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Top 10 Albums of Any Given Year


NTNR

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We were talking about making lists of our favorite albums, so I was referring to the years that my personal favorite albums from these bands came out, not when the bands' first releases came out. I don't consider a band to be a "90's band" if they had one or two albums out in the 90's but then most of what I'd consider to be their best work came in the 2000's. And when I said around the turn of the century I really just meant the decade of the 2000's was when black metal started getting good (for me) not any particular section of it. And the 2010's might be even better than the 2000's for me (I'll check it out some other time) and I know it's subjective but both decades soundly trounce the 90's at least for me. But now you've got me curious so let's take a look:

 

My favorite album from:

Archgoat - Whore of Bethlehem 2006

DSO - Inquisitors of Satan 2002

BaN - The Work Which Transforms God 2003

Inquisiton - Nefarious 2007

Horna - Sanojesi Äärelle 2008

Decayed - Black Metal Flame 2008

Svartsyn's a tossup between Destruction & Timeless, '03 & '07

Setherial - Endtime Divine 2003 (yes it's my favorite and the one I play and post the most, all due respect to their 90's material)

Avsky - Scorn 2010, alright that one missed the decade completely but the first two albums in the late 00's were both very good too.

Anal Blasphemy - Bestial Black Metal Filth 2009

Azaghal - my co-favorites are Omega & Teraphim, '08 & '09

Baptism - Morbid Wings of Sathanas 2005

Behexen - Rituale Satanum 2000

Diaboli - The Antichrist 2006

Armagedda - Only True Believers 2003

Tsjuder - Desert Northern Hell 2004
 

and then there are some other personal favorite black metal albums of mine from the 2000's like:

Morrigan released 6 killer albums between 2001 and 2007 but the first 3 ('01, '02, '03) are the best. (Huge band for me but I know I'm out on an island all by myself with that take)

Megiddo - The Devil and the Whore 2000

Alastor - Crushing Christendom 2000

Sorhin - Apokalypsens Ängel 2000

Besatt - Hail Lucifer 2000

Ragnarok - Diabolical Age 2000

Katharsis - 666  2000 & Fourth Reich 2009

Black Dawn - Blood for Satan 2001

Nargaroth - Black Metal Ist Krieg 2001

Dark Funeral - Diabolis Interium 2001

Nehëmah - Light of a Dead Star 2002

Graven - Perished and Forgotten 2002

Hate Forest - Purity 2003

Bloodhammer - Abbedissan Saatanalliset Houreet 2003

Blodsrit - Helveteshymner 2004

Nattefrost - Blood & Vomit 2004

Clandestine Blaze - Clandestine Blaze 2004

Flame - Into the Age of Fire 2005

Drastus - Roars From the Old Serpent's Paradise 2005

Ondskapt - Dödens Evangelium 2005 (I know I typed Ofermod in my earlier post but I really meant Ondskapt)

Pest - In Total Contempt 2005

Burial Hordes - War, Revenge & Total Annihilation 2005

Craft - Fuck the Universe 2005 & Terror Propaganda 2002

Urgehal - Goatcraft Torment 2006

Anti - The Insignificance of Life 2006

Darkthrone - The Cult is Alive 2006 (not saying that's my favorite Darkthrone album but it would certainly be near the top of any 2000's list I made) and Sardonic Wrath 2004 is awesome too.

Antaeus - Blood Libels 2006

Black God - The End of Christian Utopia 2006

Kult - Winds of War 2006

Eternity - Funeral Mass 2007

Nidsang - The Mark of Death 2007

Deathcult - Cult of the Dragon 2007

Infernal War - Redesekration 2007

Krypt - Preludes to Death 2008

Beherit - Engram 2009

Inhumane Deathcult - On Behalf of Satan 2009

Monarque - Ad Nauseam 2009

 

I'm not gonna count up how many albums I have listed for each year, but my favorites seem to be spread pretty evenly throughout the decade, don't see them all bunched up in the beginning or the middle or the end. 

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Don't worry, I'll do it for you. 😁

Admittedly it's closer than I would have expected, but you still lean heavier on the back half of the decade...2005 - 2009 ('10 since we're including Avsky) you've got 35 albums compared to the 27 you've got between 2000 - 2004

Whats more interesting though, is that you're far more consistent in the number of albums you enjoy per year on the back half of the decade between 2005 and 2009 ('10) you typically have between 6 and 9 favorites...2008 is the only exception with 4. Between 2000 to 2004 you range between 4 and 7 favorites with 2 years only having 4 favorites and one year only having 5 favorites.

Obviously still doesn't prove anything, but it does show some initial support to the idea that the back half of the decade may have been better overall

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All I know is I’m still back here in 1996…

10. Aura Noir - Black Thrash Attack

Fast and furious this is one album that truly lives up to the name.

9. Monstrosity - Millenium

Heavy on the caveman side of death metal I can’t help but love it.

8. Cryptopsy - None So Vile

Melody?? Nah that’s weak sauce according to these guys, brutal death metal in every sense of the word.

7. Negura Bunget - Zirnindu-Sa

Symphonic black metal with plenty of melody without missing any of the evil atmosphere.

6. Dodheimsgard - Monumental Possession

Vile and hateful black/thrash in all it’s twisted glory.

5. Diabolical Masquerade - Ravendusk In My Heart

I’m a sucker for those Blackheim Melodie’s in anything, but in black metal they just work so well.

4. Sacramentum - Far Away From the Sun

Melodic and evil, almost chaotic at times this is one hell of a black metal debut.

3. Eyehategod - Dopesick

They aren’t kidding, nasty drugged out sludge at it’s finest.

2. A Canorous Quintet - Silence of the World Beyond

Melodic death metal at its absolute best, this is complex, memorable and most importantly ACQ keep the death in melodic death metal.

1. Edge of Sanity - Crimson

melodic, progressive, memorable and complex. This just might be my favourite death metal album of the nineties.

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7 hours ago, SurgicalBrute said:

Don't worry, I'll do it for you. 😁

Admittedly it's closer than I would have expected, but you still lean heavier on the back half of the decade...2005 - 2009 ('10 since we're including Avsky) you've got 35 albums compared to the 27 you've got between 2000 - 2004

Whats more interesting though, is that you're far more consistent in the number of albums you enjoy per year on the back half of the decade between 2005 and 2009 ('10) you typically have between 6 and 9 favorites...2008 is the only exception with 4. Between 2000 to 2004 you range between 4 and 7 favorites with 2 years only having 4 favorites and one year only having 5 favorites.

Obviously still doesn't prove anything, but it does show some initial support to the idea that the back half of the decade may have been better overall

Look at us, two metal geeks counting up each other's albums. 

My original point when I said to Blivvie that right around the turn of the century was where black metal started getting good (for me) was that around about '97 and into the 2000's was where most of my personal bm favorites started coming out. As opposed to the stuff we've been posting from 1990 - 1996 which to me is noticeably inferior. 

In the 2000's stuff started sounding more aggressive and having fuller production, you could say it was the height of the norsecore era and (predictably I suppose) that simply appeals to me much more. You counted them yourself, I listed 62 "favorite" black metal albums from the 2000's and there were plenty more albums from those bands during that decade that I love almost as much (especially from the Finns and the Swedes) I just listed my single favorite from each band. 

Like I've said, on an all time bm list I'd only have about 4 albums representing the 90's with three of those coming near the end of the decade and only Blaze being from 1992. There could be one or two 90's albums I forgot about but I think you get the idea. It's possible I'd even have more entries from the 1980's than the 90's.

But now looking at Blivvie's '96 list here it's quite possible that he won't agree with my assessment of the relative quality of 21st century black metal either because he and I clearly have very different tastes, I will have exactly none of his top 10 on my '96 list that I will be making when I get home. 

But anyway, I'm not at all surprised that there were more and more killer black metal albums as that decade went on and I haven't looked or counted but I suspect there will be even more still as we get into the 2010's. 

 

One last thing:  I fucking detest that almost universally loved Aura Noir band. How is it possible that everyone seems to love them so much?

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2 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

My original point when I said to Blivvie that right around the turn of the century was where black metal started getting good (for me) was that around about '97 and into the 2000's was where most of my personal bm favorites started coming out. As opposed to the stuff we've been posting from 1990 - 1996 which to me is noticeably inferior. 

Yeah, and that's fine. I'm not necessarily saying 2000 - 2009 had nothing going on...Plenty of black metal I enjoy came out during that decade. I'm not even necessarily saying 90's black metal was better than the stuff in the 00's either. I'm just saying that, for me, there was a noticeable downturn in the amount of quality black metal during the first half of the decade. So when you said at the turn of the century it was "just starting" to get good, that was mostly where I was disagreeing.

2 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

One last thing:  I fucking detest that almost universally loved Aura Noir band. How is it possible that everyone seems to love them so much?

I like them well enough, but I don't think of them as a favorite when it comes to blackened thrash. Haven't spun anything by them in a long while

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        1996

1. Hades - The Dawn of the Dying Sun

2. Social Distortion - White Light, White Heat, White Trash

3. Type O Negative - October Rust

Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age

The Exploited - Beat the Bastards

Disgust - A World of No Beauty

Doom - Rush Hour of the Gods

Zeke - Flat Tracker

Integrity - Humanity is the Devil

Aus Rotten - The System Works For Them

Hellacopters - SuperShitty to the Max

Setherial - Nord

Mysticum - In the Streams of Inferno

Impaled Nazarene - Latex Cult

 

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1996

Sacramentum – Far Away from the Sun

Vinterland – Welcome My Last Chapter

Setherial - …Nord

Adramalech – Psychostasia

Judas Iscariot – Thy Dying Light

Falkenbach - ...en their medh riki fara...

Desaster – A Touch of Medieval Darkness

Throne of Ahaz - On Twilight Enthroned

Sacrilegium – Wicher

Arkona - Imperium

 

EDIT: Wrong Year for Moonblood

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1996: a very tough one

grom by behemoth

the great southern trendkill by pantera

refresh the demon by annihilator

far away from the sun by sacramentum

frostfodd by vargavinter

latex cult by impaled nazarene

triarchy of the lost lovers by rotting christ

unspeakable cults by deviser

total death by darkthrone

antichrist by gorgoroth

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11 minutes ago, SurgicalBrute said:

Barely missed my list, but I like Under the Sign of Hell better...so 1997

that one is going on my '97 list as well, but 1997 is gonna be an even tougher one for me than '96 was. 1997 was like one of the best years in metal in my opinion. trying skim that list down to 10 albums will be an extremely grueling process for me. lol 

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Rotting Christ - Triarchy of the Lost Lovers, I don't think I had ever heard this one before. Not bad really. Might be the best RC I've ever heard although I've never been a huge fan so I've only heard a couple of theirs.

 

22 minutes ago, RelentlessOblivion said:

Ah that’s the thing about taste GG everyone’s is unique. I doubt our lists will have too much in common especially with a real uptake in funeral doom right around the corner. 

Yeah, I'm not a funeral doom guy at all so you're probably right there Blivvie. But you're still my favorite Adelaidean.

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17 minutes ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

Rotting Christ - Triarchy of the Lost Lovers, I don't think I had ever heard this one before. Not bad really. Might be the best RC I've ever heard although I've never been a huge fan so I've only heard a couple of theirs.

 

Yeah, I'm not a funeral doom guy at all so you're probably right there Blivvie. But you're still my favorite Adelaidean.

Did you mean for this to go in the WAYLT thread? Can be moved.

I love this album. High school favorite, big nostalgia factor. You might like Non Serviam and Thy Mighty Contract, too, the two that preceded this one - rougher and more black metally. 

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I just put it here because I got the idea from Serpentboi's 1996 list on this thread. But if that's a problem sir then do what you've gotta do. I could see it being relevant on either thread, doesn't really matter to me.

I actually have heard their first two albums right before this 3rd one and also the 4th one directly after this because I guess they're the more "famous" ones. I even bought Thy Mighty Contract at some point way back when but it's been years since I've listened to it. Not sure why I skipped over Triarchy. Don't think I've ever heard any of the more recent ones.

Rotting Christ is just one of those bands. I don't love them, I don't hate them, I don't have any strong feelings about them one way or the other. While I'm listening to the records I'll think "Yeah this is pretty good" but I don't find them compelling enough to follow up.

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3 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I just put it here because I got the idea from Serpentboi's 1996 list on this thread. But if that's a problem sir then do what you've gotta do. I could see it being relevant on either thread, doesn't really matter to me.

I actually have heard their first two albums right before this 3rd one and also the 4th one directly after this because I guess they're the more "famous" ones. I even bought Thy Mighty Contract at some point way back when but it's been years since I've listened to it. Not sure why I skipped over Triarchy. Don't think I've ever heard any of the more recent ones.

Rotting Christ is just one of those bands. I don't love them, I don't hate them, I don't have any strong feelings about them one way or the other. While I'm listening to the records I'll think "Yeah this is pretty good" but I don't find them compelling enough to follow up.

i consider the link relevant to this discussion. the video was of an album mentioned here. it's not like it's something completely random. so, i think it should be allowed 

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It's no problem. I just didn't know if GG meant to put it here and offered to move it if wanted. Housekeeping. Librarian stuff. 

I guess I think of "Passage to Arcturo" as the first RC album even though it's just a long EP. Triarchy is the first one I heard, and it's still my favorite. Had a big influence on my guitar playing for a while. I thought the next couple of albums were letdowns, stopped following them, never connected with the newer stuff. And yet I like that Sakis Tolis solo album, even though it's really mild-mannered and full of shamelessly recycled guitar melodies.

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Well I’ve got time to kill, might as well write another list while I’m here.

1997: 10. Destroyer 666 - Unchain the Wolves

On another day this probably wouldn’t make the cut but today I’m digging the blackened thrash thing.

9. Sthygma - Act II: Kalimaa

A little stop- start this is some chaotic death metal.

8. October Tide - Rain Without End

A more melodic take on doom/death this one revels in its melancholic atmosphere.

7. Biden Div. 187 - Imperium

Blasty black metal that never lets up, it’s short, sharp, and to the point.

6. Summoning - Dol Guldur

If Orcs wrote music no doubt it would sound like this. Folky and dark sounding black metal.

5. Strapping Young Lad - City

energetic is probably the best word to describe this album, normally I’m not a fan of anything industrial adjacent but SYL blend it with DM in a way that resonates with me.

4. Arckanum - Kostogher

Evil and sometimes chaotic black metal, hmm I do like my 90’s BM don’t I?

3. Ragnarok - Arising Realm

Yep more BM, this time a little raw, and very evil I mean it’s black metal you should expect that by now.

2. Midvinter - At the Sight of the Apocalypse Dragon

Heavy, melodic, and triumphant black metal. Symphonic as well but those elements add to the overall sound.

1. Aeturnus - Beyond the Wandering Moon

Layered is the best way to describe this one, at times it can be atmospheric, melodic, chaotic, just listen to it if you’re a black metal fan.

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So far I've only done 1990 so I may as well drop a '91 here as well. One day I'll catch up. Sorry there is no black metal but I still haven't got of the trauma of last week when I was forced to listen to some of it!

 

1. Motorhead - 1916

2. Mortal Sin - Every Dog Has It's Day

3. Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal

4. Overkill – Horrorscope

5. Death – Human

6. Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears

7. Bolt Thrower - War Master

8. Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick

9. Mortification - Mortification

10. Kyuss - Wretch

 

 

 

 

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         1997  

1. Aeternus - Beyond the Wandering Moon

Deströyer 666 - Unchain the Wolves

Cosmic Psychos - Oh What A Lovely Pie

Wizzard - Devilmusick

Lord Belial - Enter the Moonlight Gate

Barathrum - Infernal

Ragnarok - Arising Realm

Necrophobic - Darkside

Hypocrisy - The Final Chapter

The Hellacopters - Payin' the Dues

Abigail - Intercourse and Lust

Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics

Extreme Noise Terror - Damage 381

Driller Killer - Fuck the World

His Hero Is Gone - Monument to Thieves

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1997

whoracle by in flames

under the sign of hell by gorgoroth

mad grandiose bloodfiends by ancient

the coming of chaos by sacramentum

enthrone darkness triumphant by dimmu borgir

in the sign of the ravens by mithotyn

together we summon the dark by abyssos

the pagan prosperity by old man's child

lesbian show by nightfall

a dead poem by rotting christ

honorable mentions: 'til death do us by unite by sodom, soknardalr by windir, blutsabbath by belphegor, legendary tales by rhapsody, darkside by necrophobic, the grand grimiore by god dethroned, from the underground and below by overkill, post mortem tales by swordmaster, blizzard beasts by immortal, hiidentorni by horna & for victory we ride by bilskirnir

 

had to do honorable mentions, because like i said before 1997 was an amazing year in metal. so many incredible albums were released that year

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