It’s time to measure the last year in music, specifically in the world of rock and metal. I didn’t get the chance to listen to everything, but enough to assemble a fine list.

Top Ten:

1. Exodus – The Atrocity Exhibition – Exhibit A (US)

2. Down – III – Over the Under (US)

3. Entombed – Serpent Saints (SWE)

4. Orange Goblin – Healing Through Fire (UK)

5. Dimmu Borgir – In Sorte Diaboli (NOR)

6. Megadeth – United Abominations (US)

7. Throne Of Katarsis – An Eternal Dark Horizon (NOR)

8. Red Harvest – A Greater Darkness (NOR)

9. Dødheimsgard – Supervillain Oucast (NOR)

10. Machine Head – The Blackening (US)

Very honourable mentions:

Hyades – The Worst is Yet to Come (ITA)

Baroness – Red Album (US)

Anaal Nakhtrath – Hell is Empty (UK)

Arch Enemy – Rise of the Tyrant (SWE)

Helloween – Gambling With the Devil (GER)

Primordial – To the Nameless Dead (IRL)

Overkill – Immortalis (US)

Sanctity – Road to Bloodshed (US)

Skeletonwitch – Beyond the Permafrost (US)

Sodom – The Final Sign of Evil (GER)

Susperia – Cut from Stone (NOR)

Municipal Waste – The Art of Partying (US)

Destruction – Thrash Anthems (GER)

High on Fire – Death Is This Communion (US)

Evile – Enter The Grave (UK)

Obituary – Xecutioners Return (US)

Darkthrone – F.O.A.D (NOR)

Vintersorg – Solens Rötter (SWE)

Volbeat – Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil (DEN)

Watain – Sworn To The Dark (SWE)

Paradise Lost – In Requiem (UK)

Mayhem – Ordo Ad Chao (NOR)

Riverside – Rapid Eye Movement (POL)

Trelldom – Til Minne (NOR)

Nocturnal Breed – Fields of Rot (NOR)

Impaled Nazarene – Manifest (FIN)

Shining – V Halmstad (SWE)

Abigor – Fractal Possession (AUT)

Nifelheim – Envoy of Lucifer (SWE)

Ravencult – Temples of Torment (GRE)

Dead to This World – First Strike for Spiritual Renewance (NOR)

Chimaira – Resurrection (US)

DevilDriver – The Last Kind Words (US)

Sonata Arctica – Unia (FIN)

Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet (UK)

Merciless Death – Evil in the Night (US)

Just Fine by me:

Onslaught – Killing Peace (UK)

Clutch – From Beale Street to Oblivion (US)

Shining – Grindstone (NOR)

Candlemass – King of the Grey Islands (SWE)

Iskald – Shades of Misery (NOR)

Dillinger Escape Plan – Ire Works (US)

Sworn – The Alleviation (NOR)

Poison The Well – Versions (US)

Behemoth – The Apostacy (POL)

Nile – Ithyptallic (US)

Blood Red Throne – Come Death (NOR)

Iced Earth – Framing Armageddon (US)

Tulus – Biography Obscene (NOR)

Job For A Cowboy – Genesis (US)

Ozzy Osbourne – Black Rain (UK)

As I Lay Dying – An Ocean Between Us (US)

Serj Tankian – Elect The Dead (US)

Dream Theater – Systematic Chaos (US)

Every Time I Die – The Big Dirty (US)

Symphony X – Paradise Lost (US)

Slight Disappointments:

Turbonegro – Retox (NOR)

Blood Tsunami – Thrash Metal (NOR)

Finntroll – Ur Jordens Djup (FIN)

Ensiferum – Victory Songs (FIN)

Manowar – The Gods of War (US)

Electric Wizard – Witchcult Today (UK)

Throwdown – Venom and Tears (US)

Pure Shite:

Avenged Sevenfold – S/t. (US)

Atreyu – Lead Sails Paper Anchors (US)

Soilwork – Sworn to a Great Divide (SWE)

Velvet Revolver – Libertad (US)

Shadows Fall – Threads of Life (US)

Still Remains – The Serpent (US)

Gogol Bordello – Super Taranta! (US)

Nightwish – Dark Passion Play (FIN)

HIM – Venus Doom (FIN)

Within Temptation – The Heart of Everything (HOL)

Marilyn Manson – Eat Me, Drink Me (US)

If you’re really pissed off now, please comment!