1. Phish-Joy
2. KISS-Sonic Boom
3. Black Sabbath-The Devil You Know
4. Alice In Chains-Black Gives Way To Blue
5. Ace Frehley-Anomaly
6. Chickenfoot-s/t
7. Spinal Tap-Back From The Dead
8. Slayer-World Painted Blood
9. Les Claypool-Of Fungi And Foe
10. Melvins - Chicken Switch
11. Wolf-Ravenous
12. The Residents - Hades
13. Meat Puppets - Sewn Together
14. Saxon-Into The Labyrinth
15. UDO-Dominator
16. The Flaming Lips-Embryonic
17. Devin Townsend - Ki
18. Rammstein - Liebe ist fur alle da
19. ?
20. Megadeth-Endgame

OK - here we go:

1. Mastodon - Crack The Skye
2. Megadeth - Endgame
3. Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
4. Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know
5. KISS - Sonic Boom
6. Ultimatum - Lex Metalis
7. Ace Frehley - Anomoly
8. Stryper - Murder By Pride
9. Slayer - World Painted Blood
10. TSO - Night Castle
11. Meliah Rage - Masquerade
12. Stone Gods - Broken Bones & Silver Spoons
13. Hammerfall - No Sacrifice, No Victory
14. Chickenfoot - S/T
15. Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
16. Saxon - Into The Labyrinth
17. W.A.S.P. - Babylon
18. Believer - Gabriel
19. Iron Maiden - Flight 666
20. Halford - Winter Songs

after much thought and listening here is my list:

1. Artillery When Death Comes 2009 Metal Mind Records
2. Ravage The End of Tomorrow 2009 Metal Blade Records
3. Hardcore Superstar Beg For It 2009 Nuclear Blast/Irond Records
4. Amorphis Skyforger +1 2009 Nuclear Blast Records
5. Anubis Gate The Detached 2009 Locomotive Records
6. Gotthard – Need to Believe 2009 Nuclear Blast
7. Primal Fear 16.6 +2 (digi) 2009 Frontiers Records
8. Place Vendome Streets of Fire 2009 Frontiers Records
9. The Poodles Clash of the Elements 2009 Rosehip Alley Records
10. Impellitteri Wicked Maiden 2009 Metal Heaven Records

11. House of Lords Cartesian Dreams 2009 Frontiers Records
12. Believer Gabriel 2009 Metal Blade Records
13. Free Spirit Pale Sister of Light 2009 Carpel Records
14. Grave Digger Ballad of a Hangman +1 2009 Napalm Records
15. Black Bonzo Guillotine Drama 2009 B&B Records
16. Narnia Course of a Generation +1 2009 Nightmare Records
17. Praying Mantis - Sanctuary
18. Hibria The Skull Collectors +1 2009 Spiritual Beast Records
19. Megadeth Endgame 2009 Roadrunner Records
20. Pathosray Sunless Skies +1 2009 Frontiers Records

21. Wolf Ravenous 2009 Century Media Records
22. Riverside Anno Domini High Definition 2009 InsideOut Records
23. Pantommind Lunasense 2009 Spectastral Records
24. Outloud Outloud 2009 Frontiers Records
25. Hardline Leaving the End Open 2009 Frontiers Records

Best Re-Release: Charlemagne Charlemagne 1994/2009 Eonian Records

Best Existing Band New Discovery: Hardcore Superstar

Best Label: Frontiers

Honorable Mention:
26. Ultimatum Lex Metalis 2009 Retroactive Records
27. Powerwolf Bible of the Beast 2009 Metal Blade Records
28. Stryper Murder by Pride 2009 Big 3 Records
29. Ensiferum From Afar 2009 Spinefarm Records
30. Black Sabbath (Heaven and Hell) The Devil You Know 2009 Rhino Records
31. Korpiklaani Karkelo 2009 Nuclear Blast/Irond Records
32. Revolution Renaissance Age of Aquarius 2009 SPV Records
33. Heart of Cygnus Over Mountain, Under Hill 2009 Heart of Cygnus Records
34. OSI Blood 2009 InsideOut Records
35. Winterborn Farewell to Saints 2009 Massacre/Irond Records
36. Constancia Lost and Gone 2009 Frontiers Records
37. Alestorm Black Sails at Midnight 2009 Napalm Records
38. Astra The Weirding 2009 Rise Above Records
39. Bloodbound Tabula Rasa 2009 Blistering Records


Stuff I would like to get still:

Brainstorm - Memorial Roots (Ltd Ed)
Grand Design – Time Elevation
Winger – Karma
Voyager - I Am The ReVolution
Southern Cross - Down Below
W.A.S.P - Babylon

1. Mystic Prophecy - Fireangel
2. Riverside - Anno Domini High Definition
3. Primal Fear - 16.6
4. Redemption - Snowfall On Judgment Day
5. Anubis Gate - The Detached
6. Rebellion - Arise: History Of The Vikings III
7. Wiszdomstone - Wiszdomstone
8. Hirax - El Rostro De La Muerte
9. Optimystical - Distant Encounters
10. Mob Rules - Radical Peace
11. Grimmstine - Grimmstine
12. Iron Fire - To The Grave
13. Wizard - Thor
14. Shadowkeep - The Hourglass Effect
15. Status Minor - Dialog
16. Savage Messiah - Insurrection Rising
17. Missing Tide - Follow The Dreamer
18. Warpath - Damnation
19. Delain - April Rain
20. Ravage - The End Of Tomorrow
21. Empyria - The Long Road Home
22. Lord - Set In Stone
23. Edgend - A New Identity
24. Saxon - Beyond The Labyrinth
25. GEFF - Land Of The Free
26. Sacred Steel - Carnage Victory
27. Meliah Rage - Masquerade

Wargod50

311 - Uplifter
Beardfish - Destined Solitaire
Ben Harper And Relentless7 - White Lies For Dark Times
Black Sun Aeon - Darkness Walks Beside Me
Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
Company Band, The - The Company Band
Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King
Devin Townsend Project, The - Addicted
Devin Townsend Project, The - Ki
Dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
Final Harvest, The - The End
Gathering, The - The West Pole
Gryner, Emm - Goddess
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know
IQ - Frequency
Living Things - Habeas Corpus
Luna Mortis - The Absence
Rusted Root - Stereo Rodeo
Saviours - Accelerated Living
Teng, Vienna - Inland Territory
Therapy? - Crooked Timber
Transatlantic - The Whirlwind
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle
W.E.T. - W.E.T.
Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

1. While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose
2. Praying Mantis - Sanctuary
3. KISS - Sonic Boom
4. Saint - Hell Blade
5. Argus - Argus
6. Iron Man - I Have Returned
7. Master's Hammer - Mantras
8. Ace Frehley - Anomaly
9. Sinister Realm - Sinister Realm
10. Metalucifer - Heavy Metal Bulldozer
11. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
12. Church of Misery - Houses of the Unholy
13. Arghoslent - Send Forth the Best ye Breed (split with Martial Barrage)
14. Revelation - For the Sake of No One
15. Altar of Oblivion - Sinews of Anguish
16. The Gates of Slumber - Hymns of Blood and Thunder
17. Thresher - Here I Am
18. Ultimatum - Lex Metalis
19. Jacobs Dream - Beneath the Shadows
20. Anvil Chorus - The Killing Sun

Creed - Full Circle
Hammerfall - No Sacrifice, No Victory
Impellitteri - Wicked Maiden
Primal Fear - 16.6
Five Finger Death Punch - War is the Answer
Sonata Arctica - The Days of Grays
Breaking Benjamin - Dear Agony
God Forbid - Earthsblood
Luna Mortis - The Absence
Halestorm - S/t
Delain - April Rain
Poodles - Clash of the Elements
Kataonia - Night is the New day
Pathosray - Sunless Skies
Disarmonia Mundi - Isolation Game
Scar Symmetry - Dark Matter Dimensions
Iron Fire - To The Grave
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Atreyu - Congregation of the Damned
Throwdown - Deathless

I will number them later....

I'm having a hard time doin' the list this year. I just can't seem to decide the order. Any of the top 3 could have changed places, and the list would still be correct. Same goes for the entries from 4 to 7, and 8 to 11...

Stryper - 'Murder By Pride'
Kiss - 'Sonic Boom'
Hirax - 'El Rostro De La Muerte'
Ultimatum - 'Lex Metalis'
W.A.S.P. - 'Babylon'
Saint - 'Hell Blade'
Liberty N' Justice - 'Light It Up'
Grave Digger - 'Ballads Of A Hangman'
Megadeth - 'Endgame'
Impellitteri - 'Wicked Maiden'
Candlemass - 'Death Magic Doom'
HammerFall - 'No Sacrifice, No Victory'
U.D.O. - 'Dominator'
RAM - 'Lightbringer'
Ace Frehley - 'Anomaly'
Chris Caffery - 'House Of Insanity'
Believer - 'Gabriel'
Mortification - 'The Evil Addiction Destroying Machine'
Primal Fear - '16.6'
Jorn - 'Spirit Black'

Runners up:

Brainstorm - 'Memorial Roots'
Jacobs Dream - 'Beneath The Shadows'
7th Reign - 'Fallen Empires'
Stratovarius - 'Polaris'
Narnia - 'Course Of A Generation'
Bride - 'Tsar Bomba'
Mike Phillips - 'Mirrors Within Mirrors'
Hero - 'Immortal'

Biggest disappointment:

Doro - 'Fear No Evil'

No particular order (except #1), just what came to my mind quicker.

1. World Painted Blood - Slayer
2. Endgame - Megadeth
3. All Shall Fall - Immortal
4. No Sacrifice, No Victory - Hammerfall
5. 16.6 - Primal Fear
6. Sonic Boom - KISS
7. Hordes of Chaos - Kreator
8. Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
9. Evisceration Plague - Cannibal Corpse
10. Death Magnetic - Metallica
11. Anomaly - Ace Frehley
12. s/t - Chickenfoot
13. Death Magic Doom - Candlemass
14. Gabriel - Believer
15. Into the Labyrinth - Saxon
16. Lex Metalis - Ultimatium
17. Babylon - WASP
18. Memorial Roots - Brainstorm
19. When Death Comes - Artillery
20. Dominator - UDO

What a year for metal! This was a very difficult list to finalize. There's so many other fantastic albums that would have been top 20 for me during any other year, but here's the ones that made the cut.


1. Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest
2. Believer - Gabriel
3. Asphyx - Death... The Brutal Way
4. Paradox - Riot Squad
5. Megadeth - Endgame
6. Hypocrisy - A Taste of Extreme Divinity
7. Vader - Necropolis
8. Sacrifice - The Ones I Condemn
9. Silencer (US) - Divisions
10. Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
11. Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
12. Revocation - Existence Is Futile
13. Razor of Occam - Homage to Martyrs
14. YOB - The Great Cessation
15. Devin Townsend Project - Addicted
16. Saxon - Into the Labyrinth
17. Savage Messiah - Insurrection Rising
18. Kreator - Hordes of Chaos
19. Napalm Death - Time Waits for No Slave
20. Slayer - World Painted Blood

-----------------------------------------------------------------

21. Warbringer - Waking into Nightmares
22. Lamb of God - Wrath
23. Behemoth - Evangelion
24. Havok - Burn
25. Karl Sanders - Saurian Exorcisms

1. Ace Frehley - Anomaly
2. Hirax – El Rostro De La Muerte
3. At War – Infidel
4. KISS - Sonic Boom
5. Kreator – Hordes of Chaos
6. Ultimatum - Lex Metalis
7. Voivod - Infini
8. Vektor – Black Future
9. Saxon - Into The Labyrinth
10. Mortification - the evil addiction destroying machine
11. Meliah Rage - Masquerade
12. Believer – Gabriel
13. Grave Digger - Ballad of a Hangman
14. Main Line Riders – Worldshakers
15. Evile – Infected Nations
16. U.D.O. - Dominator
17. Seventh Angel - The Dust of Years
18. Saint – Hell Blade
19. Stryper - Murder by Pride
20. Michael Phillips – Mirrors in Mirrors

Left off a lot of great releases. My official list at NoLifeTilMetal.com will probably be a Top 30.

While I've bought more new releases in 2009 than I have in a long time, I didn't get to 20. And of those I did get, some failed to live up to expectations, so I'm just doing a Top 12 of '09.

1. Lazarus AD - The Onslaught (this was a big surprise for me as well)
2. Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
3. Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know
4. Shadows Fall - Retribution
5. Porcupine Tree - The Incident
6. Ace Frehley - Anamoly
7. KISS - Sonic Boom
8. Wino - Punctuated Equlibrium
9. Slayer - World Painted Blood
10. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
11. Duff McKagen's Loaded - Sick
12. Halford - Winter Songs

Honorable mentions to:
Hirax – El Rostro De La Muerte
Queensryche - American Soldier
Wolf - Ravenous
Municiple Waste - Massive Aggressive
Fu Manchu - Signs of Infinite Power

Some of those are recent additions, so repeated spins may change my opinion later down the line.

Biggest Dissapointment:
Megadeth - Endgame

I have yet to hear the latest from:
WASP, Evile, The Black Crowes, Shrinebuilder and Them Crooked Vultures. All of those are top priorities in the New Year.

I don't even have twenty 2009 albums yet. I can't make a proper list anytime soon.

Mastodon - Crack The Skye
Kylesa - Static Tensions
Katatonia - Night Is The New Day
While Heaven Wept - Vast Oceans Lachrymose
Lazarus A.D. - The Onslaught
Revocation - Existence Is Futile
Skeletonwitch - Breathing The Fire
Kiss - Sonic Boom
Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
Swallow The Sun - New Moon
Napalm Death - Time Waits For No Slave
Baroness - Blue Record
Ace Frehley - Anomaly
Steel Panther - Feel The Steel
Slayer - World Painted Blood
Slough Feg - Ape Uprising
Pelican - What We All Come To Need
Goes Cube - Another Day Has Passed
Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest
Amorphis - Skyforger

Ace Frehley- Anomaly would be album of the year for me

I dont think I bought 20,Heres what I can think of.

1.Ravage-The End of Tomorrow
2.Hirax-El Rostro De La Muerte
3.Municipal Waste-Massive Aggressive
4.Stryper-Murder By Pride
5.Helstar-The King of Hell
6.Aggression-Moshpirit
7.Artillery-When Death Comes
8.Megadeth-Endgame
9.Heaven and Hell-The Devil you Know
10.The Answer-Everyday Demons
11.Tenet-Sovereign
12.Shadows Fall-Retribution
13.Hyades-The Roots of Trash
14.Warbringer-Waking Into Nightmares
15.Believer-Gabriel

1. KISS - Sonic Boom
2. Steel Panther - Feel the Steel
3. Ace Frehley - Anomaly
4. W.A.S.P. - Babylon
5. Winger - Karma
6. Megadeth - Endgame
7. Johnny Lima - Livin' Out Loud
8. Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
9. Great White - Rising
10. Saxon - Into the Labyrinth
11. Stryper - Murder By Pride
12. Halford - Winter Songs
13. Wildstreet - s/t
14. Freakshow - s/t
15. Evile - Infected Nations
16. Lynch Mob - Smoke and Mirrors
17. Vains of Jenna - The Art of Telling Lies
18. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle
19. Charm City Devils - Let's Rock N Roll
20. The Last Vegas - Whatever Gets You Off

I'll have to edit my list too. The new The River, Asomvel, Funeral Circle, and Nokturnal Mortum albums really impressed me.