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Oh shit. I had forgotten about Pallbearer. Probably my number one surprise, but I don't think it would have made it into my top 15.

@Charles: Really excited to read your Kentucky review, but I thought that last Ash Borer album was boring compared to the previous one. I've flirted with the idea of reviewing it, but I don't want to bash them, because given their self-titled the guys know what they're doing.

Practically no overlap amongst us...

Yeah, we have a pretty broad set of tastes here...

And my favorite (Monolithe) wasn't on anyone's list! Of my usual suspects I was happy that MDB and Elysian Blaze were on a couple lists (would have liked to see Dordeduh on one), but haven't ultimately made up my mind on the new Enslaved, DsO, or Ihsahn releases. Thanks for the reminder to listen to Kentucky, the new Ash Borer, Munruthel, and new Forest of Stars, among others, gents. Thanks for the work here.

Monolithe - III? I got a promo of that very late, so never got around to doing it last year. Can try and fit a review in, certainly curious to hear it as had heard good things...

I really need to give that Ihsahn another go, because it really didn't click with me at all when it came out.

Yes sir. And I would appreciate a review if you can find time for it.

After looking at these, I'm now hunting down the new Barren Earth, Swallow the Sun and My Dying Bride, as well as checking out Beyond the Bridge. Was a pretty goddamn solid year for metal overall I must say!

I'm super late to this, but I was just reading the reviewers choices and it reminded me why I love this site and trust most of the reviewer's opinions. Here was my top albums for 2012. I'm disappointed that no one else picked Afgrund, Goatwhore, Warbringer, or Paradise Lost though.

#1 Rush – Clockwork Angels #2 Meshuggah – Koloss #3 Swallow the Sun – Emerald Forest and the Blackbird #4 Napalm Death – Utilitarian #5 Car Bomb – w^w^^w^w #6 Girls Names – All in 2012 #7 Afgrund – The Age of Dumb #8 Cloudscape – New Era #9 Fullforce – Next Level #10 Hardline – Dangerzone #11 Anathema – Weather Systems #12 Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol #13 Enslaved – RIITIIR #14 Warbringer – World’s Torn Asunder #15 Ihsahn – Eremita #16 Incantation – Vanquish in Vengence #17 Witch Mountain – Cauldron of the Wild #18 Borknagar – Urd #19 Goatwhore – Blood for the Master #20 My Dying Bride – A Map of all our Failures
Honorable Mention: Kamelot, Tiamat, Moonspell, Early Graves, Cryptopsy, Daylight Dies, Asphyx, Gaza, The Gathering
Biggest Disappointments: Katatonia (Just plain boring), Devin Townsend (Praying for a good Ziltoid follow up cause this has 4 great songs, but the rest is crap), Pig Destroyer (Am I the only one who has heard almost every riff on this album on a different Pig Destroyer album? Way better grind releases this year) Sonata Arctica (UGH! And I thought the beginning of Devin Townsend’s new one was corny)

The link is broken. Here's the right one:

http://www.metalreviews.com/awards/awards.php?year=2012