So like albums that have a clear tie between them, were recorded around about the same time and were clearly intended together, as opposed to a sequel coming years after. Some of these have actually been released together, as can be seen here.

That's about all I can think of right now. So feel free to think of some more for me.

1.Opeth - Deliverance

2.Opeth - Damnation

3.Metallica - Load

4.Metallica - Re-Load

5.Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part I

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1.Altar Of Plagues - Teethed Glory & Injury

2.The Angelic Process - Weighing Souls With Sand

3.Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors

4.Atheist - Unquestionable Presence

5.Beherit - Drawing Down The Moon

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My top-20 all time favorite (metal) albums. Obviously subject to change over long periods of time. Left out most recent finds - these are albums that have resonated with me for at least a few years.

1.High On Fire - Death Is This Communion

2.3 Inches Of Blood - Here Waits Thy Doom

3.Turisas - The Varangian Way

4.Keep Of Kalessin - Kolossus

5.Motörhead - Inferno

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I know I probably speak for a lot of people when I say that, very often, the artwork that a band chooses for a particular album can be the icing on the cake, essential to giving a visual depiction that tops off the overall aesthetic of the music. There are plenty of albums that I simply couldn't imagine listening to without staring, zoned out, to the big ball of glorious that is their cover art. Here are some such albums. In alphabetical order by band. Links to full images of the covers have been provided, as well as credits to the artists.

1.Aarni - Bathos

2.Absu - The Sun Of Tiphareth

3.Atheist - Unquestionable Presence

4.Bathory - Blood Fire Death

5.Blue Öyster Cult - Fire Of Unknown Origin

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Orthodoxy is for morons who cannot compose or create themselves and need to copy the blueprint of someone else. Daring to be different might make your music stand apart. Daring to be different and standing apart might draw more people to your music. Daring to be different might make you more popular - and thus more hipster. So grow some facial hair, put on an ironic shirt, grab a PBR, and listen up.

1.Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit

2.Alcest - Écailles De Lune

3.Blut Aus Nord - 777 - Sect(s)

4.Darkspace - III

5.Darkthrone - Circle The Wagons

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1.Transcending Bizarre? - The Misanthrope's Fable

2.Carach Angren - Death Came Through A Phantom Ship

3.Sanctus Daemoneon - the unaVOIDable

4.Celestia - Archaenae Perfectii

5.Void Of Silence - The Grave Of Civilization

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1.Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR

2.Blind Guardian - At The Edge Of Time

3.Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

4.Torture Division - Evighetens Dårar

5.Ozzy Osbourne - Scream

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2010 has come and gone...
It was a pretty uneven year in metal, with average albums coming from great bands, and good, beautiful surprises popping up from unexpected corners.
2010 was also quite a special year for me - music-wise at least. Thanks to Ivor (yeah, you), a few weird reviews, and other factors, my tastes somehow exploded. Not that it was a surprise, this was already an event in the making. But still. Plus, a year that sees the release of two life-changing albums (whether personally or because they change how you see music) is always a good thing...

1.Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR

2.Shining (NOR) - Blackjazz

3.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

4.Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent

5.Agrypnie - 16[485]

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weeee! 2010 is pretty much toast and 2011 is coming 'round the bend. here are my top 25 picks from this past year. top six or seven are firmly in place, the rest of the list is a clusterfuck of high 7 's to low 8's, which are likely to go up or down a couple slots within seconds of my posting this.

1.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

2.Mar De Grises - Streams Inwards

3.Negură Bunget - Măiestrit

4.Shattered Hope - Absence

5.Eibon - Entering Darkness

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My eternal favorites... in no particular order.....

1.Death - Human

2.Arch Enemy - Wages Of Sin

3.Satyricon - Now, Diabolical

4.Judas Iscariot - To Embrace The Corpses Bleeding

5.Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao

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List is alphabetical

1.Behemoth - Evangelion

2.Burzum - Filosofem

3.Celtic Frost - Monotheist

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

5.Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon

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