kutulu

I love metal, but I hate the 'true metal' label that gets passed around. It reeks of conformity and snobbery, something I've always felt is anti-metal. I put my favorite bands into groups:

Classic thrash:
Metallica (yes, all Metallica)
Megadeth
Slayer

90's metal:
Pantera
Sepultura
Machine Head

Death/Grindcore:
Napalm Death
Carcass
Death

Industrial Metal:
Ministry
Fear Factory
Static X (even though they are a little pussyish)

Melodic Death Metal:
Sentenced
In Flames
The Black League

Stoner Metal:
Down
COC
Clutch

Alternative Metal
Faith No More (and anything else Patton)
Tool
Deftones
SOAD

Punk/Metal Crossover
DRI
SOD

That covers the bulk of what I listen to. You can get about 100 albums from those bands. IMO, each one is a must have. Metal is a truly diverse form of music that is ever-changing and constantly re-inventing itself. Other forms of music like rap, mainstream rock, pop, etc. change but you'll never hear the vast diversity that you get from metal (even from the same bands, ie Metallica, Sentenced, Carcass all started at one point and ended up in a completely different place than where they started). At least 75% of the most talented guitarists, bassists, and drummers play in metal bands. Few get noticed by the press. I'm so sick of metal not getting credit yet I don't want the mainstream to ruin what is so perfect.