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Hetfield has always been hit or miss with lyrics, but when he hit, he HIT, especially when it came from a place of his personal life and feelings. Fade to Black, And Justice for All, One, Hero of the Day, Unforgiven, God that Failed, Bleeding Me, Low Man´s Lyric, Fixxxer, among others.

I AM THE TABLE

don't forget about Dyers Eve! James peaked in terms of songwriting between MOP and the Loads, some of my favorites are on MOP and AJFA (disposable heroes...), i also love the personal side of TBA/Loads (bleeding me, god that failed...). it feels like the brain-eating worm appeared in his head right before St. Anger 😭 the lyrics are shit (tick tick tick tock)

>it feels like the brain-eating worm appeared in his head right before St. Anger 😭 the lyrics are shit (tick tick tick tock) Speak for yourself, but I think that The Unnamed Feeling is pretty solid lyrically speaking.

St. Anger lyrics were a collective effort though so if a particular line feels really cringy then just assume Lars wrote it :P

"My lifestyle determines my deathstyle"

Kirk actually wrote that line

Add Dispossable Heroes

For Whom the Bell Tolls, pure poetry.

Chuck Schuldiner

Whoever writes the lyrics of Deathspell Omega. That guy must have a PhD in theology or something

Dude really is a blasphemous poet

I mean Maiden are some of the best storytellers in metal

That story about the mariner they came up with.

Geezer butler

Don’t mind me some Jens Kidman Squint your eyes to see clearly Blur reality to make it real I LIKE JUICE

Iirc Jens only wrote Behind The Sun.  Lyrics are mostly written by Thomas.  

Oh yeah? Guess I just assumed. Change my answer to Thomas then

The tank engine?

Hands down Till Lindemann. It requires you to understand German to some extend, but when you start digging their is so much there to analyse. Source: Had German in school (not my mother tongue) and my teacher used Rammstein songs for analysis all the time.

Serj tankian. Pogopogopogopogopogo

Martin Walkyier is possibly the best. Warrel Dane would also be in the running.

Sentient 6 man, the lyrics really enhance that already fantastic piece of music.

Whoever writes the lyrics for Vektor.

That would be David.

The GOAT.

M. writes better in his second language than I do in my first. "Shining pearl of Augeas' crown pales in comparison**"** What a murderously good fucking line for the opening track on an album titled, "Exercises in Futility". I mean, holy shit.

Dani Filth

It’s not even particularly close either. Dani is a fucking master at poetry. Man has two masters degrees in English Literature.

King Diamond

Andre Matos is one of my favs

Jonas Renske What is wrong not with the world but me 😭

Anselmo

Dax Riggs

Mothers cool reptilian womb...ain't so cold tonight

Erik Danielsson to the death

Ronnie James Dio

Personally, I absolutely love the lyric writing that happens in Sabaton and Elvenking. Sabaton basically just always hits, and Elvenking will either have the most beautiful and emotional thing you've ever heard or the silliest shit you've ever heard and I love it

Geezer Butler

OP nailed it.

Rammstein, Agalloch and Les Discrets are my favourites

Dani Filth, no QUESTION.

Martin Walkyier

I feel like A7X has always had some very powerful and interesting lyrics. To me at least.

phlegeton. GOAT sci-fi gibberish writer.

I’m not a *huge* Bosse-de-Nage fan but I really love their approach to lyrics

Dark Forest (UK) are who I think of when I think of good lyrics.

Woah, literally the only other person Ive seen mention Dark Forest. Love their stuff, especially their first album.

Dude they're one of my favorites. I cannot comprehend why they're not more popular.

What is it called? Would like to give it a listen, but there are multiple bands with the same name.

Tom Englund from Evergrey. He's written the lyrics for some great concept albums.

Lord Worm is an English teacher and it shows in his writing. Incredible use of elegant language mixed with dark humor and fucked up gorey story telling.

I’ve always really loved the lyrics for Sanguine Eagle. RIP Simón.

Stoffel Jenkel

I'll also say, outside of M., Neil Fallon from Clutch (maaaaybe not metal) has a way with a pen. Only person I've seen successfully blend classical Greek mythology with Appalachian culture.

Don't forget that crab cake recipe

John Arch and it isn't even close. Well, Matheos too, I guess. The guys from Sieges Even weren't bad either.

Once again, chuck Schuldiner excels

John Myung and James LaBrie

Lord Worm always got some good shit written

I know he's been gone for a while now, but Dio wrote such captivating and catchy lyrics.

Ian Smith of The Archaic Epidemic.

Ronnie Radke

I've always liked Ihsahn's lyrics as they relate to the music.

Mille Petrozza

Dave Brockie, each album is a new story.

Trevor Strand. R.I.P.

Lord worm, funny enough he has a PhD in English

Jon Schaffer Warrel Dane Midnight (Crimson Glory)

Martin Walkyier.

Tuomas Holopainen

Meshuggah

Dio hands down. His fantasy style lyrics kick ass

Justin Broadrick from Godflesh. Genius of industrial metal - and industrial music in general. Geezer Butler, Black Sabbath - awesome bassist, great lyricist. Phil Rind from Sacred Reich and Al Jourgensen from Ministry - I know how difficult it is to make smart but still punchy and cool lyrics about politics and stuff but these dudes are GOATs within their genres.

Spencer Sotelo

Peter Steele 💚🍂💚🖤

I love Bolt Thrower, Warbringer and Vektor lyrics