A collection of metal albums that use Arabian/Middle-Eastern and other far eastern folk elements. Recommendations are welcome. Image is the cover artwork of Shangren's Warriors of Devastation.

Notable bands not featured in MS:
Empylver | Wood Woud Would | 2006 - Chinese/Folk - China
Fu Xi 伏羲 | 在寂静的路上 (In the Quiet Road) | 2009 - Chinese/Folk - China

1. Acyl - Algebra

2. Aeternam - Disciples Of The Unseen

3. Al-Namrood - Estorat Taghoot

4. Al-Namrood - Kitab Al-Awthan

5. Amaseffer - Slaves For Life

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I tend to judge albums based on listenability. Which is to say how many times I've listened to said album and the albums with the greatest ratio of fantastic songs

1. Alcest - Écailles de lune

2. Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit

3. Thou - Summit

4. Ghost - Opus Eponymous

5. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

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1. Vulture Industries - The Malefactor's Bloody Register

2. Carach Angren - Death Came Through A Phantom Ship

3. Melechesh - The Epigenesis

4. Torture Squad - Aequilibrium

5. Nevermore - The Obsidian Conspiracy

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1. Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here

2. Sigh - Scenes From Hell

3. Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR

4. Melechesh - The Epigenesis

5. Therion - Sitra Ahra

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Top 10 Metal albums, 2010 ..

1. Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR

2. Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt One

3. Aborym - Psychogrotesque

4. Fear Factory - Mechanize

5. Sigh - Scenes From Hell

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weeeee. all my past staff picks now compiled into one swell list.

1. High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine

2. Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough

3. Greymachine - Disconnected

4. Kylesa - Static Tensions

5. Profetus - Coronation Of The Black Sun

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1. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

2. Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones

3. Overkill - Ironbound

4. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

5. Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here

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1. Overkill - Ironbound

2. Ghost - Opus Eponymous

3. Negator - Panzer Metal

4. Akelei - De Zwaarte Van Het Doorstane

5. Enforcer - Diamonds

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1. Blind Guardian - At The Edge Of Time

2. Ancient Bards - The Alliance Of The Kings

3. Helloween - 7 Sinners

4. Fear Factory - Mechanize

5. Soulitude - Wonderfool World

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2010; an oddity of a year with lots of great releases from obscure and relatively unheard of bands, while at the same time some horrendous, shameful duds released by many household names. Could things get any more topsy turvy?

Subject to change, as I see fit.

1. Illidiance - Damage Theory

2. Radiance (FIN) - The Burning Sun

3. Amogh Symphony - The Quantum Hack Code

4. Allegaeon - Fragments Of Form And Function

5. Mourning Lenore - Loosely Bounded Infinities

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1. Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit

2. Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here

3. Helevorn - Forthcoming Displeasures

4. Melechesh - The Epigenesis

5. Witchery - Witchkrieg

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weeee! 2010 is pretty much toast and 2011 is coming 'round the bend. here are my top 25 picks from this past year. top six or seven are firmly in place, the rest of the list is a clusterfuck of high 7 's to low 8's, which are likely to go up or down a couple slots within seconds of my posting this.

1. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

2. Mar De Grises - Streams Inwards

3. Negură Bunget - Maiestrit

4. Shattered Hope - Absence

5. Eibon - Entering Darkness

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I haven't heard all the albums released in 2010, so this list could and probably will change in time.

1. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

2. Exodus - Exhibit B: The Human Condition

3. Death Angel - Relentless Retribution

4. Demonica - Demonstrous

5. Blind Guardian - At The Edge Of Time

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1. Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit

2. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

3. Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR

4. Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt One

5. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

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1. Atheist - Jupiter

2. Hour Of Penance - Paradogma

3. Flesh Consumed - Ecliptic Dimensions Of Suffering

4. Melechesh - The Epigenesis

5. Canvas Solaris - Irradiance

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