Gotta go with this classic. I really like it when death metal riffs are combined with black metal vocals, and this is also one of the more respected black metal albums.

This was the album that made me realize how important drums are. The drumming is just phenomenal and more interesting than even the riffs at times.

Probably my favorite album ever. It’s just so well crafted with the melodies, keyboards, and some of the best riffs I’ve ever heard. The lyrics are also more interesting than most black metal ones.

Probably the biggest outlier on this list. I miss late 2000s/early 2010s pop music with the synthesizer and interesting instrumentals. That’s why I like some K-pop because it is so much better than modern American pop.

I love Kiss’ whole discography (other than the ballads, lol) but I’ve got to choose this one because it's the heaviest and underrated. This is some of the finest accessible heavy metal I’ve ever heard.

I know Megadeth’s remasters aren’t that great, but the 2004 remaster gives the album the heaviness that it lacked originally. Even though it’s fairly “catchy”, there’s still MANY great riffs and there isn’t a song I dislike on here.

I’m just starting to get into Swedish Death Metal, and of course I had to listen to this one for Dead’s vocals. Solid EP.

This album probably defined my first semester of college. Not because of the weed or anything, but because of how often I talked about it. All my roommates know of this album, and I love forcing people to listen to it.

I am guilty of loving hair metal. Need I say more? Honestly, I just miss how mainstream rock music was actually rock and not all these weird pop-alternative crap nowadays. Hair metal is so fun.

Again, really big outlier here, but there’s some good songs on here for rhythm games and I just remember really loving this album when it came out. I even did my hair like one of the members.

I started really liking Rob Zombie during COVID, and it’s one of the few metal acts that I can bond with a lot of other people with.

If Emperor and Dissection didn’t make it obvious, I love orchestral/melodic metal. Absolutely amazing composition here.

My old punk days… This is still a really cool album. I have a few friends whose mutual music is punk like this.

Reading so much for university has made me listen to a whole bunch of dungeon synth because it’s still interesting, but allows me to work while listening to music.

This was my introduction to Doom/Stoner metal types of riffs. I remember this was like all I could listen to for the first month of University.

I obviously hate Varg, but dang, are the first Burzum albums awesome. I particularly love “Han Som Reiste” as my favorite dungeon synth.

Few people have a voice perfectly made for metal, but Dio is undoubtedly the best of them.

Green Day were who introduced me to music in general when I was 8. I hate their recent stuff, but this is still a great punk album, and very important to me.

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album and immediately went “that’s my jam” as quickly as this. Catchy and fun as hell.

A great 80s hair metal band. Vocals are killer, and I actually have their bassist’s signature model.

Dio is just unmatched in singing. I’ve never heard guitar melodies and vocals just go so perfectly together.

Gaahl’s vocals are just insane. Also has some of the best melodies/riffs from Gorgoroth, IMO.

Kinda breaking my rule with one album per band, but I just love splits. The idea of two of my favorite bands playing covers of each other’s songs and fusing styles is just amazing!

Absolutely the most beautiful and emotional melodies I’ve ever heard in music. I can’t articulate how pretty sounding this album is. I also love the drumming.

I’m actually going to give a joke album some merit because for the entire month of October, this makes me laugh hysterically during a usually rough time in my life.

Not the biggest Maiden fan, but my mom has the first pressing of this on vinyl, and I love listening to it and especially the synth. Also one of my favorite album covers.

I loved punk a lot as a kid, and while a lot of it I realized isn’t good, this is a solid album. Self Esteem is such a staple of 90s music.

One of the better bands to come out of the “hair metal” genre. Sebastian Bach’s vocals are really good, and I even like the ballads.

Undoubtedly my favorite band and album from the American hair metal era. Such good riffs, and seeing WASP live was probably my best concert experience.

The newest addition here. I’ve barely dived into electronic music, but I’ve heard so many metal musicians talk about Tangerine Dream, and I was so pleasantly surprised.