I see I never posted my list here... I'll copy it from my post on the Into Eternity forum... here it comes
Here's my top 10, a added some links and comments etc
1. Into Eternity - The Scattering Of Ashes - (www.myspace.com/officialintoeternity)
2. Benedictum - Uncreation (
www.myspace.com/benedictum) - the female Dio, just awesome
3. Communic - Waves of Visual Decay (
www.myspace.com/communic) - for all Nevermore fans
4. Textures - Drawing Circles (
www.myspace.com/textures) - brutal mix of death, hardcore, prog etc
5. Evergrey - Monday Morning Apocalypse - still very Evergrey to me, so I still love it
6. Doro - Warrior Soul - most Warlock like album since many years
7. Marcel Coenen - The Colour Journey (
www.myspace.com/marcelcoenen) - versatile songwriter and awesome guitarist, lots of guests on this album
8. Assailant - Nemesis Within (
www.myspace.com/assailantsweden) - w/elements of Evergrey, In Flames, Morgana Lefay etc
9. Jon Oliva's Pain - Maniacal Renderings - for all old Savatage fans!
10. Vanden Plas - Christ O - just a great progmetal album
But.. I did not hear these possible candidates yet:
Wolverine, Zero Hour, Antiquus (just ordered!), Eidolon (got it, but hardly listened yet), Vicious Rumors, Metal Church, Celtic Frost, Slayer, The Orchard (got it, not listened yet).
I also enjoyed: Iron Fire (
http://www.myspace.com/officialironfire), Mercenary, Axamenta (
http://www.myspace.com/axamenta), Kataklysm.