The album Paranoid is most definitely heavy metal and indeed a template as you say.
Paranoid is a favourite of mine too Iroquois. I was brought up on Black Sabbath and have most of the albums on record(the rest on cd) thanks to hand me downs. Love the band.
In which case I add Masters of Reality. Just hear their influence the most in bands that you wouldn't consider metal and think of them more as sludgy, bluesy rock
That first one looks like your avatar (but is slightly different). Would it be wise to assume you have some special relationship with it?
I barely listen to metal, but I should, because it's probably the only serious form of rock music there is.
Yessir it is very special to me. I almost quit writing after hearing it actually haha but yes you should listen to metal because of exactly what you said. It's virtually the only progressing genre around anymore.
I would put Altars Of Madness or Blessed Are The Sick ahead of Covenant but at least there's another Morbid Angel fan here. Also really like Mercyful Fate, have you heard Emperor's cover of Gypsy?
Why do you pick these over the bands' other albums: Morbid Tales and The Jester Race