Synchestra was great, the new Novembre is by far the best I've heard though. I was initially disappointed by it, but as time has gone on I realize it's probably their second-best album and it really has some great songs on it. I hardly listen to anything else that came out this year at all, though I've given the new Deftones a few listens and must say it pretty much rules. The new Isis, Agalloch and Mastodon are good but I haven't felt like listening to them like, ever, and find myself going back to their older albums if I want to listen to them. Then Pain of Salvation's "Scarsick" is by far the biggest disappointment of the year. And did that last Katatonia album come out this year? I was really let down by that too even though most people liked it, it seemed like a lame version of Viva Emptiness. Novembre's effort really destroyed it while treading some of the same territory, and was even on the same label...too bad the katatonia album still got way more attention and praise.
