Purely subjective list based on personal preferences for the year, unrelated to mass opinion of an album or a band's abilities (e.g. Trivium, Oranssi Pazuzu) - many albums lined up to listen to so will increase in size. Also, not entirely in order, middle order mainly just an approximation.

1.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

2.Protest The Hero - Scurrilous

3.Infestus - E x I s t

4.Amorphis - The Beginning Of Times

5.Ouroboros - Glorification Of A Myth

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2011 Metal

1.Mastodon - The Hunter

2.Opeth - Heritage

3.Animals As Leaders - Weightless

4.Unearth - Darkness In The Light

5.Cynic - Carbon-Based Anatomy

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It remains to add bands that haven't released album and add personal comments.

1.Symphony X - Iconoclast

2.Iced Earth - Dystopia

3.Vektor - Outer Isolation

4.Megadeth - Th1rt3en

5.Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

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Even in 2012 (update: 2013), 2011 still isn't too hot a year for me. Still, new stuff keeps on coming, and 2012 itself is looking pretty good, so I'll forgive it. New in the new year is the lack of ratings. It's bothersome, especially since I've decided to sacrifice a few newborns and (retrospectively and retroactively) rate on RYM.

1.Hell - Human Remains

2.SubRosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones

3.Anubis Gate - Anubis Gate

4.Hammers Of Misfortune - 17th Street

5.Mastodon - The Hunter

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Ordered best to worst. This is entirely my opinion.

1.Insomnium - One For Sorrow

2.Graveyard - Hisingen Blues

3.Havok - Time Is Up

4.Toxic Holocaust - Conjure And Command

5.Deafheaven - Roads To Judah

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1.The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual

2.Protest The Hero - Scurrilous

3.Abysmal Dawn - Leveling The Plane Of Existence

4.Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination

5.Decapitated - Carnival Is Forever

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1.Opeth - Heritage

2.Mastodon - The Hunter

3.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

4.Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt Two

5.Machine Head - Unto The Locust

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My top 2011 list per November

1.Ulcerate - The Destroyers Of All

2.Mitochondrion - Parasignosis

3.Ana Kefr - Burial Tree (II)

4.Atlas Moth - An Ache For The Distance

5.SubRosa - No Help For The Mighty One

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1.Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning

2.Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors

3.Esoteric - Paragon Of Dissonance

4.Machine Head - Unto The Locust

5.Moonsorrow - Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa

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All the metal albums I've listened to in 2011, including stuff missing from this site on the grounds of its unpopularity and anything else vaguely metal or Steven Wilson. Ratings out of 10.

1.Moonsorrow - Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa

2.Symphony X - Iconoclast

3.Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

4.Woods Of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason

5.Hypomanie - A City In Mono

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My top albums of the year, roughly in order.

1.Ouroboros - Glorification Of A Myth

2.Vektor - Outer Isolation

3.Xerath - II

4.Vildhjarta - Måsstaden

5.Havok - Time Is Up

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My favorite 25 albums of the year

1.Woods Of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason

2.Obscura - Omnivium

3.Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

4.Deafheaven - Roads To Judah

5.We Were Promised Jetpacks - In the Pit of the Stomach

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