Overall, I found 2009 to be a fairly weak year for new releases. A couple of bands that made my top 5 had weaker releases than their previous albums whcih didn't crack the top 5 of those respective years. Here's my top 5 with some honorable mentions:
Lazarus AD - The Onslaught: Have you ever been to a great thrash show, where during the encore they bring out a frantic assault that pulls everyone in to the pit, and follow that song with an even higher intensity song? This album is packed with 10 of those songs. A great debut, reminding me of equal parts Testament and Exodus; if these guys can follow this up with a similar quality album, they may prove to be a force on the metal scene for years to come.
Lamb of God - Wrath: Speaking of forces on the metal scene, these guys are at the top of their game right now. With a brutality reminding me of early-90's Pantera before Phil got too much into his screeching phase, this album might be their best yet.
DevilDriver - Pray For Villains: Another band that seems to be peaking, I'm not sure this album is quite as brutal as their last one, but it is solid all the way through, with a little more maturity in the songwriting coming through.
Slayer - World Painted Blood: I never used to be a big Slayer fan, but the last two albums have got me into them, and this one is bigger and more diverse than Christ Illusion.
November's Doom - Into Night's Requiem: I've never been a fan of death metal vocals, but for these guys, I make an exception, as the song writing is powerful, and the vocals blend an aggressive growl with a softer, haunting side, without becoming pretentious and boring like some bands. Not as good as The Novella Resevoir, but still a great listen.
Honorable mentions:
Hatebreed - For the Lions/Hatebreed: Any band that can put out two solid albums in one year has to be at least worthy of an honorable mention. Sure, For The Lions was a cover album, but the song selection is great, paying tribute to both their punk and metal roots. A particular standout is their cover of The Misfits "Hatebreeders", which one can only assume was a major inspiration for them.
Static X - Cult of Static: If they had put out an album as strong as their last one, they might have cracked the top five, but barring a couple weaker tracks, there are still enough solid tunes here to give this one an honorable mention.
The Black League - Ghost Brothel: This album starts strong, with tracks that wouldn't have sounded out of place if they were played by Down on Nola. Unfortunately, the album doesn't finish quite as strong as it starts, keeping them from cracking the top 5.
