The choice was though, not only because there were some very good albums out there, but also because as you get older, life fucks you up, and you never have enough time to listen to all the albums you want, for as much as you want. Or as much as they deserve. I must add that the list could be different if I made it on any other day, depending on the mood. I would like to note some honorable mentions too, such as Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary, Rotting Christ - Rituals, Avantasia - Ghostlights, Skuggsja - A Piece For Mind and Mirror, Ihsahn - Arktis, Moonsorrow, Jumalten Aika, Be'lakor - Vessels, Thy Catafalque Meta, and most of all Katatonia - The Fall of Hearts and Fates Warning - Theories of Flight.

1.Borknagar - Winter Thrice

2.Dark Tranquillity - Atoma

3.Insomnium - Winter's Gate

4.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

5.Delain - Moonbathers

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1.Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary

2.Throes Of Dawn - Our Voices Shall Remain

3.The Foreshadowing - Seven Heads, Ten Horns

4.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

5.Epica - The Holographic Principle

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1.Be'lakor - Vessels

2.Twelve Foot Ninja - Outlier

3.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

4.David Bowie - Blackstar

5.Gojira - Magma

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A lot of great albums from different genres this year. Ereb Altor released the best cover album of all time.

1.Borknagar - Winter Thrice

2.Netherbird - The Grander Voyage

3.Equilibrium - Armageddon

4.Twilight Force - Heroes Of Mighty Magic

5.Katatonia - The Fall Of Hearts

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1.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

2.Throes Of Dawn - Our Voices Shall Remain

3.Vektor - Terminal Redux

4.Borknagar - Winter Thrice

5.Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens

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Apologies for possible grammar error and for some repetitive leitmotiv.

Non Metalstrom Bands

Alastor (AUT): http://www.reverbnation.com/alastoraut
Anicon: https://gileadmedia.bandcamp.com/album/exegeses
Deviant Process: http://deviantprocess.bandcamp.com
Eldjudnir: http://eldjudnir.dk/
Eternal Delyria: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9VTolNq1DgBNT5mYGME4Iw

1.Vale Of Pnath - II

2.Saor - Guardians

3.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

4.Deviant Process - Paroxysm

5.Vektor - Terminal Redux

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1.Netherbird - The Grander Voyage

2.Novembre - URSA

3.Ordog - The Grand Wall

4.Pretty Maids - Kingmaker

5.Primal Fear - Rulebreaker

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1.Vredehammer - Violator

2.Insomnium - Winter's Gate

3.Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary

4.Anthrax - For All Kings

5.Moonsorrow - Jumalten Aika

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1.Mantar - Ode To The Flame

2.Temple Of Gnosis - De Secretis Naturae Alchymica

3.Uada - Devoid Of Light

4.Vanhelgd - Temple Of Phobos

5.Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary

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1.Insomnium - Winter's Gate

2.Gojira - Magma

3.Twilight Force - Heroes Of Mighty Magic

4.Dark Oath - When Fire Engulfs The Earth

5.40 Watt Sun - Wider Than The Sky

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1.Cult Of Luna - Mariner [Collaboration]

2.Oranssi Pazuzu - Värähtelijä

3.Mistur - In Memoriam

4.Thy Catafalque - Meta

5.In The Woods... - Pure

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1.Insomnium - Winter's Gate

2.Dark Tranquillity - Atoma

3.Avantasia - Ghostlights

4.Alter Bridge - The Last Hero

5.Abbath - Abbath

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1.I am Noah - The Verdict

2.Insomnium - Winter's Gate

3.Trees Of Eternity - Hour Of The Nightingale

4.Avantasia - Ghostlights

5.Fleshgod Apocalypse - King

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I have never attempted to create a complete end of the year list so far, but here it is. It consists of the albums that I have either purchased myself throughout the year (most of them), or that I still spent enough time listening to to get a more or less complete impression (a few). I know that there are countless albums out there that I haven't paid any attention to so far and I might change the list a bit in the coming months because of that. Since I am mostly listening to Black Metal, expect to see a lot from that genre in my list.

1.Forteresse - Thèmes Pour La Rébellion

2.Mare Cognitum - Luminiferous Aether

3.Schammasch - Triangle

4.Inquisition - Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith

5.Anaal Nathrakh - The Whole Of The Law

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2016 - What An amazing year for Metal!

End of the year list for the bands & albums I heard this year - sorted In alphabetical order. List is WIP.

1.Abbath - Abbath

2.Alcest - Kodama

3.Ancient - Back To The Land Of The Dead

4.Antimatter - Welcome To The Machine

5.Borknagar - Winter Thrice

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