I'm looking to buy more CDs and expand my depth and breadth of metal music appreciation. Instead of "greatest hits" I'd like a studio (or live) album that is a shining example of a great band.

I'll start:
Ratt: Out of the Cellar
Listen

This was Ratt's breakthrough hit and debut album that put them on the map. Several hits on this disc like "Round and Round". Also a couple great songs that were not hits like "Lack of Communication" and "I'm Insane".

Edit To Add: Some great responses below, thanks! Please feel free to ponder further and add to your response or respond again with other bands!

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[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 months ago

I'm going to skip the obvious one just because master of puppets is almost a meme for metalheads as a favorite album of a favorite band

Also, out of the cellar is fucking great album. Ratt never got the respect they deserved, imo.

That being out of the way, ima throw up Kataklysm. Not my absolute favorite band, but they are pretty much my favorite death metal band. Who knew Canadians could be that brutal?

Honestly, their early albums are kinda generic, but they started shining after a vocalist change in 98ish (can't recall exactly when it was). I had kinda liked them before that, but in a background music way.

Last year they came out with Goliath. Possibly the best metal album of the year. I say it is, but I'm aware that tastes vary.

I think what drives me to loving the album that much is the sheer battering intensity of it. It's just wall to wall brutal riffs and punishing drums. The vocals are the best Iaconico has ever done (imo). My favorite track overall is bringer of vengeance. The lyrics are a bit cheesy at moments, but it has what may be the most perfect intro of death metal. Just fucking amazing. And the rest of the track keeps that level up.

I'm super picky about death metal. So it's rare that I find a band with multiple albums that "work" for me, and it's even rarer that I find a death metal album that I always want to listen to the whole album every time, and Goliath meets that. Being real, I think I've done that at least once a month since it came out. And I've listened to a handful of songs from it weekly at least.