Top 20 L.A. Metal Albums: The Complete List

Boring and predictable list. Way too much of a thrash metal circle jerk going on in this list. Thrash metal is an EXTREME metal genre, you can include metal sub-genres prior to the thrash movement, they are still metal. Motley's SATD, Ratt's EP or Invasion, Dokken, etc all have a place here. At least WASP's debut album is here but still there's no need to avoid metal acts simply because they are labeled "Hair' Metal even if it means thousand of elitists will whine "They're not metal!!!!!!!!!!!!".

http://leatherrebelblog.com/the-hypocrisy-and-political-correctness-of-the-rock-and-roll-world-part-1.html

How did Cirith Ungol's King of the Dead score lower than Avenged Sevenfold? That is metal sacrilege. Cirith Ungol is one of the most inventive and powerful bands of all time. It really can't be said with words, you would have to listen to them to understand.

This is a much better list than one would expect, as the obvious choices aren't listed.   That said, in my opinion one LA Band not listed that has inspired many musicians....is Racer X Second Heat album, 1987.   Racer X was never signed to a major label, but went on to become what I call a reverse super group.   Paul Gilbert went on to chart success with Mr. Big, Scott Travis inspired thousands of drummers, including Mike Wengren of Disturbed with Painkiller and won a Grammy with Judas Priest, John Alderete won a Grammy with The Mars Volta and critical success with The Scream, Jeff Martin went on to play drums with Badlands with Jake E Lee and Bruce Boulliet went on to win a Grammy and play with the Scream and Epidemic.   The dual leads in Second Heat has inspired bands like Cacophony, Dragonforce, and Avenged Sevenfold.

Fair list, but I would suggest adding on the work of Excruciating Terror from Highland Park at least as an honorable mention. Also, most importantly, such a list necessitates inclusion of South Los Angeles locals DESPISE YOU, specifically their full-length LP: "Westside Horizons." Considering the mention of Suicidal Tendencies, it is thus appropriate to include Despise You as both are--most fundamentally--punk bands, but with significant degrees of metal influence. Further, the Lack of Interest full-length "Trapped Inside" could be included as well, I guess, depending on how one constructs the parameters of the list. Lack of Interest is straight Infest-style hardcore so maybe they belong on some other "top twenty" list... I could go on here and realize I have yet to consider Man Is The Bastard but they were from Claremont--is that considered Los Angeles?

No Mercy, Excel

ummm.... wait a minute.... So this is a top 20 metal albums of all time and there are no Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Metallica, Kiss, Alice Cooper, etc??? not that great of a list

@roof77 hey!! Gracias por pensar en mí. Me lo leeré tranquilamente y a conciencia.

I might be and old man....but what about......

Motley Crue?  Van Halen?   Guns N Roses?  Dokken?  Buckcherry? Ratt?

How can it be a "complete" list with out any of these LA Bands?    

are we sure this is a list of "greatest" LA "metal" albums? if so like many people have stated not really sure what Avenged7told, or System of a Down are doing on the list, as well as others have noted why certain bands have 2 or more albums on here, I would of just picked the best of the lot. And if you're going to include Wasp's debut album, then maybe it might be too commercial for you, but I would of thrown Motley Crue's "Too fast for love" in the mix, cause in 1981 in LA, that was the Metal scene.

Avenged 7fold? Jesus wept. Is the metal scene in L.A. that mediocre?

A list this easy should not have to include Slayer (now "sexy" and "bluesy"...gimme a break), Megadeth, and "maybe" St. Vitus more than once.

Let me guess...you grew up on Korn and you've been skating at Venice Beach all summer...you're STILL floored by the BIG 4 concerts from last year, and you LOVE Municipal Waste....

Rage Against The Machine without a doubt! Stands for what LA is!

@miguelgl007 @hplav Puta pero si Tallica se mudo al bay área cuando el finao se unió como bajista y eso fue el 82

@miguelgl007 @uretajoel @hplav waitt??? Metallica era de los Angeles o me equivoco?

Why you no Faith No More Angel Dust?

@ellefsondavid FOREVER MEGADETH!

AQUÌ EN VENEZUELA MEGADETH Y SLAYER SON MUY POPULARES PERO ENTRE LAS DOS PREFIERO SLAYER.A ESA LISTA TENEMOS QUE AGREGAR SOUTH OF HEAVEN,SEASONS IN THE ABYSS,SHOW NO MERCY,HELL AWAINTS Y REALMENTE TODA LA DISCOGRAFIA,YA QUE SE HAN MANTENIDO EN LA MISMA TONICA DESDE SUS INICIOS.

@f3d5 @NadaLangit @zaldyfrozz Jaman itu apa yaaaa...and Justice for All sih keyen

@ellefsondavid rust in peace is definitely 1st followed by seasons in the abyss and and justice for all

@ellefsondavid @LAWeeklyMusic 3 in the top 20? That´s amazing and deserved. You guys rock

@ellefsondavid @LAWeeklyMusic Wow. Your in there like 3 times...

@ellefsondavid @LAWeeklyMusic Wow, great!! But I think Rust In Peace should be the 1st on the list, it's a prefect album!

@ellefsondavid @LAWeeklyMusic RIP should be the first!

@nte77 @OCWeeklyMusic @laweeklymusic gracias!

Metallica was formed in L.A. when Lars put an ad in the Recycler. They later got tired of the hair metal scene on the strip and moved to San Francisco, so they could make the list. Also, if SOAD, Avenged Sevenfold and Tool made the list, why didn't Too Fast For Love from Motley Crue? The kings of the strip deserve a spot on the list and Too Fast was a raw, hard hitting album.

I'm an SF guy, but there's A LOT of great LA Heavy Metal that's been ignored on this list like HIRAX, AGENT STEEL, DE'TENTE and EVIL DEAD.  might be too recent, but there's other good stuff like HUNTRESS, HOLY GRAIL, DREAMING DEAD, WINTERTHRALL, BONDED BY BLOOD.  btw, if yer gonna have Avenged Sevenfold or WASP on there, then give me a BODY COUNT album over those.

Avenged Sevenfold and systen of a down... ME CAGO!!! PURE SHIT!!!

Where is SHOW NO MERCY?

The first Slayer record Show No Mercy should be on that list also I should add.

I like LA Weekly's politics but as far as them having an opinion on classic  Metal LOL. 

No Agent Steel, Holy Terror, Bloodlust, Heretic or Malice if your going to include just PURE METAL Bands and bypass the obvious Strip groups ..I get it but...mmmkay. Also...Cirith Ungol were TECHNICALLY a Ventura County based band.Hardly played LA all that much when they were together. Same with Avenged Sevenfold from Orange County...

@sterlinggates Avenged Sevenfold? System of a Down at number 3? Nope! #metalnerd

@sterlinggates @laweekly Slayer ftw m/

@sterlinggates Thanks for the RT

@LAWeekly @LAWeeklyMusic @Slayer http://t.co/qxL80rL1

@vanessafranko thanks, it wasn't easy.

I would have added:

AGENT STEEL-Skeptics....

HOLY TERROR- 1st

MALICE-  Licensed To Kill