maybe some controversial ones and more than likely just my own opinion...
possessed- seven churches...kinda responsible for helping to create the death metal genre period....
at the gates - the red in the sky is ours...highly underrated album. it might be hard to stomach at first due to the god awful production (although it gives the cd an almost black metallish melancholic charm)but its amazing and by far my favorite from them. i think alot of people credit them for helping to create the melodeath genre and i would agree, although they like to point out slaughter of the soul as their defining moment and i honestly couldnt disagree more. imo that is by far their most boring and bland album but that could have alot to do with me not really enjoying straight up thrash, which that is just with deathy vocals.
anyways i think atg original more progressive albums probably had more influence on the genre (despite just being better albums) because they were not only more melodic, but it came out before slaughter of the soul.
immolation - here in after. its just an amazing cd from an amazing band period. i dont really think it exploded the genre and influenced thousands of bands, but it quietly snuck under the radar as one of the best dm albums ever.
me votes :dio: