Here is my provisional favorite-metal-albums-of-all-time-list! Enjoy!
The first 10 albums are in pretty accurate order. However, after that, it becomes harder and harder to separate the albums clearly. Thus, you can say that I enjoy album x on the list as much as the others in the interval of (x-5) to (x+5). For example album 37 would be as much enjoyed as 32, 33, 34, ..., 42, or something like that.

1. Cult Of Luna - Somewhere Along The Highway

2. Disillusion - Back To Times Of Splendor

3. Grand Alchemist - Intervening Coma-Celebration

4. Opeth - Blackwater Park

5. Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

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Well so far this year has been quite a let-down when it comes to quality metal. Many of you will probably disagree, but to each his own.

So in order for me to even make a list containing 10 entries I had to fetch them from a year ago which had some really fantastic post-July releases!

1. Vale of Pnath - The Prodigal Empire

2. Vildhjarta - Måsstaden

3. Circus Maximus - Nine

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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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This is my personal selection of albums (with specific songs) that you'd like to play in your next metal party.
The songs are sorted so the more powerful and energetic songs are equally spread all along the list, except the last songs, which are softer than average.

I'm currently working in this list (well... in my spare time), so it's not the final one.

1. Unexpect - Fables of the Sleepless Empire

2. Korpiklaani - Karkelo

3. Solefald - Norrøn Livskunst

4. Mastodon - Crack The Skye

5. Kvelertak - Blodtørst

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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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2011 for me was a year where experimentation really took the spotlight, although not entirely accepted by fans, critics brought more attention to bands trying out something new.

1. Opeth - Heritage

2. Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors

3. Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning

4. Mastodon - The Hunter

5. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

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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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This list will expand later and the positions here will probably change a bit as well. An interesting feature is an album in top 10 from a band that's not featured on Metal Storm yet.

1. Amorphis - The Beginning Of Times

2. Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

3. MyGrain - Mygrain

4. Constantine - Divine Design

5. Chaos Divine - The Human Connection

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Even in 2012 (update: 2013), 2011 still isn't too hot a year for me. Still, new stuff keeps on coming, and 2012 itself is looking pretty good, so I'll forgive it. New in the new year is the lack of ratings. It's bothersome, especially since I've decided to sacrifice a few newborns and (retrospectively and retroactively) rate on RYM.

1. Hell - Human Remains

2. SubRosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones

3. Anubis Gate - Anubis Gate

4. Hammers of Misfortune - 17th Street

5. Mastodon - The Hunter

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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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These are the bands that have spent the most time coming through my speakers (or will have by the end of the year). In other words: TOP PICKS for 2011, listed in no particular order and updated but not finished...

1. Scar Symmetry - The Unseen Empire

2. Pagan's Mind - Heavenly Ecstasy

3. Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

4. Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece

5. Havok - Time Is Up

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I wanted to create my personal Top List for a long time and to be honest, I always considered it as some kind of cool Prog Metal, Avantgarde Metal mix. As you can see, it has become a bit more complicated. So finally, there are Unexpect and Pain Of Salvation next to Bands like Kamelot and Savatage. Also, some Non-Metal Bands got involved like Jeff Buckley and Oingo Boingo. But could you imagine how PoS would sound without Jeffs influence? Or what would have become of Mr. Bungle if it weren't for Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo?! So I hope you have nearly as much fun with this list as I had creating it.

1. Pain Of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Part I

2. Kalisia - Cybion

3. Savatage - Streets: A Rock Opera

4. Dog Fashion Disco - Adultery

5. Polkadot Cadaver - Purgatory Dance Party

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1. Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning

2. Fair To Midland - Arrows & Anchors

3. Esoteric - Paragon Of Dissonance

4. Machine Head - Unto The Locust

5. Moonsorrow - Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa

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My tops of this year.

1. Mastodon - The Hunter

2. Ava Inferi - Onyx

3. Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt Two

4. Powerwolf - Blood Of The Saints

5. Amplifier - The Octopus

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I don't believe in illegal downloading of easily available albums, so this list is only albums I have actually purchased and own a hard copy or official download of. The order is VERY fluid, and in all likelihood, wrong. But oh well....

Coming soon: Comments for each album & finalised order for the year...

1. Thy Catafalque - Rengeteg

2. Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

3. Ulcerate - The Destroyers Of All

4. Symphony X - Iconoclast

5. Cormorant - Dwellings

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