10. Seventh Angel – The Torment
The Torment is Seventh Angel’s debut record. The British were doing thrash metal just fine. For their debut Arkley wasn’t pulling any punches lyrically. The lyrics are dark and violent, and although Arkley has admitted he regrets the lyrical themes of The Torment (as Lament for the Weary would be more subtle), the aggressive and violent nature or The Torment, create a great metal record. Although vocally it’s a little redundant, it is a thrash album and the music more then makes up for it.
9. Trouble – Psalm 9
Trouble has been credited as christian metal’s first doom metal band. Although Psalm 9 has a lot of biblical and spiritual themes, my first hint that maybe Trouble isn’t a christian band comes from when I hear the f-word dropped. While it might not have been a triumph for Christian metal, Psalm nine is a landmark album in the doom metal genre. Drawing from the likes of Judas Priest and Black Sabbath, Psalm 9 is a metal playground. It’s almost operatic at times. A fantastic record with some great spiritual themes.
8. Vengeance Rising – Human Sacrifice
Vengeance Rising has become known more for Roger Martinez’s leaving his faith then for creating killer metal records. Their debut record, Human Sacrifice, is an amazing metal record. This wasn’t your mainstream christian music in 1988. At the time it was the heaviest, most intense Christian metal record to date. It gave credibility to a genre that was lacking. It led the way for many bands to come and still holds and just an amazing metal record.
7. Mortification – Hammer of God
It might come as a shock that Hammer of God is the Mortification record on this list but I’m not a huge death metal fan and their thrash/power metal records always appealed to me more. Hammer of God works for me. Metal Crusade is a fantastic opener and has a great hook and a solid bite to it. The guitar solo is tasteful and the harmonic opener is great. While there isn’t a lot of diversity between songs, it’s a metal record. It’s got some really good fast songs, the guitar solos are nice. God Rulz has some classic death metal vocals in there. I know it’s not fans favorite Mortification album but it’s mine.
6. Extol – Undeceived
I’m not a huge death/black metal fan. But Extol has always been the one exception. The first time I heard Inferno, the lead track on Undeceived, I fell in love. The strings mixing with the guitar riffs were so different to my ears at the time that it hit me. The strings on Undeceived before the vocals kick in, always wrench at my heart. It’s really the only black metal influenced album to really capture my enjoyment.
5. Black Sabbath – Paranoid
Of course Sabbath was going to be on this list. Yes Paranoid seems like an obvious choice but it’s their best. From Tony Iommi’s great guitar work to Ozzy’s vocals, Paranoid is groundbreaking, genre starting record. This is where metal started. War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man, Hand of Doom, Fairies Wear Boots: all incredible songs. A great album from the Godfathers of metal.
4. Tourniquet – Psycho Surgery
While Stop the Bleeding was a very nice technical metal record, vocally it was a huge miss. Psycho Surgery left the high-pitched vocals behind and most of the speed metal elements. Ted Kirkpatrick’s drum work, as always, is outstanding. Tourniquet has always been one of metals most talented and technical bands. The approach of writing metal like your composing a symphony has turned out some of the most consistent metal records.
3. Metallica – Ride the Lightning
With their second record Metallica stepped up their game. While keeping some of the thrash elements from Kill Em All, Ride the Lightning provides far more memorable riffs. The title track’s opening riff is one I find myself humming all the time. For Whom the Bells Tolls rivals Master of Puppets as Metallica’s best song. The opening riff to Creeping Death is so good that the OC Supertones would use it. And Call of Ktulu is one of metals best instrumentals (the version on S&M is out of this world). While I love Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning takes the cake as my favorite Metallica album.
2. The Crucified – Pillars of Humanity
Pillars of Humanity is a band defining record. The Crucified were already a good hardcore/punk band. But their transformation into a thrash metal band was great. Pillars of Humanity cemented The Crucified into Christian metal history. The record isn’t the most technical metal record you’ll hear but Jeff Bellow brought some great bass riffs and Greg Minier’s solos are thrash perfection. It’s not just a great Christian record but it’s one of the best thrash records period.
1. Living Sacrifice – The Hammering Process
The Hammering Process is Living Sacrifice’s crowning jewel. Reborn set a new chapter in Living Sacrifice’s book and The Hammering Process took them to another level. The first time I heard Bloodwork I was in love. I didn’t care for Reborn at the time and hadn’t heard early LS yet. The Hammering Process is a falling in love moment. Rocky’s solos were great. The added percussion to compliment Lance’s drum work fit so nicely. It’s been 10 years since the album was released and it’s still as great a listen now as it was then.
2 comments:
Dude, Rust in Peace should be on there. Great Metallica and Extol choice. I personally love Paranoid but think the self-titled or Vol. 4 might be better. I'd probably put in Powerslave, Peace of Mind or Number of the Beast by Maiden. Death's Symbolic or Human would be there. Even though they're pure evil, I'd say Altars of Madness by Morbid Angel and None So Vile by Cryptopsy. Slayer's Hell Awaits and SITA are brutal. Might have to check some of those Christian bands out. I might even venture to put Mastodon's Blood Mountain on the list.
Rust in Peace almost made the list. Paranoid is actually the only Ozzy Sabbath record I really care for. I'm not a big Maiden fan and I've never gotten into Slayer.
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