50 Rock And Metal Albums You Need To Hear Before You Die

8. Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekMRY1mKRWw An often-overlooked gem in Iron Maiden's extensive back catalogue, Somewhere In Time marked a determinable shift from their early sound an way of writing songs to a sound that would carry the band well into the 90s. Besides the use of guitar synths throughout the album and a markedly different set of themes for the album (revolving primarily around the concepts of space and time), it was the first of Maiden's that wasn't rushed out the door. Before SIT, Iron Maiden recorded and released albums every year, but for this album they spent more time and took time away from touring to write and come up with a more mature and different sounding album. While Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son is usually revered as one of Maiden's greatest, it's predecessor deserves to be held to the same standard as it is most definitely one of their best bodies of work.

7. Dio - Holy Diver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEFeSxI_EYQ An album that extols the pure joy that can only come from heavy metal, Ronnie James Dio's debut solo work that he released after his exit from Black Sabbath is widely regarded to be one of the finest ever written. The album is full of catchy, classic songs that have endured the test of time and are guaranteed sing alongs whenever and wherever they are played. Holy Diver is widely believed to be the pre-cursor to the power metal sub-genre of heavy metal with it's fantastical themes, highly energetic pace and Dio's soaring vocals. From the pomp of the title track to the synth-tastic brilliance of Rainbow In The Dark, this is an album every metal fan needs in their collection and should be worshipped accordingly.

6. King Diamond - Abigail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9LtReyYaE0 After his exit from Mercyful Fate, King Diamond embarked on a highly successful solo career and his second album Abigail has been considered a classic ever since its release. A concept album, Abigail tells a story of death, deceit, murder and possessed infants and is told from the perspective of several different characters as the album progresses, punctuated by King Diamond's unique vocal delivery. The ethereal production on the album (it's awash with reverb) leads the album to sound cold and bleak in line with the story Diamond is telling. Abigail spawned the single The Family Ghost and has gone on to be mentioned as one of the greatest rock and metal albums of all time.