This is very simple, I took the ratings for a bunch of alternative metal albums on MS and ranked them accordingly

To qualify:
The album must have been released when the band was labelled as "Alternative…

1.Mass Hysteria - Contraddiction

2.Tool - Lateralus

3.The Butterfly Effect - IV

4.Tool - Ænima

5.Mass Hysteria - Le Bien-Être Et La Paix

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These are the albums I have enjoyed the most with a vague ordering. There are of course a few albums left to be heard. As for the albums I did not enjoy, they will not be making an appearance on this list.

1.Mastodon - The Hunter

2.Opeth - Heritage

3.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony

4.Graveyard - Hisingen Blues

5.Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst The Ashes

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my list of top headbangers (any album that will make me wanna move my body or do something crazy or anything that can feed my appetite for raw aggression) for the year 2011…

1.Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

2.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

3.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

4.Insomnium - One For Sorrow

5.Ouroboros - Glorification Of A Myth

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1.Evergrey - Glorious Collision

2.Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece

3.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

4.Primordial - Redemption At The Puritan's Hand

5.Mercenary - Metamorphosis

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1.Septicflesh - The Great Mass

2.Heretoir - Heretoir

3.Insomnium - One For Sorrow

4.Omnium Gatherum - New World Shadows

5.Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece

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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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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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Title says it all.

1.Vomitory - Opus Mortis VIII

2.Ulcerate - The Destroyers Of All

3.Supreme Pain - Divine Incarnation

4.Woods Of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason

5.I Chaos - The Human Repellent

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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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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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1.Machine Head - Unto The Locust

2.Vildhjarta - Måsstaden

3.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

4.Shining - VII - Född Förlorare

5.Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us

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The best album of each year (and one close 2nd) from the past 20 years. Some years were much harder than others to choose the best 2 albums.

1.In Vain - Ænigma

2.Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn

3.Dissona - Dissona

4.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

5.Obscura - Omnivium

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1.Turisas - Stand Up And Fight

2.Draconian - A Rose For The Apocalypse

3.Symphony X - Iconoclast

4.Heavenwood - Abyss Masterpiece

5.Hands Of Despair - Hereafter

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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…

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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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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