Favorite 10 Heavy Albums...

Tomorrow all goes dark for a week or so. But as I song I love goes... by the light of the moon...

Alright, so in sort of honor of Brutal Legend and the heavy music kick I have been on... I present my favorite ten heavy albums of all time. Some rules... I judged based on personal preference as well as overall influence and importance. Only one album per band (or else several spots would go to Metallica). Has to be in hard/heavy rock/metal for the most part... no super genre benders. I am not a music critic or musician. I give other albums that are close and a track from the selected. So, in no particular order...

JUDAS PRIEST - BRITISH STEEL

I love Judas Priest. Most of the time. Without a doubt one of the most influential metal bands of all time. This is their best album and one that shows why they are so fun. Songs that are heavy and still manage to be fun... but serious. An album with Living After Midnight and Breaking the Law is a winner already... but the whole album is great.

Honorable mentions: Screaming for Vengeance, Angel of Retribution

Powerful piece: United



MOTORHEAD - ACE OF SPADES

Along with the above mentioned, really a huge catalyst for the genre. Motorhead brought the heavy and the loud. Ace of Spades is hands down their greatest album and one of the best heavy rock albums around. Every song is a killer.

Honorable mentions: Motorizer (yup, 2008's album was a beast)

Powerful piece: the Road Crew


METALLICA - MASTER OF PUPPETS

Maybe the best metal album of all time from their greatest act. One of the best albums from any genre top to bottom. A complete and utter master stroke. Can't say much else. Every song is a killer. On top of the musicianship the album was very topical at the time.

Honorable mentions: ... And Just for All, the Black Album

Powerful piece: The Thing That Should Not Be (top shelf Met meets Lovecraft = one of favorite songs ever)


WHITE ZOMBIE - ASTRO CREEP: 2000

An incredibly heavy and groovy album from Rob and Co. Easily one of my personal favorites. Rob understands showmanship and knows that you can be silly and still write a killer and catchy song. Despite the funk and fun, this album brings the heavy. Every song is a winner.

Honorable mentions: Nothing close in their catalog.

Powerful piece: Electric Head pt 2.. but here is More Human Than Human due to embed issues...


AC/DC - BACK IN BLACK
Band loses an amazing frontman... done? No. They return with Brian Johnson and release a flat out beast of an album. A top to bottom monster of hard rock. All the radio songs and all the rest slay.

Honorable mentions: Nothing in that category, but Razors Edge and Black Ice are both fantastic albums.

Powerful piece: the opener Hells Bells


MASTODON - CRACK THE SKYE

Hey... this one is from this year! I think these guys are the new kings of heavy music. This is their best album, even if it only has 7 songs. Great technical players and song writers who know how to put together a complete album (every time thus far). It is great to know that a group can still push the boundaries and take over the mantle.

Honorable mentions: Blood Mountain

Powerful piece: Oblivion


PANTERA - VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER

The great Southern heavy band (at least until the Don). Funny that these guys started as a glam hair band and went on to define a certain kind of groove oriented heavy. Was hard to decide between this one and Cowboys... but out of respect (har) I went with this one.

Honorable mentions: Cowboys from Hell

Powerful piece: WALK!


GUNS N' ROSES - APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION

Ahh.. GNR. One of the most powerful debuts ever... and then proceeded to go off the rails almost immediately. Regardles, Appetite stands as an amazing achievement in hard rock. Yes, the band members have issues... but don't tell me you don't want to be taken to the paradise city.

Honorable mention: nope.

Powerful piece: It's So Easy... why not.


MEGADETH - RUST IN PIECE

I used to like this band... then I didn't... now I do again. Regardless, easily at the top of the speed metal game with only Metallica in their way. Rust in Peace is a great album and one of the shining examples in this genre. Mustaine is always killing it on guitar and always has something political to say, which I can respect.

Honorable mentions: Countdown to Extinction, Endgame (new album is great)

Powerful piece: Holy Wars... The Punishment Due


BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID

A fantastic album from a fantastic band... the album came out in 1970... 1970. Seriously. The closest we get to that on my list is Ace of Spades, Back in Black and British Steel... all 1980 (what a year!). The group's second album and amazingly in top form. Paranoid and Iron man... oh yeah. Group sort of did the opposite of Judas Priest... Sabbath exploded out and then fizzled after 4 albums... Priest took about 4 albums to really warm up in the first place. Other fun fact... both bands were formed in the same English city (Birmingham) about a year apart (68-69)... what was in the water there.

Honorable mention: I'll go... Master of Reality

Powerful piece: War Pigs