To commemorate the fine 30th Anniversary of metal’s most venerable and storied label, Metal Blade Records, the writers of BraveWords.com have gotten their metalheads together and come up with a list of the Top 30 coolest, most legendary, rockingest, most influential, most deserving of fame and notoriety, releases founder/CEO Brian Slagel and crew have issued since forging the fire way back in mom’s garage in 1982. As has become tradition ‘round here, we are presenting them – through January and February – in reverse order, leading eventually to the penultimate slab of iron ever to carry an esteemed Metal Blade catalogue number.

14) BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Unhallowed (2003)

By David Perri

‘03 was the year burnt-on-Gothenburg metal fans realized that another melodic blitzkrieg was oncoming, but this time its port of departure was the continental 48 instead of Sweden’s second largest city. Detroit’s BLACK DAHLIA MURDER undeniably owed much of Unhallowed’s aiding and abetting to AT THE GATES, but Unhallowed’s true impact is in its immediacy and rabid sense of street-level unrest that the Swedish cradle-to-grave welfare state is unable to produce (to society’s ultimate benefit, even if its metal remains polished and sheen-obsessed). Unhallowed is a record that is insistent in its effect and purpose, these hymns a call to arms that involve both the forefather and the loose-cannon son that fucks up all the diplomacy of his previous dark tranquilities.

BraveWords.com

Top 30 Metal Blade Releases Of All Time

#30) FALCONER – Falconer (2001)

#29) KING’S X – Black Like Sunday (2003)

#28) LETHAL – Programmed (1990)

#27) SACRIFICE – Apocalypse Inside (1993)

#26) CANNIBAL CORPSE – Kill (2006)

#25) THE RED CHORD - Fed Through The Teeth Machine (2009)

#24) THE CROWN – Deathrace King (2000)

#23) VADER – Revelations (2002)

#22) GWAR – Scumdogs Of The Universe (1990)

#21) FATES WARNING – Awaken The Guardian (1987)

#20) CATTLE DECAPITATION – Humanure (2004)

#19) PRIMORDIAL – To The Nameless Dead (2007)

#18) BRAINSTORM – Liquid Monster (2005)

#17) CIRITH UNGOL – One Foot In Hell (1986)

#16) THE ORGANIZATION – The Organization (1993)

#15) KING DIAMOND – The Puppet Master (2003)

#14) BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – Unhallowed (2003)