1. Wu Tang Clan – Enter the 36 Chambers – maybe it's hometown pride but this was the first album I ever fell in love with. Still to this day, the most hardcore hip-hop record ever recorded. Tough battle laced rhymes and RZA's eerie production is spot-on. The kung fu samples spread throughout this album, also introduced me to some of my favorite martial arts films of all time.
Favorite Track: Da Mystery of Chessboxin'
2.HIM – Razorblade Romance – I remember the first time I ever heard this record and it blew me away. It was nothing like I had ever heard before and was completely different from every other rock record I ever listened too. Still to this day, I listen to this album front to back multiple times a months and it never gets old to me. I even have a Heartagram tattooed on my chest, that's how much I love this record.
Favorite Track: Poison Girl
3.Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power – the title of this album defines exactly what it is. This record is like a shot of adrenaline. Every time it's played I'm up and ready to kick as much ass as possible. Not only are the lyrics full of positivity (A New Level) but I think it's Dimebag's best work on the guitar. One of my go to albums anytime I hit the gym.
Favorite Track: A New Level
4.Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP – my introduction to Eminem. The anger on this record was something anyone could relate too and it's Eminem at his lyrical best. No one was safe on this record as Eminem attacked every single person relevant at the time. There is not one bad track on this record and I remember getting ecstatic every time “The Real Slim Shady” video came on MTV. Still my favorite Eminem album.
Favorite Track: Stan
5.Metallica – Ride The Lightning – WOW! Out of the 8 songs on this record, 4 of them are my favorite Metallica songs of all time. The bass opening on “For Whom The Bell Tolls” was actually my inspiration to pick up and play the instrument, after seeing Cliff Burton videos playing the song live.
Favorite Track: Creeping Death
6.Joe Budden – Mood Muzik 2 – even though this is a mixtape, to me this will always be Budden's masterpiece. The soundtrack to my high school years, I listened to this album almost everyday while riding the bus to school in the morning for two straight years. I can still effortlessly recite all lyrics to “Dumb Out” even though the song is 8 minutes long.
Favorite Track: Dumb Out
7.Guns N Roses – Appetite for Destruction – the perfect record. Even if you don't like rock and roll, you most likely still like this album. A gritty street record, there is not a single flaw with this debut and catapulted Guns N Roses to be one of the biggest bands of all time.
Favorite Track: Sweet Child O' Mine
8.Avenged Sevenfold – City of Evil – the album which brought me back into the world of rock and roll, after I had abandoned it for a couple years. Never hearing the band before, I heard “Bat Country” at one of my buddy's houses and immediately became a huge fan of A7X.
Favorite Track: Trashed And Scattered
9.50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin' – still in my opinion, the only classic hip-hop record to be released since 2000. Being a fan of 50 for a couple of years prior due to my brother playing his mixtapes, I felt a sense of pride when his record became such a huge success cause I got to tell all my friends I told you so.
Favorite Track: Many Men (Wish Death)
10.Escape The Fate – Dying Is Your Latest Fashion - probably the oddest choice on this list, but I love this record. The only ETF album with Ronnie Radke on vocals and Omar on guitar, this album has it all. A diverse record with pop elements, screaming and melodic singing, I can put this album on anytime I don't know what I feel like listening too and will know it was the right choice.
Favorite Track: Not Good Enough For The Truth In Cliche
11.Trivium – Shogun – although I love every record Trivium released, this one is my favorite. The mythology lyrics on this record really stand out to me, since it was a topic I was heavily into at the time. Exceeding every expectation I had for this record, Trivium secured themselves as my favorite band with this release.
Favorite Track: Into The Mouth of Hell We March
12.Motley Crue – Dr. Feelgood – the soundtrack to my decadent years. I wanted to be like Nikki Sixx and I would drink bottles of Jack Daniels like it was nothing and do any drug presented to me in order to be perceived like him. This album brings back some of the best but darkest times of my life but I don't regret a single moment of it and would do it all again if I could.
Favorite Track: Kickstart My Heart
13.Jedi Mind Tricks – Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell – another high school album, this album reminded me of the Wu Tang Clan. I was into the underground hip-hop scene and at the time, Vinnie Paz was the king of the underground and this was his masterpiece. I didn't think you were cool or worth the time if you didn't like this album. RA the Rugged Man's verse on “Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story” is still one of the most breathtaking things I have ever heard.
Favorite Track: Razorblade Romance
14.Sum 41 – All Killer No Filler – if you grew up in the 90's and skateboarded, this album was your life. Great memories of skating around the neighborhood and going to skateparks with this album being blasted in my walkman. The ultimate record for any young punk.
Favorite Track: Fat Lip
15.Megadeth – Rust In Peace – my favorite Megadeth album, the riffs on this record are godlike and amazing. The first two tracks on this record, “Holy Wars...The Punishment Due” and “Hangar 18” alone are enough to warrant a place on this list. Dave Mustaine is the most underrated riff writer of all time, and one of the biggest bad assess ever in rock and roll.
Favorite Track: Hangar 18
16.Slayer – Reign In Blood – instant energy and highly chaotic. I'm convinced this is what you would hear, if you ever visited hell. For a metal album, the song's are really short but the intensity of each song makes up for the length. Another mainstay on my iPod for the gym.
Favorite Track: Raining Blood
17.Eminem – The Slim Shady LP – hilarious lyrics, this record was unlike anything I had ever heard. Although, Eminem has tried to be funny he never quite came close to matching anything on this album. Funny and wittty but with a serious skill set and delivery, this record is a good time and a fun listen.
Favorite Track: Rock Bottom
18. Blink 182 – Enema Of The State – my favorite song's and video's MTV ever played. A perfect pop punk record, I would make my parent's listen to this album any place we ever went. I also remember depending on my mood, I would either feel really guilty about listening to “Dysentery Gary” or would shout every obscenity in the song.
Favorite Track: All The Small Things
19.Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thunder God – my introduction to death metal. I never knew a death metal album could be so melodic and catchy. With lyrics about Vikings and Norse mythology, Amon Amarth made me a lifelong fan with this record. They were also the best live band I have ever seen.
Favorite Track: Twilight of the Thunder God
20.Metallica – Master of Puppets – what can be said about this record what has not already been said. A perfect album front to end, it was also Cliff Burton's last ever work. Possibly the best heavy metal record ever recorded.
Favorite Track: Master of Puppets
21.Down – NOLA - “The power of the riff compels me.” I remember being ecstatic when I found out about this band. Phil Anselmo had long been my favorite vocalist and when I found out he had other work besides Pantera, I was pumped up. Different in style from Pantera, Down is slower and doomier, but is still just as heavy with a bunch of great riffs and one of my favorite bands today.
Favorite Track: Bury Me In Smoke
22.Sixx: A.M. – The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack – the album centered around Nikki Sixx's book “The Heroin Diaries” this album really put things into perspective for me and helped lead me towards a healthier life. Both the book and the album are among my all time favorites and have helped turn me into the person I am today. This album also contains my favorite song of all time, “Life Is Beautiful.”
Favorite Track: Life Is Beautiful
23.Times of Grace – Hymn of A Broken Man – by far the best album released in 2011. Exactly what I needed to hear when I was getting clean, the album is about overcoming struggle and bringing yourself out of dark times.
Favorite Track: Live In Love
24.Yelawolf – Trunk Muzik 0-60 – I bought and put a sub in my car, especially for this album. Still being played in my car to this day, this record blew my mind with its heavy bass. Wolf's lyrics are rapid fire and raw, making this one of my favorite albums to listen to while driving.
Favorite Track: Pop The Trunk
25.Operation Ivy – Energy – one of my favorite hardcore punk records ever recorded, this album even has elements of ska added to it. Played pretty much exclusively this entire summer, Operation Ivy is hectic and while I wish they put out more music, at least I got one of my favorite punk bands of all time, Rancid out of it.
Favorite Track: Smiling
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