In no particular order - 20 albums that, for me, stood out above the rest.

1. Steven Wilson - Insurgentes

2. Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe

3. Abigail Williams - In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns

4. Moonspell - Night Eternal

5. Swallow The Sun - Plague Of Butterflies

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Updated version of the list previously published here. You'll notice that the comments are a bit different for sure, as is the order:
1 to 3: best of the year (in preference order)
4 to 25: other great stuff (alphabetical order)

And then there were some average (sometimes bad, sometimes good) albums that didn't make it in this list, but they featured some of the most awesome songs of the year. Like Voices Of The Fallen by Battlelore, Dylath-Leen's Frozen Reflect On A Broken Mirror, and particularly Iced Earth's Come What May...

1. Textures - Silhouettes

2. Esoteric - The Maniacal Vale

3. Burst - Lazarus Bird

4. ADX - Division Blindée

5. Cynic - Traced In Air

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Enslaved's career can be distributed in five different eras:

The first era consists of the first three albums, namely Vikingligr Veldi (1994), Frost (1994) and Eld (1997). All these albums are important releases in Viking Metal's history and they have defined some musical aspects for the whole genre.

1. Enslaved - Isa

2. Enslaved - Vikingligr Veldi

3. Enslaved - Eld

4. Enslaved - Blodhemn

5. Enslaved - Frost

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1. Testament - The Formation Of Damnation

2. Cradle Of Filth - Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder

3. Hollenthon - Opus Magnum

4. Sabaton - The Art Of War

5. Opeth - Watershed

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Personally I find Black Metal to be a very difficult genre to get into, hence the meager length of my list which contains all the albums I've really enjoyed to date, in no order. Recommendations are most welcome, nay required!

Note: Be sure to let me know if any of these aren't actually Black Metal

1. Potentiam - Bálsýn

2. Grabnebelfürsten - Dynastie Oder Wie Man Herrschaft Definert

3. Deathspell Omega - Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice

4. Sigh - Hangman's Hymn- Musikalische Exequien

5. Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape

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My personal top 50 list.
(In no particular order)

1. Decrepit Birth - Polarity

2. Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Agorapocalypse

3. Blue Öyster Cult - Blue Öyster Cult

4. Joe Satriani - Time Machine

5. Earth - The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull

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1. ...And Oceans - Cypher

2. A Forest Of Stars - Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring

3. Agathodaimon - Serpent's Embrace

4. Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit

5. Alcest - Écailles De Lune

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This is a list in which I have included the top 30 albums of the decade that has just passed. Of course it's gonna change because I'm sure there is a lot I haven't listened to yet...

1. In Flames - Clayman

2. Moonspell - The Antidote

3. HIM - Love Metal

4. Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire And Demise

5. Nightwish - Once

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UPDATED Apr. 2012! Like the title says (covers '00 - '09). In numbered order by personal preference. May change as I find new releases.

1. Anubis Gate - The Detached

2. Agalloch - The Mantle

3. Kamelot - The Black Halo

4. Warning - Watching From a Distance

5. Gojira - The Way of All Flesh

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These are 20 albums I have been listening to lately. Will be updated occasionally.

1. Rush - Counter Parts

2. Darkwater - Where Stories End

3. Enslaved - Vertebrae

4. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

5. Judas Priest - Painkiller

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1. Draconian - Turning Season Within

2. Cradle Of Filth - Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder

3. Moonspell - Night Eternal

4. Therion - Live Gothic

5. Heavenwood - Redemption

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Here are my top 25 albums for 2008

1. Equilibrium - Sagas

2. Protest The Hero - Fortress

3. Mirrorthrone - Gangrene

4. Opeth - Watershed

5. Oceans Of Sadness - The Arrogance Of Ignorance

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1. Suspyre - When Time Fades…

2. Falconer - Among Beggars And Thieves

3. Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe

4. Mirrorthrone - Gangrene

5. Abigail Williams - In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns

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The "better half" of my top 100 of the Zeroes. In list format, now with album covers!

1. Warning - Watching From A Distance

2. Negură Bunget - OM

3. Primordial - To The Nameless Dead

4. Neurosis - Given To The Rising

5. Mastodon - Crack the Skye

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Just an at-a-glance list corresponding to my Best of 2008 blog. Hooray.

1. Esoteric - The Maniacal Vale

2. Enslaved - Vertebrae

3. Skepticism - Alloy

4. Darkthrone - Dark Thrones and Black Flags

5. Darkspace - III

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