I think its been a woefully crap year for metal, theres been some "pretty good" albums, but very, very few brilliant ones, and loads of shit ones 
Album of the year...
No surprise here, this album is just about as good as The Gathering by Testament, and sounds very, very similair. Everyone should own a copy. Especially Blitzy and Sydo. I fucking love this album, I cant imagine how they will top this with their next one though.
Honourable mentions...
Very surprised how good this album turned out to be. I didnt think Dave had it in him anymore to rock like this.
I.C.E. pick up where Immortal left off around Blizzard Beasts, only with listenable production. Its EXTREMELY fast black metal. Their interviews are funny as fuck too, you just KNOW they are giggling like kids when they answer the questions, the one about Immortal is a crackup. http://www.metalreviews.com/interviews/interviews.php?id=56 Apparently the members are from some underground bands in the US whose names I cannot remember at the moment. If you like Immortal from around Blizzard Beasts/Battles In The North (which is none of you now I think about it) you will love this. i like the opening line to the first song "We are fucking IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE!" Good stuff.
I was surprised Exodus could come out with such a great album given how long it had been since they wrote anything great, but this rules, great thrash, a few too many guitar solos though, it makes the songs way too long.
A cross between Venom, Sepultura, Slipknot and Slayer (and that pretty much describes the album EXACTLY!). This is brilliant, heres an MP3 to listen to http://www.demolitionrecords.com/newreleases/music/KILL_IT.mp3 Its a great album, nothing fancy, just really, really heavy and aggressive. Todd, I reckon you would really like this.
This sounds very similair to Dead Heart In A Dead World by Nevermore, so if you liked that album you will like this, really good vocals too.
Joacim from Hammerfalls solo album. Mike from Halford played guitar and wrote some songs on it, and it sounds like Halfords first solo album musically. Its nothing like Hammerfall, much heavier and darker. Not a brilliant album, has a few fillers, but Fields Of Yesterday and Silent Cries fucking RULE.
Some guy called Jorn made an album. If you like 1987 era Whitesnake you will love this album. It sounds almost identical.
Most other power metal bands should be banned from playing because they suck. Only Dragonforce doth rule with their speedy playing and insane solos. Fucking great album!
Fuck it ruled that they got back together. The world needs Fear Factory.
Nymphetamine may be their best album yet, it needs more time to sink in before I decide though.
I probably forgot some other good albums but thats all that comes to mind at the moment.
Album of the year...
No surprise here, this album is just about as good as The Gathering by Testament, and sounds very, very similair. Everyone should own a copy. Especially Blitzy and Sydo. I fucking love this album, I cant imagine how they will top this with their next one though.
Honourable mentions...
Very surprised how good this album turned out to be. I didnt think Dave had it in him anymore to rock like this.
I.C.E. pick up where Immortal left off around Blizzard Beasts, only with listenable production. Its EXTREMELY fast black metal. Their interviews are funny as fuck too, you just KNOW they are giggling like kids when they answer the questions, the one about Immortal is a crackup. http://www.metalreviews.com/interviews/interviews.php?id=56 Apparently the members are from some underground bands in the US whose names I cannot remember at the moment. If you like Immortal from around Blizzard Beasts/Battles In The North (which is none of you now I think about it) you will love this. i like the opening line to the first song "We are fucking IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE!" Good stuff.
I was surprised Exodus could come out with such a great album given how long it had been since they wrote anything great, but this rules, great thrash, a few too many guitar solos though, it makes the songs way too long.
A cross between Venom, Sepultura, Slipknot and Slayer (and that pretty much describes the album EXACTLY!). This is brilliant, heres an MP3 to listen to http://www.demolitionrecords.com/newreleases/music/KILL_IT.mp3 Its a great album, nothing fancy, just really, really heavy and aggressive. Todd, I reckon you would really like this.
This sounds very similair to Dead Heart In A Dead World by Nevermore, so if you liked that album you will like this, really good vocals too.
Joacim from Hammerfalls solo album. Mike from Halford played guitar and wrote some songs on it, and it sounds like Halfords first solo album musically. Its nothing like Hammerfall, much heavier and darker. Not a brilliant album, has a few fillers, but Fields Of Yesterday and Silent Cries fucking RULE.
Some guy called Jorn made an album. If you like 1987 era Whitesnake you will love this album. It sounds almost identical.
Most other power metal bands should be banned from playing because they suck. Only Dragonforce doth rule with their speedy playing and insane solos. Fucking great album!
Fuck it ruled that they got back together. The world needs Fear Factory.
Nymphetamine may be their best album yet, it needs more time to sink in before I decide though.
I probably forgot some other good albums but thats all that comes to mind at the moment.
Maybe I should listen to this ice album. Cover looks very poofy though 
