So you want to know a little about collecting classic metal albums? Well you made a wise decision, this great genre of music is a great way to escape reality and lose yourself in the screaming vocals, crazy guitar riffs and pounding drums.

Lets start out with the basics, these six albums, I believe helped metal to survive in a world ruled by Pop, Dilluded Rock and Rap.

1. Black Sabbath - Parnoid
2. Metallica - Master of Puppets
3. Iron Maiden - Number of the Beast
4. Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
5. Van Halen - Van Halen
6. Deep Purple - Machine Head

While there are many other great albums, I think these will get your collection off on the right foot. Next we'll explore the different sub-genres of classic heavy metal.

Where better to start then plain ol' Heavy Metal? I personally think this type of metal started with Judas Priest, but some would say otherwise. It pretty much started in the '80's but Priest's first album came out in the late 70's. There are so many great bands in this sub-genre but I'll try to pick the five best as I will in all the sub-genre's and give you a short paragraph on my number one, also I will not include those top six as to keep it fresh, so here you have it.

1. Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith

I think that Rob Halford and the boys were firing on all cylinders on this album, They shred through such heavy metal classics as "The Sentinel" and "Some Heads are Gonna Roll". It seems like they were at the peak of their game and just before they got a tad too comercial, with albums such as British Steel and Ram it Down. While good albums, I think if you want to find out what Judas Priest is about there is no better place to start than Defenders of the Faith.

• Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Oz
• Scorpions - Love at First Sting
• Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
• AC/DC - Back in Black

Next we'll go to Power Metal probably my favorite sub-genre, It all started with Iron Maiden and original vocalist Paul Di'anno, before being replaced by Bruce Dickinson. Other bands kept the torch going like Helloween and Manowar. Power Metal is still going strong today thanks to bands like Iced Earth and Nocturnal Rites.

1. Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind

To me, nothing can compare to the sheer power and emotion of "The Trooper", It truly is an experience to listen to this album. Other cuts include "The Flight of the Icarus" and "Revelations", To experience the great riffing, imaginative vocals and great percussion that Power Metal is famous for, look no further.

• Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2
• Manowar - Hail to England
• Iron Maiden - Powerslave
• Helloween - Walls of Jericho

It's time for Speed/Thrash Metal, now everyone knows Metallica rules this genre, but there are also some other greats, such as Anthrax and Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. Everything about this sub-genre exudes speed. Fast guitars, fast singers and fast drums.

1. Metallica - Ride the Lightning 

Metallica may have mellowed out in the 90's but there's no hint of that here as they thrash their way through such classics as "Ride the Lightning" and the awesome ballad "Fade to Black". Many folks think Master of Puppets is the better album, but I prefer this one.

• Anthrax - Among the Living
• Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Rising Force
• Metallica - Kill 'em All
• Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Odyssey

Lastly we'll look at what I'll call the roots of metal, while these albums are more rock than metal, but alot of bands were inspired by these great musicians.

1. Kiss - Alive

The bad boys of rock have inspired so many metal bands and still continue to do so with their incredible body of music. Normally I wouldn't pick a live album for this list, but this is such a great representation of everything that makes Kiss great. Performing such classics as "Strutter" and "Deuce" with the greatest of ease, no album collection is complete without it.

• Led Zeppelin - IV
• Rush - Moving Pictures
• Aerosmith - Rocks
• Kiss - Destroyer

I've only scratched the surface of the well oiled machine that is heavy metal, thanks to all my fellow metal heads who read this guide, and keep on rockin'!