I'm still catching up on 2011 while putting together my 2012 list. Here's what I've heard from 2011. This is bound to change a bit as I re-listen to these albums with a more critical ear and discover albums I missed entirely.

1. Deafheaven - Roads To Judah

2. Cormorant - Dwellings

3. Sleestak - The Fall of Altrusia

4. Dirge - Elysian Magnetic Fields

5. Falls of Rauros - The Light That Dwells In Rotten Wood

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probably still not finished...

1. Chthonic - Takasago Army

2. Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising

3. Symphony X - Iconoclast

4. Russian Circles - Empros

5. Havok - Time Is Up

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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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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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This is a list of my favorite releases of 2011. The top 50 is in order of preference, the rest are in random order. I have ranked 150 albums in order of preference on RateYourMusic, but I cannot be bothered to do twice the work. Check my profile there for more rankings and reviews.

My reviews
Top 150 and more.

1. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

2. Subrosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones

3. Einar Stray - Chiaroscuro

4. Eleanoora Rosenholm - Hyväile minua pimeä tähti

5. Giles Corey - Giles Corey

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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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List of the albums that surprised me this year (2011). Some of the albums were even more unexpected because it was my first contact with the bands. Others were confirmations.
Oh, how I like good surprises... (ongoing list)

1. Grayceon - All We Destroy

2. Protest The Hero - Scurrilous

3. Tesseract - One

4. Appearance Of Nothing - All Gods Are Gone

5. Long Distance Calling - Long Distance Calling

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Best (and worst) of 2011 (thus far).
Partially ordered (thus far).
Subject to change, as I see fit.

What a wonderful year, I have to say! This year has seen me expand my tastes like never before. Discovered so many great new acts, while many metal stalwarts delivered the goods as expected. A truly memorable year, and one that I will forever cherish, as far as me being an avid music enthusiast is concerned.

1. Septicflesh - The Great Mass

2. Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

3. Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

4. Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece

5. Insomnium - One For Sorrow

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Limited to one album per band and only those featured on Metal Storm.
I feel these albums demonstrate certain qualities that can be of enjoyment to someone who is interested in avantgarde, experimental, extreme, fusion, jazz, post rock, and technical forms of metal.

1. Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick

2. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

3. Rush - Moving Pictures

4. Opeth - Still Life

5. Dream Theater - Images And Words

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