Requiem

Oh man what a Dio collection. This is great. Ozzy's solo career is some of my favourite music ever, and that bootleg that you speak of sounds amazing. I might have to keep an eye out for 'Let's Get Crazy' on ebay. I love Jake E Lee too and the Ozzy era from 1980 to 1988 is pretty untouchable for me (although of course I love 'Tears' and even 'Ozzmosis' too). I have to track down that bootleg.

Can't believe you split Sabbath's albums up! I would never do that, but I understand that if you're being as specific as having a 70s/classic rock section differentiated from a regular heavy metal section, then I can see why you do it. Still, I think it would look awesome to look at the collection and see this mass of Black Sabbath CDs all together. As you have probably seen from my photo earlier in this thread, I don't actually have that many (although 'Dehumanizer was left out of the picture...). I'm waiting for the Tony Martin albums to be re-released. I really hope they make this happen soon! Bobby Dall's book sounds awesome. I'd get it but i can't find any reference to its existence. What's the actual title?

I'm no Korn expert, but that guy is definitely not the original Korn drummer. The original guy is called David Silvera or something like that. This current drummer only joined the band in 2010 or something. He's obviously a talented drummer, but he hardly personifies nu-metal or is in any way an originator of anything.

Three pints of various ales at a restaurant. That's what I want to do!

I'm afraid you have to take my death metal list with a few shakes of salt, as I've never been a real fan of "life-affirming death metal". Hence my confidence and knowledge of albums doesn't run much past the mainstream. Death metal has never been my bag and to be honest its popularity never quite made sense to me. It's cool though. That Carcass album is killer but I can see how people a bit more in the know might raise an eyebrow or two. I recognise it would be a bit like as if Emperor put out a new decent album and someone put it above 'Anthems' and 'Nightside'. I've made a mistake though - I've put 'Nemesis Divina' much too high. I'm going to edit the post as it's bothering me...

You didn't think I was going to overlook this classic little call, did you?

Moonspell - 'Memorial'

Looks like the Requiem show in this thread at the moment, but I have to carry on in honour of NTNR and BlutAusNerd. I'm waiting to read some of the lists from @True Belief and @Skull_Kollektor. That's right, I'm looking in your directions, chaps Requiem's Top 10 Albums of 2006 10. Summoning - 'Oath Bound' As I was putting this list together I just kept discovering so many great albums that kept knocking my original choices out of the top ten, such as Keep of Kalessin, Blind Guardian, Satyricon and even Cradle of Filth, but I'm glad Summoning stayed. This album is otherworldy (of course) and just something that you can immerse yourself in. Repetitive Tolkien marching metal. It's basically an hour of music to march around Middle-Earth to, and that's alright by me. 9. Drudkh - 'Blood in Our Wells' Not quite as transcendent as 'Autumn Aurora', but this album is brilliant. Folkish black metal with true Eastern European sorrow seeping through every moment. So glad I never fucking lived there... 8. My Dying Bride - 'A Line of Deathless Kings' This album is a lot better than you and I remember it. I think we just remember that crappy photoshopped album cover. What the hell were they thinking? But the songs themselves are actually really high class MDB. 'Thy Raven Wings' for instance is a classic. Too bad this album gets overlooked. 7. Insomnium - 'Above the Weeping World' Boom and these guys are in the zone. Songs like 'Mortal Share' and 'The Killjoy' have riffs that just wring the tears out and send chills down the spine while being upbeat and rocking. It's quite a talent they have. Their first album with a 'proper' production which may or may not put you off. 6. To/Die/For - 'Wounds Wide Open' Their last great album and the close of a gothic metal pop legacy that brought joy to many. A killer, killer album. Tracks like 'Like Never Before' and 'Liquid Lies' are some of the catchiest music you'll here in any genre. 5. Kampfar - 'Kvass' The best Kamfar album, this has some fantastic riffs and a stunning atmosphere. Beautiful album art too. I go back to this black metal classic all the time. It makes me want to stand shirtless in the snow, if we ever got any around here. 4. Katatonia - 'The Great Cold Distance' My bois. This album actually took 10 years to grow on me until I realised what a classic it actually is. Of course I've always enjoyed the hits like 'My Twin' but what I initially thought were filler tracks are actually really good. 'Journey Through Pressure' is easily their most underrated song, with some stunning, stunning lyrics. And if they had have included 'Unfurl' on the album proper instead of as a bonus track later on, this would have made it to number 1. 3. Moonspell - 'Memorial' A huge and jaw-dropping return to full epic gothic metal. This is the year that these guys and some Fins on this list (see next entry) said 'to hell with it' and actually put out proper metal albums. 'Memorial' is still my favourite Moonspell album since 1996's 'Irreligious'. It's just hit after hit on 'Memorial' and I highly recommend it to everyone. 2. Amorphis - 'Eclipse' Wow. The addition of Tomi Joutsen is about the best thing any band has ever done in the history of music. Like Moonspell, Amorphis brought back the growls, brought back the pace, brought back the upbeat melodies that stay with you for days, months. They even brought back the lyrics from their Finnish historical past. This album blew me away when it came out after their lame rock phase, and I thanked the metal gods then and I thank them now. 1. Dissection - 'Reinkaos' Well, here it is. I still have a longsleeve shirt from back in this era that says 'Fear the Return' on it in anticipation of this album. Jon Nodtveidt is released from jail and confounds the metal world by not making 'Storm of the Lights Bane' part 2, but instead making this melodic album. The thing is, this album is magikkal. The riffs are imbued with some kind of power that I can't explain. Anti-cosmic metal of death. Album of the year.

Nice Burzum vibe with some 'Filosofem' style effects on the vocals! I really like this but I agree with Will when it comes to the drums. Because they're programmed, that hammering snare sound from about 1:50 is a touch too artificial and I'd prefer it turned down. Turn those programmed drums well down and let the great riffs and cool vocals do the talking. I'd even back off some of the effects on the vocals - not by much but just a bit. Never thought I'd be one of those "do this, do that" type of guys. Sorry... Obviously do whatever you like hahaha. Good work Salmo - keep them coming!

I'm going out of my comfort zone here by doing a death metal list. I'm not going to include my melodeath favourites as they'll appear in a list soon enough and everyone knows they're for wimps and poser anyway. No, for this list I'm going with proper death metal (hopefully). It's not a genre I'm huge on, but 25 years in metal you accumulate a few classics over the years. So without further ado, I present to you... Requiem's Top 10 Death Metal Albums 10. Sentenced - 'North From Here' Part of me loves this because it's Sentenced, part of me admires the complex riffs and arrangements, part of me thinks this is a terrible mess and thank the gods they came good later on... 9. Nile - 'Black Seeds of Vengeance' I love the Egyptian theme and it makes the music so much fun to listen to. Impressive vocals, impressive musicianship. Brilliant stuff. 8. Morbid Angel - 'Domination' If I was a true death metal fan I'd have 'Altars of Madness' here, right? Well, I'm not, and songs like 'Dominate' and 'Where the Slime Live' are amazeballs. 7. Death - 'Symbolic' Pretty melodic, but this still counts. I love Chuck's vocals and the production here is cool. Some superb tracks here. 6. Dismember - 'Like an Everflowing Stream' I love the Swedish death metal sound, and this album pretty much sums it up. Not as hooky as I would like, but there is plenty to love about this album. 5. Nile - 'In their Darkened Shrines' Some great Egyptian epics here and some nice traditional instrument moments that give this great flavour. I love Nile's lyrics too. I'm a big lyrics fan. 4. Morbid Angel - 'Covenant' Great riffs, great guitar tone. Great cover. Just a really good album that I still put on every now and then. 3. Amorphis - 'The Karelian Isthmus' Amorphis are one of my favourite all time bands, and while in my opinion they go on to much higher levels of greatness this album is very listenable and awesome. Dinky as shit lyrics though. 2. Dismember - Massive Killing Capacity I know the band have sort of disowned the apparent weakness of this album, but I love this. I think it's the first death metal album I ever bought, back when it came out in 1995. So catchy. It's death metal pop without being melodeath. Fun fact: I know every word of every song due to getting this in the days when you would sit on your bed in the 90s and read the lyrics over and over again. 1. Carcass - 'Surgical Steel' I'm calling this death metal and I'm calling it an out and out classic. Goddamn what an album. Everything about it rules.

Rotting Christ - Rituals What an amazing album. I can't believe bands are producing such amazing music in the current age. So many bands are producing 10/10 albums these days.

I've deleted most of your post in my reply so it doesn't fill up the whole page, because I wanted to write to say WOW. That is nothing short of impressive my friend. I can't believe you have all those hair metal albums. That's just brilliant. It's a bold move separating bands as well. I face that dilemma with some bands who have both black metal and gothic metal albums (like Rotting Christ) and other bands like Ulver who have some black metal and some completely different music. I end up keeping them together and going with what is most represented. For this reason both Rotting Chris and Ulver are kept in my black metal section - as you can see from my photo on page 1 or 2. Also, I noticed that you don't have 'Appetite for Destruction' tucked away in your Guns n Roses collection. Is it currently in your car or something? Also, did you stop buying Motley Crue albums after 'Dr Feelgood'? 'Saints of Los Angeles' is a classic Crue album and I can't imagine you not liking it. Unless one of those Japanese looking CDs after 'Dr Feelgood' are Motley Crue albums? Look at all this I need more Ratt and Alice Cooper. Actually, I need some Ratt, as I don't actually have a Ratt CD. Ha, looks familiar! As i mentioned, my copy of 'The Death Archives' is in the mail. I'm pumped for it.

If only you had taken their animals to suck their blood rather than your sordid practices!

I just spat my lemon lime and bitters and soda water all over my macbook. Hilarious post GoGo. I was just thinking the same thing about Skully's lack of avatar when I read it too. Well, not the underwear thing, but I was wondering why he doesn't have a pic haha.

I had no idea he played on 'Long Cold Winter'. God I love that album. I just searched the net to find some info and apparently he was one of three drummers filling in for Fred Coury. Well there you go.

Yeah, I was just being poetic. I don't mind how people store and listen to their music. It takes all sorts to make a world. I'm looking forward to your lists, especially death and doom if they ever materialise.

Sorry, I've only just noticed the DC books ;). I read a lot of DC comics and have a pretty decent little collection going - ever increasing now that the Rebirth trade paperbacks are coming out. Nice stuff. Love 'Year One'.

Overrated but sort of good.

deathstorm has more subs than the Russian navy. Tonight the infernal clan of undead nekromancers from hell headed to the local Chinese enclave and ate at one of our favourite restaurants. The menu included: Pork dumplings, spring onion pancake, deep fried pork chop, fried rice. Washed down with several cups of Chinese tea. I communed with the wise Chinese elders, prayed to our ancestors and left enlightened.

Yeah, that's because Cozy demanded to be co-leader of Black Sabbath. Check out the video for 'Headless Cross', it's all Cozy hahaha. Dio didn't want to join a band where he had to take orders from the drummer. It wouldn't have worked, Cozy, Ronnie and Tony. Too many chiefs and not enough native Americans.

Hope you feel better soon. I've got a cold but it hasn't sent me to my bed just yet. Steer clear of those humans. All of my lists in the 'Top 10 of Any Given Year' thread and this one are owned in physical copy by Requiem exclusively. Trying to 'own' a digital copy is like trying to own the wind in the trees, or the love of an unrequited inamorata.

'Blood...' took a lot longer to get into and even now it doesn't resonate with me like 'AA' does. 'AA' is amazing. I thought this thread could be cool because people could list their favourites in all sorts of genres.

Requiem's Top 10 Albums of 2005 10. Falkenbach - 'Heralding the Fireblade' Another great Falkenbach album. It's surprising how often this band appears in my lists. I think I need to face facts that they're one of my favourite bands. This album is more mature and well put together than their previous works, in a good way. 9. Moonsorrow - 'Verisakeet' This is where they get a bit dirtier and darker, just like Thyrfing (see below). The songs tend to chug forwards with more of a militant march and are less keyboard melodies based. This is a great album, but unfortunately after this one I find they get a bit boring and it's a real pity because up to and including this album they are simply stars of pagan metal. 8. Taake - Hordalands Doedskvad A nicer production than previous albums, this is really easy to listen to and has some great riffs. Classic Hoest doing his thing. 7. Solefald - 'Red for Fire' I've always found Solefald a little too progressive for my tastes, but this album is amazing. In particular, the opening track 'Sun I Call' is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard and I highly recommend you read the lyrics while listening to it. A stunning, moving song that really carries this whole album. 6. Swallow the Sun - 'Ghosts of Loss' This is where this band truly steps up and produces brilliance. This is one of my favourite gothic doom albums, the atmosphere here is incredible. Great artwork too. The whole album is massive ghostly lakes/manor house vibes which I love. 5. Thyrfing - 'Farsotstider' The piping twiddle of the past is well gone here, and this is a heavy, dirty beast of an album. Their last with the incredible Thomas Vanaanen on vocals, this buries most of the keyboards and builds a dark viking metal atmosphere of mid-paced chug. 4. Paradise Lost - 'Paradise Lost' A simply stunning Paradise Lost album, and their best since 'Draconian Times' ten years earlier. The songs are tight, well produced gothic rock classics, and while they do get heavier again later in their career, the solid gothic guitars are so welcome. This is a catchy album too and really blends the best of both worlds of this band. I simply love this album. 3. To/Die/For - 'IV' This was one of the most underrated bands in metal, although people in the gothic metal world (and Finland) usually feel the same as me. This is their 'Reign in Blood' and is dark, catchy, melodic, and just a slick goddamn product. They're about as dangerous as me nan's cup of tea, but as infectious as smallpox. That makes this a killer album. 2. Rapture - 'Silent Stage' Shit gets real here. This is a brilliant album of Katatonia inspired melancholy and I'm going out on a limb to say that opening track 'Misery 24/7' is the single best song the genre has ever produced. If you like gothic/doom/rock then listen to 'Misery 24/7' at loud volume right now- it's probably my favourite all time song (nearly). The rest of this album is just brilliant too and unfortunately it's their swansong. 1. Sentenced - 'The Funeral Album' Speaking of swansongs... RIP the mighty Sentenced with their second greatest album. In five years the main music writer would be dead and the main lyricist playing in a Russian language band. This band ended in its prime and really walked the talk. I still miss them 12 years later.

Apart from your number 1 choice which doesn't quite resonate with me on the same level, this is close to the perfect list for me. If I were here five years ago I would have told you so. Now, in 2017, I can only call to you through the echoes of time and maybe, somewhere, somehow, you feel me reaching out across the years..

Choose a genre, any genre, and provide a list of your top ten albums for it. Exciting right? EDIT: To make this even more exciting, I've added the idea of the 'Concept' to the thread title. So rather than just being a list of Top 10s for Genre (black metal, death metal etc), it includes other more unconventional lists, such as my Top 10 History Metal and Top 10 Ozzy Involved Albums. This adds a degree of freedom and (hopefully) fun to the thread. I'll start: Requiem's Top 10 Albums in Black Metal 10. Satyricon - 'Nemesis Divina' The first four songs are all works of genius. Obviously 'Mother North' ain't bad... 9. Emperor - 'Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk' Majestic and next level symphonic. This takes me to a different world, like probably no other album. Amazing drumming from Trym. 8. Darkthrone - 'Transilivanian Hunger' Cold, emotional, great melodies in there. Great cover. Great end to the trilogy. Great. 7. Drudkh - 'Autumn Aurora' Love the textures of this album. Very haunting. Eastern European forests and all that. 6. Mayhem - 'Live in Leipzig' Threw a live album in here because Dead needs to be represented. There's magic in this show. 5. Burzum - 'Filosofem' All old Burzum is great of course, but this one has 'Dunkelheit' which just elevates the whole thing. It's genius. 4. Emperor - 'In the Nightside Eclipse' A freak of a band. How does a group of musicians get this type of atmosphere? It's beyond me. 3. Mayhem - 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas' The dream of Euronymous finally realised. Classic album of course. Riffs. Atmosphere. 2. Dissection - 'Storm of the Light's Bane' One of metal's great achievements, this is melodic, dark, 'evil', and haunting. A freakish writer of riffs was old Jonny N. 1. Satyricon - 'The Shadowthrone' One of my all time favourite albums and the greatest black metal album every produced. Riffs, atmospherics, grim voices, acoustics, forests. It's all here. I was conscious of being too biased towards second wave Norwegian bands, but they are just so damn good. This was also a lot harder than I thought it would be.