i'm happy to see a lot of the older bands on the list(s) here. i still listen to (mostly) the same bands from the 80's/early 90's, and their mutations (ie, Soulfly ~ Sepultura). anything since then just doesn't do it for me. and, i'm glad to see your appreciation for the older stuff since what you hear today is because of it.
i have a friend at work who brings me newer stuff to "try out" and i generally find myself saying "oh, they sound like a mix of THIS band and THAT one, too".
here are a few i would add to the playlist:
Accept:
Udo! Nuff said.
Coroner:
Swiss 3-man metal band. very experimental and unique. definitely metal and influencial in their day. albums: Punishment for Decadence(classic), No More Color, Grin, Mental Vortex... they're all good. R.I.P. was a little messy but not bad.
Dark Angel:
albums of note: "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal".
Riff-Monsters! i remember when i bought "Time", there was a sticker on the cassette stating, simply, "Contains 254 Riffs". hehe. with Gene Hoglan (one of the best metal drummers around), they're relentless. PS: anything you can find with Gene Hoglan is worthy (Strapping Young Lad, a couple Testament albums, Death, etc).
Death Angel:
Classic Thrash. Fillipino "family band" (they were all related). i didn't like where they went after the first couple albums (Act III wasn't terrible, though). their first offering, "the Ultra-Violence", is considered one of the top Thrash Metal albums of all time.
Forbidden:
-1992 era, complete with Paul Bostaph on drums (forbidden, slayer, exodus, testament), and operatic-trained Russ Anderson (the only vocalist i've heard who could come close to Rob Halford's vocals when covering Judas Priest songs).
Grim Reaper:
Pretty stock british metal band back in the day, save for vocalist Steve Grimmett who could hit those classic metal highs. GR mentioned for historic purposes. Pretty much one-hit-wonders that faded out quickly (apparently they're still around, though).
Megadeth:
yes, already mentioned a few times, but i'm echoing the need to have them on your queue. "Peace Sells..." and "Holy Wars/Punishment Due" are my faves.
Nailbomb:
Max Cavalera (Sepultura/Soulfly) & Alex Newport (Fudge Tunnel) side-project. i still listen to this regularly and feel the need to mention it here
Pantera:
were they mentioned already? good stuff, except the first couple "Glam Rock" albums, which was always a "dirty little secret" in the metal world. "Cowboys From Hell" let us pretend those first albums never existed. heh.
S.O.D.
Stormtroopers of Death. Scott and Charlie from Anthrax, Billy Milano (later M.O.D.), Lilker (Anthrax, Nuclear Assault) formed this "band" for giggles and developed a devout following quickly. Metal history has to include S.O.D.
Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society):
was this mentioned yet? Zakk hit the metal scene at a young age, most notably as Ozzy's guitarist at 19 when the masses were exposed to his talent on No Rest For The Wicked (i remember hearing Miracle Man for the first time
) BLS continues the Zakk Wylde story.
that's enough from me. i think i hit the "highlights" while omitting anything that was already mentioned.
edit!
I want to add
Wolfsbane, with Blaze Bayley. the "Live Fast, Die Fast" album is a massive favorite of mine. Blaze recorded a couple albums with Iron Maiden (X-Factor, Virtual XI), which was an odd mix and a slight scar on Maiden's rep (they appeared unable/unwilling to write for Blaze's vocal range after years of wide-open Bruce Dickinson) but still pulled off a few solid tracks. Blaze's solo stuff (Silicon Messiah) is pretty decent, too.
also, add
Bruce Dickinson's solo work
All of it, but especially "Skunkworks".
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