I think the Black Album was their intro to a mainstream audience, and had their biggest song on it, so a lot of people think of it as the representative Metallica album, but in my opinion, their albums with Cliff Burton were their best and most important. I don’t think they were ever really the same after Cliff died.
Only have this to add:
A list of essential metal without Manowar is not fit for the purpose. I’d suggest Into Glory Ride, but any album apart from Gods Of War will do.
Manowar bordered on self parody in my opinion, but if you’re going to include them in the pantheon, I’m going to insist on putting Gwar in as well.
Shut up, Beavis!
If you just want something representative of pure thrash, you don’t need Metallica for that. The Black Album was a point where they found (IMHO) a perfect balance between speed and melody. I can’t stand any of the albums that followed it (including Death Magnetic), but it has more depth than the stuff that came before, including Puppets.
You’ll notice I didn’t go so far as to include anything from the W bands (or any hair or glam metal). Not because I think they all sucked (they mostly sucked), but because they’re hard rock bands, not metal.
I think Burton was way overrated, incidentally. Not because he wasn’t a good player, but because the early records were so badly mixed that you can’t really hear him anyway.
I cannot agree that he was overrated. I think that he made significant contributions as a composer, and that he had some harmonic and melodic sensibilities that were amazing.
Sure, but that’s not really what people talk about; they talk about him as a player.
That maybe true from The Triumph Of Steel onwards, but not for the early stuff, and even now I don’t believe it’s intentional parody. I’m also hoping that the re-recording of the debut will inspire them to write some new actual metal songs instead of faffing around with orchestras. Also, if you’re having GWAR, I’m having Lawnmower Deth!
Another vote to leave off the Black Album, not because of the way it sounds, but because its so divisive.
The first wave of Metallica fans jumped ship at this point, and quite a few of the older fans absolutely hate it.
Albums on a “Heavy Metal must have” list should be (as close to possible) universally regarded as masterpieces of the genre.
+1 for the Queensryche *Mindcrime *vote and Motorhead Ace Of Spades.
I’d replace *Mercyful Fate *with King Diamond’s Them
Add Scorpions Blackout.
I’d like to put some KISS in here, but I don’t think they’re really metal. They do put on a hell of a live show, though.
I’ll check back in when I have more to add.
The what now?
Joe
It’s a reference to a sub-genre of /metal/hair bands/the W’s.
Warrant
Winger
Whitesnake (the kings of hair bands)
Wang Tango
White Lion
You can see the pattern. There were a few others, but these are just off the top of my head.
Believe it or not, thst thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed the idea. Thanks.
Joe
Warrant just played in my building last night.
You live at an Applebees?
Joe
Heh, I meant the building where I work. I’m a chef at my city’s convention center, and the building also includes the local Performing Arts Center. A separate entity, but in the same building. Warrant did a concert last night at the PAC, and it was actually something of a scheduling snafu because this was the same weekend we were hosting and feeding the Washington State Winter Special Olympics - 1,400 Special Olympics athletes and support staff in one half of the facility, and a sold-out Warrant show in the other half. Yeah, that made parking fun.
Looking at my original list, I’d be willing to remove either Shout at the Devil or Don’t Break the Oath for my rather glaring omission of Ozzy’s post Sabbath work. I’d probably throw Tribute on there, although Diary of a Madman or Blizzard of Ozz both deserve love.
Yes, I feel shame. ..
Let it be written that he 11th album will be the original Spinal Tap Black album! (not the copycat Metallica one).
That’s more my kind of list! And I’d swap the Metallica album for “Justice for All”.