride the Lightning

3. Metallica - Kill 'Em All

4. Death - Leprosy

5. Anthrax - Among the Living

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My personal top of Death albums.

1. Death - Individual Thought Patterns

2. Death - The Sound Of Perseverance

3. Death - Symbolic

4. Death - Human

5. Death - Spiritual Healing

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RANKING CRITERIA :

1. Originality

2. Songwriting

3. Historical value

4. Performance

1. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

2. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

3. Deep Purple - In Rock

4. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

5. Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

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They were the best of times, they were the worst of times. Then thrash kicked glam out of the way, and once again, it was the best of times. Aside from #15 and 16, albums here with an even number of tracks mentioned score highly 9/10. All others get top marks from me.

Diamond Head's debut came close. Powerslave may yet make an appearance (or two). Rory G / Box of Frogs almost made the list, but I listened to the CDs again only to find they're actually rather Average...

1. Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

2. Jeff Beck - There and Back

3. Iron Maiden - Killers

4. Metallica - Kill 'Em All

5. Dio - Holy Diver

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1. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime

2. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

3. Slayer - South Of Heaven

4. Death - Leprosy

5. Metallica - ...And Justice For All

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This my opinion on the best to worst Death albums (subject to change).

1. Death - The Sound of Perseverance

2. Death - Human

3. Death - Symbolic

4. Death - Leprosy

5. Death - Individual Thought Patterns

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Some of these albums are known just when you see their album cover. They are usually iconic albums (whether positively or negatively) and one can easily identify them even if they were zoomed out tons in any place.

Please contribute to this list by suggesting albums you think have iconic covers. Comments are appreciated.

1. Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness

2. Immortal - At The Heart Of Winter

3. Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse

4. Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

5. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

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Bands listed alphabetically, One album per band (With the exception of Carcass and Napalm Death who appear in the Grind and Death Metal sections). Some bands may not be pure old school (Death / Thrash, Doom Death / Death Doom and early Brutal / Technical Death Included) I have also Included some of the more extreme Thrash releases that pre-dated the genre but undoubtedly help pave the way for things to come, I included these as I wish to give a general summary of the way Death Metal began and evolved throughout the 80's and 90's.

1. Old School Death Metal (Late 80's - 90's)

2. Abhorrence - Abhorrence [EP]

3. Acrostichon - Engraved in Black

4. Adramelech - Psychostasia

5. Afflicted - Prodigal Sun

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These my all time favorite albums.
Not in a particular rank

1. At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul

2. Children Of Bodom - Tokyo Warhearts

3. Cradle Of Filth - Dusk... And Her Embrace

4. Death - Leprosy

5. Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

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1. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

2. Iron Maiden - Powerslave

3. Metallica - Master Of Puppets

4. Slayer - Reign In Blood

5. Mercyful Fate - Don't Break The Oath

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1. Death - Symbolic

2. Death - Human

3. Death - The Sound of Perseverance

4. Death - Leprosy

5. Death - Individual Thought Patterns

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1. Necrophagist - Onset Of Putrefaction

2. Death - Leprosy

3. Cryptopsy - None So Vile

4. Nile - Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka

5. Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness

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1. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son

2. Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II

3. King Diamond - Them

4. Metallica - ...And Justice For All

5. Anthrax - State Of Euphoria

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1. Death - Scream Bloody Gore

2. Death - Leprosy

3. Death - Symbolic

4. Death - Human

5. Death - The Sound of Perseverance

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