2020 has been nothing short of a horrific year. The music industry was quite possibly changed forever due to the pandemic, we saw tours and festivals canceled, and as of now, live shows seem to be a thing of the past.

However, this year ( especially in metal), we saw some big releases, impressive debuts, and the return of several bands that had been on hiatus for decades. Overall for albums, 2020 was rather impressive. Here's my favorite 100 metal albums of 2020...

1.Spectral Lore - Wanderers: Astrology Of The Nine [Collaboration]

2.Cryptic Shift - Visitations From Enceladus

3.Psychotic Waltz - The God-Shaped Void

4.Akhlys - Melinoë

5.Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still

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1.Konvent - Puritan Masochism

2.Paradise Lost - Obsidian

3.Incantation - Sect Of Vile Divinities

4.Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment

5.Imperial Triumphant - Alphaville

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updated, but still more bands to consider

1.Spectral Lore - Wanderers: Astrology Of The Nine [Collaboration]

2.Lunatic Soul - Through Shaded Woods

3.Abigor - Totschläger (A Saintslayer's Songbook)

4.Enslaved - Utgard

5.Mr. Bungle - The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo

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1.Draconian - Under A Godless Veil

2.Paradise Lost - Obsidian

3.Sojourner - Premonitions

4.Heaven Shall Burn - Of Truth & Sacrifice

5.Nephylim - Severance of Serenity

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1.Mors Principium Est - Seven

2.Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment

3.Draconian - Under A Godless Veil

4.Ensiferum - Thalassic

5.Paradise Lost - Obsidian

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1.Abysmal Dawn - Phylogenesis

2.AC/DC - Power Up

3.August Burns Red - Guardians

4.Ayreon - Transitus

5.Beneath The Massacre - Fearmonger

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In rough order of enjoyment, the albums I've listened to from 2020

1.Paradise Lost - Obsidian

2.Draconian - Under A Godless Veil

3.Plini - Impulse Voices

4.Igorrr - Spirituality And Distortion

5.Atramentus - Stygian

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1.Paradise Lost - Obsidian

2.Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

3.Judas Priest - Firepower

4.Pallbearer - Heartless

5.Vektor - Terminal Redux

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Some of the highlights for me this year: Anaal Nathrakh, Cult Of Fire, Enslaved, Necrophobic, Paradise Lost, Testament....Some are pre orders but I'm sure the new Dark Tranquillity, Sodom, and Uada albums will make it into my favorites. Any suggestions would be appreciated and looked into for sure. Thanks for looking.

1.Abysmal Dawn - Phylogenesis

2.Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment

3.Azarath - Saint Desecration

4.Benediction - Scriptures

5.Cadaver - Edder & Bile

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I have fallen behind on my 2020 albums listening but I might as well start a list now. This is a work in progress obviously, I'll probably be adding albums this time next year. (LOL)

1.Conception - State Of Deception

2.Zopp - Zopp

3.Rikard Sjöblom's Gungfly - Alone Together

4.Caligula's Horse - Rise Radiant

5.Anubis Gate - Covered In Colours

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It's closing in on the end of 2021, so revisiting the year of the lockdown

1.Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi

2.Akhlys - Melinoë

3.Black Curse - Endless Wound

4.Cryptic Shift - Visitations From Enceladus

5.Draconian - Under A Godless Veil

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Well here it is!

1.Ensiferum - Thalassic

2.Skyforest - A New Dawn

3.Avatar - Hunter Gatherer

4.Vredehammer - Viperous

5.Finntroll - Vredesvävd

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Reviving the old tradition of yearly lists. I was uncertain, because my lists have barely any metal and certainly none that MSers don't already know about, but there's nowhere else to publish this shit, either!

1.Ichiko Aoba - "Gift" at Sogetsu Hall

2.Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters

3.Ichiko Aoba - Adan no kaze

4.tricot - 真っ黒 (Makkuro)

5.tricot - 10

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Keeping track of what I heard and liked in 2020

1.Protest The Hero - Palimpsest

2.The Ocean - Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic / Cenozoic

3.Orbit Culture - Nija

4.Eternal Champion - Ravening Iron

5.Necrophobic - Dawn Of The Damned

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1.Silent Skies - Satellites

2.Psychotic Waltz - The God-Shaped Void

3.Ulcerate - Stare Into Death And Be Still

4.Light Field Reverie - Another World

5.Sacred Outcry - Damned For All Time

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