Other outlets' rankings

Starting today, we're launching a focus on the most interesting rankings published over the years by international magazines. We begin with metal, and Consequence's all-time top 75.

"The mighty Black Sabbath and their fearless singer Ozzy Osbourne (who later passed away on July 22, 2025, ed.) sealed their respective legendary careers with a once-in-a-lifetime concert in their hometown of Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025, marking their final performances – writes Jon Hadusek, Consequence editor – And while the "Back to the Beginning" show closed a very long and legendary chapter in metal history, it also proved that the genre is more alive than ever, with electrifying sets from bands like Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Tool, Gojira, Lamb of God and many others. (…) Long considered the music of outcasts, metal has grown increasingly accepted over the years, both musically and as a lifestyle — today more than ever, thanks to the enduring popularity of bands like Metallica and the success of more modern acts like Ghost…. Metal keeps evolving and spawning new subgenres."

So here it is: this ranking of the 75 greatest metal albums of all time, the result of a survey involving more than 45 metal musicians (from GWAR, Baroness, Melvins, Pallbearer and others) alongside the opinions of the Consequence staff (full feature here).

75. Cynic – Focus – 1993

74. Yob – Atma – 2011

73. Slayer – Seasons In The Abyss – 1990

72. Darkthrone – A Blaze In The Northern Sky – 1992

71. Acid Bath – When The Kite String Pops – 1994

70. Between The Buried And Me – Colors – 2007

69. Isis – Celestial – 2000

68. Melvins – Houdini – 1993

67. Girlschool – Demolition – 1980

66. Napalm Death – From Enslavement To Obliteration – 1988

65. The Dillinger Escape Plan – Calculating Infinity – 1999

64. Iron Maiden – Killers – 1981

63. Celtic Frost – Morbid Tales – 1984

62. Killswitch Engage – Alive Or Just Breathing – 2002

61. Evanescence – Fallen – 2003

60. Voivod – Nothingface – 1989

59. Type O Negative – Bloody Kisses – 1993

58. Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal – 2013

57. Arch Enemy – Wages Of Sin – 2001

56. Helmet – Meantime – 1992

55. Slipknot – Slipknot – 1999

54. Sunn O))) – Monoliths & Dimensions – 2009

53. Exodus – Bonded By Blood – 1985

52. Carcass – Heartworks – 1993

51. Candlemass – Epicus Doomicus Metallicus – 1986

50. Meshuggah – Destroy Erase Improve – 1995

49. Boris – Feedbacker – 2003

48. Lamb Of God – Ashes Of The Wake – 2004

47. Electric Wizard – Dopethrone – 2000

46. Venom – Black Metal – 1982

45. Cannibal Corpse – Tomb Of The Mutilated – 1992

44. Danzig – Danzig – 1988

43. Def Leppard – Pyromania – 1983

42. Living Colour – Vivid – 1988

41. Megadeth – Peace Sells…But Who's Buying? – 1986

40. King Diamond – Abigail – 1987

39. Behemoth – The Satanist – 2014

38. Queensrÿche – Operation: Mindcrime – 1988

37. Anthrax – Among The Living – 1987

36. Black Sabbath – Master Of Reality – 1971

35. At The Gates – Slaughter Of The Soul – 1995

34. Metallica – Metallica [The Black Album] – 1991

33. Sleep – Dopesmoker/Jerusalem – 1999

32. Opeth – Blackwater Park – 2001

31. Gojira – From Mars To Sirius – 2005

30. Sepultura – Chaos A.D. – 1993

29. Ministry – Psalm 69: The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs – 1992

28. Mastodon – Leviathan – 2004

27. Judas Priest – British Steel – 1980

26. Slayer – South Of Heaven – 1988

25. Converge – Jane Doe – 2001

24. Mötley Crüe – Shout At The Devil – 1983

23. Deftones – Around The Fur – 1997

22. Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard Of Ozz – 1980

21. Dream Theater – Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory – 1999

20. Korn – Korn – 1994

19. Dio – Holy Diver – 1983

18. Slipknot – Iowa – 2001

17. Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas – 1994

16. Deafheaven – Sunbather – 2013

15. Alice In Chains – Dirt – 1992

14. Metallica – Ride The Lightning – 1984

13. Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine – 1992

12. Motörhead – Ace Of Spades – 1980

11. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath – 1970

10. Tool – Lateralus – 2001

9. Death – Symbolic – 1995

8. System Of A Down – Toxicity – 2001

7. Pantera – Vulgar Display Of Power – 1992

6. Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast – 1982

5. Megadeth – Rust In Peace – 1990

4. Judas Priest – Painkiller – 1990

3. Slayer – Reign In Blood – 1986

2. Metallica – Master Of Puppets – 1986

1. Black Sabbath – Paranoid – 1970

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27/02/2026