The 25 Best Metal Albums of the Last 25 Years (2000-2024)

What are the 25 best metal albums of the last 25 years (from 2000 through 20204)?

That's what we're here to determine as we try to whittle down a quarter century of metal's best albums to just 25 overall. You know as well as we do that this is basically an exercise in masochism, torturing ourselves as we debate nuance and merit while making some seriously heartbreaking cuts.

What makes this task especially difficult is that there's a multitude of heavy metal subgenres to consider, each with their own respective high points across the first quarter of the 21st century.

The first decade was insanely rich with classics thanks to the metalcore breakout (Killswitch Engage and Trivium to name a couple) and some other stylistic innovations (Nightwish and symphonic metal) that helped ensure metal's evolution maintained pace with decades past. And for a genre that constantly placates its elders as we ask ourselves who the "next Metallica" and other headlines are.

Just by skimming this list below, it's clear that the last 25 years has spawned a new generation of all-time metal giants, some of whom have since graduated to festival headliner status. As you read through our selections, you may find yourself wondering where certain bands are — you may find the ones you're looking for (Ghost, Limp Bizkit) on our list of The 25 Best Rock Albums of the Last 25 Years.

READ MORE: The 25 Best Rock Albums of the Last 25 Years

Of course, there's bound to be some controversy regarding some exclusions from the collect of 25 albums below. We don't fault you for disagreeing, either — there's dozens of other truly exceptional records from 2000 to 2024 still out there. So, if you think we're missing one, ask yourself which album should be taken out to make room for it!

Now, see those 25 albums directly below.

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