1. Absu - Abzu

2. Anaal Nathrakh - Passion

3. Antediluvian - Through The Cervix Of Hawaah

4. Aosoth - III: Violence & Variations

5. Ars Moriendi - Du Tréfonds D'Un Être

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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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Within the past decade, black metal has seen bands from all over the world incorporating new sounds to the style and changing its delivery like never before. As great as the classic acts are, BM bands today seem to be branching out in every possible direction. From the beautiful chaos of the French bands to the psychedelic dabblings of the Finns to the atmospheric scene out West in the U.S... all the experimentation is helping to create a new identity for the genre. So, in no particular order, here are some of the best releases from this growing trend of originality within black metal's foundations (atmospheric, psychedelic, black doom, and otherwise).

1. Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum

2. Blut Aus Nord - MoRT

3. Diapsiquir - Virus STN

4. Glorior Belli - The Great Southern Darkness

5. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

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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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blah blah blah just another list words words words explaining my superior tastes and begging for validation by the pressing of the +1 button yada yada yada fuck it, afk getting beer.

1. 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

2. Ulver - Wars Of The Roses

3. Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument

4. Sleestak - The Fall Of Altrusia

5. Enslaved - The Sleeping Gods

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Top 10 albums are listed in order. Rest of the list in no particular order.

1. Esoteric - Paragon Of Dissonance

2. Benighted - Asylum Cave

3. Glorior Belli - The Great Southern Darkness

4. 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

5. Isole - Born From Shadows

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If you're like me and can't sit still with just one or two genres, perhaps you'll find some ideas in this list. I kept the variety with genres, but also by including all worthy bands from unknown newcomers all the way up to big names. Basically, everything I liked this year.

Since there are so many genres here, don't get too worked up about specific rating and placement. They're generally in order, but more importantly they're all amazing.

1. Silent Stream Of Godless Elegy - Návaz

2. Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors

3. Autumn - Cold Comfort

4. Shadowside - Inner Monster Out

5. 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room

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Well it seems to be the popular thing to do (creating a 2011 faves list) so why shouldn't I jump on the bandwagon too...

Alphabetically of course...although if I was going to put one at the top it would be Archspire (it's unfortunate I haven't seen it on many lists)...

1. Abysmal Dawn - Leveling The Plane Of Existence

2. After Oblivion - Vultures

3. Archspire - All Shall Align

4. Before The Dawn - Deathstar Rising

5. Beyond Creation - The Aura

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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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weeeee. all my past staff picks now compiled into one swell list.

1. High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine

2. Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough

3. Greymachine - Disconnected

4. Kylesa - Static Tensions

5. Profetus - Coronation Of The Black Sun

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2011 albums that made me happy.
future albums..

1. Demonical - Death Infernal

2. Woods of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason

3. Clair Cassis - Luxury Absolete [EP]

4. KYPCK - Ниже

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

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My top 2011 list per November

1. Ulcerate - The Destroyers of All

2. Mitochondrion - Parasignosis

3. Ana Kefr - Burial Tree (II)

4. Atlas Moth - An Ache For The Distance

5. Subrosa - No Help For The Mighty One

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Welcome, no matter if you're a long-term MS member or an Avenged Sevenfold listener. Don't know what to vote for? Here's ANOTHER yearly best-of list for you to go through, or, more likely, for the usual tl;dr. But, wait - what makes this one different: 1) unqualified and totally subjective two-line reviews, 2) conscious restriction to the litte-more-than-20 most impressive albums, 3) an aversion against the much too generic thrash & power metal genres and anything without recall value.

1. Amaranthe - Amaranthe

2. Alestorm - Back Through Time

3. Thy Catafalque - Rengeteg

4. Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors

5. The Devil's Blood - The Thousandfold Epicentre

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