I feel like my overall favorites list is getting too long. I'm splitting it up by rating.

1.Amon Amarth - Jomsviking

2.Qrixkuor - Poison Palinopsia

3.Skepticism - Ordeal

4.Funeral Mist - Devilry

5.Zeal & Ardor - Zeal And Ardor

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1.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

2.Antimatter - Fear Of A Unique Identity

3.Sigh - In Somniphobia

4.Enslaved - RIITIIR

5.Katatonia - Dead End Kings

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Simple ranking of all my favorite albums. Favorite song from the album in the notes. Sure to change/expand as I learn and explore more within metal.
2023: This was starting to get too long so I split it into separate lists for albums at each ranking 10 to 7. This list will no longer be updated.
10: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6891
9: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7213
8: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7512
7: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=8058

1.Madder Mortem - Eight Ways

2.Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side

3.Ayreon - 01011001

4.Ulcerate - The Destroyers Of All

5.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

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1.Borknagar - Empiricism

2.Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline Of Fire And Demise

3.Ensiferum - Ensiferum

4.Hollenthon - With Vilest Of Worms To Dwell

5.Augury - Concealed

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So, I figure with all the staff picks and ms awards going around, I'd post some of the new favorites I've found in 2012, as well as some anticipated favs of the year! Some of these have really changed since the MS awards, since I found myself enjoying certain albums way more than others, which likely would have been on my list otherwise.

1.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

2.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

3.Enslaved - RIITIIR

4.Xanthochroid - Blessed He With Boils

5.Atoma - Skylight

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I decided not to include "folk metal" albums like "Wintersun - Time" or "Enslaved - RIITIIR".

1.Finsterforst - Rastlos

2.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

3.Eluveitie - Helvetios

4.Hammer Horde - Vinlander

5.King Of Asgard - ?To North

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A lot of bands have great debut albums. Obviously this list is just a fraction of all the great debut albums out there, but it's a start. I'll keep expanding this list continuously, so all suggestions are welcome (granted they are featured on MS). All the albums here are ranked according to genre and then alphabetically. If a certain album belongs to the (in your opinion) wrong genre, then definitely let me know.

1.

2.Aarni - Bathos

3.Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfonia

4.Diablo Swing Orchestra - The Butcher's Ballroom

5.Sadness - Ames De Marbre

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Because I reached the word limit on the previous list, and don't want to lose my quite excellent in-depth descriptions. Those without descriptions are from my other list.

1.Sylosis - Monolith

2.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

3.In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

4.Abigail Williams - Becoming

5.Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Area 52

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Updated as the year goes on...

1.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

2.Oddland - The Treachery Of Senses

3.Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I

4.Barren Earth - The Devil's Resolve

5.Enslaved - RIITIIR

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My tastes seem to have changed quite a bit since I originally made this list. I have since updated it to better reflect my opinions of 2012 in retrospect. A well rounded and impressive year for metal.

1.Indesinence - Vessels Of Light And Decay

2.Faal - The Clouds Are Burning

3.Agruss - Morok

4.Lord Mantis - Pervertor

5.Elysian Blaze - Blood Geometry

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1.The Gathering - Disclosure

2.Xandria - Neverworld's End

3.Moonspell - Alpha Noir/Ómega White

4.Epica - Requiem For The Indifferent

5.The Foreshadowing - Second World

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1.Wintersun - Time I

2.Sybreed - God Is An Automaton

3.Atoma - Skylight

4.The Omega Experiment - The Omega Experiment

5.Circus Maximus - Nine

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My list of favourites and interests for this year ordered roughly in descending order. My new years resolution is to branch out a bit and listen to new and unfamiliar genres, metal and non-metal.

Edit: Anything above about a 7/10 I'll keep here. Now with approximate rating in a .5 scale and ordered according to **replay value** i.e how often I listen to them. AND now with some comments, adding them gradually.

1.Enslaved - RIITIIR

2.Pharaoh - Bury The Light

3.Anglagard - Viljans Öga

4.Overkill - The Electric Age

5.The Foreshadowing - Second World

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One of likely hundreds of these, more for self-enjoyment (or something) above anything, but if it helps someone find a good album/albums they wouldn't've otherwise heard I'll be happy.

1.Sylosis - Monolith

2.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

3.In The Silence - A Fair Dream Gone Mad

4.Abigail Williams - Becoming

5.Enslaved - RIITIIR

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A collection of metal albums that heavily use the likes of classical instrumentation, orchestral, opera or/and symphonic keyboard synths. Suggestions/Recommendations are welcome.

1.Adagio - Underworld

2.Aesma Daeva - Dawn Of The New Athens

3.After Forever - Decipher

4.Almôra - Kalihora's Song

5.Ancient Bards - The Alliance Of The Kings

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