To be honest I generally don't do much metal anymore, currently going through a classical and acoustic phase. While I can appreciate the technical difficulty of some of the bands out there I just don't bond with a lot of the lyrics.
Interesting, one of the things I love most about the metal bands I listen to are the lyrical themes (eg. history, epic fantasy, mythology, war), I've never been fond of music that's about emotions and romantic themes (yawn!).
Warning: Very long Metal post incoming!A few of my all time favourite Metal Bands:
Iron Maiden (Traditional)
A very obvious choice, I know, but they're the band that got me into Heavy Metal in the first place, and I just love everything about them
Possibly my favourite Iron Maiden song (I'm listening to it right now

)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51LPlP-s9oBlind Guardian (Power)
The band that got me into power metal, they're simply epic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=320Te91vWnYSlough Feg (Traditional)
I seriously love this band so much, it's sad how they're so underrated. I actually love this band as much as I love Iron Maiden D: It's really hard for me to pick a favourite Slough Feg song, They've yet to release a bad album imo, I highly recommend this band to anyone who loves traditional metal, you're in for a treat

This song is actually on Brutal Legend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpVClr_DL4oEnsiferum (Viking/Folk)
The band that got me into Folk/Viking metal, after their last album I'm really looking forward to their next album
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agrx2baUsvARunning Wild (Speed)
Speed metal at it's best! And they're a pirate metal band, which makes them even more awesome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEFGzrbOQsw&feature=relatedOpeth (Progressive/Melodeath)
I think I've mentioned this band several times on these forums

Opeth got me into Melodeath metal, which then lead me to death and some black metal. They're pretty different to any other band I listen to, I can't get enough of them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0hRznmgLUo&feature=relatedOverkill (Thrash)
I had always thought thrash metal was a sub-genre of metal that I was never really going to get into, until I discovered this band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln8-iokzGOICandlemass (Doom)
Superb Doom Metal that gives me the chills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kkVlJMcJTwHammers of Misfortune (Progressive)
Too underrated! This band is really hard to describe, their style varies so much, they're a mixture of Folk, Doom, Power and Traditional Heavy Metal. They are a little "Opethy."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i54uXGQO1zQ&feature=relatedSome bands I have been getting into recently:
Turisas (Viking)
Didn't think much of them at first, but then I heard their latest album (Stand Up and Fight) which I enjoyed so much I decided to give their other albums another listen and appreciated them a lot more on my second listen.
Primordial (Folk/Black)
Some silly bald contacts hello kitty guy person human thing told me about them, gave them a try, was blown away by their To the Nameless Dead album.
Christian Mistress (Tradtional)
A female fronted band, good stuff!
Cathedral (Doom)
Recently gave their Garden of Unearthly Delights album a listen and loved it!
Bongripper (Sludge/Doom)
Don't normally listen got Sludge, I only have their Satan Worshiping Doom album so far which is an instrumental which I actually found fascinating, really must try more of their albums.
I think I've mentioned enough for now

Other Metal bands I love are Judas Priest, Motorhead, Bathory, Hammerfall (leave me alone), Rhapsody of Fire, White Wizzard, Holy Grail, Symphony X, Gamma Ray, Immortal, Helloween, Megadeth, Stratovarius, Wintersun, Falconer, Black Sabbath, Heidevolk, Rainbow (rock), Brocas Helm, Dio, Equilibrium, Alestorm (they're good fun) and many others

Sorry I got a bit carried away, but I really do love my Metal music, some people ask me why I don't listen to much else apart from metal music, but I find I have enough various types of metal to fit all of my moods
