There are few more passionate fans than metal fans, who adore their chosen genre (and its countless subgenres) like nothing else and will always be up for a chat (read: debate) about the topic.
So, Rolling Stone had a particularly hard task on their hands when it came time to count down their top 100 metal albums of all time, but that’s what they’ve just done – and there are some interesting choices that might have some metalheads a bit dismayed.
Obviously most of the big names are accounted for at least once, with your Sabbaths and Slayers all sitting pretty, but as Brooklyn Vegan notes, Motörhead’s classic Ace Of Spades is nowhere to be found, missing the cut in favour of the likes of Avenged Sevenfold and Evanescence in the bottom two spots.
Their top pick is hard to argue with, although we’re sure some metal fans will regardless. Check out the full list below, or head over to Rolling Stone to check out their full breakdown.
Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time
100. Avenged Sevenfold, ‘City of Evil’ (2005)
99. Evanescence, ‘Fallen’ (2003)
98. Sunn O))), ‘Monoliths & Dimensions’ (2009)
97. Gojira, ‘From Mars to Sirius’ (2005)
96. Kvelertak, ‘Meir’ (2013)
95. Dream Theater, ‘Images and Words’ (1992)
94. Deafheaven, ‘Sunbather’ (2013)
93. White Zombie, ‘La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One’ (1992)
92. Eyehategod, ‘Take as Needed for Pain’ (1993)
91. Naked City, ‘Torture Garden’ (1990)
90. Body Count, ‘Body Count’ (1992)
89. Nightwish, ‘Once’ (2004)
88. Pig Destroyer, ‘Terrifyer’ (2004)
87. Manowar, ‘Hail to England’ (1984)
86. Lamb of God, ‘As the Palaces Burn’ (2003)
85. Darkthrone, ‘Transilvanian Hunger’ (1994)
84. High on Fire, ‘Blessed Black Wings’ (2005)
83. Baroness, ‘The Red Album’ (2007)
82. Entombed, ‘Left Hand Path’ (1990)
81. Bathory, ‘Under the Sign of the Black Mark’ (1987)
80. Ministry, ‘Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs’ (1992)
79. At the Gates, ‘Slaughter of the Soul’ (1995)
78. Voivod, ‘Dimension Hatröss’ (1988)
77. Meshuggah, ‘Destroy Erase Improve’ (1995)
76. Twisted Sister, ‘Stay Hungry’ (1984)
75. Morbid Angel, ‘Covenant’ (1993)
74. Venom, ‘Welcome to Hell’ (1981)
73. Scorpions, ‘Blackout’ (1982)
72. Isis, ‘Oceanic’ (2002)
71. Living Colour, ‘Vivid’ (1988)
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70. Death, ‘Human’ (1991)
69. Soundgarden, ‘Louder Than Love’ (1989)
68. Marilyn Manson, ‘Portrait of an American Family’ (1994)
67. Queensrÿche, ‘Operation: Mindcrime’ (1988)
66. Deftones, ‘White Pony’ (2000)
65. Faith No More, ‘Angel Dust’ (1992)
64. Godflesh, ‘Streetcleaner’ (1989)
63. Sodom, ‘Agent Orange’ (1989)
62. Sleep, ‘Jerusalem’ (1999)
61. Converge, ‘Jane Doe’ (2001)
60. Melvins, ‘Bullhead’ (1991)
59. Napalm Death, ‘From Enslavement to Obliteration’ (1988)
58. Life of Agony, ‘River Runs Red’ (1993)
57. Emperor, ‘Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk’ (1997)
56. The Dillinger Escape Plan, ‘Calculating Infinity’ (1999)
55. Opeth, ‘Blackwater Park’ (2001)
54. Helmet, ‘Meantime’ (1992)
53. Type O Negative, ‘Bloody Kisses’ (1993)
52. Def Leppard, ‘Pyromania’ (1983)
51. Carcass, ‘Heartwork’ (1993)
50. Slipknot, ‘Iowa’ (2001)
49. Neurosis, ‘Through Silver in Blood’ (1996)
48. Rainbow, ‘Rising’ (1976)
47. Slayer, ‘South of Heaven’ (1988)
46. Mastodon, ‘Leviathan’ (2004)
45. Exodus, ‘Bonded by Blood’ (1985)
44. Mötley Crüe, ‘Shout at the Devil’ (1983)
43. Judas Priest, ‘Stained Class’ (1978)
42. Diamond Head, ‘Lightning to the Nations’ (1980)
41. Kyuss, ‘Blues for the Red Sun’ (1992)
40. Mayhem, ‘De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’ (1994)
39. Pantera, ‘Far Beyond Driven’ (1994)
38. Iron Maiden, ‘Powerslave’ (1984)
37. Black Sabbath, ‘Heaven and Hell’ (1980)
36. Van Halen, ‘Women and Children First’ (1980)
35. Metallica, ‘Kill ‘Em All’ (1983)
34. Black Sabbath, ‘Master of Reality’ (1971)
33. Megadeth, ‘Countdown to Extinction’ (1992)
32. Black Sabbath, ‘Sabotage’ (1975)
31. Slayer, ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ (1990)
30. Korn, ‘Korn’ (1994)
29. Sepultura, ‘Chaos A.D.’ (1993)
28. Celtic Frost, ‘Morbid Tales’ (1984)
27. System of a Down, ‘Toxicity’ (2001)
26. Alice in Chains, ‘Dirt’ (1992)
25. Metallica, ‘Metallica’ (1991)
24. Rage Against the Machine, ‘Rage Against the Machine’ (1992)
23. Danzig, ‘Danzig’ (1988)
22. Mötley Crüe, ‘Too Fast for Love’ (1981)
21. Metallica, ‘…And Justice for All’ (1988)
20. Anthrax, ‘Among the Living’ (1987)
19. Megadeth, ‘Rust in Peace’ (1990)
18. Tool, ‘Ænima’ (1996)
17. Mercyful Fate, ‘Melissa’ (1983)
16. Dio, ‘Holy Diver’ (1983)
15. Ozzy Osbourne, ‘Diary of a Madman’ (1981)
14. Black Sabbath, ‘Vol. 4′ (1972)
13. Iron Maiden, ‘Iron Maiden’ (1980)
12. Judas Priest, ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ (1982)
11. Metallica, ‘Ride the Lightning’ (1984)
10. Pantera, ‘Vulgar Display of Power’ (1992)
9. Ozzy Osbourne, ‘Blizzard of Ozz’ (1980)
8. Megadeth, ‘Peace Sells … but Who’s Buying?’ (1986)
7. Motörhead, ‘No Remorse’ (1984)
6. Slayer, ‘Reign in Blood’ (1986)
5. Black Sabbath, ‘Black Sabbath’ (1970)
4. Iron Maiden, ‘The Number of the Beast’ (1982)
3. Judas Priest, ‘British Steel’ (1980)
2. Metallica, ‘Master of Puppets’ (1986)
1. Black Sabbath, ‘Paranoid’ (1970)
