The best album of each year (and one close 2nd) from the past 20 years. Some years were much harder than others to choose the best 2 albums.

1.In Vain - Ænigma

2.Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn

3.Dissona - Dissona

4.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

5.Obscura - Omnivium

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These are my bakers-dozen favourite album covers - those that really stand out for me from my collection (although at the time of making there was one that hasn't yet been released). These are all albums that I really like, musically, so that has been a factor in the selection. Comments welcomed.

1.Darkest Hour - The Human Romance

2.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

3.Entombed - Morning Star

4.Behemoth - Zos Kia Cultus (Here And Beyond)

5.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

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Metal / Rock / Instrumental / Etc...

1.Fanisk - Noontide

2.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

3.Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side

4.

5.Anathema - A Moment In Time

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1.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

2.In Vain - Mantra

3.Russian Circles - Geneva

4.Callisto - Providence

5.Long Distance Calling - Avoid The Light

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1.Katatonia - Night Is The New Day

2.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

3.Insomnium - Across The Dark

4.Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition

5.Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs

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working on the final review

1.Cain's Offering - Gather The Faithful

2.Sonata Arctica - The Days Of Grays

3.Amorphis - Skyforger

4.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

5.Shakra - Everest

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Here we go... I'd rate this year a 9 for the unusual quality of album releases! Qué impressionante! \m/

1.Mastodon - Crack The Skye

2.Amorphis - Skyforger

3.Suidakra - Crógacht

4.Ensiferum - From Afar

5.Alestorm - Black Sails At Midnight

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sequences are mixed

1.Katatonia - Brave Murder Day

2.Agalloch - The Mantle

3.Trivium - Ascendancy

4.Amon Amarth - With Oden On Our Side

5.Opeth - Damnation

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Top 50 of albums I rated 8 and above.

Album count: 222
Average rating: 6.96

1.Ahab - The Divinity Of Oceans

2.Insomnium - Across The Dark

3.Fen - The Malediction Fields

4.Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs

5.Isis - Wavering Radiant

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I feel like my overall favorites list is getting too long. I'm splitting it up by rating.

1.Thy Catafalque - Meta

2.Sepulcros - Vazio

3.Kassad - Faces Turn Away

4.Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings

5.Xanthochroid - Of Erthe And Axen: Act I

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This list shows only my preferences in metal. These albums are not necessarily the best of the bands written by, but I return to them again and again. In my opinion, all this masterpieces confirm the variety and greatness of metal music.
Rules:
1. One album per band.
2. Ordered from highest position (top) to lowest (bottom).
3. No heavy, power, doom, gothic, sludge/stoner albums.

1.Children Of Bodom - Follow The Reaper

2.Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

3.In Flames - Clayman

4.Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos

5.Gojira - From Mars To Sirius

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1.Opeth - Ghost Reveries

2.Riverside - Second Life Syndrome

3.Pain Of Salvation - Remedy Lane

4.Moonsorrow - Verisäkeet

5.Opeth - Blackwater Park

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1.Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition

2.Kauan - Aava Tuulen Maa

3.Katatonia - Night Is The New Day

4.Be'lakor - Stone's Reach

5.Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs

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The albums below is my definition of extreme metal music, regardless of their genre. Entire list is based only on my personal preferences in metal.
Rules:
1. One album per band
2. 305 groups/305 albums

1.In Flames - Clayman

2.Metallica - ...And Justice For All

3.Chimaira - Chimaira

4.Death - Symbolic

5.Testament - The New Order

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1.Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

2.Empyrium - Über Den Sternen

3.Draconian - Under A Godless Veil

4.Disturbed - Indestructible

5.Sentenced - Shadows Of The Past

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