This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.Macabre - Murder Metal

2.Macabre Omen - Gods Of War - At War

3.Macbeth - Romantic Tragedy's Crescendo

4.Machinae Supremacy - Overworld

5.Machine Head - The Blackening

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2018 was a great musical year for me as I finally had enough pocket money to satisfy my CD mania... It took me only three decades...

So here is my top 50 of 2018

Album count: 140
Average rating: 7.13

1.Ihsahn - Àmr

2.Skuggsjá - Hugsjá

3.Judas Priest - Firepower

4.At The Gates - To Drink From The Night Itself

5.Antimatter - Black Market Enlightenment

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Favourite albums of 2018 (including only those which I would rate 7+)

1.Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love

2.Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology

3.Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It

4.Between The Buried And Me - Automata I

5.Berried Alive - Bearies Alive

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Since this is technically not a ranking, I've made this list alphabetical. These albums are all ones I am considering for Top 50 of the year and are worth your time.

1.Aboleth - Benthos

2.Aborted - TerrorVision

3.Æpoch - Awakening Inception

4.Agrimonia - Awaken

5.Alghazanth - Eight Coffin Nails

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For most of 2018 so far I haven't had neither much time nor interest in catching up with the latest album releases. There are some exceptions though so I thought I might as well list them. I haven't gone as much out of my comfort zone compared to my previous lists which is very much reflected in the overall ratings.

1.Wolvennest - Void

2.Vanishing Kids - Heavy Dreamer

3.Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit

4.Anna Von Hausswolff - Dead Magic

5.Shishkin Les - Универс

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Welcome to my 2018 list. If you have recommendations for albums, feel free to message in the comments section. Or, if you see anything on the list you liked or found something you want to check out, feel free to give a thumbs up

Every album on this list has been listened to fully at least 3 (or more) times.

1.Вѣдьмa - История отречения

2.Stormbane - Eldritch Devotion

3.Omnium Gatherum - The Burning Cold

4.The Algorithm - Compiler Optimization Techniques

5.High On Fire - Electric Messiah

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Actually getting onto this year relatively early, let's see what it's got in store for us all.

1.Weedpecker - III

2.Amorphis - Queen Of Time

3.Slugdge - Esoteric Malacology

4.Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It

5.Aviations - The Light Years

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1.Amorphis - Queen Of Time

2.Vermilia - Kätkyt

3.Sulphur Aeon - The Scythe Of Cosmic Chaos

4.Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit

5.Tribulation - Down Below

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As is the case with my other lists, this is for my own organizational purposes and is designed purely to help me keep track of all the many black metal bands and albums that I enjoy, since I can't keep all of this information in my head. It has no other benefit whatsoever and will likely result in tantrums should anyone else see it. I'm aware that I haven't listened to every black metal album that I should have. I only went down to the 6s on this list, so it's possible that I have listened to your favorite black metal album that you desperately need to suggest and I thought it was terrible. There are a lot of heinously incompetent black metal bands out there.

On the off-chance that you've found this and actually care about what I think (you shouldn't), be advised that my favorites come first. Some are favorites in the general sense; some are favorites within black metal. The first few of those are in some order and not so much after that.

Because this is for my own purposes and not intended to be a definitive list of pure black metal, there are some black metal-adjacent bands, or albums by black metal bands that may not themselves be black metal. That's why you'll find so much Sigh clogging up the top of the list. I prefer to keep whole discographies together on one list. I used to include Primordial, Forefather, and other such bands, but a while back I created a list for folk and I decided that those artists would fit better there.

I update these lists very infrequently. This was last updated December 7, 2022.

1.Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape

2.Sigh - Graveward

3.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

4.Sigh - Heir To Despair

5.The Meads Of Asphodel - The Murder Of Jesus The Jew

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