1. Master of Puppets-Perfect Metallica album. Takes what they did on the first two and masters it (no pun intended).
2. Ride The Lightning-Right up there with Master. Why it's #2 instead of #1? Little subtleties that Master did better.
3. Kill 'Em All-Love the youthful energy and intensity. Production wise the album sounds a lot more garage-y and more Stooges like (raw and muddy) than the next two, and the band was still definitely learning to craft songs and a lot of NWOBHM is still in their DNA on this album.
4. Garage Days Inc-The original five song EP is killer, the double disc from 98 had many great moments and unreleased tracks. Something for everyone.
5. ...and Justice For All-Some of the best compositions these guys ever had. The lack of audible bass, stiff drums, and sometimes the songs go a little too long and into almost a Grateful Dead or Yes territory.
6. Metallica (aka The Black Album)-This is a funny album because in 1991 it was loved, in 1995 it was loved, in 2000 it was loved. There's almost this revisionist thing going on nowadays like "hey, we have to hate this album." Truth is it's a pretty good one. Catchy tunes that are still heavy. Some of it like Don't Tread On Me has not aged well, and My Friend Of Misery...wow, they let Newsted play.
7. Load-This album gets a bad rep. A lot of catchy tracks that swing. There was definitely a weird Southern Rock thing going on with this record which is funny because they toured with COC during this period.
8. Hardwired...to Self-Destruct-First disc has 3/4 very good tracks. Second disc only the last song. Has some very strong moments but I don't know if it will hold up in 3-5 years.
9. St. Anger-Yes the drums are goofy. Some of the tracks are very good if given the chance like the title track and Dirty Window. Frantic was a minor arrangement and lyric changes away from being a classic. This album could have been a lot better if it had one person taking the bull by the horns.
10. ReLoad-Album was bland. Best thing it did was to ensure Metallica royalty checks from the NHL and NFL for decades with Fuel, not to mention car commercials. It also unintentionally reintroduced Marianne Faithful to a younger generation. She went from being known as a good folk singer/Mick Jagger's ex-g/f to the "Nah-Nah-Nah-Nah" lady or Geddy Lee and the dude from Crash Test Dummy's love child
11. Death Magnetic-There is nothing about this album that is memorable or interesting in any way, shape or form. No songs stood the test of time. They got heavy but it doesn't go anywhere. The single was trying way too hard. And they had an Unforgiven III.