Another year, another list, These are my 15 favorite albums of 2011:

1.Unexpect - Fables Of The Sleepless Empire

2.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

3.Mournful Congregation - The Book Of Kings

4.Obscura - Omnivium

5.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony

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1.Leprous - Bilateral

2.Symphony X - Iconoclast

3.Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt Two

4.Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 1)

5.Pagan's Mind - Heavenly Ecstasy

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Heavy metal + power + thrash + death metal top 50 / 2011

1.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

2.Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

3.Samael - Lux Mundi

4.Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction

5.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Aagony

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1.Moonsorrow - Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa

2.Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece

3.Arkona - Slovo

4.Sólstafir - Svartir Sandar

5.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

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1.Myrath - Tales Of The Sands

2.Insomnium - One For Sorrow

3.Nightwish - Imaginaerum

4.Amaranthe - Amaranthe

5.Primordial - Redemption At The Puritan's Hand

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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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It remains to add bands that haven't released album and add personal comments.

1.Symphony X - Iconoclast

2.Iced Earth - Dystopia

3.Vektor - Outer Isolation

4.Megadeth - Th1rt3en

5.Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

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1.Primordial - Redemption At The Puritan's Hand

2.Moonsorrow - Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa

3.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

4.Obscura - Omnivium

5.MaYaN - Quarterpast

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Pending listen: Vektor, Blut Aus Nord, Iron Savior, Aenaon

By the end of the year, this will be my top 50.

1.Insomnium - One For Sorrow

2.Thy Catafalque - Rengeteg

3.Woods Of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason

4.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

5.Draconian - A Rose For The Apocalypse

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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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1.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

2.Betraying The Martyrs - Breathe In Life

3.Dead By April - Incomperable

4.Machine Head - Unto The Locust

5.Mastodon - The Hunter

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1.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

2.Anthrax - Worship Music

3.Machine Head - Unto The Locust

4.Sons Of Seasons - Magnisphyricon

5.MaYaN - Quarterpast

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A list I created during 2011. No longer being edited. Just a nice snapshot in time of what albums really grabbed me in 2011.

1.Trap Them - Darker Handcraft

2.The Fallen Divine - The Binding Cycle

3.Skeletonwitch - Forever Abomination

4.Toxic Holocaust - Conjure And Command

5.Smohalla - Resilience

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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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