[Music] Essential Metal Albums

[H153]

In this modern age there are countless metal bands (don't believe me, check out the band listing on this site: Encyclopaedia Metallum) and it is sometimes hard to find quality ones. The purpose of this thread it to introduce new listeners of the genre/reintroduce old listeners to the essential metal albums, that every metal fan should know.

I will start off the list with albums I believe are essential, feel free to correct me or suggest more, don't forget to mention the sub genre.

Main genre: orange Fusion genre: blue

Heavy Metal
- Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum (1968)
- Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970) - Paranoid (1970) - Master of Reality (1971)
- Budgie - Budgie (1971) - Never Turn Your Back on a Friend (1973)
- Rainbow - Rising (1976) - Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
- Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) - Sin After Sin (1977) - Stained Class (1978) - British Steel (1980) - Screaming for Vengence (1982)
- Mötorhead - Overkill (1979) - Bomber (1979) - Ace of Spades (1980)
- Riot - Fire Down Under (1981)
- Venom - Welcome to Hell (1981) - Black Metal (1982)
- Manowar - Battle Hymns (1992) - Into Glory Ride (1983) - Hail to England (1984)
- Accept - Restless and Wild (1982) - Balls to the Wall (1983)
- Oz - Fire in the Brain (1983)
- Anvil - Metal on Metal (1982) - Forged in Fire (1983)
- Dio - Holy Diver (1983) - The Last in Line (1984)
- Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath (1984)
- Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory (1985)
- King Diamond - Fatal Portrait (1986) - Abigail (1987)
- Metallica - Metallica (The Black Album) (1991)

New Wave of British Heavy Metal
- Quartz - Quartz (1977)
- Angel Witch - Angel Witch (1980)
- Samson - Head On (1980)
- Saxon - Wheels of Steel (1980) - Strong Arm of the Law (1980)
- Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden (1980) - Killers (1981) - The Number of the Beast (1982) - Piece of Mind (1983) - Powerslave (1984) - Somewhere in Time (1986)
- Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations (1980)
- Grim Reaper - See You in Hell
- Satan - Court in the Act (1983)
- Virtue - We Stand to Fight [Single] (1985)

Doom Metal
- Pagan Altar - Pagan Altar [Demo] (1982)
- Saint Vitus - Saint Vitus (1984)
- Trouble - Psalm 9 (1984) - The Skull (1985)
- Pentagram - Pentagram (1985)
- Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986) - Nightfall (1987)
- Cathedral - Forest of Equilibrium (1991) - The Ethereal Mirror (1993) - The Carnival Bizarre (1995)
- Veni Domine - Material Sanctuary (1994)
- Katatonia - Brave Murder Day (1996)
- Esoteric - The Pernicious Enigma (1997) - Subconscious Dissolution into the Continuum (2004)
- Reverend Bizarre - In The Rectory of the Bizarre Reverend (2002)
- Doomsword - Let Battle Commence (2003)

Thrash Metal
- Metallica - Kill 'Em All (1983) - Ride the Lightning (1984) - Master of Puppets (1986)
- Slayer - Show No Mercy (1983) - Hell Awaits (1985) - Reign in Blood (1986) - South of Heaven (1988) - Seasons of the Abyss (1990)
- Hellhammer - Satanic Rites [Demo] (1983)
- Metal Church - Metal Church (1984) - The Dark (1986)
- Destruction - Infernal Overkill (1985) - Eternal Devastation (1986)
- Exodus - Bonded By Blood (1985) - Fabulous Disaster (1988)
- Overkill - Feel the Fire (1985) - Taking Over (1987) - The Years of Decay (1989)
- Razor - Evil Invaders (1985) - Violent Restitution (1988)
- Possessed - Seven Churches (1985) - Beyond the Gates (1986)
- Anthrax - Spreading the Disease (1985) - Among the Living (1987)
- Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion (1985)
- Whiplash - Power and Pain (1985) - Ticket to Mayhem (1987)
- Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! (1985) - Peace Sell... But Whos Buying? (1986) - Rust in Peace (1990)
- Flotsam and Jetsam - Doomsday for the Deceiver (1986)
- Kreator - Pleasure to Kill (1986) - Terrible Certainty (1987) - Coma of Souls (1990)
- Nuclear Assault - Game Over (1986)
- Dark Angel - Darkness Descends (1986) - Leave Scars (1989)
- Sodom - Obsesed by Cruelty (1986) - Persecution Mania (1987) - Agent Orange (1989)
- Death Angel - The Ultra-Violence (1987)
- Slaughter - Strappado (1987)
- Artillery - Terror Squad (1987)
- Voivoid - Killing Technology (1987)
- Testament - The Legacy (1987)
- Sacrifice - Foward to Termination (1987)
- Sepultura - Schizophrenia (1987)
- Forbidden - Forbidden Evil (1988)
- Morbid Saint - Spectrum of Death (1988)
- Vio-Lence - Eternal Nightmare (1988) - Opressing the Masses (1990)
- Sadus - Illusions (Chemical Exposure) (1988) - Beneath the Remains (1989)
- Annihilator - Alice in Hell (1989)
- Demolition Hammer - Epidemic of Violence (1992)

Crossover Thrash
- Stormtroopers of Death (S.O.D) - Speak English or Die (1985)
- D.R.I - Crossover (1987) - Thrash Zone (1989)

Shock Metal
- GWAR - Scumdogs of the Universe (1990) - Violence has Arrived (2001)

Groove Metal
- Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990) - Vulgar Display of Power (1992) - Far Beyond Driven (1994)
- Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake (2004)

Neue Deutsche Härte
- Rammstein - Mutter (2001) - Völkerball (2007)

Glam Metal
- Mötley Crüe - Too Fast for Love (1981) - Shout at the Devil (1983)
- Quiet Riot - Metal Health (1983)
- Dokken - Tooth and Nail (1984)

Neo-Classical Metal
- Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force (1984) - Marching Out (1985)
- Cacophony - Speed Metal Symphony (1987)
- Marty Friedman - Dragon's Kiss (1988) - Scenes (1992)
- Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn (1988)
- Bob Katsionis - Turn Of My Century (2002)

Power Metal
- Manilla Road - Crystal Logic (1983) - Open the Gates (1985) - The Deluge (1986)
- Fates Warning - The Specter Within (1985) - Awaken the Guardian (1986)
- Helloween - Walls of Jericho (1985) - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I (1987) - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II (1988)
- Cloven Hoof - Dominator (1988)
- Running Wild - Death or Glory (1988)
- Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond (1992) - Imaginations from the Other Side (1995) - Nightfall on Middle Earth (1998)
- Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (1995)
- Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings (1995)
- Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: Part II (1995)
- Grave Digger - Tunes of War (1996) - The Grave Digger (2001)
- Stratovarius - Visions (1997)
- Hammerfall - Glory to the Brave (1997)
- Rhapsody (of Fire) - Legendary Tales (1997) - Symphony of Enchanted Lands (1998)
- Demons and Wizards - Demons and Wizards (1999)
- Kamelot - Karma (2001)
- Dark Moor - The Gates of Oblivion (2002)
- Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath (2003)

Symphonic Metal
- Therion - Vovin (1998)
- Haggard - Awaking the Centuries (2000)

Progressive Metal
- Queensrÿche - Rage for Order (1986)
- Voivod - Nothingface (1987)
- The Gathering - Mandylion (1995) - Nighttime Birds (1997)
- Ayreon - The Final Experiment (1995) - The Human Equation (2004)
- Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory (1999)
- Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors (2002)
- Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance (2002)
- Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane (2002)
- Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated Evolution (2003)
- Ihsahn - The Adversary (2006) - angL (2008) - After (2010)

Instrumental Progressive Metal
- Spastic Ink - Ink Complete (1997)
- Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2 (1999)
- Gordian Knot - Emergent (2002)
- John Petrucci - Suspended Animation (2005)
- Canvas Solaris - The Atomized Dream (2008)

Djent
- Meshuggah - Contradictions Collapse (1991) - Chaosphere (1998)
- Animals as Leaders - Animals As Leaders (2009)
- Chimp Spanner - At The Dream's Edge (2009)

Folk Metal
- Skyclad - The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth (1991) - The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea (1995)
- Primordial - Imrama (1995)
- Moonspell - Woolfheart (1995)
- Falkenbach - ...Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri... (1998)
- Finntroll - Midnattens Widunder (1999)
- Elvenking - Heathenreel (2001)
- Moonsorrow - Voimasta Ja Kunniasta (2001) - Kivenkantaja (2003)
- Korpiklaani - Tales Along This Road (2006) - Tervaskanto (2007)
- Equilibrium - Sagas (2008)
- Eluveitie - Slania (2008)

Industrial Metal
- Ministry - The Land of Rape and Honey (1988) - The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)
- Godflesh - Godflesh [EP] (1988) - Streetcleaner (1989)
- Fear Factory - Soul of a New Machine (1992) - Demanufacture (1995)
- Strapping Young Lad - City (1997)
- The Kovenant - Animatronic (1999)

Death Metal
- Master - Rehearsal Demo [Demo] (1985)
- Death - Scream Bloody Gore (1987) - Leprosy (1988) - Human (1991)
- Autopsy - Severed Survival (1989) - Mental Funeral (1991)
- Bolt Thrower - Realm of Chaos (1989) - Warmaster (1991)
- Carcass - Symphonies of Sickness (1989) - Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious (1991)
- Pestilence - Consuming Impulse (1989)
- Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness (1989) - Blessed are the Sick (1991) - Covenant (1993)
- Entombed - But Life Goes On [Demo] (1989) - Left Hand Path (1990) - Clandestine (1991)
- Obituary - Slowly We Rot (1989) - Cause of Death (1990) - The End Complete (1992)
- Atheist - Piece of Time (1990)
- Carnage - Dark Recollections (1990)
- Deicide - Deicide (1990)
- Incubus - Beyond the Unknown (1990)
- Immolation - Dawn of Possession (1991) - Here in After (1996)
- Gorguts - Considered Dead (1991) - The Erosion of Sanity (1993) - Obscura (1998) - From Wisdom to Hate (2001)
- Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten (1991) - Breeding Spawn (1993) - Pierced From Within (1995)
- Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream (1991)
- Malevolent Creation - The Ten Commandments (1991) - Retribution (1992)
- Unleashed - Where No Life Dwells (1991) - Shadows in the Deep (1992)
- Convulse - World Without God (1991)
- Demigod - Slumber of Sullen Eyes (1992)
- Amorphis - The Karelian Isthmus (1992)
- Afflicted - Prodical Son (1992)
- Cadaver - ...In Pains (1992)
- Asphyx - Last One on Earth (1992)
- Monstrosity - Imperial Doom (1992) - Millenium (1996)
- Demilich - Nespithe (1993)
- Necrophobic - The Nocturnal Silence (1993)
- Edge of Sanity - Purgatory Afterglow (1994)
- Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding (1994)
- Infester - To the Depths, in Degradation (1994)
- Vader - De Profundis (1995)
- Cryptopsy - Ungentle Exhumation [Demo] (1993) - None So Vile (1996)
- Adramelech - Psychostasia (1996)
- Iniquity - Serenadium (1996)
- Decapitated - Nihility (2002) - Organic Hallucinosis (2006)
- Vital Remains - Dechristianize (2003)
- Nile - Annihiliation of the Wicked (2005)

Death Metal/Thrash Metal
- Incubus - Serpent Temptation (1988)
- Pestilence - Malleus Maleficarum (1988)
- Master - Master (1990)

Death Metal/Black Metal
- Deströyer 666 - Six Songs with the Devil [Demo] (1994) - Unchain the Wolves (1997)
- Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane (1995)
- Angelcorpse - Exterminate (1998)
- Behemoth - Thelema.6 (2000) - Demigod (2004)

Death Metal/Progressive Metal
- Atheist - Unquestionable Presence (1991)
- Pestilence - Testimony of the Ancients (1991)
- Cynic - Focus (1993)
- Death - Individual Thought Patterns (1993)
- Dan Swanö - Moontower (1999)
- Opeth - Still Life (1999) - Blackwater Park (2001)
- Edge of Sanity - Crimson II (2003)
- Orphaned Land - Mabool (2004)

Melodic Death Metal
- At the Gates - The Red in the Sky is Ours (1992) - Slaughter of the Soul (1995)
- Carcass - Heartwork (1994)
- In Flames - Lunar Strain (1994) - The Jesters Race (1996) - Whoracle (1997)
- Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery (1995)
- Amon Amarth - Once Sent from the Golden Hall (1998) - Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
- Arch Enemy - Stigmata (1998) - Doomsday Machine (2005)
- Kalmah - Swamplord (2000)
- Wintersun - Wintersun (2004)
- Skyfire - Mind Revolution (2004)
- Mors Principium Est - The Unborn (2005)

Grindcore
- Napalm Death - Scum (1987) - From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988)
- Terrorizer - World Downfall (1989)
- Assück - Anticapital (1991)
- Pig Destroyer - Prowler in the Yard (2001)

Black Metal
- Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) - Blood Fire Death (1987)
- Sarcófago - I.N.R.I (1987)
- Mayhem - Deathcrush [EP] (1987) - Live in Leipzig [Live Album] (1993) - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994)
- Tormentor - Anno Domini (1988)
- Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky (1992) - Under the Funeral Moon (1993) - Transilvanian Hunger (1994)
- Satyricon - Dark Medieval Times (1993) - Nemesis Divina (1996)
- Immortal - Pure Holocaust (1993) - At the Heart of Winter (1998)
- Abruptum - Obscuitatem Advoco Amplectere Me (1993) - In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo, In Aeternum In Triumpho Tenebraum (1994)
- Gorgoroth - Pentagram (1994) - Antichrist (1996)
- Emperor - In the Nightside Eclipse (1994)
- Burzum - Hvis lyset tar oss (1994) - Filosofem (1996)
- Ulver - Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1994)
- Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age (1996) - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue with the Stars (2009)
- Aura Noir - Black Thrash Attack (1996)
- Marduk - Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered (1996)
- Nagelfar - Hünengrab im Herbst (1997)
- Arckanum - Kostogher (1997)
- Dødheimsgard - 666 International (1999)
- Satanic Warmaster - Strength and Honor (2001) - Carelian Satanist Madness (2005)
- Darkspace - Darkspace I (2003) - Darkspace III (2008)
- Deathspell Omega - Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice (2004) - Kénôse (2005) - Fas: Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007)
- Shining - IV: The Eerie Cold (2005) - V: Halmstad (2007)
- Urfaust - Einsiedler [EP] (2009)
- <code> - Resplendemt Grotesque (2009)

Black Metal/Post-Metal
- Empyrium - Songs of Moors and Misty Fields (1997)
- Agalloch - The Mantle (2002) - Ashes Against the Grain (2006)

Progressive Black Metal
- Negură Bunget - Zîrnindu-să (1996) - Om (2006)
-

Melodic Black Metal
- Dissection - The Somberlain (1993)
- Rotting Christ - Thy Mighty Contract (1993) - A Dead Poem (1997)
- Dimmu Borgir - For All Tid (1994) - Stormblåst (1996)
- Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1994)
- Bal-Sagoth - A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria (1995) - Battle Magic (1999)
- Aeternus - ...and So the Night Became (1998)
- Raventhrone - Malice in Wonderland (1998)
- Stormlord - Supreme Art of War (1999)

Symphonic Black Metal
- Summoning - Minas Morgul (1995) - Stronghold (1999) - Oathbound (2006)
- Limbonic Art - Moon in the Scorpio (1996)
- Nokturnal Mortum - Goat Horns (1997)
- Obsidian Gate - The Nightspectral Voyage (1999)
- Sirius - Aeons of Magick (2000)
-

Dark Metal
- Bethlehem - Dark Metal (1994) - Sardonischer Untergang in Zeichen Irreligiöser Darbietung (1998)

Viking Metal
- Bathory - Hammerheart (1990) - Nordland I (2002)
- Enslaved - Vikingligr Veldi (1994) - Frost (1994)
- Borknagar - The Olden Domain (1997)
- Graveland - Following the Voice of Blood (1997)
- Windir - Arntor (1999)
- Thyrfing - Urkraft (2000) - Vansinnesvisor (2002)
- Ensiferum - Iron (2004)

Sludge Metal
- Crowbar - Crowbar (1989)
- Eyehategod - Take as Needed for Pain (1993) - Dopestick (1996)
- Acid Bath - When the Kite String Pops (1994)
- Neurosis - Throug Silver in Blood (1996)
- Iron Monkey - Our Problem (1998)
- Mastodon - Leviathan (2004)

Stoner Metal
- Melvins - Gluey Porch Treatments (1986) - Bullhead (1991) - Houdini (1993)
- Kyuss - Blue for the Red Sun (1992) - Welcome to Sky Valley (1994)

Stoner/Doom Metal
- Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics... (1997) - Dopethrone (2000)
-

Avant-garde Metal
- Ved Buens Ende - Writen in Waters (1995)
- Arcturus - La Masquerade Infernale (1997)
- In the Woods... - Omnio (1997)
- maudlin of the Well - My Fruit Psychobells...A Seed Combustible (1999) - Bath (2001) - Leaving Your Body Map (2001)
- Fleurety - Last Minute Lies [EP] (1999) - Department of Apocalyptic Affairs (2000)
- Virus - Carheart (2003) - The Black Flux (2008) - The Agent that Shapes the Desert (2011)

Goth Metal
- Paradise Lost - Gothic (1991) - Icon (1993)
- Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses (1993)
- Tiamat - Wildhoney (1994)
- My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River (1995)
- Anathema - Eternity (1996)
- The Sins of thy Beloved - Lake of Sorrow (1998) - Perpetual Desolation (2000)

Metalcore
- Converge - Jane Doe (2001)
- Trivium - Ascendancy (2005)

Nu-Metal
-

Post-Metal
- Isis - Oceanic (2002) - Panopticon (2004)
- Pelican - The Fire in Our Thoats will Beckon the Thaw (2005)

This is still a WIP, as you can see some categories hardly have any bands listed and some categories don't exist yet.
If you have any suggestions as to what to add or remove please post them!

[Bluewhale]

Hmm I'd add Katatonia - Brave Murder Day on Doom metal
Behemoth - Demigod, Thelema.6
Satanic Warmaster (Black metal) deserves a few albums mentioned as well. My suggestion is Carelian Satanist Madness.

Deicide - Deicide, Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten, Malevolent Creation - The ten commandments, Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding, should at least be added imo. Spiritual Apocalypse from Monstrosity as 2nd album. That's on death metal.

Manowar is missing as well. I can add more later

Edit:
Satyricon - Nemesis Divina (Black Metal)
Immortal - At The Heart of Winter as 2nd album
Crowbar - Crowbar (Sludge Metal)
Tormentor - Anno Domini (Black Metal)

[Othra]

At the Gates - The Red In The Sky Is Ours.
Necrophagist - Epitaph
The Faceless - Planetary Duality


Edit: Nice to see you added Sarcofago, not many people knows about them and they sure kicked ass back then. \m/

[Palakiller]

-Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990), Vulgar Display of Power (1992), Far Beyond Driven (1994), The Great Southern Trendkill (1996), Reinventing the Steel (2000). (Heavy Metal/Groove Metal, their own words).
-Damageplan - New Found Power (2004). (Heavy Metal/Groove Metal).
-Hellyeah - Hellyeah (2007), Stampede (2009). (Heavy Metal/Groove Metal/Southern Metal).
-Lamb of God - Sacrament (2006), Wrath (2009). (Groove Metal/Metalcore).
-Volbeat - Beyond Hell, Above Heaven (2010)

Might add more later.

[Mechanics]

Dødheimsgard - 666 International - Black Metal
<code> - Resplendent Grotesque - Post-Black Metal or whatever you'd like to call it..

[goneloco]

um... pantera.
how about cowboys from hell, vulgar display of power or far beyond driven?

[MC ALPACA FLAYME]

Death/Melodic Death:
At the Gates - Slaughter of the Soul (pretty much started melodic death as we know it) ((1995))
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God (although I hate AA, this album is undeniably influential) ((2008))
Dark Tranquility - The Gallery (along with Slaughter of the Soul, started melodic death) ((1995))

Black Metal/Post-metal:
Agalloch - The Mantle (started fusing black metal with different instruments while adding a post-metal feel) ((2002))
Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain (Pretty much solidified black metal as we know it) ((2006))
Anaal Nathrakh - In the Constellation of the Black Widow (definitely not post-metal, but this album sets the stage for what aggressive black metal is all about) ((2009))
Isis - Panopticon (NOT black metal, but is considered one of the greatest post-metal albums out there and I'm inclined to agree) ((2004))

Death/Progressive Metal:
Opeth - Blackwater Park (Quintessential Opeth. Everything that is great about progressive metal and death metal all in one) ((2001))
Opeth - Still Life (pretty much the first album to blend death, progressive and folk/acoustic into one epic set of songs) ((1999))
Septic Flesh - The Great Mass (Easily the best album to go to for a fix of dark symphonic death/black) ((2011))

Metalcore (shuddup, it's metal so I suggest getting over it):
August Burns Red - Constellations (in the sea of mediocrity and monotony in metalcore, this album branches greatly to blend some post-metal in with the breakdowns) ((2009))
The Human Abstract - Digital Veil (if it weren't for the title track, this wouldn't even be considered metalcore -- really the first and still original band to truly blend pure classical composition with modern metal/metalcore) ((2011))
Unearth - III: In the Eyes of Fire (the quintessential metalcore album) ((2006))

Grindcore/hardcore:
Converge - Jane Doe (considered one of the best albums of the 2000-2010 decade) ((2001))

Sludge:
Neurosis - The Eye of Every Storm (a lighter, extremely focused take on sludge) ((2004))
Neurosis - A Sun that Never Sets (Sludge with some serious folk influences) ((2001))

For the record, I'm not just listing off my favorite bands. All these albums are critically acclaimed.

And another thing to add, fantastic thread. Haven't seen an album on the list that isn't deserving of a "must listen to" status.

[nbm02ss]

Solid list. I especially like seeing Celtic Frost and Venom not listed under Black Metal. I would add Unleashed "Where No Life Dwells" under Death Metal, and maybe considering adding a "Dark Metal" category, with Bethlehem's "Dark Metal" & "S.U.I.Z.I.D". Folk metal is also a prominent subgenre these days with bands like Falkenbach, Moonsorrow and Thyrfing. Solitude Aeternus "Adagio" for Doom Metal. Impaled Nazarene "Ugra-Kharma" and Carpathian Forest's "Black Shining Leather" would be good additions to Black Metal.

[deviantcultist]

Samael - Lux Mundi at Industrial/Black

[Nastydeath]

maybe some Rammstein as Industrial Metal

[H153]

Hmm I'd add Katatonia - Brave Murder Day on Doom metal
Behemoth - Grom (and maybe some newer album like thelema.6)
Satanic Warmaster (Black metal) deserves a few albums mentioned as well. My suggestion is Carelian Satanist Madness.

Deicide - Deicide, Suffocation - Effigy of the Forgotten, Malevolent Creation - The ten commandments, Cannibal Corpse - The Bleeding, should at least be added imo. Spiritual Apocalypse from Monstrosity as 2nd album. That's on death metal.

Manowar is missing as well. I can add more later

Edit:
Satyricon - Nemesis Divina (Black Metal)
Immortal - At The Heart of Winter as 2nd album
Crowbar - Crowbar (Sludge Metal)
Tormentor - Anno Domini (Black Metal)

How could I forget Tormentor and Manowar, I must be tired.

[nbm02ss]

Oh yeah, and can't forget Cathedral for doom metal. Nevermore and Sanctuary for Thrash Metal.

[Penguin FTW]

Necrophagist - Epitaph

Seconding this, and I'd also recommend:
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Decapitated - Nihility

[farinar]

What about Anvil? Their album Metal on Metal was pretty popular when it came out and was praised by various metal artists. They have also been cited as being an inspiration to both Metallica and some of the bands that followed them. They still kick major ass and many of their albums have been met with praise from critics, but sadly, they never really got their breakthrough. They are mostly known for being the "forgotten metal gods", which is a damn shame. They kicked ass back then and they kick ass nowadays.

[Okacz]

For me a there are 2 milestones in Trash Metal:
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Megaeth - Rust in Peace

[Bluewhale]

Seconding this, and I'd also recommend:
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Decapitated - Nihility

Agreed, both awesome albums.

[Kenom]

Add some Therion. Deathspell Omega, unique auditive experience.

Also, I recommend you guys check out mapofmetal.com .

Add:
- Entombed - But Life Goes On [their first demo, which kicks ass, pure oldschool DM], and change Entombed - Left Hand Pass into Path !
- Some Marduk, doesn't matter which album, they are all good, if you're going to add one before 2004, add another also with Mortuus as vocalist.
- Apruptum - Obscuitatem Advoco Amplectere Me / In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo, In Aeternum In Triumpho Tenebraum
- Enslaved - Frost


And by the way, delete Metalcore, that thing has nothing to do with Metal in general.

Seconding this, and I'd also recommend:
Nile - Annihilation of the Wicked
Decapitated - Nihility

And Organic Hallucinosis [Decapitated]

[Bluewhale]

Obituary - Cause of Death (1990) and The End Complete (1992). (Death Metal)

[H153]

Some great suggestions, keep it up.

Add some Therion. Deathspell Omega, unique auditive experience, but how many can understand the lyrics ?

Also, I recommend you guys check out mapofmetal.com .

Add:
- Entombed - But Life Goes On [their first demo, which kicks ass, pure oldschool DM], and change Entombed - Left Hand Pass into Path !
- Some Marduk, doesn't matter which album, they are all good, if you're going to add one before 2004, add another also with Mortuus as vocalist.
- Apruptum - Obscuitatem Advoco Amplectere Me / In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo, In Aeternum In Triumpho Tenebraum
- Enslaved - Frost


And by the way, delete Metalcore, that thing has nothing to do with Metal in general.

And Organic Hallucinosis [Decapitated]

Lol, for some reason I always remeber the entombed album as pass instead of path, stupid mistake. As for metalcore, it depends on the band, most are more core than metal, so the list wont be long at all. I will leave it on for right now and decide wether I should delete it later.

What about Anvil? Their album Metal on Metal was pretty popular when it came out and was praised by various metal artists. They have also been cited as being an inspiration to both Metallica and some of the bands that followed them. They still kick major ass and many of their albums have been met with praise from critics, but sadly, they never really got their breakthrough. They are mostly known for being the "forgotten metal gods", which is a damn shame. They kicked ass back then and they kick ass nowadays.

I see Forged... as the more important album but I added Metal on Metal too, its a true classic.

Obituary - Cause of Death (1990) and The End Complete (1992). (Death Metal)

Doomy death goodness, how could i leave them out.

[jreg]

Sludge Metal
Through Silver in Blood, Neurosis (1996)

Stoner Metal
Blues for the Red Sun, Kyuss (1992)
Welcome to Sky Valley, Kyuss (1994)

Stoner Metal/Doom Metal
Come My Fanatics..., Electric Wizard (1997)
Dopethrone, Electric Wizard (2000)