I'm pretty damn surprised Absu made it to the 3rd spot. It was a good album but it was no Tara either. Good for them, I'm just surprised it wasn't Gaymon Amarth or something

I love that record, but aside from yourself and El Guapo I don't know many people that into it. There was also a guy who recognized my patch on the subway, that was cool! But yeah, it's just not a very well-known record, despite my best efforts. It's my favourite death metal album in years.

1 ) Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction (10)
2 ) Obscura - Omnivium (16)
3 ) Septic Flesh - The Great Mass (31)
4 ) Unexpect - Fables Of The Sleepless Empire (50)
5 ) Samael - Lux Mundi (41)
6 ) Decapitated - Carnival is Forever (17)
7 ) Neuraxis - Asylon (44)
8 ) Exhumed - All Guts No Glory (14)
9 ) The Project Hate MCMXCIX - Bleeding The New Apocalypse (x)
10 ) Torchbearer - Death Meditations (x)
11 ) Charred Walls Of The Damned - Cold Winds On Timeless Days (x)
12 ) Blood Red Throne - Brutalitarian Regime (x)
13 ) Xerath - II (x)
14 ) Moonsorrow - Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa (74)
15 ) Thulcandra - Under A Frozen Sun (91)




... clearly there are many out there who possess generally good taste, and yet missed out on some awesome albums.

the Disma i've just been getting into. Like it very much. That would probably make my list somewhere if i was doing it again.

1. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats - Blood Lust [56]
2. Absu - Abzu [3]
3. Decaptitated - Carnival Is Forever [17]
4. Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst the Ashes [45]
5. Wormrot - Dirge [n/a]
6. Illogicist - The Unconsciousness of Living [n/a]
7. Vried - V [n/a]
8. Fuck the Facts - Die Miserable [n/a]
9. ICS Vortex - Storm Seeker [52]
10. Vader - Welcome to the Morbid Reich [7]
11. Arch/Matheos - Sympathetic Resonance [6]
12. Tombs - Path of Totality [n/a]
13. Primus - Green Naugahyde [93]
14. Rwake - Rest [n/a]
15. Hammers of Misfortune - 17th Street [84]

Thanks LoaF, as usual! I got 3 in the top 10 and 6 that didn't place at all. How that Anthrax record got to #1 I will never know. I think it's rated 104th on my master list.

Theomachia is a great album, made my year end list

I actually checked out the new Spearhead because you brought it up .. and I'm not sure why I didn't sooner because it is just as good if not better then Decrowning the Irenarch which I thought it was pretty amazing. I may enjoy this one more just because the production is a bit more balanced. Such a killer band.

I think the list is a good barometer each year to show where the board is at in terms of taste. Anthrax was a big surprise for me, however Opeth, Primordial were predictable since they always seems to place near the top. Its also funny that I'm not hearing much defence for Anthrax, I personally am not a fan, but after hearing some samples on youtube I can see how an Anthrax fan would love that album.

A few awesome discoveries I made while making this list were

Disma, this would have taken the place of Decrepitaph for me on the my list this year.

Moonsorrow, I've never really got into them until I listened to some of the new album. I have years of catching up to do.

Lykke Li, one one person put her on their list, and thank you for that. This is why I encourage some non metal to be put on lists, so I can discover stuff like this, haha.

Demonaz, I totally over looked this album. After not really being impressed by I or even the last Immortal album, I guess I did not really pay attention to this.

I don't know if I was the only one with her on my list, but you're welcome. Lykke Li is easily on of my favourite current non-metal artists.

1. Anthem-Heraldic Device (didn't rank)
2. Evergrey-Glorious Collision (didn't rank)
3. Amon Amarth-Surtur Rising (#18)
4. Redemption-This Mortal Coil (didn't rank)
5. Iced Earth-Dystopia (#4)
6. Scar Symmetry-The Unseen Empire (didn't rank)
7. Riot-Immortal Soul (didn't rank)
8. Anthrax-Worship Music (#1)
9. Eldritch-Gaia's Legacy (didn't rank)
10. Legion Of The Damned-Descent Into Chaos (didn't Rank)
11. Sinner-One Bullet Left (didn't rank)
12. Iron Savior-The Landing (didn't rank)
13. Manilla Road-Playground Of The Damned (didn't rank)
14. Mercenary-Metamorphosis (didn't rank)
15. Within Temptation-The Unforgiving (#100)

1. Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning #66
2. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes Didn't Rank
3. Opeth - Heritage #2
4. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events #12
5. Arch/Matheos - Sympathetic Resonance #6
6. Bon Iver - Bon Iver Didn't Rank
7. Symphony X - Iconoclast #9
8. Anathema - Falling Deeper #87
9. Ghost - Opus Eponymous (NA release, obviously) #13
10. Orchid - Capricorn #8
11. Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care Didn't Rank
12. Russian Circles - Empros Didn't Rank
13. Adele - 21 Didn't RAnk
14. Blackfield - Welcome to My DNA Didn't Rank
15. 40 Watt Sun - The Inside Room #21

I like the list overall. It'll be good to check out some of the albums on it that I haven't listened to, while waiting for some good 2012 releases.

Why bother?

I have no problem with it being number 1, and all the whining over it is hilarious.

I don’t think that the album deserves that spot, but I am not going to cry because other people love it. I enjoyed about half of the album, and thought that it was far and away their best since Persistence of Time. I don’t like any of the Bush stuff though, and feel that the stuff that I do like has aged poorly. Basically, I am not a big fan anymore, and have not been in many, many years. I guess that if somebody in my position liked half of the album, it isn’t that hard to understand why people who continued to enjoy Anthrax were so in love with it. For all intents and purposes it is this year’s Endgame, Anthrax is just a more maligned and polarizing band than Megadeth.

if you look at the individual lists,not many people had Worship music near the top(1-5) but a lot(like myself) had it in the middle(8-12) it just made a lot more lists than any other albums.

I was so mad yesterday I bitched to the dude who made my coffee at Starbucks. He doesn't like Anthrax, either.

What a weird list.

As always, thanks for all your hard work, LOAF.

nm

1. Havok - Time Is Up #25
2. Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising #18
3. Vektor - Outer Isolation #29
4. The Bronx Casket Co. - Antihero D.N.R.
5. Anthrax - Worship Music #1
6. Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions #27
7. Anonymus - Etat Brute D.N.R.
8. Rhapsody Of Fire - From Chaos To Eternity D.N.R
9. Korpiklaani - Ukon Wacka D.N.R.
10. Valknacht - Chants de Guerre D.N.R.
11. Alestorm - Back Through Time #97
12. Helstar - The Glory Of Chaos D.N.R.
13. Borealis - Fall From Grace D.N.R.
14. Anvil - Juggernaut of Justice 60
15. Cypher Seer - Origins D.N.R.

Comments on my Did Not Ranks (I'm pretty sure I was the lone voter on each of these albums):
4. The Bronx Casket Co. - Antihero
My posts about BCC always go ignored here so I'm not surprised to have the only vote for it, haha. D.D. Verni side-project, he sings on it too (very well), two cool cover songs, the best BCC album yet of the 4, and if it weren't for Ironbound last year, would be the best thing D.D. has been a part of in the last 2 decades.

7. Anonymus - Etat Brute
Late release, only available online and at Quebec HMVs (had to order it in at my local HMV), french & spanish lyrics only. Not surprised there was no love... but I know there are some Anonymus fans who post here, maybe they didn't know about it. I think it's their best album yet, very heavy and very angry.

8. Rhapsody Of Fire - From Chaos To Eternity
I have to say this surprises me. I know they have a lot of haters, but they also have a lot of die-hard fans. I expected more love. I might have overestimated it, but I'm a sucker for the Christopher Lee VO's.

9. Korpiklaani - Ukon Wacka
I'm surprised by this as well, this is the board where I discovered these Finns, and this is (arguably) their strongest release since 2006's Tales Along This Road.

10. Valknacht - Chants de Guerre
Obscure-ish black metal from Quebec. Not surprised at all. Look out for these guys though, I think they could get pretty big. They have a massive following in Quebec City. For example, when they opened for Kalmah in the spring, there were as many fans there for Valknacht as for the headliner.

12. Helstar - The Glory Of Chaos
I know there is lots of Helstar love around here when posts are made, but I never see it in year-end lists for some reason. great USPM. Better than the first reunion album which is also very good.

13. Borealis - Fall From Grace
Obscure-ish power-prog from Ontario. Hidden gem. Not surprised by its lack of votes.

15. Cypher Seer - Origins
Same as 13. Except no prog and not from Ontario.

Finally, I'll answer the call for defense of Anthrax:
First, yes I am a long time fan: I loved the first Bush album completely and enjoyed a few songs from the other Bush albums. This was a great return to form and their best album since Sound of White Noise, IMO. How anybody can NOT be moved by "In The End" is beyond me, but whatever. It's not a kvlt black/death/gore band with cassette-only release therefore it's repulsive that it placed first in this poll.

@ "it's not kvlt enough for the kiddies"

I just don't think it's anything special, and hilariously enough neither do most of the people who voted for it apparently

He sounds like a pretty cool guy to me

01. Anaal Nathrakh - Passion 47
02. Crowbar - Sever The Wicked Hand 20
03. Nader Sadek - In The Flesh 35
04. Mastodon - The Hunter 11
05. Brutal Truth - End Time DID NOT CHART
06. Vader - Welcome To The Morbid Reich 7
07. Within Temptation - The Unforgiving 100
08. Hate Eternal - Phoenix Amongst The Ashes 45
09. Opeth - Heritage 2
10. Nightrage - Insidious DID NOT CHART
11. Taake - Noregs Vaapen 83
12. Decapitated - Carnival Is Forever 17
13. Obscura - Omnivium 16
14. Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions 27
15. The Haunted - Unseen DID NOT CHART

In all, more than I figured would make it. Just the order is kinda messed up. And Brutal Truth not even charting is a fucking farce. Oh, and I just remembered I should have added Oranssi Pazuzu but didn't, which would make that my number 3 and knock Haunted off the list. But I doubt it'd chart anyway.

AAARRGGHHHH so much of my stuff in itunes doesn't have the year, and while I went through thread after thread, and website after website, looking up which albums were 2011, I somehow forgot all about this one

How has this album been so under the radar? I don’t know think that it would have been in my top 15, but it was really good and the band has a great reputation. You would think that it would have made a lot of lists.

List or no list, it's a goodie! Definitely pick it up.

Dude it wasn't as good as his previous stuff.