[For Beginners] Metal Masterpieces: A Curated List of Must-Listen, History-Making Albums

Blinded By Fearat the gates

At The Gates – Blinded By Fear [Official Video]

At The Gates, hailing from Sweden, laid the foundation of melodic death metal.

Their 1995 release, Slaughter of the Soul, is renowned as a landmark of the genre.

Many of you may have heard its explosive riffs, which have even been used in video games.

Nominated for a Swedish Grammy, the album captivates with a style that fuses the ferocity of death metal with melancholic, melodic guitars.

While it may sound aggressive at first, start by soaking in the satisfying tight riffs influenced by thrash metal.

This historically influential sound is a perfect gateway for anyone looking to step into the world of metal.

PhotographDef Leppard

Def Leppard – Photograph

Pyromania, the third album by the English rock band Def Leppard, defined their career.

Even today, it captivates countless fans as a truly revolutionary work where heavy metal gleams with a pop sheen.

Showcasing the producer’s deft touch, its meticulously crafted sound achieves a miraculous fusion of muscular guitar riffs and irresistibly catchy melodies, redrawing the map of the music scene that followed.

The passion forged through overcoming numerous hardships—member changes and financial struggles—radiates throughout the album.

Why not immerse yourself in this historic masterpiece that pairs the power of hard rock with the accessibility of pop?

OblivionMastodon

Mastodon – Oblivion (Official Music Video) [HD Remaster]

Crack the Skye by the American band Mastodon is counted among the definitive metal masterpieces of the 21st century.

It’s a tour de force that fuses a grand narrative—born from the members’ personal grief—with a progressive sonic palette.

The songs unfold through meticulously crafted ensembles backed by formidable technical skill, evoking the scope of an epic sci‑fi film.

Lauded by numerous music outlets as one of the year’s best and even featured in video games, its acclaim is unquestioned.

It’s the perfect record for those moments when you want to immerse yourself in a sound world that’s heavy yet dramatically evocative.

The Hellion / Electric EyeJudas Priest

Judas Priest – The Hellion / Electric Eye

A quintessential British heavy metal band featuring vocalist Rob Halford—known as the Metal God—Judas Priest released this smash-hit album in 1982.

Also known in Japan as “Screaming for Vengeance,” the album marked a return to the band’s core sound after their previous, more pop-oriented effort “Point of Entry” received critical pushback and achieved only modest commercial success.

It’s the very embodiment of heavy metal’s aesthetic: sleek, fluid guitar riffs that make you want to cheer, razor-sharp high-register vocals and shouts, and a consistently strong lineup of tracks—every element is top-tier.

A true masterpiece that shines brilliantly in the history of heavy metal.

Killing In the NameRage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine – Killing In the Name (Official HD Video)

With this explosive debut album alone, Rage Against the Machine brought a sweeping transformation to the music scene.

The ’90s could be called an era of genre-blending across the board, but Rage’s achievement—pushing the fusion of hip-hop and hard rock into truly innovative sound—deserves to be celebrated forever.

Harvard graduate and former political aide Tom Morello delivers guitar work that overturns conventional notions of the instrument; the rock-solid groove of Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk forms an unshakable rhythm section; and the charismatic Zack de la Rocha’s politically charged, incendiary rap vocals—all of these elements had already reached a fully realized form on this very record.

Never DieYngwie Malmsteen

Never Die

This is the seventh album released in 1994 by Yngwie Malmsteen, the famed guitarist from Sweden who’s affectionately known as “Ingy” in Japan.

While the not-so-cool cover art and Yngwie’s notorious big mouth often become fodder for jokes, his classical-inspired musical approach and astonishingly fast guitar playing have had an enormous impact on generations of guitarists.

Featuring former Loudness vocalist Mike Vescera, this classic of neoclassical metal is packed with a diverse set of tracks, starting with the hard-hitting standout “Never Die.” As for the Japan-only cover art—how on earth did it end up like that…?

Carry OnAngra

Angra – Carry On (Official)

The 1990s saw the emergence of new genres like alternative rock and grunge one after another, a period sometimes called a winter era for traditional heavy metal, yet of course many great albums were released.

One of them was the debut album released in 1993 by Angra, Brazil’s flagship heavy metal band.

With standout tracks like Carry On, the songs—woven from the speed and flowing melodies influenced by so-called German metal, and meticulously constructed band arrangements—especially captivated metal fans in Japan.

The astonishing high-range vocals of the original singer, the late André Matos, also shine brilliantly.