[JackRabbitSlims]

 
[size=13.5px] Hello.
 
I've never been a fan of Metal Music (apart from a a couple of AC/DC Albums), purely because I've never actually sat down and truly listened to it. 
For me, Metal has always had a certain stigma attached to it.......?? Not intending to offend anyone here at all.

 
Recently I've noticed that with the outstanding sound coming out of my Naim set-up, along with a recently upgraded Portable Rig with IEM's, I'm hearing things in my music collection I've never heard before. This is really enjoyable!
 
My Music taste is wide and varied but I have no Metal at all
 
Would some of you fine folk be kind enough to recommend 4-5 "must have" Metal Albums (CD or Vinyl) that you think would be a great introduction to this Genre.
 
Cheers.
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[Iniamyen]

Although "must-have" might not intersect with "great introduction" all of the time, I took my best stab. Mostly these are my favorites from my little corner of metal that I really enjoy. Just my opinions, no particular order:
 
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Tool - Lateralus
Dream Theater - Awake
Ayreon - The Human Equation (I had to pick one... but they're all good)
Kamelot - Epica
 

 

[Vikingatheart]

While I agree that Blackwater Park is a must have, progressive metal as epic as Opeth's work might not be the greatest starting point. Try something more simple, but still melodic. Insomnium is a good start! 

 

[Iniamyen]

Quote:

While I agree that Blackwater Park is a must have, progressive metal as epic as Opeth's work might not be the greatest starting point. Try something more simple, but still melodic. Insomnium is a good start! 

Meh, I think saying something is "epic" and therefore you can't start out with it kind of propagates the stigma that the OP is talking about. Again, opinions. Better to just suggest something.
 

 

[PanamaRed]

I'm not a huge metal head myself but I appreciate some of the classics. Try listening to these albums:
 
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
 
 
 

 

[louguzzo]

I would say if you're new to metal, you may want to take Vikingatheart's advice and keep things simple.  There is a ton of stuff out there that is very progressive (and awesome!), but might not be the best to ease into the genre.  
 
If I were to introduce any one album to someone to try get them into metal, it would be Tool's Opiate EP:  it's short (6 songs, about half an hour), it has great, decipherable vocals, and it friggin' rocks.   If you can dig some of the riffs/anger on that disc, the rest will come easy.
 
Hope this helps! 
 

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

Hey  - thanks for the prompt replies.
 
Some good advice and suggestions in there. I have heard a bit of Tool in the past....perhaps I need to revisit them.
 
I'll take a look at the other suggestions and choose a couple for my next Music purchase.
 
Cheers.

 

[Vikingatheart]

Quote:

Meh, I think saying something is "epic" and therefore you can't start out with it kind of propagates the stigma that the OP is talking about. Again, opinions. Better to just suggest something.
 

I hear and understand what you're saying, but for the sake of easing into the genre, Opeth is probably not the right choice. Who knows though?! That could be exactly what the OP is looking for. 
 

 

[Astrozombie]

Gently? Bahhhh throw him into the fire!!! Crank up some 1349!

 
Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath(Don't forget Ozzy's self titled band with Randy Rhoads on guitar!), early Metallica the basics. Blind Guardian, Morbid Angel, Sepultura, Candlemass, Darkthrone & Burzum to get a taste of BM. Early Slayer, if you didn't love Slayer as a teenager then you know it just wasn't for you.

 
Right now you need to get Metallica's Ride the Lightning and Kill 'em All, pretty clean vocals and guitars that opened the gateway for me back in the day. Powerslave and Number of the Beast for Iron Maiden.

 

[golgi]

Black Sabbath- Paranoid
Iron Maiden- Powerslave
Scale the Summit- The Collective
Opeth- Orchid
Immortal- At the heart of winter

 

[youngngray]

Gently? So... no Pantera then? 

 
I'd say if your starting with metal, why not start where it did? Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest.
Then keep going from there. Youtube is definitely helpful in finding out what you like before you spend $$$.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

^^ very true!!
 
I'll get some time tonight on the YouTube.
 
Cheers.
 
 

 

[Ynoskire]

Darkspace introduced me to metal, it might not be the easiest metal around but at least it didn't have any grunts in it which was the thing that put me off when listening to metal in the first place. If you want to get a gentle introduction to metal i'd say Alcest's latest album might be just for you. As it is borderline postrock and the first track is sort of dreamy, after that, the fun begins 

 

[samsquanch]

You'll need to cover some key genres...
 
Proto-Metal:  UFO - Phenomenon
New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM):  Iron Maiden - Number Of The Beast
Power Metal:  Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys
Thrash:  Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Death:  Death - Spiritual Healing
Grind:  Napalm Death - Scum
Black:  Venom - Black Metal
 
Also, Judas Priest:
1974 - Rocka Rolla
1976 - Sad Wings Of Destiny
1977 - Sin After Sin
1978 - Stained Class
1979 - Hell Bent For Leather
1980 - British Steel
1982 - Screaming For Vengeance
1990 - Pain Killer
 
I know that's more than you asked for, but I feel that by genre, those albums are great representations of the genre (even though what Venom started as black metal became something completely different just a few years later), even if they're not my favorite albums by those bands.  And Judas Priest is amazing, early albums are great rock albums, becoming proto-metal, then nwobhm, and Pain Killer being an awesome comeback album for a band who fell apart in the worst ways possible.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

^^
 
Good summary and explanation of reasoning.........I like it.
 
Cheers!