Ask a group of rock fans to rank a band’s albums, and you might be there all afternoon.
One person loves the early records. Another prefers the album where the band tried something different. Someone else will defend the one that always lands at the bottom of the lists.
An August 31 feature from Metal Hammer takes another look at several metal albums with rough reputations. Its writers make a case for giving records such as Slayer’s Diabolus In Musica and Iron Maiden’s No Prayer For The Dying another chance.
Whether you agree with their choices or not, it’s a fun reminder that a review can’t decide what a song means to you.
Maybe an album was your introduction to a band. Maybe you played it during your first summer with a driver’s license. Or maybe you just like the songs, even if other fans spend a lot of time explaining why you shouldn’t.
That matters when buying a music gift.
It’s easy to search for a band’s “best album” and choose whatever appears first. But the person receiving it may have a completely different favorite. A record tied to a good memory could mean more than the one critics usually recommend.
Try asking a few questions without turning it into an interview. What was the first album they bought? Which one do they still play from beginning to end? Is there a song they wish the band would perform live?
Their answers can help you choose a record, shirt, poster, or book that feels right for them.
You can also revisit one of your own overlooked albums. Put it on while making dinner or taking a drive. You might still dislike it. You might find a song you forgot you enjoyed.
Either way, you get to make up your own mind.
And if your favorite stays at the bottom of someone else’s ranking? You can keep playing it.
Source: Read Metal Hammer’s August 31, 2026 feature on albums worth reconsidering.
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