1.Cân Bardd - Devoured By The Oak

2.Thy Catafalque - Vadak

3.Iotunn - Access All Worlds

4.Aquilus - Bellum I

5.Dordeduh - Har

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1.Therion - Leviathan

2.Cradle Of Filth - Existence Is Futile

3.Epica - Omega

4.Rhapsody Of Fire - Glory For Salvation

5.Cân Bardd - Devoured By The Oak

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Hitting somewhere within the region of 900 new albums that I've heard released in 2021, I've consumed a frankly ridiculous amount of music this year; I reckon things will return to a slightly more sensible level in 2022, but for now, these are the most impactful records from this year. I'd say the number of albums that truly stuck with me from this year is lower than 2020, but there were still gems to be found in 2021.

1.Between The Buried And Me - Colors II

2.Dvne - Etemen Ænka

3.Heliocentric - Ishmael

4.Trivium - In The Court Of The Dragon

5.Spaceslug - Memorial

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My personal favorite 75 metal albums of the year, this year has been pretty good when comes to heavy metal, especially within black and melodic death metal, also a good year for symphonic metal.

My favourite non metal albums of the year

Spotify playlist:
2021

1.Swallow The Sun - Moonflowers

2.Helloween - Helloween

3.Ethereal Shroud - Trisagion

4.Turnstile - Glow On

5.Havengarth - The Path Through Reminiscence

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Alphabetical
Favourite track in ()

1.Archspire - Bleed The Future

2.At The Gates - The Nightmare Of Being

3.Be'lakor - Coherence

4.Djevel - Tanker Som Rir Natten

5.Doctor Smoke - Dreamers And The Dead

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In no particular order:

2021 Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/64dcGhNKM5p9TF9ALQBVHN?si=jaureWTyTHiTqMpvY3Q-5A&utm_source=copy-link

1.Ethereal Shroud - Trisagion

2.First Fragment - Gloire Éternelle

3.Bewitcher - Cursed Be Thy Kingdom

4.SpiritWorld - Pagan Rhythms

5.Unto Others - Strength

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* Updating this as I get around to doing song-by-song on RYM.
* 1 album per band
* limiting this to actual black metal releases, as opposed to releases by bands that were, at one time, black metal.
>> Some bands really do incorporate a lot of both death metal or doom (or avant garde or folk, etc) and black metal in their albums, so I consider them to be 'black metal adjacent' even if it might not be 'purely black metal'

1.Weakling - Dead As Dreams

2.Caladan Brood - Echoes Of Battle

3.Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum

4.Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin Kynsi

5.Altar Of Plagues - Teethed Glory & Injury

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1.Mastodon - Hushed And Grim

2.Fear Factory - Aggression Continuum

3.Dream Theater - A View From The Top Of The World

4.Moonspell - Hermitage

5.Cryptosis - Bionic Swarm

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My top best albums of 2021!

1.Iotunn - Access All Worlds

2.Ethereal Shroud - Trisagion

3.Evergrey - Escape Of The Phoenix

4.Mare Cognitum - Solar Paroxysm

5.Trivium - In The Court Of The Dragon

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A list of Bands and Albums to check in 2021 in chronological(release) order

1.Need - Norchestrion: A Song For The End

2.Emma Ruth Rundle - The Helm Of Sorrow [Collaboration]

3.Soen - Imperial

4.Tribulation - Where The Gloom Becomes Sound

5.Steven Wilson - The Future Bites

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1.Ethereal Shroud - Trisagion

2.Veilburner - Lurkers In The Capsule Of Skull

3.First Fragment - Gloire Éternelle

4.Replicant - Malignant Reality

5.Dormant Ordeal - The Grand Scheme Of Things

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So earlier in 2021, I actually finished a nine year old list, and I thought starting this in July and backfilling with previous listens would be a good idea. Turns out not jotting down some thoughts about albums as you listen to them the first time is mistake, so almost every album on here has been heard at least twice - often more.

I'm going to leave it in release date order for now - maybe I'll put them in rating order, but that seems like a lot of work.

And even looking at my own list, I'm convinced there are albums I've heard that aren't on here, so that's great!

Anyway, enjoy reading and hopefully this might point you in the direction of something from 2021 you haven't bothered with yet.

Cheers!

1.Horndal - Lake Drinker

2.Unto Others - Strength

3.Obscura - A Valediction

4.Gatecreeper - An Unexpected Reality

5.Asphyx - Necroceros

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1.Trivium - In The Court Of The Dragon

2.Swallow The Sun - Moonflowers

3.Iron Maiden - Senjutsu

4.Leprous - Aphelion

5.Soen - Imperial

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This is a big year for me, when it comes to music. Having spent so much time in lockdown, I've been introduced to so many new sounds and artists. This list is the biggest in my life, and there have been some great albums this year.

1.Between The Buried And Me - Colors II

2.Rivers Of Nihil - The Work

3.Archspire - Bleed The Future

4.Dvne - Etemen Ænka

5.Thy Catafalque - Vadak

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Albums I've listened to released between April - June.

1.Suidakra - Wolfbite

2.Thy Catafalque - Vadak

3.Duskmourn - Fallen Kings And Rusted Crowns

4.Odraza - Acedia

5.Crimson Dimension - Crimson Dimension

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