Melvins’ Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover Each Pick Their Top 5 Metal Albums

We’ve been going back through our survey results for our list of the Top 75 Metal Albums of All Time, presenting individual lists from some of the notable musicians who participated, such as Baroness’ Gina Gleason and members of Pallbearer.

A couple of legendary names who helped us build our Top 75 were a pair of Melvins members: singer-guitarist Buzz “King Buzzo” Osborne and drummer Dale Crover.

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These survey results offer fascinating insight into the influences and record collections of the artists who contributed, and King Buzzo and Crover’s picks are no different. We can carve out a trajectory here, imagining a young Buzz binging Deep Purple and Sabbath in his bedroom before discovering the harsher textures of Swans and Upside Down Cross.

Meanwhile, Crover’s picks all have masterful drumming, and both Melvins members chose the same iconic Judas Priest live album as their No. 1 (a most excellent record that received several mentions in our survey but didn’t qualify for our Top 75 due to it being of the live variety).

Check out Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover’s picks below, and catch the Melvins on their upcoming fall US tour with Redd Cross.

Buzz Osborne (vocals, guitar)

5. Swans – Young God EP (1984)

This record is mean and brutal. A giant stomping mess that I will never tire of. This is the kind of metal I love and it is heavy metal. Completely. What else would it be? Best song: “I Crawled.”

Stream Young God on Apple Music | Buy on CD/Vinyl

4. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)

The opening track “Black Sabbath” is the best song they ever wrote. By far. Huge riffage and scary lyrics performed at a superstar level. Best song: “Black Sabbath.”

Stream Black Sabbath on Apple Music | Buy on CD/Vinyl

3. Deep Purple – Made in Japan (1972)

Kick-ass double live album recorded sometime in the early ’70s. My god what a great record. “Highway Star” kicks this off and it’s absolutely blazing. Best song: “Highway Star”/”Smoke on the Water.”

Stream Made in Japan on Apple Music | Buy on CD/Vinyl

2. Upsidedown Cross – Upsidedown Cross (1991)

Gross sounding and perfect. What a weird band. I think most of these guys are dead except J. Mascis who plays drums on this. It’s arguably J.’s best record. Best song: “Mass in Blood.”

Stream Upsidedown Cross on Apple Music | Buy on CD/Vinyl

1. Judas Priest – Unleashed in the East (1979)

My favorite metal album of all time AND it’s a live album! Each of these versions are better than the recorded versions. Best ever.

Stream Unleashed in the East on Apple Music | Buy on CD/Vinyl