For me the best metal years with quality releases were 2008 and 2009.I was surprised when Samael and Beherit released they're albums,which I consider a comeback to the "old times".Kreator and Amon Amarth released some amazing stuff too during these years.So, for me and other extreme metal fans 2008 and 2009 were the best!:beer:

Written by Dangerboner on 09.08.2009 at 21:53

Easily, it's 2006. I've rated every year, and 2006 is really the only time I was constantly overwhelmed with new releases. I remember driving to the CD store practically once a week to pick up something new. Bands like Sahg, Skinless, Napalm Death, Anaal Nathrakh, Benighted, Krisiun, Abysmal Torment, Waco Jesus, Cannibal Corpse, Lust of Decay, Amon Amarth, Mastodon, Darkthrone, Deicide, Goatwhore, The Sword, Into Eternity, Textures, Melechesh, Suffocation, Ministry, Cattle Decapitation, Katatonia, etc. didn't just blow me away, but a good portion of those bands were huge surprises - either coming out of nowhere or rejuvenating their reputations.

I was reviewing my rankings, and actually I think 2006 had more consistently good, and just a higher number of great albums, than any other year.... ever

I'm agree with 2006 but from the bands you said i only listened amon amarth.
2006 has greatest albums of my life.
Agalloch-Kalmah-Celtic Frost-Dark Lunacy-Diablo Swing Orchestra-Moonspell-The Gathering-The Haunted
for example i spend about four months only with "the black waltz" of Kalmah. two months with "ashes against the grain" of agalloch. same with "home" of The Gathering and..

I must say that the 2000s have been a very good decade so far for metal, we have so far seen the rise of some great new bands, the rejuvination of some old ones and some genuinely great and classic albums. As for the be year, its very hard to decide for certain...
I think perhaps either 2004 or 2006 both were great years for metal, 2004 saw some great albums from a lot of bands the likes of Megadeth, Nightwish, My dying Bride, Exodus and many many more, as well as being the year that saw the maturing of some good new bands Edenbridge with Shine, Silent Force with Worlds Apart, Novembers Doom with The Pale Haunt Departure. These are just a few of the 35 albums I own from 2004.
2006 was very good as well with Ihsahn beginning his solo career with The Adversary, Immortals return, Anthrax's comeback album, Epica with Consign to Oblivion, just to name a few of the many very good albums of 2006
notable years also should be '02, '03, '05, '07 and probably every other year in the decade

I'd say everything past 2005 so far . . .

After looking back again at my album votes, they show that I favor 2008 as the best year with over 20 albums combining for a 9 or a 10, but 2009 is quickley on the rise!

2005 for me. It was during this year that I got fully immersed into the world of metal, with high-quality releases from Dark Tranquillity, Opeth, Kamelot, Nevermore, Nile, Porcupine Tree, among others, gracing my ears.

2004! Wintersun's debut album and the master piece of al metal "11 Dreams" from Mercenary made that year very amazing.

I'll toss my vote behind 2007...

Warning - Watching From A Distance
Primordial - To The Nameless Dead
Ulver - Shadows Of The Sun
Minsk - The Ritual Fires Of Abandonment
Clutch - Beale Street To Oblivion
Alcest - Souvenirs...
Neurosis - GIven To The Rising
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
Chaos Moon - Langour into Echoes, Beyond
Bongripper - Hippiekiller
Jesu - Conqueror
Glorior Belli - Manifesting The Raging Beast
Baroness - Red Album
Wolves In The Throne Room - Two Hunters
Om - Pilgrimmage

that's a pretty damned good list covering a lot of ground.

Going on how many 10's (and lets say high 9's) I dolled out 2005 seems to be the magic year for me:

Dark Tranquillity - Character
Alcest - Le Secret
Evoken - Antithesis Of Light
Meshuggah - Catch 33
Nevermore - This Godless Endeavor
Skullflower - Orange Canyon Mind
The Axis Of Perdition - Deleted Scenes From The Transition Hospital
Lurker Of Chalice - Lurker Of Chalice
Akercocke - Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
Deathspell Omega - Kénôse
The Meads Of Asphodel - Damascus Steel
Velvet Cacoon - Northsuite
Napalm Death - The Code Is Red... Long Live The Code
Blut Aus Nord - Thematic Emanation Of Archetypal Multiplicity
Dãm - Purity: The Darwinian Paradox
Sigh - Gallows Gallery
Nadja - Body Cage
Earth - HEX: Or Printing In The Infernal Method

A lot of awesome memories there. I agree 2007 was a stellar year though.

I'll wedge myself between BitterCOld and JOOE and vouch for 2006.

Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain
Ahab - The Call of the Wretched Sea
Amon Amarth - With Oden on Our Side
Anata - The Conductor's Departure
Celtic Frost - Monotheist
Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway
Deicide - The Stench of Redemption
Drudkh - Blood in Our Wells
Ea - Ea Taesse
Forteresse - Métal noir Québécois
Insomnium - Above the Weeping World
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Repugnant - Epitome of Darkness
Saturnus - Veronika Decides to Die
Warning - Watching from a Distance (released by Miskatonic in '06 Craig!)
Wolves in the Throne Room - Diadem of 12 Stars

etc. etc. etc.

As far as years are concerned.......my knowledge of the metal scene multiplies 100x every year.SO i know a ton of a lot more
bands and albums than i did last year.
And i check the back catalogues of several bands like i checked out immolation's previous releases only last year.And then Negura Bunget, Ayreon, Alcest, BTBAM, Buzrum, Primordial, Summoning,Drudkh,Arcturus etc. SO i check out the releases of 07,06,05 in 2010.Does that make 2010 the best year of metal for me??? I don't know.SO I believe every coming year will be better than the last one (ATLEAST FOR ME) based sheerly on the fact that i'll digging deeper and deeper into the unknown abysses of the Extreme metal scene

Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.03.2011 at 06:41

I'll wedge myself between BitterCOld and JOOE and vouch for 2006.

Agreed...2006:

Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side
Amorphis - Eclipse
Converge - No Heroes
I - Between Two Worlds
Lamb Of God - Sacrament
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Melechesh - Emissaries
Tool - 10,000 Days

Best year ever...1992!

Still have a lot of albums that I have yet to listen to in 2007, but perhaps it's to do with the fact that that's when I first heard a metal album (or song actually) that makes this year so special for me (=

Some of the releases that I still enjoy or have enjoyed immensely (which I am sure many of you would disagree but I don't mind ):

Within Temptation - The Heart Of Everything
Nightwish - Dark Passion Play
Kamelot - Ghost Opera
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Deadlock - Wolves
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
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Amorphis - Silent Waters
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Threshold - Dead Reckoning
Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Circus Maximus - Isolate
DGM - Different Shapes
Redemption - The Origins Of Ruin
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omnisient
Alchemist - Tripsis
Waltari - Release Date
------------------------------------------------------
Mekong Delta - Lurking Fear
Project: Failing Flesh - The Conjoined
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Primordial - To The Nameless Dead
Chaos Moon - Languor Into Echoes, Beyond
Shining - V - Halmstad
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Benighted - Icon
Dãm - The Difference Engine
Mithras - Behind The Shadows Lie Madness
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Candlemass - King Of The Grey Islands
Officium Triste - Giving Yourself Away
Trouble - Simple Mind Condition
Yearning - Merging Into Landscapes
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Nadja - Thaumogenesis
The Angelic Process - Weighing Souls With Sand <-------- I blatantly saved the best till last
------------------------------------------------------

I've divided them into some rough sections that are relevant to sub-genres for those who are interested in finding out more (i.e. if you've seen something you liked here and have not heard the other one, go listen )

Judging by the amount of hours of music I have from each year and the amount of albums I own and have good ratings from each year... My vote would go to 2006 with special mention to 2005 and 2007... then again.. the later part of the 00's was way better than the first half.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 07.03.2011 at 16:16

Judging by the amount of hours of music I have from each year and the amount of albums I own and have good ratings from each year... My vote would go to 2006 with special mention to 2005 and 2005... then again.. the later part of the 00's was way better than the first half.

Two special mentions for 2005? I agree! =P

Written by Guest on 07.03.2011 at 17:45

Two special mentions for 2005? I agree! =P

Lol... edited.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 07.03.2011 at 17:48


Lol... edited.

Bah, it was better before...

Written by Guest on 07.03.2011 at 17:49

Written by X-Ray Rod on 07.03.2011 at 17:48


Lol... edited.

Bah, it was better before...

Hhahaha probably, I think I said 2007 because of the larger amount of cds from that year that I own. 2005 and 2006 are still the best ones, can't choose from them.