Here they are, in order of year, and order of personal preference within each year. My utterly favourite songs from pre-1980 classics, rendered in my never-really-humble opinion, as everything should be.

Yes, that last bit may have been a touch of sarcasm. But this isn't. With few exceptions, every song on each album that made the list rocks - that's why I've rated them 9 or 10 - but these are my absolute favourites:

1.Deep Purple - Shades Of Deep Purple

2.Neil Young - Neil Young

3.Jethro Tull - This Was

4.Cream - Wheels of Fire

5.The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

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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

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1.Novembre - Wish I Could Dream It Again

2.Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness

3.Metallica - ...And Justice For All

4.Novembre - Arte Novecento

5.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

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