So here we are, almost halfway through 2009, coming to the close of the first decade of the 2000s. In my opinion, it's been an absolutely incredible decade for metal. This got me thinking, what's been the best year this decade for the world of metal? Each year has had it's share of great releases and new bands. For me, 2004 was the best year. Looking at the albums that came out that year, it's just blows me away to see how many incredible releases the year saw: Back to Wintersun, Back to Times of Splendor, Since the Day it All Came Down, Temple of Shadows, etc. What does everyone else think? If you had to the best year, what would it be? If you're thinking, well, 2009 isn't over yet, so you don't know, take a look at the upcoming albums and see what you think the year will be like. Hopefully this will get some good discussions going, I think there's a lot to debate over here!

Well, I've no doubt about the answer. Not only for me, for many Progressive Metal fans 2004 brought some legendary albums.
Interesting I've voted three albums by 10 and all three of them has been released in 2004. Orphaned Land's Mabool. Pain of Salvation's BE and Ayreon's Human Equation..
In addition in Extreme Metal it was good. Nightmare Made Flesh by Bloodbath and Chimera by Mayhem are very good albums. And also Fear Factory had released Archetype in 2004 which I respect it as one of the best Industrial Metal albums ever.

Written by MeloDeathViking on 19.05.2009 at 18:55

So hear we are, almost halfway through 2009, coming to the close of the first decade of the 2000s. In my opinion, it's been an absolutely incredible decade for metal. This got me thinking, what's been the best year this decade for the world of metal? Each year has had it's share of great releases and new bands. For me, 2004 was the best year. Looking at the albums that came out that year, it's just blows me away to see how many incredible releases the year saw: Back to Wintersun, Back to Times of Splendor, Since the Day it All Came Down, Temple of Shadows, etc. What does everyone else think? If you had to the best year, what would it be? If you're thinking, well, 2009 isn't over yet, so you don't know, take a look at the upcoming albums and see what you think the year will be like. Hopefully this will get some good discussions going, I think there's a lot to debate over here!

why don't you make this a poll????? it would be great!!!!

Checkin my ratings I'd say that 2004 is maybe the weakest for me.
2001 on the other side had Voimasta ja Kunniasta, Imaginary Sonicscape, Jane Doe, Blackwater Park, Terria. Also 2007 has been great if we think of Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde, Halmstad, Colors, To The Nameless Dead and Two Hunters.
About 2009, check the album in my signature!

Written by Deadmeat on 19.05.2009 at 20:50

Written by MeloDeathViking on 19.05.2009 at 18:55

So hear we are, almost halfway through 2009, coming to the close of the first decade of the 2000s. In my opinion, it's been an absolutely incredible decade for metal. This got me thinking, what's been the best year this decade for the world of metal? Each year has had it's share of great releases and new bands. For me, 2004 was the best year. Looking at the albums that came out that year, it's just blows me away to see how many incredible releases the year saw: Back to Wintersun, Back to Times of Splendor, Since the Day it All Came Down, Temple of Shadows, etc. What does everyone else think? If you had to the best year, what would it be? If you're thinking, well, 2009 isn't over yet, so you don't know, take a look at the upcoming albums and see what you think the year will be like. Hopefully this will get some good discussions going, I think there's a lot to debate over here!

why don't you make this a poll????? it would be great!!!!

I tried, but there were only 9 slots, and theres 10 possible years, so it wouldn't have worked.

Fuck!!!! so, i do not have a fav year mainly for 2 reasons. first of all i've not heard all the albums i want from each year and seconly cause imo there some years that were great and i really find it very hard to choose. but i'll mention them. Mainly my fav realeases come from the death and thrash metal so: 2005 (Kreator, Nevermore, Nile, Bolt Thrower), 2006 (Amon Amarth, Deicide, Suffocation, Vader) and finally 2007 which IMO is just a bit better: Rotting Christ, Dark Tranquillity, Paradise Lost, Behemoth).

But i believe 2009 may be better. at least in number of great bands releasing new albums it surely is. the point is the bands to realease good albums.

For me 2002 was the best year because it was the year of some epics like Dark Tranquillity's "Damage Done" or Symphony X "The Odyssey".

Therion - Live at Midgard, Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Opeth - Deliverance, Arcturus - Sham Mirrors and Negură Bunget - 'n Crugu Bradului also made this year perfect for my musical taste.

According to my album votes 2001 was by far the best with 8 (!!!) albums I gave a 10! Namely those albums are: Green Carnation - Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness; Subway To Sally - Herzblut; Opeth - Blackwater Park; Moonsorrow - Voimasta Ja Kunniasta; Hollenthon - With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell; Ensiferum - Ensiferum; Rammstein - Mutter and Tool - Lateralus

I would say 2007: Arkona - Ot Serdtsa K Nebu, Astaarth - Gloria Burgundia, Dalriada - Kikelet, Drudkh - Enstrangement, Eloxorien - Eloxorien, Finntroll - Ur Jordens Djup, Ensiferum - Victory Songs, Hromovlad - Ohna Hlad, Vody Chlad, Moonsorrow - V Hävitetty, Panychida - Paganized, Turisas - The Varangian Way...i kinda like that year's Avantasia, Freedom Call, Mägo De Oz and Nightwish, Astral's Kingdom ep Astral Kingdom, Crystal Viper's debut etc... each year has something, but i doubt something should beat this one...simply great year

Without a shadow of a doubt 2002. Simply for the following albums:

Amon Amarth - Versus the World
Arch Enemy - Wages of Sin
Dark Tranquillity - Damage Done
In Flames -Reroute to Remain
Shadows Fall - The Art of Balance
Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos

There were other really good releases that year: Agalloch, Coal Chamber, The Crown, Dark Age, Dimension Zero, Disturbed, Immortal, Limbonic Art, Malevolent Creation, Muderdolls, Norther, Rotting Christ, Stone Sour, System of a Down...

Written by Elio on 19.05.2009 at 20:55

Checkin my ratings I'd say that 2004 is maybe the weakest for me.

How strange, 2004 was a close second for me. 2004 was more plentiful in all around "pretty good", but 2007 had way more "amazing" albums for me, balanced out with a few shite ones, let me compare:
(Pulling all the albums I rated a 9 or 10 from each year)

2004
Dio - Master Of The Moon
Ensiferum - Iron
Finntroll - Nattfodd
Motorhead - Inferno
69 Eyes - Devils
Turisas - Battle Metal
And 6 Albums I Rated with an 8

2007
3 Inches Of Blood - Fire Up The Blades
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Bergraven - Dodsvisioner
Divinity - Allegory
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Lizzy Borden - Appointment With Death
Marduk - Rom5:12
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Tomahawk - Anonymous
Turisas - The Varangian Way
And 14 Albums I rated with an 8

So that settles it, I say 2007.

2004

Rotting Christ - Sanctus Diavolos
Drudkh - Autumn Auropa
Sirenia - An Elixir For Existance
Behemoth - Demigod
Theatres Des Vampires - Nightbreed of Macabria
In Flames - Soundtrack to your escape
Cradle Of Filth - Nymphetamine
Nightfall - Lyssa
Astarte - Sirens
My Dying Bride - Songs of Darkness, Words of Light
The Vision Bleak - The Deathship has a New Captain
Forest Of Shadows - Departure

Want moooree?!!

Written by Doc G. on 04.08.2009 at 10:50

Written by Elio on 19.05.2009 at 20:55

Checkin my ratings I'd say that 2004 is maybe the weakest for me.

How strange, 2004 was a close second for me. 2004 was more plentiful in all around "pretty good", but 2007 had way more "amazing" albums for me, balanced out with a few shite ones, let me compare:
(Pulling all the albums I rated a 9 or 10 from each year)

2004
Dio - Master Of The Moon
Ensiferum - Iron
Finntroll - Nattfodd
Motorhead - Inferno
69 Eyes - Devils
Turisas - Battle Metal
And 6 Albums I Rated with an 8

2007
3 Inches Of Blood - Fire Up The Blades
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Bergraven - Dodsvisioner
Divinity - Allegory
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Lizzy Borden - Appointment With Death
Marduk - Rom5:12
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Tomahawk - Anonymous
Turisas - The Varangian Way
And 14 Albums I rated with an 8

So that settles it, I say 2007.

Well, seems that you like different genres than me, so that's why. Also, I haven't listened most of the albums you've mentioned.

I'm a rookie in metal, and I fail to appreciate most stuff before 2006 (not all though) because I don't find them modern enough (or something is just missing, hope someone knows what I mean). Is that normal?

Written by Ag Fox on 04.08.2009 at 15:00

I'm a rookie in metal, and I fail to appreciate most stuff before 2006 (not all though) because I don't find them modern enough (or something is just missing, hope someone knows what I mean). Is that normal?

If you are only just starting to listen to metal it is pretty normal to first get into the things around at the moment, If you continue to listen to metal, your knowledge and understanding of previous works will grow, therefore you will appreciate things more. A few years age, I couldn't listen listen to any Heavy or Power because the high pitched voices irritated me. However, today, I appreciate a lot of heavy and power somehow, my ears have become to appreciate this kind of music over the years.

Hello
IMO 1998 is the peak on 90's metal (off topic), as for the 2000s I think 2005 is my pick because of albums like

Kreator - Enemy of God
Hypocrisy - Virus
Scar Symmetry - Symmetric in Design
Doomsday Machine - Arch Enemy
Mezmerize and Hypnotize - System of a Down (for me they are metal, please don't discuss)
Keeper.... - Helloween
Heavy Metal Thunder - Sex Machineguns
....

But it's really hard to tell from a neutral view, cause all years had brought surprises...

I was leaning towards 2002, which had stellar albums from Amon Amarth, Behemoth, Bloodbath, Shining and Vader and a few others, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that for me, this is shaping up to be the best year of the 2000's.

It's little more than half over and there have already been albums I really like from Isole, Candlemass, God Dethroned, Be'lakor, Obscura, Blut Aus Nord, Madder Mortem, Kalisia, Sacrifice, Riverside, and Suidakra; and there is still new Megadeth, Slayer, Ensiferum and more to look forward to.

Maybe 2004 because I start use i net ok I req in MS in 2005 but still I start search about metal in 2004 uin i net but 2005 MS; doom-metal, vibrationsofdoom.com gothmetal.net and metal-archives and journey begins, about muisc I would say best metalk years was when I was kid and before mine time

Written by Doc G. on 04.08.2009 at 10:50

Written by Elio on 19.05.2009 at 20:55

Checkin my ratings I'd say that 2004 is maybe the weakest for me.

How strange, 2004 was a close second for me. 2004 was more plentiful in all around "pretty good", but 2007 had way more "amazing" albums for me, balanced out with a few shite ones, let me compare:
(Pulling all the albums I rated a 9 or 10 from each year)

2004
Dio - Master Of The Moon
Ensiferum - Iron
Finntroll - Nattfodd
Motorhead - Inferno
69 Eyes - Devils
Turisas - Battle Metal
And 6 Albums I Rated with an 8

2007
3 Inches Of Blood - Fire Up The Blades
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Bergraven - Dodsvisioner
Divinity - Allegory
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Lizzy Borden - Appointment With Death
Marduk - Rom5:12
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Tomahawk - Anonymous
Turisas - The Varangian Way
And 14 Albums I rated with an 8

So that settles it, I say 2007.

In 2007 we also got The Apostasy and Ithyphallic.

Written by wormdrink414 on 06.08.2009 at 07:25

Written by Doc G. on 04.08.2009 at 10:50

Written by Elio on 19.05.2009 at 20:55

Checkin my ratings I'd say that 2004 is maybe the weakest for me.

How strange, 2004 was a close second for me. 2004 was more plentiful in all around "pretty good", but 2007 had way more "amazing" albums for me, balanced out with a few shite ones, let me compare:
(Pulling all the albums I rated a 9 or 10 from each year)

2004
Dio - Master Of The Moon
Ensiferum - Iron
Finntroll - Nattfodd
Motorhead - Inferno
69 Eyes - Devils
Turisas - Battle Metal
And 6 Albums I Rated with an 8

2007
3 Inches Of Blood - Fire Up The Blades
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Bergraven - Dodsvisioner
Divinity - Allegory
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Lizzy Borden - Appointment With Death
Marduk - Rom5:12
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Tomahawk - Anonymous
Turisas - The Varangian Way
And 14 Albums I rated with an 8

So that settles it, I say 2007.

In 2007 we also got The Apostasy and Ithyphallic.

I could never get quite into The Apostasy...or Behemoth in general for that matter, and could never get into Nile in the slightest. From what Nile fans have told me though it wasn't very good.

Written by Doc G. on 06.08.2009 at 07:28

Written by wormdrink414 on 06.08.2009 at 07:25

Written by Doc G. on 04.08.2009 at 10:50

Written by Elio on 19.05.2009 at 20:55

Checkin my ratings I'd say that 2004 is maybe the weakest for me.

How strange, 2004 was a close second for me. 2004 was more plentiful in all around "pretty good", but 2007 had way more "amazing" albums for me, balanced out with a few shite ones, let me compare:
(Pulling all the albums I rated a 9 or 10 from each year)

2004
Dio - Master Of The Moon
Ensiferum - Iron
Finntroll - Nattfodd
Motorhead - Inferno
69 Eyes - Devils
Turisas - Battle Metal
And 6 Albums I Rated with an 8

2007
3 Inches Of Blood - Fire Up The Blades
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Bergraven - Dodsvisioner
Divinity - Allegory
Ensiferum - Victory Songs
Hardcore Superstar - Dreamin' In A Casket
High On Fire - Death Is This Communion
Lizzy Borden - Appointment With Death
Marduk - Rom5:12
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Tomahawk - Anonymous
Turisas - The Varangian Way
And 14 Albums I rated with an 8

So that settles it, I say 2007.

In 2007 we also got The Apostasy and Ithyphallic.

I could never get quite into The Apostasy...or Behemoth in general for that matter, and could never get into Nile in the slightest. From what Nile fans have told me though it wasn't very good.

Compared to Annihilation of the Wicked Ithyphallic might seem weak, but by no means was it a bad album. Annihilation of the Wicked just happens to be Nile's most distinguished masterpiece. Ithyphallic is fantastic and I would recommend the Nile fan that dislikes Ithyphallic to find time for a considerable amount of reflection, for my guess is that it is nostalgia speaking, not rational criticism. What Nile fan didn't like "The Essential Salts"?

2006 was a sick year as well. A lot of good death metal.
But 2008 was very good as well for the doom metal scene imo.

I agree with 2004 being the annus mirabilis in Metal music. Not only my favourite Power Metal album ever, Once by Nightwish was released that year, but almost every Metal subgenre had something great to offer!

The Human Equation by Ayreon and BE by Pain Of Salvation set a new path for Progressive Metal; Folk Metal saw a pinnacle of quality and diversity thanks to bands like Finntroll. Epidemia or Dalriada (Echo of Dalriada back then) with Nattfödd, Elfiyskaya Rukopis and Fergeteg respectively; a Melodic Black Metal album called Redemption Process by Anorexia Nervosa amazed me even if I dislike Black Metal in general (Isa by Enslaved was not bad either), and don't forget Nobuo Uematsu's band The Black Mages releasing their second album that year as well... Not to mention that I joined Metal Storm in 2004!

In addition, 2004 saw the debut of some great bands such as Eluveitie with Vên, Wintersun with their self-titled album, Arkona with Vozrozhdenie, Dalriada themselves and so on. The only true letdowns were in my opinion In Flames - Soundtrack To Your Escape and Within Temptation's demise into Gothic Rock aka The Silent Force.

Easily, it's 2006. I've rated every year, and 2006 is really the only time I was constantly overwhelmed with new releases. I remember driving to the CD store practically once a week to pick up something new. Bands like Sahg, Skinless, Napalm Death, Anaal Nathrakh, Benighted, Krisiun, Abysmal Torment, Waco Jesus, Cannibal Corpse, Lust of Decay, Amon Amarth, Mastodon, Darkthrone, Deicide, Goatwhore, The Sword, Into Eternity, Textures, Melechesh, Suffocation, Ministry, Cattle Decapitation, Katatonia, etc. didn't just blow me away, but a good portion of those bands were huge surprises - either coming out of nowhere or rejuvenating their reputations.

I was reviewing my rankings, and actually I think 2006 had more consistently good, and just a higher number of great albums, than any other year.... ever

I have a feeling that in the end, 2009 might come on top for me, there are a lot of potentially really good releases coming up, not to mention some amazing ones already out in the form of Kalisia, Riverside, Dream Theater and Obscura.

Written by MeloDeathViking on 13.08.2009 at 21:15

I have a feeling that in the end, 2009 might come on top for me, there are a lot of potentially really good releases coming up, not to mention some amazing ones already out in the form of Kalisia, Riverside, Dream Theater and Obscura.

I agree! I always wine about "the early years" but take a look at 2009: for the Thrashfans: new Exo-us, Overkill, Kreator, Slayer, Heathen, Hirax, Forbi--en, Mega-eth, Warbringer, -evil-river...an the ones I forgot.
An this: new Va-er, Ensiferum, Immortal, Nile, Belphegor, Gorgoroth, Malevolent Creation, Mar-uk, Kalmah, Varathron, Summoning, Sigh, Morbi- Angel, Gorguts, Hypocrisy, Carpathian Forest, Goatwhore, Kult Of Azazel, Ol- Man's Chil-, Samael, Napalm -eath, Go- -ethrone-, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Behemoth, Anaal Nathrakh, Absu...an I can go on...
It's not that all these albums are or will be super, but with so many "big" ban-s releasing an album chances get higher that this year will be top of the last 10 years. Let's hope...

As you can see I miss a letter. The f#cking machine is kapot! I'll try to fix it.

2005- MEZMERIZE AND HYPNOTIZE!!!

Chalk up another vote for 2003-2004. I can't really say why exactly but I just remember a lot of good shit was coming out around then. You just remember these things.

Written by Guest on 28.08.2009 at 17:43

2005- MEZMERIZE AND HYPNOTIZE!!!

Ok there, Mr. SOAD fanboy :

Written by MeloDeathViking on 13.08.2009 at 21:15

I have a feeling that in the end, 2009 might come on top for me, there are a lot of potentially really good releases coming up, not to mention some amazing ones already out in the form of Kalisia, Riverside, Dream Theater and Obscura.

I was thinking the exact same thing as I was going through this topic. Even though I didn't really like the Dream Theater, 2009 has been a great year, and there might still be more from BTBAM, Necrophagist, Wintersun, and, I hope, though probably it won't happen, the new Slayer album.