Reed's Favorite 100 Metal Songs of All Time - Finished

[Gloves | 11,790]

3 minutes ago, Hammerfestus said:

This needs more love in here.  This is an absolutely phenomenal song.  Z&A are firmly black metal in my opinion and their live show is awesome.  This song on the live album gives me feelings.

Zeal & Ardor kick ass, love 'em.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

I'll quickly point out I once drove 6 hours to see Opeth and Katatonia, and I once drove 8 hours by myself to see Opeth and Enslaved 

[Gentlegamer | 174]

On 2/14/2023 at 10:16 AM, DefaultGen said:

this list is already bullshit

UP THE IRONS!

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

#71: As I Lay Dying - Shaped by Fire (2019)

So, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say this is probably the only song on the list about being convicted for trying to have your wife killed.  Tim's a funny guy like that.

This is one of those bands that I feel got better and better with each album.  Partially because I felt they kept getting heavier and meaner (literally).  The early stuff is not so great, the middle stuff is good, and the latest stuff is better.  Shame he had to unravel it all like he did.

This may end up being their last album, but it was a worthy last piece.

Honorable mentions: Sound of Truth, My Own Grave, Defender

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

#70: Deftones - Diamond Eyes (2008)

One of the few nu metal(ish) songs that will show up on this list.  I'd argue it's more of a post hardcore sound, but we don't need to make this about genre arguments.  Chino and company had always risen above the rest of their scene with a fun, almost experimental take on the genre, and I think it culminated in Diamond Eyes, their best album.

I don't think their work since been has quite as interesting, but it's still very relevant, which is pretty amazing considering they've been going for over 30 years at this point.

Honorable mentions: Change, Beauty School, Leathers

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

#69: Polyphia - Ego Death (2022)

Now first off, is this a metal song?  Debatable.  It's certainly in the ballpark, so I'm counting it.  Deal with it.

I generally am not super high on fiddly instrumental bands.  I like them, but their not amongst my favorites.  I've owned albums by the likes of Scale the Summit, and Animals as Leaders, and Russian Circles, and while I enjoy them, they're not getting thousands of plays from me.

Polyphia, who has blown up in the last few years, brings enough fun things to the table that it can keep my attention.  I like the gimmicks and the uniqueness.  And I like the ways they've tried to branch out their sound witn the last album.  I'm sure people hate ABC, but that song is fun as hell.  Sounds like Ariana Grande, which is a master troll in my opinion.

But G.O.A.T. remains the most fun song.  And probably exemplifies their sound better than anything else.  No, screw it, I'm choosing Ego Death!

Honorable mentions: Neurotica, G.O.A.T., Bloodbath

 

[Silent Hill | 276]

36 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

#70: Deftones - Diamond Eyes (2008)

One of the few nu metal(ish) songs that will show up on this list.  I'd argue it's more of a post hardcore sound, but we don't need to make this about genre arguments.  Chino and company had always risen above the rest of their scene with a fun, almost experimental take on the genre, and I think it culminated in Diamond Eyes, their best album.

I don't think their work since been has quite as interesting, but it's still very relevant, which is pretty amazing considering they've been going for over 30 years at this point.

Honorable mentions: Change, Beauty School, Leathers

Deftones are a top 5 all-time band for me

Edited March 20, 2023 by Silent Hill

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

#68: Katatonia - Brave (1996)

Now, as I previously stated, I love Katatonia.  I once drove six hours to see them with Opeth (who was supporting Sorcerer, which I'm not super high on).  And it was totally worth it.  They have such a beautiful fun sound.

BUT, their best work is their early melo doom/death thing they did with Mikael.  Who could have predicted that, amirite? /sarcasm

I love this album, and I love this track.  It's easily my most played item in their library, even if it does represent a bygone era.

Honorable mentions: Journey Through Pressure, Dispossession

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

#67: Fleshgod Apocalypse - Monnalisa (2019)

Italy's second appearance.  I love this song so much.  It's so incredibly fun.

Fleshgod has been almost a parody of themselves at points.  Their albums are so completely unrelenting bombastic and overwhelming that a complete album listen can be super exhausting.  You never get a moment to breathe, much less relax.

That changed with the last album.  They actually slow down for once, and deliver this "slow" jam.  But keep the bombast and the epic.  It works exceptionally well.  And the operatic singing?  *chef's kiss*

And I love that video.  It's totally reminiscent of the Crimson Court in Darkest Dungeon @Brickman @Webhead123 .  That's a good thing.

Honorable mentions: Sugar, The Hypocrisy, The Violation

[Brickman | 3,990]

3 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

#70: Deftones - Diamond Eyes (2008)

One of the few nu metal(ish) songs that will show up on this list.  I'd argue it's more of a post hardcore sound, but we don't need to make this about genre arguments.  Chino and company had always risen above the rest of their scene with a fun, almost experimental take on the genre, and I think it culminated in Diamond Eyes, their best album.

I don't think their work since been has quite as interesting, but it's still very relevant, which is pretty amazing considering they've been going for over 30 years at this point.

Honorable mentions: Change, Beauty School, Leathers

It’s crazy how good this album is. I thought White Pony would be their peak and it looked to be that way with their follow up. But then they came out with this and I was instantly hooked. It is good to see Deftones still doing their own thing to this day. 
 

3 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

#68: Katatonia - Brave (1996)

Now, as I previously stated, I love Katatonia.  I once drove six hours to see them with Opeth (who was supporting Sorcerer, which I'm not super high on).  And it was totally worth it.  They have such a beautiful fun sound.

BUT, their best work is their early melo doom/death thing they did with Mikael.  Who could have predicted that, amirite? /sarcasm

I love this album, and I love this track.  It's easily my most played item in their library, even if it does represent a bygone era.

Honorable mentions: Journey Through Pressure, Dispossession

I’m not angry I’m just disappointed  Also totally disagree with your write up but I won’t fight you on it. Personally I think their albums just get better and better and more complex and beautiful.

[Hammerfestus | 3,852]

4 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

#69: Polyphia - Ego Death (2022)

Now first off, is this a metal song?  Debatable.  It's certainly in the ballpark, so I'm counting it.  Deal with it.

I generally am not super high on fiddly instrumental bands.  I like them, but their not amongst my favorites.  I've owned albums by the likes of Scale the Summit, and Animals as Leaders, and Russian Circles, and while I enjoy them, they're not getting thousands of plays from me.

Polyphia, who has blown up in the last few years, brings enough fun things to the table that it can keep my attention.  I like the gimmicks and the uniqueness.  And I like the ways they've tried to branch out their sound witn the last album.  I'm sure people hate ABC, but that song is fun as hell.  Sounds like Ariana Grande, which is a master troll in my opinion.

But G.O.A.T. remains the most fun song.  And probably exemplifies their sound better than anything else.  No, screw it, I'm choosing Ego Death!

Honorable mentions: Neurotica, G.O.A.T., Bloodbath

 

69 heh heh.  That Scott LePage solo in the middle is face melting.  

[nesmaster14 | 436]

Nice!  Saw Fleshgod Apocalypse earlier this month, great show.

 

[DefaultGen | 5,408]

13 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

#69: Polyphia - Ego Death (2022)

Now first off, is this a metal song?  Debatable.  It's certainly in the ballpark, so I'm counting it.  Deal with it.

I generally am not super high on fiddly instrumental bands.  I like them, but their not amongst my favorites.  I've owned albums by the likes of Scale the Summit, and Animals as Leaders, and Russian Circles, and while I enjoy them, they're not getting thousands of plays from me.

Polyphia, who has blown up in the last few years, brings enough fun things to the table that it can keep my attention.  I like the gimmicks and the uniqueness.  And I like the ways they've tried to branch out their sound witn the last album.  I'm sure people hate ABC, but that song is fun as hell.  Sounds like Ariana Grande, which is a master troll in my opinion.

But G.O.A.T. remains the most fun song.  And probably exemplifies their sound better than anything else.  No, screw it, I'm choosing Ego Death!

Honorable mentions: Neurotica, G.O.A.T., Bloodbath

 

I dunno what metal is, but I like this.

[DefaultGen | 5,408]

ok back to inscrutable logos and incomprehensible lyrics

[DefaultGen | 5,408]

On 3/4/2023 at 11:13 AM, Reed Rothchild said:

Hectic day, I'll fill this out later

Are we just not going to call you out on this btw

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

Just now, DefaultGen said:

Are we just not going to call you out on this btw

Worse.  I haven't asked my interview subject a question in like 10 days 

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

16 hours ago, nesmaster14 said:

Nice!  Saw Fleshgod Apocalypse earlier this month, great show.

 

Damn!  Some day...

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

#66: Obscura - Septuagint (2011)

If you're not familiar with Obscura, imagine a successor to Atheist and/or Gorguts (imagine that) maybe mixed with a dash of Necrophagist.  Technical death metal with some other fun little things thrown about.

While their first two albums very good, and definitely worth owning, it wasn't until the third album that I felt they were truly firing on all cylinders.  Starting with the blistering opener, which I still feel is the most fun track they've put out.

Honorable mentions: Anticosmic Overload, A Valediction

[Kguillemette | 1,544]

On 3/20/2023 at 12:05 PM, Reed Rothchild said:

#68: Katatonia - Brave (1996)

Now, as I previously stated, I love Katatonia.  I once drove six hours to see them with Opeth (who was supporting Sorcerer, which I'm not super high on).  And it was totally worth it.  They have such a beautiful fun sound.

BUT, their best work is their early melo doom/death thing they did with Mikael.  Who could have predicted that, amirite? /sarcasm

I love this album, and I love this track.  It's easily my most played item in their library, even if it does represent a bygone era.

Honorable mentions: Journey Through Pressure, Dispossession

In my opinion they really hit their stride with LFDGD and Viva Emptiness. Not that I dislike the early doom/death albums, I do enjoy them, but there is just something unspecial about that genre as a whole.

[Brickman | 3,990]

10 minutes ago, Kguillemette said:

In my opinion they really hit their stride with LFDGD and Viva Emptiness. Not that I dislike the early doom/death albums, I do enjoy them, but there is just something unspecial about that genre as a whole.

Couldn't agree more. Imo Katatonia really became an amazing band from the early 2000's with albums like those. The doom metal stuff is good but nothing amazing imo.

Definitely Reed's most controversial ranking so far  Probably lucky he's just posting this on a videogame forum with a handful of metal heads vs a metal forum haha.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

18 minutes ago, Brickman said:

Definitely Reed's most controversial ranking so far 

Depends on the crowd.  

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

...and of course the Euro-centric metal snobs:

[Reed Rothchild | 9,544]

The good news is all of the albums are great!  So it's just different flavors of rearranging the same chairs!  Nailed that metaphor.

In all honesty, I have some much less popular song selections coming up.

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:41 AM, Reed Rothchild said:

#69: Polyphia - Ego Death (2022)

Now first off, is this a metal song?  Debatable.  It's certainly in the ballpark, so I'm counting it.  Deal with it.

I generally am not super high on fiddly instrumental bands.  I like them, but their not amongst my favorites.  I've owned albums by the likes of Scale the Summit, and Animals as Leaders, and Russian Circles, and while I enjoy them, they're not getting thousands of plays from me.

Polyphia, who has blown up in the last few years, brings enough fun things to the table that it can keep my attention.  I like the gimmicks and the uniqueness.  And I like the ways they've tried to branch out their sound witn the last album.  I'm sure people hate ABC, but that song is fun as hell.  Sounds like Ariana Grande, which is a master troll in my opinion.

But G.O.A.T. remains the most fun song.  And probably exemplifies their sound better than anything else.  No, screw it, I'm choosing Ego Death!

Honorable mentions: Neurotica, G.O.A.T., Bloodbath

 

Gimmicky AF but I love it.  The weird pinch harmonics with left hand mutes Tim Henson does hypnotizes me everytime I hear it. Such a contrast to the slapping from both guitars and bass.  And Im a sucker for A filthy Vai cameo. 
 

Still slamming crystal lake at work though. Shit bangs Hard. Gives me time to pass on your stuff thats too hard into black/doom/sludge on the spectrum for me. 
 

Ps I didnt have polyphias latest album, really  into the “appearance by x” sound from researching abc lol

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

On 3/16/2023 at 9:38 AM, Reed Rothchild said:

#71: As I Lay Dying - Shaped by Fire (2019)

So, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say this is probably the only song on the list about being convicted for trying to have your wife killed.  Tim's a funny guy like that.

This is one of those bands that I feel got better and better with each album.  Partially because I felt they kept getting heavier and meaner (literally).  The early stuff is not so great, the middle stuff is good, and the latest stuff is better.  Shame he had to unravel it all like he did.

This may end up being their last album, but it was a worthy last piece.

Honorable mentions: Sound of Truth, My Own Grave, Defender

I wish i could hate the artist, love the art but that dude ruined them for me. Never was a fan of his voice though, always liked the bass players clean singing more.