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21 Best Metal Albums of the 21st Century... So Far

METALSUCKS PRESENTS THE 21 BEST METAL ALBUMS OF THE 21ST CENTURY… SO FAR

Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 4:20pm by

21best

Enough with the teases. Here’s the real deal.

Back in April, we polled 57 musicians, managers, label reps, publicists, and writers from within the world of metal (including the staff of MetalSucks) for the 21 Best Albums of the 21st Century… So Far. Eligible albums were released between January 1, 2000 and April 1, 2009 (Yes, we’re aware that technically the century didn’t start ’til 2001. But we decided not to be dicks about it.). Each panelist turned in a ballot, with their #1 album pick being awarded 21 points, their #2 album being awarded 20 points, their #3 album being awarded 19 points, and so on and so forth. Then, once all the ballots were in, we tallied ‘em all up and compiled the final list based entirely on which albums had scored the most amount of points.

Starting Monday, we’ll be counting down the list one album a day, starting at #21 until we reach the #1 album in July. In addition to the MetalSucks staff, we’ve recruited some cool guest writers – including contributors to Decibel, Revolver, Metal Injection, NoiseCreep, and many others – to blog about each album.

Of course, the list is sure to incite a great deal of heated debate amongst you MetalSucks Maniacs. If nothing else, the results are fascinating – a look at the best records of the past nine years, as democratically selected by the people intimately involved with the creation of the music we all love.

All the ballots will remain under lock and key, to be viewed only by Axl and Vince, to ensure that everyone voted honestly, without fear of being judged or alienating friends or business associates – so while we can tell you who got to vote in the poll, we can’t tell you who each individual voted for.

After the jump, check out the complete list of the panel of voters.  Keep in mind that these are just the people who responded to the poll in time for our deadline – in fact we probably invited twice as many people to participate – but we still think it’s a pretty fantastic gathering of metal insiders.

And starting Monday, we’ll let you see which albums they voted for…

THE PANEL OF VOTERS

Chris Adler, Lamb of God
Dan And, Bison B.C.
Ben Apatoff, Apatoff for Destruction/Metal Injection
Jason Bittner, Shadows Fall
Tim Brennan, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
Freddy Cai, Painkiller Magazine
Ian Christe, Bazillion Points
Reverend David J. Ciancio, Yeah! Management
Betsey Cichoracki, Relapse Records
Paul Conroy, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
J. Costa, Thy Will Be Done
Dallas Coyle, ex-God Forbid/Coyle Media
Doc Coyle, God Forbid
CT, Rwake
Anso DF, MetalSucks/Hipsters Out of Metal!
Vince Edwards, Metal Blade Records
Charles Elliott, Abysmal Dawn/Nuclear Blast Records
Brian Fair, Shadows Fall
Leo  Ferrante, Warner Music Group
D.X. Ferris, author 33 1/3: Reign in Blood/Freelance Journalist
Mike Gitter, Roadrunner Records
Nick Green, Decibel
Matt Grenier, August Burns Red
Anthony Guzzardo, Earache Records
Kevin Hufnagel, Dysrhythmia
Mark Hunter, Chimaira
Steve Joh, Century Media
EJ Johantgen, Prosthetic Records
Kim Kelly, Metal Injection
Josh “The J” Key, Psychostick
Jason Lekberg, Epic Records
Eyal Levi, Daath
Bob Lugowe, Relapse Records
Matt McChesney, The Autumn Offering
Jake McReynolds, Psychostick
Marc Meltzer, The Syndicate
Josh Middleton, Sylosis
Matt Moore, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder
Vince Neilstein, MetalSucks
Sammy O’Hagar, MetalSucks
Anton OyVey, MetalSucks/Bacon Jew
Rob Pasbani, Metal Injection
Alex Preiss, Psychostick
Carlos Ramirez, NoiseCreep/Ultimate-Guitar/Bullz-Eye
Brian Rocha, Fresno Media USA
Jeremy Rosen, Roadrunner Records
Axl Rosenberg, MetalSucks
Satan Rosenbloom, MetalSucks/Cerebral Metalhead
David Bee Roth, MetalSucks
Jason Rudolph, Heavy Hitter, Inc.
Amy Sciarretto, Roadrunner Records/NoiseCreep
Carl Severson, Ferret Music/Channel Zero Entertainment
Gary Suarez, MetalSucks/No Yoko No/Brainwashed
Geoff Summers, The End Records/Crustcake
Bram Teitelman, The Syndicate/Metal Insider
Alisha Turull, Heavy Hitter, Inc.
Christopher R. Weingarten, 1000TimesYes/Freelance Journalist

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  • infern0

    so this is what we have been waiting for?

    • Doug

      Colors by between the buried and me should be up there. no?

  • http://www.crackcesshollywood.com Farhaad

    I dig it. Let’s do it!!

  • Damotello

    Smashing.

  • http://www.crackcesshollywood.com Farhaad

    Anyone have an early favorite for number 1?

    • bucketochicken

      Hmmm… Leviathan, maybe? That’s a really tough call. And that’s not necessarily my vote, mind you, just a guess as to what might end up as the #1 vote-getter.

      • http://www.crackcesshollywood.com Farhaad

        Definitely thinking that one is gonna be top 5.

      • SP420

        Leviathan? Are you mentally retarded? Nevermind, you are for suggesting such a horseshit pile of a band.

        • ClosetMetalHead

          Leviathan should be on the list anyway

        • Ross

          Leviathan the Mastodon album, not the band, fucking moron.

          • Matthew Grant Anson

            lolz

    • jackattack

      I dunno about #1, but Undoing Ruin should be within the top 10.

    • Ryan

      I bet it’s going to be some album that everyone hates

    • Screwy

      gonna get lot’s of replies but I think it’s As Daylight Dies (and what d’you know, it rhymes) It might not be worthy of first place but that my personal favorite.

      other ideas: Toxicity (SoaD), Figure Number 5 (Soilwork), Executioner (Mantic Ritual) and either Lateralus or 10000 Days by Tool

      • elisdad

        I have no doubt it will be Lateralus, and all will be right in the universe.

      • ClosetMetalHead

        How could As Daylight Dies make the list? MAYBE Alive or Just Breathing will make the list

      • Doug

        Colors by b/w the buried and me? sick album

  • Rik

    Why not wait until the year ended and do a “best albums of the decade” list instead? April 1 2009 is a pretty random cut-off point.

  • bucketochicken

    Cool idea. Should be interesting.

  • Anthony

    Opeth – Blackwater Park.

    Just throwing it out there.

    • CYN1C

      SO FUCKING RIGHT

      • Jason

        may not be number one but this is the first album that came to mind after reading…

    • Rik

      Haha, funnily enough Blackwater Park was the album that instantly came to mind when I read this :D

  • MetalRod

    Right on! I like the album a day idea.

  • Astral Zombie

    This will be 70% suck…I can just feel it!

  • Simon

    Cool idea! Can’t wait to read it!

  • Crunch240sx

    So this is the list… Cool! \m/ 21 albums, this is really fucking awesome, My top 5
    1. Tool – Lateralus
    2. Lamb of God – Sacrament
    3. Protest the Hero – Fortress
    4. Gojira – The Way of All Flesh
    5. Mastodon – Crack the Skye

    Im not asking you… so fuck off If ya dont like my list \m/

    • bucketochicken

      Good call on Lateralus. And I would have to think there will be a LoG in there somewhere too.

      Maybe The Blackening as well?

      • Your a fruit

        Tool sucks ass… There name represents their fans to a T. A bunch of fucking tools and or dicks

        • The Ghost of D. Boon

          Clever

        • Screwy

          12 year olds should be banned from the internet

        • Crunch240sx

          Tool Suck ass?? YOU suck ass, TOOL = MUSIC, and If you cant enjoy it, man! your fucked up!

        • iceman

          speaking of fruit, how about you go stick a banana up your ass

      • GingaNinja

        I would have to agree the blackening was one of the best metal albums put out in the last 9-10 years easily it should get put in the top 10 or top 5

    • http://www.myspace.com/437666934 Noel

      lateralus, yessss. But i dont know about #1.

    • Nate L.

      Excellent list so far– seems very accurate and well thought-out.

      ALSO: 3 MEMBERS OF PSYCHOSTICK AHAHAHA LEET!!

    • iolanach

      I love Tool, but they aren’t metal. C’mon.

      • Crunch240sx

        Maybe they´re not metal but, they are awesome and A lot of Metalheads love their music, so I think its a good call.

      • Nasty Nate

        Tool is progressive metal, still metal though.

    • Joe Caps

      Your list sucks dicks and stuff!!

  • http://www.welovemetal.com We Love Metal

    Damn it, I thought it would be a list of who on Metal Sucks has the best fake glam name…

  • tom cash

    If “Jane Doe” by Converge doesn’t rank high on this list, I may lose faith in humanity.

    • Gary S.

      I too will lose faith in humanity if Converge fails to make the list.

      I’m glad to have been one of the chosen folks to contribute to this venture, though I know that some of my selections are, well, unpopular. If my #1 pick doesn’t make the list at all, I will likely write about it anyway.

  • dr j

    Wow, Blackwater Park goes back to 2000? It seems older. Alot has happened in the world of Metal since 2000.

    • yanky

      pantera was still putting out music in 2000

  • Loganarchy

    No chris krovatin or the guy that wrote that heavy metal history which was a metallica biography in disguise?

  • CarlosRamirez

    It was an honor to be part of this!

  • Geek Beater

    1. Lamb of God- Ashes of the Wake
    2. Machinehead- The Blackening
    3. Chimaira- Impossibility of Reason
    4. Killswitch Engage- Alive or just Breathing
    5. Slayer- God Hates us All

    Based upon these albums impact on the metal community, how much I listened to these albums, and how ridiculous each one is in their own right. If you dont like the list fuck you make your own. I know I am forgetting many releases but these are the ones that popped in my head first.

    • Rik

      1. Yes
      2. Yes
      3. Maybe
      4. No
      5. No

      :D

    • ClosetMetalHead

      Good list.

  • metal_pol

    Sounds like a fuckin awesome idea to me, I’d just caution everyone to consider the flaws with the method of voting used here (a borda count): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borda_count#Potential_for_tactical_manipulation

    For example, it’s possible that whatever album comes in 1st place overall may not have been 1st place on any individual’s list!

    • Double D

      TRUE! That is what they are doing to college football soon. It’s sad. Allowing the coaches to vote anonymously. It’s fucked up.

  • http://lordsofmetal.nl/index.php?lang=en Cavorka

    ST.ANGER on #1, no doubt about that!!

    • elisdad

      you’re tone deaf.

    • xXxDarkfoxXx

      WTF?!?!?!

  • http://www.myspace.com/437666934 Noel

    we all know it comes down to the jonas brothers vs. the new eminem. and, of course, ifwrestledahorriblebandonce.

  • http://www.last.fm/user/BootScraperSean Anger Unmanagement

    This might actually be good. Would have liked to seen what Chris Adler and his beard thought was best album though.

    Might just shout out possible forgottten gems:
    Arcturus – The Shame Mirrors
    Disillusion – Back to the Times of Splendor
    Gojira – From Mars to Sirius
    Katatonia – The Great Cold Distance
    Strapping Young Fucking Lad – Alien (Would have put City but that was in 1997, imo this is just as good)

    Oh dear ive only scratched the surface and thats 5…theres are so many good albums!

    • plumber

      Respect for Katatonia. Love that album…not sure about top 5, but definately a solid call coming out of left field.

      It’s so hard to predict what it might be…so many albums to choose from. I’m down with:

      Pig Destroyer – Phantom Limb
      Torche – Meanderthal
      Scissorfight – Jaggernaught
      Isis – Panopticon
      Mastodon – Leviathan
      Nachtmystium – Assassins
      Down – III
      Alcest – Souvenirs d’un autre monde (not so metal but solid)

      What do I know though?

      • Harry

        Good call on Meanderthal.

        • The Ghost of D. Boon

          and Alcest.

          Katatonia probably deserve a spot but I’m not sure about TGCD. Maybe “Last Fair Deal Gone Down”?

          • Neige

            No doubt on the Alcest. That is a rule-breaking masterpiece. Good call.

          • joe

            Last Fair Deal Gone Down is a really great album. With only 21 to choose from, it is hard to say where that album belongs. I think Ulcerate’s new album Everything is Fire is phenomenal and deserves late mention. Easily the best death metal album of 2009 so far.

      • jason

        Good List… really!
        I would add a few nominees as well
        Baroness-the Red Album
        Coalesce-Revolution in Just Listening (I know it was ’99, but c’mon)
        Watain- Sworn to the Dark
        Anything Converge has done.

  • zeena

    sweet venture – only 3/4 women though?!?! COME ON MAN! represent for the ladies of metal!! haha

    • Gary S.

      ALL THE METAL LADIES
      ALL THE METAL LADIES
      ALL THE METAL LADIES
      ALL THE METAL LADIES

      • The Ghost of D. Boon

        If you liked it then you should’ve put a spiky cuff on it?

        • LS

          Hahaha

  • Joshie

    Psychostick for the win!!!

  • Brock

    Awesome! I’m only going to say that Between the Buried and Me’s Colours should be at least somewhere on the list. Aside from that, I’m going to sit back and enjoy the ride. (Why in the holy hell was Psychostick a part of the panel? Seriously.)

    • politude

      Agrees 100%

    • ClosetMetalHead

      Good call.

  • cink

    ‘Alive or Just Breathing’ should easily and obviously be in the top 5 atleast. ‘Blackwater Park’, ‘Colors’ and probably one of the great Mastodon records.

  • Dom

    my stuff…

    Machine Head – The Blackening

    Tool – Lateralus

    Mastodon – Blood Moutain

    Converge – Jane Doe

    my ultimate pick is not even eligble … and by 17 days !!!

    Poison The Well – The Opposite of December

  • bucketochicken

    Melvins – A Senile Animal
    ATDI – Relationship of Command
    Clutch – Robot Hive/Exodus… pretty much any/all Clutch
    Devy – Terria
    SYL – Alien
    Cynic?
    Meshuggah?
    Burst – Lazarus Bird
    Pelican – Australasia
    Isis? A lot of the kids like the Isis, right?
    Slipknot’s self-titled (like em or not, that album should/will prob be there)
    SOAD – Toxicity (same reasoning as Slipknot)
    COC – ItAoG
    Radiohead – Hail to the Thief
    Dethklok

    Anyway whatever, it’ll be interesting.

    • bucketochicken

      Or Slipknot’s Iowa, since the S/T was 1999.

      Good call on Pig Destroyer. And Gojira (FMtS and TWoAF) of course. Maybe some of that Arch Enemy crap? They’re pretty popular and whatever.

      • joe

        Oh shit that’s right. I would definitely put Burst’s Origo in the top ten. I have lived with that album for a long time and I am continually blown away by it. And Oceanic by ISIS has to be in there.

  • http://corporealgloom.wordpress.com/ corporaldoom

    this shit sucks.

    all this metal is bollocks i wanna know who “the 20 biggest Pricks in metal” are.

    the guys who literally have no morals about promoting their phony ass band.

    there is so much bullshit in metal these days

    i want to know who the biggest culprits are.

  • Willie

    Pig Destroyer’s “Phantom Limb” should probably make that list. And Gojira’s “Way of All Flesh”. And something by Behemoth; I’d vote for “Zos Kia Cultus”, but what do I know?
    The top 5 will probably look something like:
    Leviathan / Blackwater Park / The Blackening / Ashes of the Wake / something random that will piss everybody off, like Vol. 3: the Subliminal Verses.

    • bucketochicken

      What, no love for Mudvayne? Maybe some Rob Zombie? People love that Frat-Metal…

  • Ryan

    REMISSION

  • bucketochicken

    And fucking Nevermore – This Godless Endeavor. Fucking duh. Punch my dick, I can’t believe I forgot that.

    Heh. I like lists of things.

    • Rik

      YES

  • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

    I cant even imagine trying to put a list like that together in any sort of order that made sense. Just too damn many great albums. I do hope deftones white pony makes the list though

    • bucketochicken

      See, goddammit, there’s another one!

      QOTSA – Songs… also awesome.

      • jason

        yes…Songs ruled…Metal? Who fucking cares, that was a great album!

  • Jason

    Have to agree with the Blackwater Park, The Blackening and From Mars to Sirius comments….however no one has mentioned Versus the World…no AA?..saddens me..and i’m throwing In Requium in the mix just bc I love Paradise Lost and Monothiest bc Celtic rules..rEVOLVEr might be on there…Insomnium’s Above The Weeping World should be on there..Ashes of The Wake..Catch Thirty-Three? no one mentions this yet? Nile – Annihilation of The Wicked…most definitely…maybe some Neurosis?..just my thoughts…

  • Jason

    Ok after reading that and compared to the other ones maybe no rEVOLVEr.. but I still love that album

  • \m/Eluveitie\m/

    Baroness – The Red Album

    • Harry

      Fucking absolute yes.

      • Alex Trebek

        I didn’t read ALL the comments, but if this is the first mention that this album got, everyone above should be run through an extermination line. Yes – yes – YeS – yEs – yeS – YEs – YES! Baroness.

        And Skeletonwitch. And Watain (“Sworn…”), Absu (S/T), Krallice (S/T), Enslaved (“Ruun”), Morbid Angel (“Gateways…”), Wetnurse (“Invisible City”), Genghis Tron (“Dead Mountain Mouth”), Kylesa (“Static Tensions”), The Sword (either), The Fucking Champs (“IV”), …Trail of the Dead (“Source Tags & Codes”), Wintersun (S/T), Satyricon (“Now, Diabolical”)…

        These are just a few I didn’t see. Maybe someone already mentioned a few.

        Does the re-issue of Heartwork count? DANG IT!

  • dr j

    I wonder if/where JFAC’s Doom will place, or Suicide Silence’s Cleansing.

    • bradican

      um no

      • http://dmxrr15@hotmail.com IsntaTOTALdouchebag10

        Yeah keep in mind they interviewed actual musicians and people in the business, they didnt do a hot topic poll. Heavy as fuck bands and some cool shit, but no way in hell will they be on there

  • Rik

    In Flames – Clayman
    Soilwork – Natural Born Chaos
    Opeth – Blackwater Park
    Machine Head – Through the Ashes of Empires
    Machine Head – The Blackening
    Lamb of God – As The Palaces Burn
    Lamb of God – Wrath
    Nevermore – This Godless Endeavour
    Korn – Untouchables
    Eluveitie – Slania
    Soulfly – Prophecy
    Chimaira – Chimaira
    Dark Tranquillity – Fiction
    Strapping Young Lad – Alien
    Dimension Zero – Silent Night Fever
    Bloodbath – Nightmares Made Flesh
    DevilDriver – The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand
    Scar Symmetry – Holographic Universe
    Amon Amarth – With Oden On Our Side
    To-Mera – Delusions

    • iceman

      solid list. but i gotta ask…why korn? why?

      • Ben

        Because he’s not a trend hopping bitch who has to deny that something is good just because it’s not “in” to boost his own ego.

        (Although, I will admit that I’m not a huge fan of Untouchables)

        • metalguy

          Amon amarth-Twilight of the Thunder god is better

        • iceman

          im just gonna jump out on a limb here and say being a fan of korn is probably a much larger trend than listening to in flames or soilwork. but hell what do i kno?

          • Ben

            Not within the “metal community”(as though there is such a thing anymore)

    • Patrick

      KoRn “Untouchables” is good but not my favorite KoRn album.
      “Bottled Up Inside” and “Believe” are amazing!

    • dustinyo

      I’m curious on the Chimaira pick. Because I honestly felt like the self titled was my least favorite album. It’s not bad, but I’d honestly listen to everyone of their other albums over the self titled. Personally I’d put Impossibility of Reason.

      Also, I know I’ll get crap for this, but Dark Ages is the best album Soulfly has done to date.

      Still a good list though.

      • Anthony

        I have to agree about Chimaira. the Self-titled album might be their best, to me, in terms of musicianship, songwriting, and all that jazz, but in terms of what it did for them as a band and for the whole “New wave of American metal scene” and how everything shifted from Numetal to that, Impossibility of Reason would be my Chimaira pick.

    • as i lay dying

      korn is the worst band i aver heard in my life

  • Mike

    Psychostick has 3 member votes…. heavy weight for a vote.

  • The Goat

    Metal post 1995= R.I.P.

    If At The Gates didn’t record Slaughter of the Soul, at least 99.9% of the bands covered by metal “media” would not be around.

    MetalSucks, you shit on Manson, but there is an advertisement of his new album on the side bar. Just pointing that out.

    • Ben

      Does someone need to point this shit out any and every time it happens? When are you numbnuts going to get that they have nothing to do with the banner ads. Here’s an idea, join this century, use firefox like a grown up and block the banner ads.

  • Powell

    Here is what I think are some excellent albums:

    Avenged Sevenfold – City of Evil
    Between The Buried And Me – Colours
    Children of Bodom – Hate Crew Deathroll
    Devil Driver – The Fury of our Makers Hand
    The Faceless – Planetary Dulaity
    GWAR – Beyond Hell
    Lamb of God – Wrath
    Machine Head – The Blackening
    Opeth – Blackwater Park
    Opeth – Ghost Reveries
    Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet
    Slipknot – Iowa
    Trivium – Shogun
    System of a Down – Toxicity

    • http://www.myspace.com/crocpodcast Noch

      I second the ”Ghost Reveries” pick.I’m actually quite stunned no one else has mentionned that album.

  • Z

    Misery Signals – Controller best be on here, fools.

  • Harry

    1. Tool – Lateralus
    2. Baroness – Red Album
    3. Mastodon – Crack the Skye
    4. Isis- Panopticon

    I’d be happy if I saw these four appear.

  • http://atanamar.blogspot.com/ atanamar

    11. Pelican – The Fire In Our Throats Wil Beckon The Thaw
    12. Katatonia – Viva Emptiness
    13. My Dying Bride – The Dreadful Hours
    14. Pelican – City of Echoes
    15. Bloodbath – Resurrection Through Carnage
    16. Gojira – The Way Of All Flesh
    17. Enslaved – Below the Lights
    18. Soilwork – The Chainheart Machine
    19. Wolves In The Throne Room – Diadem of 12 Stars
    20. Amon Amarth – Fate of Norns
    21. Enslaved – Isa

  • http://atanamar.blogspot.com/ atanamar

    6. Iron Maiden – Brave New World
    7. Opeth – Blackwater Park
    8. Immortal – Damned In Black
    9. Lamb Of God – Ashes Of The Wake
    10. Amon Amarth – Versus The World

  • http://atanamar.blogspot.com/ atanamar

    1. Gojira – From Mars To Sirius
    2. Mastodon – Leviathan
    3. Enslaved – Mardraum
    4. Amon Amarth – With Oden On our Side
    5. Napalm Death – Enemy of the Music Business

  • jackattack

    I haven’t seen anyone give The Black Dahlia Murder – Unhallowed any love yet… that’s preposterous.

    Also… Brave New World was released post January 1st, 2000… just sayin.

    • Brock

      If The Black Dahlia Murder is on there, I’d rather see Nocturnal. Don’t get me wrong Unhallowed is great, but Nocturnal is better. My favorite band, also.

  • Mike Malice

    This is my list, and yes it has some deathcore, and if Psychostick’s opinion matters then mine does too. This isn’t in any particular order…it was tough to pull a few I wanted in out.

    In Flames – Colony
    Mudvayne – LD 50
    Nothingface – Violence
    Soilwork – Natural Born Chaos
    Slipknot – Iowa
    The Haunted – rEVOLVEr
    Lamb of God – Ashes of the Wake
    Mnemic – The Audio Injected Soul
    Gojira – From Mars to Sirius
    Strapping Young Lad – Alien
    All Shall Perish – The Price of Existence
    Lamb of God – Sacrament
    Apocalyptica – Worlds Collide
    August Burns Red – Messengers
    Born of Osiris – The New Reign
    Chimaira – Resurrectin
    After The Burial – Rareform
    The Faceless – Planetary Duality
    Veil of Maya – The Common Man’s Collapse
    Whitechapel – This is Exile

    • Rik

      Colony was 1999 :P

    • bucketochicken

      Oooo, Nothingface. Love that album.

      • Mike Malice

        Stupid iTunes labeled it wrong, I’ll replace Colony with Clayman

  • Davidian

    … one Psychostick member is barely acceptable, two is pushing it, but 3 is insane.

  • earthsherm

    STRAPPING YOUNG LAD ALIEN!……….wait a minute…psychostick?

  • Ben

    I’m not going to read all these comments but has anyone happened to manage that this selection of judges is an incredibly skewed selection to go to for this topic???

    Seriously, it’s like the metalsucks guys said to themselves, “Hmmm, let’s go find a bunch of people in the industry to do this list BUT we have to do everything we can to tilt the scales in our favor so let’s ONLY pick people who are likely to fall in line with out musical taste.”

    Ohhhh, that’s right, this is metalsucks, there’s no pretense of journalistic integrity… ever.

    • Sean

      You need to get over yourself and what you think this blog owes you. If you want a blog that simply caters to your taste, then write your own. Its a blog, they make no pretense of ‘journalistic integrity’, and its about music which is purely a matter of personal opinion anyway. I doubt anyone reading this site agrees with all of their opinions, hell, even their own writers don’t totally agree with each other. Its simply a place to discuss metal. If they censored everyone’s comments then perhaps you would have an argument of any sort.

      • Double D

        Dear Metalsucks.com crew.- Please censor these two assholes. They are pissing me off. Thanks, XOXO

        From, Florida

      • Ben

        You just agree with me but put a more positive spin on it… Thank you.

  • Mancubus

    My top 21

    1. Miss Machine – Dillinger Escape Plan
    2. The Codex Necro – Anaal Nathrakh
    3. Primordial – Spirit the Earth Aflame
    4. Sons of Northern Darkness – Immortal
    5. Lateralus – Tool
    6.Hypnopeadia – The Nemesis Theory
    7. Rise of the Tyrant – Arch Enemy
    8. SYL – Strapping Young Lad
    9. In the Eyes of Fire – Unearth
    10. Grand Declaration of War – Mayhem
    11. Wounded – Landmine Marathon
    12. Those Once Loyal – Bolt Thrower
    13. Leviathan – Mastodon
    14. Christ Illusion – Slayer
    15. Clients – The Red Chord
    16. rEVOLVEr – The hunted
    17. Celtic Frost – Monotheist
    18. Opeth – Blackwater Park
    19. Susperia – Unlimited
    20. Samael – Reign of Light
    21. Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Altered States of America

    • Mancubus

      On second thought… Put Orphaned Land at #6, bring Agoraphobic Nosebleed up to #14, and remove Samael.

  • George

    I hope that some of these records are in the list:
    Necrophagist – Epitaph
    Suffocation – Souls to deny
    Dillinger – Miss Machine
    Pig Destroyer – Prowler in the Yard
    Cryptopsy- And then you’ll beg
    Nasum – Shift
    Misery Index – Retaliate
    ISIS – Oceanic
    + Mastodon, Converge of course…

    • shuggah

      I like the self-titled suffocation album better, but I accept with the other stuff.
      plus
      Nevermore – The Godless Endeavour
      Dredg – Catch Without Arms
      Cynic – Traced in Air
      Kings of Leon – Because of the Times
      Neurosis – Given to the Rising
      Ulver – Shadows of the Sun
      Primordial – To the Nameless Dead
      Mogwai – Young Team
      Psyopus – Our Puzzeling Encounters Considered
      Hate Eternal – I, Monarch
      Origin – The Aftermath

  • http://www.myspace.com/somethinglikesweet CJ

    Sweet idea. My top 10 (some of you are about to abhor me…sorry):
    1. Atreyu – A Death-Grip On Yesterday
    2. Slipknot – Iowa
    3. Avenged Sevenfold – City Of Evil
    4. The Agony Scene – The Darkest Red
    5. Parkway Drive – Horizons
    6. Bury Your Dead – Beauty And The Breakdown
    7. Chevelle – Vena Sera
    8. Lamb Of God – Wrath
    9. Sinai Beach – Immersed
    10. Stone Sour – Stone Sour

    • Jimmy McNugget

      None of these albums should be on the top 21.

    • \m/Eluveitie\m/

      Wow this sucked beyond belief

      • http://www.myspace.com/somethinglikesweet CJ

        lol Told you.

        • Geek Beater

          top 10 metalcore albums? LOG Wrath should not even be on a top 200 list.

          • metalguy

            im suprised such a mainstream listener reads this site. other than Wrath, and a one time praise for Atreyu by vince, when has his site ever wrote about these bands

      • jason

        I sure do hope you are just f-ing with people….if so it’s pretty funny. If not, I guess that’s pretty funny too.

    • Patrick

      “Vena Sera” was my favorite album of 2007. AWESOME!
      I would say they are melodic hard rock/alt metal though.

      • http://www.myspace.com/somethinglikesweet CJ

        Yeah. True story. Probably should have left them out just because of their lack of metal, but that is a fantastic album. But yeah, I agree. I’m probably not your average MetalSucks reader, but I fuckin’ love this site. Everything about it is hilarious. And it’s the only metal conversation I get. lol Living in Kansas, it’s a relief to find music news that doesn’t revolve around Kenny Chesney.

        • Garth Brooks

          Props to you for this statement (although not your album choices). This is an honest assessment of your situation and one that flies in the face of metal conventions. You are who you are, you like what you like and you’re not afraid to say so in a forum of essentially metal hipsters. By acknowledging your relatively mainstream (admittedly, for ‘metal’) tastes on a site like this, you are, IMO, actually adopting an indie / “FUCK YOU” type of mentality that everyone else can only strive for with their sheep-like “I hope other people find my picks cool enough” selections.

          But seriously. Listen to some Stalaagh or something.

          • http://www.myspace.com/somethinglikesweet CJ

            lol Nice name. You’re huge in my town. But honestly, my tastes just keep getting heavier all the time, so this list could very well be very different a year from now (alot of which is thanks to MetalSucks, who have shown me a lot of bands I would have never otherwise heard about). And I’ll look up Stalaagh right after I click submit.

    • Mike Malice

      Iowa is the only album worthy of this list

      • Fufkin

        It’s CJ’s list so it’s his opinion – fucking metal elitists.

  • uLy

    Gojira’s 2 albums both better be on there.

    • Rik

      Um, Gojira have released 4 albums, all since 2000.

  • Jesse

    Top five albums of the 21st century:

    Lamb of God-Ashes of The Wake
    Lamb of God-Sacrament
    Lamb of God-As The Palaces Burn
    Lamb of God-New American Gospel
    Lamb of God-Wrath

    • ClosetMetalHead

      Wow, open up your horizons.

  • \m/Eluveitie\m/

    1184 – Windir

  • cink

    needs moar ‘AoJB’

  • \m/Eluveitie\m/

    Children Of Bodom – Follow The Reaper
    Torche – Meanderthal
    Necrophagist – Epitaph
    Nebula – Atomic Ritual
    Iron Maiden – Brave New World
    God Dethroned – Ravenous
    Mercenary – Everblack

  • http://fantasyh.wordpress.com fantasyh

    I’d like to see some In Flames on there, but I know that ain’t happenin’ since all their widely regarded stuff (maybe except Clayman) happened during the 90′s (though, I myself like all of IF’s work)
    But yeah, agreeing with previous posters – PTH and Mastodon have to get on there

  • LeRoi

    Fuck this noise

    Chinese Democracy

  • metalguy

    DEATH MAGNETIC!!!!
    Its all happening- iwrestledabearonce!!!

    • Rik

      Don’t forget Brokencyde!!11

  • politude

    I think these will be in there:

    Colors : BTBAM
    Clayman : In Flames
    The Blackening : Machine Head
    Any Mastodon album except for Blood Mountain
    and My wildcard

    THE DEAD EYE – THE HAUNTED
    I have honestly listened to this album so many times, it sickens me. Just a beautiful piece of work.

    • Mike Malice

      The Dead Eye is amazing, I still prefer rEVOLVEr though

      • ClosetMetalHead

        I think rEVOLVEr deserves to be on the list more but prefer The Dead Eye.

  • bradican

    Phantom Limb and Leviathan are def. top 5s in my opinion

  • Sean

    Some of the ones I think are tops so far, most of which I’m sure won’t make the list

    Opeth – Blackwater Park
    Tool – Lateralus
    Gojira – I’d be happy seeing any of them on there
    Tristania – World of Glass
    Mushroomhead – XIII
    QotSA – Songs for the Deaf (probably doesn’t count as metal, but its a damn fine album)
    Nightwish – Once ( i like to get in touch with my feelings sometimes )
    SofD – Toxicity
    Watts – Pigmartyr
    Protest the Hero – Fortress
    Abysmal Dawn – Programmed to Consume ( can’t explain it, but i’m hooked on this album )
    Obscura – Cosmogenesis
    Megadeth – United Abominations (simply because I’m an unapologetic Megadeth fanboy, card carrying member since 87 )

  • http://lordsofmetal.nl/index.php?lang=en FleischBerg

    This will be a predictable list, no Exodus, Helstar or Orphaned Land, just….Slipknot, Lamb Of God and Machine Head, all the bands everyone talks about….

  • Anselmowitz

    This’ll be interesting, whip it out. Tool already wins tho.

  • Crunch240sx

    In my PERSONAL opinion Lateralus should be no. 1, and a lot of you guys has posted it as one of you top 5/10, the SAD part is….. Tool wasnt on the list of the bands, I dont know if that list was the final list of bands, and If it was, I think it has a few Important missing. I hope the list wasnt complete when it was posted, but, if it was there is good bands on it

    Even so. TOOL = MUSIC! \m/ and FUCK YOU “your a fruit”, go suck someones banana!

    • \m/Eluveitie\m/

      The previous lists were of bands NOT included in the 21 best albums

  • Mynamesucks

    I am surprise no one said Ire Works by The Dillinger Escape Plan yet.

  • http://schenkeltown.blogspot.com Daisy May Tinklepants

    whatever brokencyde’s album is called….it better be number 1. or should i say numb3r won?

  • Patrick

    As For In Flames. I personally think that “Clayman”, “Come Clarity”, and “A Sense Of Purpose” could make it,

    • Rik

      Please tell me you are joking about ASOP. Clayman should definitely be on the list, perhaps Reroute and Come Clarity at a stretch, but ASOP? That album is an insult to my ears.

      • dustinyo

        Absolutely agree. A Sense of Purpose was so bad it really made me lose faith in In Flames. especially since Come Clarity was not very good either. When bands have 2 bad albums in a row, they’re almost always done. (ie Slipknot)

        • ClosetMetalHead

          ASOP was crap, pure in simple. Clayman should make the list. Soundtrack is underrated.

  • Patrick

    I don’t have a huge metal selection but here would be my top ten. Mind you, these arent my fav. albums of all time. I’m not including Alt Metal, Hard Rock, Alt, Indie, or anything else. I’m just including metal/hardcore.

    Top Ten (no order)

    Gojira “The Way Of All Flesh”
    All Shall Perish “The Price OF Existence
    All That Remains “The Fall Of Ideals”
    As I Lay Dying “Shadows Are Security”
    In Flames “Come Clarity”
    Killswitch Engage “As Daylight Dies”
    Suicide Silence “The Cleansing”
    Underoath “Define The Great Line”
    Unearth “The Oncoming Storm”
    Bleeding Through “Declaration”

    • as i lay dying

      this is a good list some idt and chromium maybe

  • Patrick

    I didnt include Tool cause I consider them Alt Metal. But every Tool album is awesome.

  • Rattleh3ad

    I love this blog but after reading these replies I’m disappointed to find I must be the only thrasher reading it. Not that I have a problem with any of the above mentioned bands (except korn- they blow) I just have a problem with only one mention for Slayer and one for Megadeth. Plus where’s the Testament, Exodus, Kreator, Skeletonwitch, Warbringer, Death Angel, ETC?

  • Kyle

    Alive or Just Breathing is far and away the best record of the new century. There is nothing else that even comes close.

    • dustinyo

      I love that album but come on, nothing else even comes close? You can’t really believe that…

      • Kyle

        I do actually. I’m not saying there haven’t been other great releases, but there is nothing that has had such a great impact on me as AOJB. The intensity and passion and depth of that record is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. I think it’s a truly remarkable album. But, like Dennis Miller says, that’s just my opinion; I could be wrong.

  • Norge>Svergie

    Si monumentum requires, circumspice by Deathspell Omega should be up there.
    That shit blew my mind like no other music have ever done.

    Unfortunately, and probably, Vertebrae by meh fellow countrymen Enslaved will beat them. All because Metalsucks.net`s own David Bee Roth. Asshole

    Anyhow;
    Hell is empty and all the devils are here – Anaal Nathrakh
    Alien – Strapping Young Lad
    Two hunters – wolves in the throneroom
    Dethklok

  • Brock

    Cattle Decap.

  • Crunch240sx

    I think this will be the “new” with most Comments of all metalsucks history

  • Gourav

    Lovecraft and witchheart #1
    Scarment #2

    mmmm thats all i got to say..

  • BFMVMFCKR

    What about bullet for my valentine?

    • Brock

      What about them?

      • politude

        What about no?

  • http://www.myspace.com/onlytheswolesurvive Mr Garland

    Hmm, since everyone else is doing it.

    1. Converge – Jane Doe
    2. Origin – Antithesis
    3. Watchmaker – Kill.Fucking.Everyone.
    4. Unearth – The Oncoming Storm
    5. Killswitch Engage – Alive Or Just Breathing
    6. Misery Index – Traitors
    7. Through The Eyes Of The Dead – Bloodlust
    8. The Black Dahlia Murder – Miasma
    9. Decrypt – Holy Erotic Rapture (If you don’t know, you don’t need to know)
    10. Hatebreed – Perserverance (Yeah I said it)

    And that’s all I could come up with off the top of my head. Thank you.

  • masterjake5000

    Heres Your Top Five Ladies And Gentlemen: and since this is METALSUCKS.NET expect some God Forbid.
    You know, cuz this site sucks their cock on an everyday basis.

    1 Lamb of God-Sacrament

    2 Behemoth- Demigod

    3 Bob Seger-Against The Wind

    4 Devildriver-The Fury of Our Makers Hand

    5 Gojira-From Mars To Sirius

    • The Ghost of D. Boon

      Hang on, Bob Seger?

  • http://hookinmouth.net Hook In Mouth

    Holy shit! Very eager to see the list because how could you only include 21 albums over an almost 9 year period. Must have been a lot of work and I commend you guys for the effort, even before seeing the list!

  • Mike

    Some personal faves from the top of my head.

    Arsis – A Celebration of Guilt
    Between the Buried and Me – Colors
    Cynic – Focus
    Dark Tranquillity – Haven/Damage Done/Character/Fiction (take your pick, they are all great)
    Darkane – Expanding Senses
    Darkest Hour – Undoing Ruin/Deliver Us (take your pick)
    Decapitated – Nihility/Organic Hallucinosis
    Decrepit Birth – Diminishing Between Worlds
    Gojira – The Way of All Flesh
    Heaven Shall Burn – Whatever It May Take
    Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing
    Insomnium – Above the Weeping World
    Into Eternity – Buried in Oblivion
    Kalmah – The Black Waltz
    Mastodon – any album really
    Mercenary – 11 Dreams
    Mithras – Behind the Shadows Lie Madness
    Nightrage – Sweet Vengeance
    Nile – Annihilation of the Wicked
    Psycroptic – The Scepter of the Ancients (best tech-death album)
    Shadows Fall – The Art of Balance/The War Within
    Skyfire – Spectral
    Soilwork – Natural Born Chaos (band’s crowning achievement)
    Textures – Polars
    Unearth – The Oncoming Storm
    Wintersun – Wintersun

  • Cbv_5150

    1. Killswitch Engage- Alive Or Just Breathing
    2. Trivium- Ascendancy
    3. Darkest Hour- Undoing Ruin
    4. Through The Eyes Of The Dead- Bloodlust
    5. Unearth- The Oncoming Storm
    6. As Blood Runs Black- Allegiance
    7. Lamb Of God- Ashes Of The Wake
    8. As I Lay Dying- Frail Words Collapse
    9. Veil Of Maya- The Common Man’s Collapse
    10. Misery Signals- Of Malice And The Magnum Heart
    11. All That Remains- The Fall Of Ideals
    12. System Of a Down- Toxicity
    13. God Forbid- IV: Constitution of Treason
    14. Trivium- Ember To Inferno
    15. Ill Nino- Confession
    16. Shadows Fall- Of One Blood
    17. Mudvayne- The End of All Things to Come
    18. Caliban- The Opposite From Within
    19. Slipknot- Iowa
    20. As Eden Burns- The Great Celestial Delusion
    21. Destroy the Runner- I, Lucifer

  • Another Opinion

    Lists are for Rolling Stone and E Channel! LOL! Aren’t you excited?!?! Gee, I hope Tool is on the list. What? Dude, fuck Tool! Maynard is a (insert gay insult) I hope Mastodon is on the list. Dude Leviathan is only number 8 what the fuck? No Meshuggah? Lame! Boo! Applause for the safe numnber 1. Everyone agress How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb should be number one, I mean that one’s obvious. But Ray of Light all the way down at 18? What the fuck? Madonna’s more metal than Gojira! The Way of All Flesh was like for hipsters and shit! Aenima didn’t even make the fucking thing! What the fuck?

  • Phillip

    1. Opeth – Blackwater Park
    2. Gojira- The Way of All Flesh
    3. Korn – Untouchables
    4. Tool – Lateralus
    5. Lamb of God – As The Palaces Burn

    • Matthew Grant Anson

      Untouchables, wtf?

  • i think

    1. KSE – Alive or just breathing
    2. Insomnium – Above the Weeping World
    3, Amon amarth – twilight of the thunder god
    4. All that remains – the fall of ideals
    5. SYL – Alien
    6. soad – toxicity (just because these albums probably got most into metal)
    7. slipknot – vol.3 (just because these albums probably got most into metal)
    8. As I Lay Dying – An Ocean between us
    9. Lamb of god – sacrament
    10. Devil Driver – The Fury of our Makers Hand
    11. emmure – goodbye to the gallows
    12. dark tranquillity – fiction
    13. bullet for my valentine – the poison (cant deny some songs are catchy as fuck)
    14. blood for blood – outlaw anthems
    15. arch enemy – whatever……

    thats about it

    • nick

      you’re actually gonna put emmure on there with no mention of the acacia strain? Any TAS album destroys emmure because emmure’s sound is a blatant TAS rip-off.

    • Jimmy McNugget

      Twilight of the Thunder God? Bullet for my Valentine? Blood for Blood? What the fuck is wrong with you?

      • i think

        “fucking your pussy was like fucking the wound from a shotgun blast, with gangrene” is probably the best opening of a song ever. bullet have catchy songs and have got a lot of people into metal. and the solo in twilight of the thunder god is great, nevermind the rest of the album

    • as i lay dying

      an ocean between one of the best albums in existence

  • Giles

    PROBOT!!
    And I think the Blackening, Ghost Reveries, Ascendancy, Lateralus, Leviathan and As Daylight Dies could go in there. And I was kind of a fan of Still Remains, but I doubt they’ll be in there. Sorry if some of you narrow minded blackened death metal fans think it’s not tr00 metal or anything, it’s just what I like.
    Judging by calbire of the voting panel (most of them), I’m guessing that it’ll hopefully be something pretty special and deserving.

  • iolanach

    There’s no way i’m actually going to put these in order, but my Top 20 of the new millenium would have to include:
    Devin Townsend-Terria
    Opeth-Blackwater Park
    Drudkh-Autumn Aurora
    Lykathea Aflame-Elvenefris
    Alchemist-Organasm
    Akercocke-Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
    Ansur-Warring Factions
    Cynic-Traced In Air
    Benighted-Icon
    Thurisaz-Circadian Rythm
    Primordial-To The Nameless Dead
    Gorod-Leading Vision
    Disillusion-Back To Times Of Splendor
    Mastodon-Leviathan
    Enslaved-Below The Lights
    Absu-Tara
    Anathema-A Fine Day To Exit
    Neurosis-A Sun That Never Sets
    Sigh-Imaginary Sonicscape
    Destroyer 666-Phoenix Rising

    • Brock

      Gorod is amazing.

      • iolanach

        Best tech death band in the world, hands down.

    • i think

      lollll. someone whos to metal to listen to anything that becomes slightly mailsteam. love it

    • http://www.last.fm/user/BootScraperSean Anger Unmanagement

      Good to see recognition for disillusion, I definately think BTTOS is a strong album, amoungst my favourites!

  • ClosetMetalHead

    Honestly, I think all these lists combined will make a much better list than the one we’re going to see

    • ClosetMetalHead

      Come to think of it, MetalSucks should have polled its readers.

  • whyowhy

    Holy shit!!! Why hasn’t anyone mentioned High On Fire yet? Blessed Black Wings or Death is This Communion should definately make the list

    • \m/Eluveitie\m/

      I was gonna say Blessed Black Wings

    • plumber

      Death is this communion is very solid

  • Viridian

    I feel that these band should atleast make the list

    Between the Buried and Me – Colors (I can’t imagine what their new ablum will be like)
    The Faceless – Planetary Duality (short but well executed)
    Genghis Tron – Dead Mountain Mouth
    Obscura – Cosmogenisis (amazing 10 songs and great sound)
    Opeth – Blackwater Park (does it need an explanation?)
    Protest the Hero – Fortress
    Ensiferum – Iron

    Another two bands that don’t have a big enough following to get votes

    Tetrafusion – Absolute Zero (Instrumental concept of the universe)
    Animals as Leaders

  • Senior Swanky

    Juggalo Bob!!!

  • Brock

    Alright, here’s my list. I think very few of these will be on the actual list. They are in alphabetical (it’s too hard to choose what order I would put them in).

    Aborted-Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture
    Between the Buried and Me-Colors
    The Black Dahlia Murder-Nocturnal
    Brain Drill-Apocalyptic Feasting
    Cannibal Corpse-Kill
    Cattle Decapitation-The Harvest Floor
    Cephalic Carnage-Xenosapien
    Coldworker-Rotting Paradise
    Decrepit Birth-Diminishing Between Worlds
    The Dillinger Escape Plan-Miss Machine
    Dying Fetus-Stop at Nothing
    Fuck the Facts-Disgorge Mexico
    Genghis Tron-Board Up the House
    Misery Index-Discordia
    Napalm Death-The Code is Red…Long Live the Code
    Necrophagist-Epitaph
    Nile-Annihilation of the Wicked
    Obscura-Cosmogenesis
    Pig Destroyer-Phantom Limb
    The Red Chord-Clients
    Suffocation-Suffocation

  • Cory

    I can’t belive anyone didn’t mention anything of Bloodbath?
    Bloodbath – Resurrection Through Carnage
    Slipknot – Iowa
    Origin – Antithesis
    Opeth – Either Ghost Reveries or Watershed
    Mnemic – The Audio Injected Soul
    Meshuggah – Nothing or Obzen
    Maximum The Hormone – Buiiki Kaesu
    Lamb of God – Ashes of the Wake
    Gojira – any of their four albums. (FMTS, The Link, Terra Incognita, TWOAF)
    Five Finger Death Punch – The Way of the Fist
    Fear Factory – Archetype
    Dethklok – The Dethalbum
    Chimaira – Resurrection
    Austrian Death Machine – Total Brutal.

    • iceman

      five finger death punch suck dick….nuff said

  • ftsmetaldotcom

    I don’t care what anyone says, you can bet the following albums will be on the list

    Into Eternity – Buried In Oblivion
    Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing
    Shadows Fall – Of One Blood/Art of Balance
    Lamb of God – As The Palaces Burn
    Trivium – Ascendancy
    All That Remains – The Fall of Ideals

    Bands i’m also going to throw out there Necrophagist, Aeon, All Shall Perish, Despised Icon, 3 Inches of Blood, Dragon Force, Bullet For My Valentine

    Each one of those bands have had landmark albums which have influenced the current state of metal in their respective genres.

  • Prives

    Well, it’s good to see a healthy range of metal from the worldwide metal community, though I have to say I can’t agree with all – I’ve never understood the appeal of Mastodon; they are shit!

    Seeing as almost everyone is putting in their two-cents worth, so will I. Some of these albums have been mentioned, but not widely enough in my opinion, and some have simply been overlooked. In no particular order…

    Chimaira – Impossibility of Reason & [self titled] (Yes, both!)
    Pantera – Re-inventing the Steel
    Mudvayne – L.D. 50
    Necrophagist – Epitaph
    Behemoth – Demigod
    Nile – Annihilation of the Wicked
    Machinehead – The Blackening
    SYL – [self titled] & Alien
    Gojira – The Way of all Flesh
    Bloodbath – Nightmares Made Flesh
    Decapitated – The Negation
    Devil Driver – The Fury of our Makers Hand & The Last Kind Words

    Honourable mentions could also go to:
    Exodus – The Atrocity Exhibition
    Lamb of God – Sacrament
    Messhugah – Obzen
    Obscura – Cosmogenisis
    Scarve – The Undercurrent
    The Showdown – Back Breaker
    Slayer – God Hates us All
    Slipknot – Iowa

    There are probably others that I just can’t think of at the moment.
    If you disagree with my picks, please feel frre to leave constructive comments, otherwise go and find a sharp object, hold it against your stomach, then run directly into a wall! Enjoy…

    • Prives

      PS: Oh Yeah…

      Why the fuck didn’t they poll us, the readers, the listeners, the metal community?

      Obviously we all have an opinion.

      And as others have mentioned, the list will probably be widely condemned anyway.

      Next time, ask the people!

  • iceman

    i agree with a lot of the albums on here but shit people, how about PLANETARY DUALITY? they aren’t gettin as much love as i thought they would. as far as an album goes, i think they nailed it. cover art, song style, lyrics…they work perfectly. not to mention the music kicks ass. i really hope this album makes it

  • metalowns

    im suprised theres no meagdeth in the list

  • http://www.myspace.com/onlytheswolesurvive/ Mr Garland

    So no one else on this list knows who Decrypt is? Sad.

  • Pesely

    Iron Maiden- Brave New World
    System of a Down- Toxicity
    Tool- Lateralus
    Tool- 10,000 Days
    Mastodon- Blood Mountain
    Mastodon- Crack the Skye
    Slayer- Christ Illusion
    Necrophagist- Epitaph
    Opeth- Deliverance
    Opeth- Watershed
    Hate Eternal- Fury and Flames
    Gojira- The Way of All Flesh
    Between the Buried and Me- Colors
    Cannibal Corpse- Evisceration Plague
    Cannibal Corpse- The Wretched Spawn
    CYNIC- Traced in Air
    In Flames- Reroute to Remain
    Dethklok- Dethalbum
    God Forbid- Earthsblood
    The Black Dahlia Murder- Nocturnal
    Amon Amarth- With Oden on Our Side
    Amon Amarth- Twilight of the Thunder God
    Napalm Death- Time Waits for No Slave
    Behemoth- The Apostasy

    thats all i can think of in one sitting

    • Metal kid

      cannibal corpse sucks. their guitar and bass are good, especially their bass, but they dont have many good breakdowns and their drums suck. the vocals are the worst part though

  • The Ghost of D. Boon

    Why the hell is hardly anyone mentioning Meshuggah? Jesus people, they’re ONLY one of the most innovative metal bands ever.

  • Fufkin

    Opeth, Isis, Alive Or Just Breathing, Ashes Of The Wake and Tool have it covered from me.

  • jantje138

    Meshuggah – Nothing
    Lamb of God – Ashes of the Wake
    Opeth – Deliverance
    Gojira – From Mars to Sirius
    Exodus – Tempo of the Damned
    Slayer – God Hates Us All
    Kreator – Violent Revolution
    Textures – Drawing Circles
    Blotted Science – The Machinations of Dementia
    Mastodon – Blood Mountain
    After Forever – Decipher
    C187 – Collision
    Tool – Lateralus
    Arch Enemy – Wages of Sin
    Iron Maiden – Dance of Death
    Machine Head – The Blackening

  • Will

    Mastodon – Blood Mountain
    Bloodbath – The Fathomless Mastery
    Hypocrisy – Virus
    Down – III
    Behemoth – The Apostacy
    Opeth – Blackwater Park
    Machine Head – The Blackening
    Kreator – Hordes of Chaos
    Exodus – Tempo of the Damned
    God Dethroned – Passiondale
    God Forbid – Constitution of Treason
    Propain – Age of Tyranny
    Lamb of God – As the Palaces Burn
    Ministry – Rio Grande Blood
    Origin – Echoes of Decimation
    Rebel Meets Rebel – Rebel Meets Rebel (yeah it’s country metal but it fuckin’ rules!)
    Scar Symmetry – Holographic Universe
    Sylosis – Conclusion of an Age
    Unearth – III: In The Eyes of Fire
    Darkest Hour – Undoing Ruin

    No particular order.

  • Gitter

    So, after I voted and sent my boy Vince my list, I forgot one VERY, VERY important and one VERY, VERY uncool (so let’s make it “ironically’ cool): CHOCOLATE STARFISH AND THE HOT DOG FLAVORED WATER!
    Admit it or not, there’s more than a passel of you who who were hooked in by “Rollin’” or “My Way”…fuck, that stuff still hits the spot about eight beers in!
    Now, I’m not saying this is some “Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)”…btw, did anyone know that Sammy Siegler of Side By Side and Youth of Today fame played on that one?…but to deny Fred’s impact would be like counting Varg out of extreme metal. Let “The Nookie” reign supreme. Fred took all things Nu to a point where they had to be stomped out!

    • The Ghost of D. Boon

      Fuckin’ hell man.

      ‘”Admit it or not, there’s more than a passel of you who who were hooked in by “Rollin’” or “My Way”’

      Well yeah, but I was 15. Everybody liked awful dogshit when they were 15.

    • iolanach

      It’s with eternal shame that i say that yes, i had my Limp Bizkit period.

      Kill me now.

  • Sin and Death

    Tool – Lateralus

    Strapping Young Lad – Alien

    Gojira – Way of all Flesh

    Slipknot – Iowa

    Opeth – Ghost Reveries

    Killswitch Engage – The End of Heartache

    Unearth – Oncoming Storm

    Arch Enemy – Rise of the Tyrant

    Shadows Fall – The War Within

    Mudvayne – LD 50

    Soilwork – Natural Born Chaos

    Hatebreed – Perseverance

    System of a Down – Toxicity

    Testament – The Formation of Damnation

    Taproot – Gift

    Between the Buried and Me- Colors

    Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero

    Arsis – We Are the Nightmare

    In Flames – Come Clarity

    Job for a Cowboy – Genesis

    Metallica – Death Magnetic

    • i think

      did you jsut say death magnetic? all the alright ish metallica albums and you pick the joint last worst one

    • dadie_kfw

      Tool? Mudvayne? Nine Inch Nails? Taproot? In Flames? Hatebreed? System of a Down? Soilwork? Shadows Fall? Killswitch Engage? Opeth? Slipknot?……

      you sir, are a terrible list maker. suck yourself.

      • http://www.last.fm/user/BootScraperSean Anger Unmanagement

        Excuse me sir, there’s nothing wrong with having an opinion. It might be a bad opinion, and he seems like a dickhead
        @sin and death you lost me at JFAC and death magnetic.

        But ill defend his right to be a dickhead! so shut the fuck up dadie_kfw lets see your shitty list.

      • Sin and Death

        @ithink: What?

        @dadie: Where’s your list?

    • Sin and Death

      Thanks, A.U., I guess…

      As far as some of the choices are concerned, I felt it was best to include a variety of sub-genres of metal, as opposed to just listing as much “br00tal” and obscure shit as I could. Just because a band is underground does not make them great musicians, or somehow superior to bands that have managed to find success.

      Admittedly, I did also take into account overall sales figures that the various albums were able to achieve. Sorry folks, but if nobody buys it, it’s hard to make a case that it’s a great album. That’s not to say that all albums that sell less than 100,000 copies are terrible, but there is a pretty good chance that if an album hasn’t sold well, it’s not very good.

      • Akash

        Well said! One’s taste in music can never be identical to someone else’s, so let them bark and try to pass judgement on your taste and relish on the idea that someone somewhere is laughing at them on their taste. Cheers!

  • joe

    One more thing…Cult of Luna deserve to be in there somewhere. Not sure which album, somebody get that hypothetical going. I’d say Somewhere Along the Highway, tentatively.

  • Biff Tanner

    DEATHSPELL OMEGA

    That is it. Also by Deathspell Omega : Kenose, Fas Malidictum Ignem in Aeternum. These should occupy the number 2 and 3 spots, respectivly.

    If you have not heard them, you fail at music

    • iolanach

      Really? Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice is pretty good, but the others…meh.

  • Michael

    Too much to read. I would hope Hatebreed, Killswitch, Lamb of God, Dillinger and BTBAM would be top 5ish. Killswitch’s Alive or Just Breathing should be ranked high. SOOOOOOOOOOO many bands copied their style from this CD. Hatebreed’s Perseverance made hardcore acceptable to the masses (I guess this is a good thing). Lamb of God (pick an album, prob Ashes of the wake) has done nothing but strengthen the metal community. Dillinger has lasted by not selling out (there stuff is getting softer, but still unique) and brought math metal ,or whatever dumb term is used to describe it, to an increasingly powerful genre. BTBAM are not only super musicians with brains, but very good and unique. If you disagree with me, that’s cool cause its a free country.
    ps…Even though Reinventing the Steel sucks, I’d still be honored to see Pantera on the list.

    • http://www.last.fm/user/BootScraperSean Anger Unmanagement

      Uh, Honoured to see Pantera on the list? Why? Were you in the band? Just asking

      • Michael

        They are the band that changed my life. If this was a list from the 90′s Vulgar and Far
        Beyond Driven would be on the list…and in a perfect world Trendkill would too.

  • damn straight

    an awesome album no one mentioned:

    Entombed – Morning Star

  • Jared

    BTBAM Colors

  • http://relativationofjustice.blogspot.com Chris the Mad Scientist

    I’m guessing it’s going to be something either extremely proggy or just plain commercial. One of the two.

    My top 21 are as follows:
    1. Unearth – The Oncoming Storm
    2. Demon Hunter – Storm the Gates of Hell
    3. Disarmonia Mundi – Mind Tricks
    4. Scar Symmetry – Holographic Universe
    5. Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing
    6. All That Remains – The Fall of Ideals
    7. In Flames – Clayman
    8. Shadows Fall – The War Within
    9. Soilwork – Natural Born Chaos
    10. Children of Bodom – Follow the Reaper
    11. Parkway Drive – Horizons
    12. Immortal Souls – Wintereich
    13. Kalmah – For the Revolution
    14. Dimmu Borgir – Death Cult Armageddon
    15. Dark Tranquillity – Fiction
    16. Arch Enemy – Wages of Sin
    17. Opeth – Watershed
    18. Chimaira – Chimaira
    19. Haste the Day – When Everything Falls
    20. Five Finger Death Punch – The Way of the Fist
    21. Heaven Shall Burn – Iconoclast (Part 1: The Final Resistance)

    • i think

      not even slightly in that order but it’ll be something like that…. but im guessing lamb of god are deffinates and a slight waver to the shadows fall, all that remains, chimaira, log and god forbid kind of music

  • Joe Caps

    Why is everyone submitting their own top 21 list? Gay!

    • bsubrama

      yep, yet its tempting to illustrate your opinion

  • JH

    I hope they didn’t forget Mastery – Lethal Legacy.

    It’s a must for the list.

  • xXxDarkfoxXx

    In no order
    Killswitch Engage- The End of Heartache
    Arch Enemy-Doomsday Machine
    Meshuggah-Obzen
    Gojira- The Way of All Flesh
    Opeth-Ghost Revries
    Dimmu Borgir- Death Cult Armageddon
    Lamb of God- Ashes of the Wake
    Mastodon- Blood Mountian
    Children of Bodom- Follow the Reaper

  • Catch 22

    If they don’t include Blackwater park they should die :)

    maybe obZen , Epitaph , The Way of All Flesh , Great Cold Distance , LateraLus

  • Jeff C

    Tool- Lateralus
    Opeth- Blackwater Park/Ghost Reveries
    Mastodon-Leviathan/Crack the Skye
    Trivium- Ascendancy
    Gojira- From Mars To Sirius
    KSE- The End of Heartache
    Machine Head- The Blackening
    Also I would vote Mastodon as the best metal band this decade. They have been amazingly consistent, with four awesome and unique albums in a row. I truly believe they are “The Next Metallica” for metal.

  • Milo

    Fuck me, I’ve seen next to no-one mention Machine Head. The Blackening was a fucking amazing album, by far one of the best of this century and perhaps of all time. That albums sits next to Master of Puppets for christ sake. Show some fucking respect!

  • Metal kid

    oh wow. (no order at all)
    from mars to sirius – gojira
    endgame – megadeth (came out sep 2009)
    death magnetic – metallica (NO F*CKIN WAY ST ANGERS ON THE THERE)
    christ illusion – slayer (possibly)
    annihilation of the wicked – nile
    ashes of the wake – lamb of god (0r)
    wrath – lamb of god
    crack the skye – mastodon
    lateralus – tool
    mezmerize – system of a down
    iowa – slipknot (i know you’re all laughing your ass off after i just said that)
    destroy the opposition – dying fetus
    this is exile – whitechapel (one of two only good deathcore bands)
    the inconoclast pt. 1: the final resistance – heaven shall burn (the other of the only two good deathcore bands)
    pray for villains – devildriver
    obzen – meshuggah
    blackwater park – opeth
    follow the reaper – children of bodom (or)
    blooddrunk – children of bodom
    the formation of damnation – testament
    the blackening – machine head
    an ocean between us – as i lay dying

    there are so many more it’s unbelievable. those are just my top picks

  • Metal kid

    my picks specifically:
    1. annihilation of the wicked – nile
    2. endgame – megadeth
    3. death magnetoc – metallica
    4. wrath – lamb of god
    5. blackwater park – opeth
    6. pray for villains – devildriver
    7. crack the skye – mastodon
    8. lateralus – tool
    9. from mars to sirius – gojira
    10. the blackening – machine head

  • Metal kid

    I FORGOT TO MENTION DETHALBUM II. i would put that at 6 and bump machine head down to 11

  • bsubrama

    I am just going to put a few albums out there because there are so many albums and I honestly cant say I have heard them all, so my opinion may not be valid enough. These are just some, and they are not in any order.

    Trivium-ascendancy or shogun( both were great)
    Killswitch engage- end of heartache( honestly any one of them could make it)
    Machine Head-the blackening( their best album IMO)
    Mastodon-crack the skye(truly amazing, very dynamic and catchy)
    Lamb of God-sacrament
    Testament- formation of damnation( down rite nasty)
    System of a Down- hypnotize or toxicity
    All that remains-the fall of ideals
    Amon Amarth-with oden on our side
    Judas Priest-Angel of Retribution( GOD DAMN!)
    Avenged Sevenfold-City of Evil( people are goin to bash me for this, but i really did like this album, though I am not a huge fan of their other albums)
    Nile-Annihlation of the Wicked( If there is to be a list, it has to incorperate various styles of metal)
    Arch Enemy-doomsday machine
    Megadeth-the system has failed
    As I lay Dying-an ocean between us( a solid album that can fill the void for the last few choices)

    These are just some choices, obviously there are tons more out there. Feel free to comment but please know this is my opinion, doesnt mean its right neither does it mean to leave bad replies