If you make a quick comparison between 2014 and the previous years Top 20 Album lists, you would notice that the top album of 2014, have the lowest rating average compared to 2013,2012, 2011 and 2010.

1.Swans - To Be Kind

2.Lunatic Soul - Walking On A Flashlight Beam

3.Emptiness - Nothing But The Whole

4.Behemoth - The Satanist

5.

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1.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

2.Behemoth - The Satanist

3.Sabaton - Heroes

4.Winterfylleth - The Divination Of Antiquity

5.Primordial - Where Greater Men Have Fallen

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1.Dread Sovereign - All Hell's Martyrs

2.Clouds - Doliu

3.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

4.Sólstafir - Ótta

5.Doom:VS - Earthless

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From best to worst of all the albums I listened along the 2014…

1.Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden

2.Neurotech - Infra Versus Ultra

3.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

4.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

5.Earth - Primitive And Deadly

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1.Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare

2.Arch Enemy - War Eternal

3.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

4.Sólstafir - Ótta

5.Darkest Hour - Darkest Hour

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Cos, y'know, same shiz different year. Ran out of space again so will post final album opinions in comments.

1.Infestus - The Reflecting Void

2.Dirge - Hyperion

3.Nero Di Marte - Derivae

4.Steve Rothery - The Ghosts Of Pripyat

5.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

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For Posterity. In No Particular Order. I'm certain I missed some quality releases, so I might update the list some time. Cheers.

1.Darkspace - Dark Space III I

2.Botanist - VI: Flora

3.Nachtmystium - The World We Left Behind

4.Nightbringer - Ego Dominus Tuus

5.Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden

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1.Exodus - Blood In, Blood Out

2.Darkspace - Dark Space III I

3.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

4.DragonForce - Maximum Overload

5.Opeth - Pale Communion

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Every year, hundreds of albums are written and released for people to buy and hopefully not steal. I spend most of my free time searching far and wide for new music, most of which only very few people…

1.1349 - Massive Cauldron Of Chaos

2.Abigor - Leytmotif Luzifer - The 7 Temptations Of Man

3.Aborted - The Necrotic Manifesto

4.Aenaon - Extance

5.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

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This is my personal list based on the albums i've enjoyed listening to the most this year, consider it a best to worst based on all the albums i've checked out from 2014. Bear in mind i'm…

1.Galneryus - Vetelgyus

2.Equilibrium - Erdentempel

3.Arch Enemy - War Eternal

4.The Algorithm - OCTOPUS4

5.Ancient Bards - A New Dawn Ending

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My best album list to 2014 so far (january-september)…

1.Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails

2.Animals As Leaders - The Joy Of Motion

3.Serdce - Timelessness

4.Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun

5.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

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1.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

2.Septicflesh - Titan

3.Allegaeon - Elements Of The Infinite

4.Insomnium - Shadows Of The Dying Sun

5.At The Gates - At War With Reality

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100% subjective.
I also listened to albums far from metal or metal world (Hanggai, Lisa Gerrard, ...) but I decided not to list them there.

Updated constantly - feel free to recommend something to check…

1.Darkspace - Dark Space III I

2.Blues Pills - Blues Pills

3.Earth - Primitive And Deadly

4.Aenaon - Extance

5.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

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1.Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

2.Psygnosis - Human Be[ing]

3.Machine Head - Bloodstone & Diamonds

4.Descend - Wither

5.Yob - Clearing The Path To Ascend

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Same deal as the last few years. Albums I thoroughly enjoyed throughout 2014, ranging from "awesome" to "decent". Basically anything I'd rate a 7+. No longer being edited.

Only…

1.Keitzer - The Last Defence

2.The Graviators - Motherload

3.Nachtmystium - The World We Left Behind

4.Dark Fortress - Venereal Dawn

5.Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare

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