Call me easily impressed or what, but 2009 has been an amazing year for metal releases for me. Being well into 2010, I had the chance to let everything sink in and the more memorable albums stand out more while certain release that had initially escaped attention could also be "auditioned". Having listened to over 230 releases, just narrowing down a list of top 30 has already been a challenge, but for an annual list to go over 20 kind of loses its purpose of recommendation, so I just tried even harder. At the same time, I allowed myself to cheat a little bit by using another list of overlooked albums and influential albums. Some that didn't quite make the cut: Bloodbound, Artillery, Delain, Fairyland, Dark Moor, Vomitory, Immortal, Paradise Lost, Amesoeurs, Skyfire, The 11th Hour, Process Of Guilt and Anaal Nathrakh

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Ag Fox | 31.05.2010

	1.	Thy Catafalque - Róka Hasa Rádió Avantgarde
	2.	Amorphis - Skyforger Folk/Death/Melodic/Heavy
	3.	Samael - Above Black
	4.	Sun Of The Blind - Skullreader Avantgarde
	5.	While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose Doom
	6.	Devin Townsend - Addicted Progressive
	7.	Fractal Gates - Altered State Of Consciousness Melodic Death
	8.	Anubis Gate - The Detached Progressive Power
	9.	Necrophobic - Death To All Death
	10.	Profane Omen - Inherit The Void Alternative Thrash
	11.	Shadow Gallery - Digital Ghosts Progressive
	12.	Isole - Silent Ruins Doom
	13.	Persefone - Shin-Ken Progressive Melodic Death
	14.	Waltari - Below Zero Alternative
	15.	Kylesa - Static Tensions Sludge
	16.	Deströyer 666 - Defiance Black
	17.	Black Bomb A - From Chaos Metalcore
	18.	Cemetery Of Scream - Frozen Images Gothic
	19.	The Devil's Blood - The Time Of No Time Evermore Hard Rock
	20.	Madder Mortem - Eight Ways Atmospheric/Gothic