2012 - What are your favorites so far?

I just heard a track from the new Dawnbringer record. If it's any indication of the rest of the album, 2012's best is already crowned.

This will again be on Profound Lore, right?

In Sickness and in Dreams is easily one of my favorites from the last 10 years, and the last album was pretty strong, too.

Definitely a blind buy with high expectations here...
 
IMMENT SONIC DESTRUCTION
EPICA
XANDRIA
UNISONIC
VAN HALEN
IRON SAVIOR
LACUNA COIL
DRAGONLAND
NIGHTWISH
RAGE
Have to listen to the Accept, Lord Of Mushrooms, and Pharoh yet but I'm sure they will be awesome

I like the IRON SAVIOR-The Landing a lot, but didn't include it in my list, as it was released in 2011.
 
I dunno how you people listen to so much new music. I've only really heard two new albums that I really liked so far this year and that's Accept and Freedom call. Maybe I'm just really picky.

As for me, I have a 35-min. commute every day to go to work, and I'm working alone, so I can play music for 6 hours a day or so (the rest is talk radio). So, I listen to loads of music every week.
 
I dunno how you people listen to so much new music. I've only really heard two new albums that I really liked so far this year and that's Accept and Freedom call. Maybe I'm just really picky.

Have you heard a lot of new albums though, or is it more of a not having enough time issue? I think so far this year has given us many good releases...
 
So far (what I've listened to) for 2012:
The Sledge/Leather Project – Imagine Me Alive
Lacuna Coil – Dark Adrenaline
Flying Colors – Flying Colors
Epica – Requiem for the Indifferent
Suspyre- Suspyre
Nightwish – Imaginaerum
Beyond the Bridge – The Old Man & the Spirit
Dark Empire – From Refuge to Ruin
A Sound of Thunder – Out of the Darkness
Touchstone – The City Sleeps
 
Honestly, I haven't gotten a lot of albums from this year so far. The only real standouts to me are

Van Halen
High on Fire
Meshuggah

I have the new Nightwish and Epica, and while I like them, there's nothing too special about them, though the Epica I've only listened to once, while the Nightwish has some excellent sections but I find it to be incredibly inconsistent and like DPP much better.
 
I'm very curious about that one. Is it good? Is it traditional metal? I can't wait to hear it.

Yes, Sledge Leather is very good. Leather's voice is still incredibly powerful after being on hiatus for 22+ years. It's pretty much traditional heavy metal, with a couple short instrumental songs, and some other musical elements thrown in, but if you are a Dio fan, this is a must have album. Especially since two of his band members play on the album.

Edit: At this moment, the only way you can get the album is through the band. Inside the US send $10, outside of US $14 (shipping) to the paypal account: tempadime@yahoo.com
 
So far Amberian Dawn, Lanfear and Huntress have been my top new albums. Looking forward a lot to Sabaton, Fear Factory and Black Majesty!