Top 10 Best Metal Ballads

The Top Ten
1 Fade to Black - Metallica

The definition of the type of song that touches my soul. From when I first heard it around 1998, I constantly searched for songs structured like this. It just has the perfect structure to maximize nostalgia and anger, and then the release of feelings.

Too bad its lyrics are about suicide, and too bad that some teens got to the point of taking their own lives. Allegedly, this song was their starting motivation. But enough with the trivia. This song totally rocks, period.

This song has so much meaning to it. The lyrics are deep, and the guitars and drums go so well with it. My favorite Metallica song, and my favorite song ever.

One of Metallica's best songs, one of the best metal songs ever written, and one of the best songs overall.

2 Beyond the Realms of Death - Judas Priest

Not only does it have everything a good metal ballad needs (emotion, power, soul, etc.), it also stands as perhaps the most influential ballad on this list. Metallica, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden, among many others, cite this song as a primary influence and an essential template when composing their own ballad-esque songs. Some overt examples of said influence can be found in Fade to Black by Metallica and Remember Tomorrow by Maiden. Along with Children of the Damned, these songs are strangely absent from this list.

3 Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

Although I like The Unforgiven and Fade to Black better, I would say Nothing Else Matters is the best metal ballad.

I think it's the best because there is this sort of harmony all along with perfect accelerations!

Just a perfect song and my all-time favorite ballad.

4 Cemetery Gates - Pantera

According to me, this song is on par (even higher) with Metallica's Fade to Black, Sanitarium, and One.

It should be way higher on the list, at least above Slipknot or Avenged Sevenfold (which isn't exactly metal).

Amazing solo. The guitar-vocal duet is really amazing. I love the way it picks up and then falls repeatedly.

I love the riff. Only that is enough to make Cemetery Gates number 1.

5 Scene Eight: the Spirit Carries On - Dream Theater

This song is so moving. Any haters that think Dream Theater is incapable of emotion have to listen to this song.

I think this is the best. Very touching.

6 One - Metallica

So, in the top ten best songs ever list, it's ranked about 9th or something, which is higher than most other ballads on this list. And on this list, it's ranked 21st. This is a power ballad that shows you the life of a sufferer from war. It's a masterpiece and easily one of the best ballads ever.

The progression and built-up emotion in this song combine to tell a truly sad tale. Like every great ballad, it tells a story with words, but the added progressive style allows the instruments to tell the story as well.

This beautiful song deserves to be in the top 5.

7 Snuff - Slipknot

This song sets the standard for modern metal ballads. At first, it sounds kind of generic, but there are several things that set it apart. The most obvious is Corey's voice. Then, there are the lyrics, followed by the intricate guitars.

What really ties it all together is the keyboard riff. It's such a delicate song because without all these elements exactly as they are, it wouldn't be such a great song. Props to Slipknot. They really stepped up on this one.

Enough with the "Slipknot is a machine and has no soul" remarks! Listen to this song, and it will prove that you were wrong all along!

8 The Sound of Silence - Disturbed

I love this song so much! The first time I heard it, I was in tears because I didn't know that Disturbed could make such beautiful music. Simply a masterpiece!

Even better than the original. Draiman's voice combined with the instruments is simply beautiful.

The first song to give me goosebumps. Probably the best cover ever made.

9 Silent Lucidity - Queensryche

This is a no-brainer. Queensryche has an incredibly unique writing style, and the musicians are all virtuosos at their respective instruments.

This song is simply divine and without a doubt deserves to be #1.

This song is revolutionary and should be placed higher than 6. QR is a great band and plays some of the best prog metal out there!

1. A Tout Le Monde
2. Silent Lucidity
3. Fade to Black

I enjoy it immensely. I've been caught playing it over and over.

10 A Tout Le Monde - Megadeth

This needs to be #1. A simple melody that strikes through to the soul of everyone who hears it! The pain and love expressed at the same time - a masterpiece!

This song is just amazing. I love it more than words can describe.

Look up the lyrics. This song is just beautiful.

The Contenders
11 Collapse - Vektor

A masterpiece of modern thrash. One of the only unique bands today.

12 The Bard's Song (In the Forest) - Blind Guardian

Beautiful from the studio, but one of the best musical experiences of my life live. I've never heard so many people sing so well.

Absolutely one of the best metal songs ever. Once everything else is gone, "the bard's song will remain."

This is so great from every viewpoint - originality, vocals, melody, and lyrics.

13 In My Darkest Hour - Megadeth

It's a great song, but I'm not sure it classifies as a ballad. On this album, Mary-Jane is the most ballad-like song. However, it is still not a ballad. There are no real ballads on the So Far, So Good... So What! album.

This song should easily have made the top twenty.

14 Child In Time - Deep Purple

Not sure it strictly comes under the banner of metal, but nevertheless, it's a wonderful song. Incredible vocals from the master, not just the screams, and a beautifully intricate, cleverly constructed solo from the greatest rock/metal guitarist ever.

Probably my favorite song ever, let alone ballad!

15 Return to Serenity - Testament

Testament is the most diverse band ever. Chuck Billy is by far one of the best singers there is, and Testament has produced some of the greatest ballads and instrumentals. Not to mention, they have the greatest drummers and guitarists.

I love Testament, and I love all of their ballads. I dare say they are one of the few bands with the best metal ballads in the whole world.

Really, there aren't many that touch my soul like this one, and I know an awful lot of them.

Best metal ballad by far. Actually, the best ballad, period. It's nice to throw this in with some of their older songs to shake it up.

16 Floods - Pantera

One of the best ballads. Floods is at the same time powerful, strong, and dark, and contains this famous final riff.

This song left me speechless after it ended. It's perhaps my favorite Pantera song.

My favorite ballad ever, by my favorite band ever!

17 Hollow - Pantera

This is my favorite song of Pantera, even more than Cemetery Gates. It has amazing guitar harmony and very deep, soulful lyrics. It starts with a gloomy and hollow mood, then it turns to anger and regret and gets heavier.

It is one of those few songs that gets even better every time I play it. It needs to be higher than it is now.

Should be much higher. This song has excellent guitar playing.

18 Rainbow Eyes - Rainbow

Rainbow is an underrated heavy metal band that everyone should check out, especially if you like Dio and Deep Purple. I don't think this is the best metal ballad, but I voted for it because Rainbow is a great band. Check out the first three albums. They absolutely kick ass.

Ahh, this one is top 5! Magical - it's like a music message from the center of the Universe. This melody is so beautiful and unique that it's almost transcendental. And Dio earned the nickname Mr. Golden Voice for a reason.

19 Changes - Black Sabbath

I think this song needs to be higher, even though it doesn't sound as metal.

20 Seize the Day - Avenged Sevenfold
21 No More Tears - Ozzy Osbourne
22 The Heart Collector - Nevermore
23 Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - Metallica

Fantastic lyrics. They make you want to break out of your cell, even though you're just at home listening to music.

Unbelievable, one of the most important songs they have done.

No way this is number 70. This song is fantastic.

24 Fiddler On the Green - Demons and Wizards

A song of incredibly moving beauty and power. The story that it illustrates is perfectly heartbreaking and adds a feeling of otherworldliness to the song.

The build and release that it creates when the climax is reached is exquisite. I have seen this song leave those uninitiated in the metal genre baffled after their preconceptions are turned on their heads. It's excellent.

OK, here's the story: Hansi (singer and lyricist) witnessed two car accidents in one week, and two kids were killed - a boy and a girl.

Interpretation of the story in the song: Death took the life of the boy by mistake, and to make up for it, the reaper also took the life of the girl, who would have been his soulmate in life.

25 The Unforgiven - Metallica

I love this song, and Unforgiven II, but mostly Unforgiven III.

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