A collection of the most original, insane and head spinning albums from the weirdest side of metal. Suggestions are welcome.

1. A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays

2. Angizia - Das Schachbrett Des Trommelbuben Zacharias

3. Akphaezya - Anthology II: Links From The Dead Trinity

4. Arcturus - La Masquerade Infernale

5. Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors

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Sometimes when I listen to some deeply creative music, some of them makes me wonder about different worlds, universes or stories. This list is just a little extract of all the wondrous creations that I know.

1. Disillusion - Back To Times Of Splendor

2. Persefone - Core

3. Fairyland - Score To A New Beginning

4. Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth

5. Ensiferum - Iron

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My best of 2009

1. Epica - Design Your Universe

2. Trail Of Tears - Bloodstained Endurance

3. Wine From Tears - Through The Eyes Of A Mad

4. Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

5. Novembers Doom - Into Night's Requiem Infernal

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1. Kalisia - Cybion

2. Thy Catafalque - Róka Hasa Rádió

3. Karnivool - Sound Awake

4. Finsterforst - ...zum Tode hin

5. While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose

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1. Lost Horizon - A Flame To The Ground Beneath

2. Wintersun - Wintersun

3. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech

4. Empyrium - Songs Of Moors And Misty Fields

5. Mors Principium Est - The Unborn

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1. Novembre - Wish I Could Dream It Again

2. Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness

3. Metallica - ...And Justice For All

4. Novembre - Arte Novecento

5. Metallica - Ride The Lightning

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Here are my top 25 of 2009, going to try to get more years done as I get more free time.

1. Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

2. Baroness - Blue Record

3. Amorphis - Skyforger

4. While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose

5. Mastodon - Crack The Skye

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Call me easily impressed or what, but 2009 has been an amazing year for metal releases for me. Being well into 2010, I had the chance to let everything sink in and the more memorable albums stand out more while certain release that had initially escaped attention could also be "auditioned". Having listened to over 230 releases, just narrowing down a list of top 30 has already been a challenge, but for an annual list to go over 20 kind of loses its purpose of recommendation, so I just tried even harder. At the same time, I allowed myself to cheat a little bit by using another list of overlooked albums and influential albums. Some that didn't quite make the cut: Bloodbound, Artillery, Delain, Fairyland, Dark Moor, Vomitory, Immortal, Paradise Lost, Amesoeurs, Skyfire, The 11th Hour, Process Of Guilt and Anaal Nathrakh

1. Thy Catafalque - Róka Hasa Rádió

2. Amorphis - Skyforger

3. Samael - Above

4. Sun Of The Blind - Skullreader

5. While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose

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1. Arckanum - ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ

2. Excoriate - On Pestilent Winds...

3. Onirik - After Centuries of Silence

4. Oranssi Pazuzu - Muukalainen Puhuu

5. Dishammer - Vintage Addiction

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Limited to one album per band and only those featured on Metal Storm.
I feel these albums demonstrate certain qualities that can be of enjoyment to someone who is interested in avantgarde, experimental, extreme, fusion, jazz, post rock, and technical forms of metal.

1. Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick

2. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

3. Rush - Moving Pictures

4. Opeth - Still Life

5. Dream Theater - Images And Words

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