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.Cacophony - Speed Metal Symphony

2.Cadaveria - In Your Blood

3.Caïna - Mourner

4.Caïnan Dawn - F.O.H.A.T.

5.Cain's Offering - Stormcrow

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"CALENDAR MADE OF METAL"
February = Black Metal
Listening to as many albums as possible in said genre during said month and listing them here as I go. Suggestions welcome.

1.Tsjuder - Kill For Satan

2.Lord Belial - Kiss The Goat

3.Satyricon - Dark Medieval Times

4.Enthroned - Prophecies Of Pagan Fire

5.Advent Sorrow - Kali Yuga Crown

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1.Carcass - Surgical Steel

2.Cultes Des Ghoules - Henbane

3.Inquisition - Obscure Verses For The Multiverse

4.Cult Of Fire - मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान

5.Watain - The Wild Hunt

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1.Agalloch - Pale Folklore

2.Agalloch - The Mantle

3.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

4.Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea

5.Ahab - The Boats Of The Glen Carrig

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For many, some of the more extreme types of metal can be challenging to penetrate. I'll admit that my first time listening to Burzum was nearly the equivalent of listening to a buzz-saw. But over time, I found my ears became acclimated, so to speak. All of the beauty and subtlety within became more and more apparent. Now I find listening to Darkthrone to be little different from listening to Vivaldi. Okay, maybe that is an overstatement, but you get the idea. The point of this list to help those looking for a more gradual path from unkvlt to kvlt, if you will. IHopefully it provides some assistance. The top represents some of the more mainstream, well-produced (but still solid) releases, while working your way down results in a stripping away of sound quality, melody, and radio-friendly content. The list ends with a mixture of gritty second wave and mentally challenging avant guarde stuff. This is far from comprehensive, so feel free to hit the forums for some deeper cuts. I also welcome thoughts on reordering as this was no easy task for one set of ears.

1.Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon

2.Melechesh - Enki

3.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

4.Immortal - All Shall Fall

5.Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

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Listen to these today. I limited later Enslaved releases, as they become less and less "black metal" as time goes on. That is not to say you should not check them out.

1.Immortal - Sons Of Northern Darkness

2.Enslaved - Mardraum - Beyond The Within

3.Enslaved - Isa

4.Gorgoroth - Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam

5.Absu - Tara

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This is a list composed by what I think that is raw oriented black metal, but still only albums with a difference are allowed. Basically Atmospheric, Melodic (Not Symphonic), Experimental stuff. I give some brief explanation of what is so different about those albums. Some bands would deserve the entire discography mentioned, so I opted by putting only one album per band.
Some people tend to think that noise black metal is a very different approach to bm, but it's a well consolidated subgenre. Nothing really experimental or different about it. Same goes for raw oriented dsbm. I'm not gonna spam those subgenres unless something really unique is going on.
Moreover, actually the whole purpose of me making this list is getting more ideas of bands, which should appear on the comments, so start recommending stuff.

1.Ekpyrosis - Mensch Aus Gold

2.The Meads Of Asphodel - Damascus Steel

3.Tjolgtjar - Under Command Of Tjolgtjar

4.Urfaust - Der Freiwillige Bettler

5.Arizmenda - Stillbirth In The Temple Of Venus

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Max 2 albums per band.

1.Riverside - Out Of Myself

2.Riverside - Second Life Syndrome

3.Division By Zero - Independent Harmony

4.Behemoth - Demigod

5.Obscure Sphinx - Void Mother

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1.Ghost - Infestissumam

2.Black Sabbath - 13

3.Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy

4.Clutch - Earth Rocker

5.Inquisition - Obscure Verses For The Multiverse

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Maximum three Albums per Year, starting in 1991

1.Bathory - Twilight Of The Gods

2.Master's Hammer - Ritual

3.Samael - Worship Him

4.Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky

5.Immortal - Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism

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My top 50 from 2013. Definitely a triumphant year for death metal. Enjoy, my heathens.

1.Grave Miasma - Odori Sepulcrorum

2.Wormlust - The Feral Wisdom

3.Station Dysthymia - Overhead, Without Any Fuss, The Stars Were Going Out

4.Gorguts - Colored Sands

5.Altar Of Plagues - Teethed Glory & Injury

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