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1.
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Kamelot - Silverthorn
This was bound to go on the top as soon as I got my hands on a physical copy. It's Kamelot...and nothing less. Pure class. |
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2.
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Bell Witch - Self Titled
Woah. I mean...woah. This must be what people felt like in the late sixties when they heard Black Sabbath for the first time...I'm flattened. |
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3.
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Wintersun - Time I
Dammit. I couldn't resist it...as much as a hype-rebel as I stubbornly try to be. |
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4.
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Watain - Lawless Darkness
Hands down the best newcomer to my black metal cauldron. |
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5.
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Sunstorm - House Of Dreams
Eargasm. Great AOR that would dominate the airwaves if it were 1988. So good... |
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6.
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Pyrexia - Age Of The Wicked
How can what sounds like the bastard child of Morbid Angel and Suffocation do you wrong? (Don't answer that...) |
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7.
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Borknagar - The Olden Domain
Incredible, heady, earthy black(ish) metal of the highest order. Majestic in every way. |
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8.
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Crematory - Act Seven
Pure, otherworldly gothic death metal. |
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9.
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Cannibal Corpse - Torture
Hey, man...I'm loyal. Love 'em just as much as ever. |
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10.
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Inherit Disease - Visceral Transcendence
Way-out-there death metal with vocals that resemble the sound of someone tearing a very thick burlap sack in half (?!?!)...or something like that... |
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11.
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Bathory - Nordland I
Love this one. It's got a very personal tone, as you can hear Quorthon's love for his music in every passage. |
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12.
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Dark Tranquillity - Projector
Most people's least favorite from these Gothenburg masters; just so happens to be my favorite. (...especially for this time of year.) |
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13.
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Cattle Decapitation - Monolith Of Inhumanity
Brilliant release. And if you think that Travis Ryan's menacing, obnoxious thrash singing/screeching in tune (every once in a while) is selling out or pussifying...um...let's just say that I know a good hearing aid specialist that might be able to help you. |
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14.
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Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance
No need to explain. |
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15.
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Silencer - Death- Pierce Me
*shudders* |
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16.
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Eluveitie - Helvetios
The most ridiculously unappreciated album of recent years in my book. Godly. |
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17.
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To/Die/For - Epilogue
Hey, I liked Tears For Fears when I was a kid. What "Discouraged Ones"-era Katatonia is to the Cure, To/Die/For is to Tears For Fears. |
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18.
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Cradle Of Filth - Cruelty And The Beast
Don't try to feed me any elitist bullshit. This is one band that is big because they deserve it. That is the bottom line. Poetic, dark, inspired, melodic, and vicious. |
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19.
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Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
Being that Attila is my favorite black metal vocalist; I have been decidedly using this difficult-to-digest release to numb my emotions. It's a brilliant performance on all fronts. |
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20.
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Deeds Of Flesh - Inbreeding The Anthropophagi
Love this one. (See my review on this site!) |
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21.
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Bruce Dickinson - Accident Of Birth
Probably my favorite of Bruce's solo stuff. Essential. |
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22.
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Alcest - Les Voyages De L'âme
Tranquil, heart-felt, and beautiful. Perfect for these cool November days. |
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23.
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Human Remains - Using Sickness As A Hero
Okay...I need a little wacky controlled-chaos sometimes, and would rather skip The Dillinger Escape Plan. Seminal. |
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24.
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Katatonia - Discouraged Ones
Classic. |
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25.
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Tormentor - Anno Domini
Attila sounds a bit more traditional with his vocals here, yet it proves that he can do things however he wants! This album is a frighteningly dark classic. |
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26.
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The Black League - Ichor
Taneli Jarva's logical next-step from Sentenced's "Amok", and almost just as good. |
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27.
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Susperia - Predominance
This early release from these guys is a great alternative to "supergroups" like Borknagar or Covenant...just add thrash. |
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28.
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Amorphis - Eclipse
Brings me up, makes me all emotional, then bring me up again. Killer stuff. |
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29.
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Ulver - Bergtatt
Absolutely mandatory for the season. |
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30.
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Mortician - Hacked Up For Barbeque
Just somethin' to be the soundtrack to my jerky-eatin'. |
