In no particular order.

Iron Maiden isn't on the list, so your list is null and void...

No Priest, No Maiden? No metal.

Since I didn't see Black Sabbath on your list, you must not have meant 'of all time'.

1. TOOL
2. ISIS
3. Cult of Luna
4. Neurosis
5. Opeth
6. Agalloch
7. Enslaved
8. Slayer
9. Danzig
10. Meshuggah

hey, i like me some "older" metal too.

KISS
IRON MAIDEN
BLACK SABBATH
JUDAS PRIEST
AC/DC

etc.

how could you leave out...

Add Manowar and Motorhead and I'm in.

What about Mercyful Fate?!

Old but not forgotten. It's arguable if Maiden and Priest are still relevant but they are definitely still putting out albums, touring, and kicking serious ass!

ten is impossible. no one will ever agree. it will fill up before newer bands even have a chance of getting a spot.

sabbath, maiden, led, and priest all have to be there. so 6 spots left.

kiss is, arguably, not metal.

brooks55, though I like most of your picks, I don't think they'll qualify.
maybe Slayer and/or Tool.

likewise, I don't know if Motorhead would make a top ten. can anyone name one of their songs besides "Ace of Spades" without googling?

okay. now, argue some more!

On KISS- Agree!

On Motorhead- Agree but for different reasons. They're more like Zepplin, who I also will never count as Metal. Just because you influenced it doesn't mean you are it. It's like the Stooges, I'll never consider them punk, they're above it and helped start it but AREN'T.

Also I can name lots of songs without Googling them, Lemmy is a hero!

Killed by Death
Out of the Sun
Sex and Death
Hellraiser
Devils
Eat the Rich
Going to Brazil
Orgasmitron
Please Don't Touch (cover, but a good one)
Sacrifice
Bomber
Rock & Roll
I Am The Sword

Not trying to be contentious, mind you. I just really, really love Motorhead. I'll cede that Motorhead is not a metal band in the same way Maiden or Priest are metal bands, but I'd also say this: when those guys did a metal song, they did it right.

Motorhead is definately metal. just not a top ten.

come on, we're not talking your top ten.

we're talking a top ten of all time.

why do you think led is not metal?

but do you agree with any of this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music

EXODUS
SOD
SLAYER
KREATOR
DICTATORS
BLACK SABBATH
RAW POWER
BAD BRAINS
BLACK FLAG
MENTORS
in no particular order.

Maybe it's telling that no one is mentioning Metallica or Megadeth.

Its hard to say what the Top 10 Metal Bands ever would be, partly because there are so many interpretations of what "top" means (best selling? most influential? most relevant?) and partly because I have terrible taste and would probably put both 3 Inches of Blood and Gamma Ray on there just because.

And how can you possibly classify the Dictators as a metal band? I mean, I love the Dictators, but half of their stuff is practically power-pop.

In no particular order...

1. Tool
2. Judas Priest
3. Iron Maiden
4. Metallica
5. Black Sabbath
6. AC/DC
7. Rush
8. Korn
9. Kiss
10. Led Zepplin

I just don't get the attitude from them of what I consider "metal." It's not JUST lyrical content and song construction, it's the attitude. It's not an insult, mind you. Without them there would be no metal, that's for sure, I just don't put them there. They're a bit above it, I'm trying to think of a better way to explain it but I can't.

I do get that feeling from Motorhead, just not 100% of the time, so I don't put them in the metal category. They're heavy, sure, but a lot of the content, both lyrically and musically is based more on early rock/blues and even some punk.

To me, to be "metal" as a band you have to go beyond the rock n' roll/blues based influences and start getting some classical music in there as well. I never feel Zepplin totally got there, almost, but just not on the head. The first band I get all of that from is Sabbath.

I mean, it's all so opinion-based though it's just how I feel about it and I can break it down more and more and go on for a long time about it but won't. I'm not even getting into what CONTENT lyrically I feel is and is not metal.

I'll put my personal list out there, though. This is just me:
Slayer
Black Sabbath
Iron Maiden
Mercyful Fate
Samhain (I don't honestly know what I consider them, I don't consider them hardcore or punk, metal is the closest genre I've ever been able to put them in)

I can't really pull more than 5 without it getting more complicated though. How about this thread be "Your Personal Top 5 (or 10)" ? Though I like healthy discussions about differing POV's on the subject too.

I may have been born in the 70s, but I shoulda have grown up in the 70s...
Sabbath
Pentagram
Motorhead
Priest
AC/DC
Iron Maiden

KISS is just as metal AC/DC or even JUDAS PRIEST. And IRON MAIDEN for that matter. KISS just didn't have that same subject matter in their lyrics as the mentioned acts. They had the look and of course are Metal...Heavy Metal. Hell, all the Black Metal bands even copied their face paint. Their not Pop or Classic Rock. I could go on... Listen to KISS's "Creatures Of The Night" and tell me their not metal!