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Reader Poll: Vote Your Best Metal Album Of 2016

posted Dec 13, 2016 at 11:59 AM by xFiruath.  (20 Comments)

Photo of Metallica

Band Photo: Metallica (?)

Update: the staff awards are now here! Check 'em out and see who won at this location.

Our year-end awards for 2016 are nearly here as the staff just wrapped up our internal voting on the best album, performance, DVD, and metal newcomer of the year, along with a vote on our most anticipated album coming in 2017.

While awaiting our official awards ceremony later this week, we want to know: what was YOUR favorite metal album that came out this year? Cast your vote below!

In the poll we've listed out every single album that was nominated by our staff this year, but if you thought some other album should be #1 instead that's perfectly fine - just hit "Other" and type in your nominee.

Wondering why we have so many nominees? Each of our staff members nominates five albums, and we reach our winner by consensus of the album that gets the most votes, resulting in a well-rounded winner who was appreciated by a larger group of metal heads rather than just by people who prefer one sub-genre.

Since you can see who we nominated, we'd also like to know: who do you think was our ultimate winner in all the nominees?

What was the best metal album of 2016
Abbath - Abbath
Amon Amarth - Jomsviking
Asphyx - Incoming Death
Avantasia - Ghost Lights
Blade Of Horus - Monumental Massacre
Brain Drill - Boundless Obscenity
Borknagar - Winter Thrice
Burial In The Sky - Persistence Of Thought
Brujeria - Pocho Aztlan
Combichrist - This Is Where Death Begins
Cognizance - Illusory
Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder
Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
Death Angel - The Devil Divde
Evergrey - The Storm Within
Huldre - Tusmorke
Ihsahn - Arktis
Insomnium - Winters Gate
In The Woods... - Pure
Metallica - Hardwired... To Self Destruct
Myrath - Legacy
Perturbator - The Uncanny Valley
Obscura - Akroasis
Testament - Brotherhood Of The Snake
Thrawsunblat - Metachthonia
Ulcerate - Shrines Of Paralysis
Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary
Vader - The Empire
Other
Please Specify:

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20 Comments on "Reader Poll: Vote Your Best Metal Album"

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xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

1. xFiruath writes:

Interesting breakdown so far.. and some great picks in the "Other" section!

# Dec 13, 2016 @ 1:42 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
2. I'm not Jesus Christ writes:

Definitely "The Brotherhood of the Snake" by Testament

# Dec 13, 2016 @ 7:17 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

3. xFiruath writes:

Woah, we are a fractious bunch - look at that crazy spread on the votes! Glad somebody mentioned Trees Of Eternity in "other." That was among my votes for best newcomer and was an amazing album. I'm surprised by how well Metallica is doing, considering how much people love to rag on 'em.

# Dec 14, 2016 @ 12:27 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
4. albert from croatia writes:

my choice:

1. testament "Brotherhood of the snake"

2.death angel"evil divide"

3.asphyx"incoming death"

# Dec 14, 2016 @ 1:01 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

5. xFiruath writes:

Seems like we've got a lot of Senior Fellows fans here. I'm weirded out that three people voted for literally nothing though. Maybe they didn't like any metal albums this year? :)

# Dec 14, 2016 @ 12:39 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
6. Warxull the Metal writes:

Ihsahn - Arktis cd all the way.

# Dec 14, 2016 @ 3:47 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Drum_Junkie's avatar

Member

7. Drum_Junkie writes:

Was reminded of Oceans of Slumber - Winter this morning. I gotta go with this as my pick, though the choices were really difficult.
That haunting soulful voice, that drumming, The doom riffs and harmonies, it really shines.

# Dec 15, 2016 @ 1:45 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Blindgreed1's avatar

Member

8. Blindgreed1 writes:

Aaaand the "other" category takes it by a landslide!!!

# Dec 15, 2016 @ 2:02 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

9. xFiruath writes:

Hah, yeah, although the numbers are a bit skewed since quite a few people are entering the same album but re-typing the name slightly different ways, so the breakdown is a bit different than if they'd all entered the same name.

I'll say the album that took the win has now officially been voted for by readers, but you guys will have to wait another day or two before finding out which one when our awards ceremony is ready to go live.

# Dec 15, 2016 @ 2:11 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Rex_84's avatar

Writer

10. Rex_84 writes:

Awards ceremony? That sounds fancy :)

# Dec 15, 2016 @ 3:54 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Blindgreed1's avatar

Member

11. Blindgreed1 writes:

It's very fitting that the "other" category wins. Fvcking metalheads can't agree on anything. XD

# Dec 16, 2016 @ 9:32 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Drum_Junkie's avatar

Member

12. Drum_Junkie writes:

^Ha! Plus, if you look at the choices, it seems like an honest effort was made toward a thorough alphabetical list. However after four letters in, they said Fv<;k it. LMFAO!

# Dec 16, 2016 @ 9:38 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

13. xFiruath writes:

The year end awards are live now guys - link is at the top fo the article.

# Dec 16, 2016 @ 2:57 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hellrat's avatar

Member

14. hellrat writes:

I really like the new Immor----eh, Abbath record, dspite that blithering goon King ov Hell playing on it :)

Vader good too....wasn't impressed with Testaments latest effort, pretty bland to my ears. I think Peterson wrote all of it?

Haven't heard Artist yet, need to make time to give it the proper attention, as nothing Isahn releases would really ever qualify as "casual listening"

I won't comment on the "Hard on...is still defunct" record except to say that I dint make it through it, and have felt absolutely zero desire to try again since

Anyway, I really like the latest from Flotsam & Jetsam, kinda surprised it didn't make the list....I'd say its only real weaknesses are a few cheesey/cliche lyrics and their subsequently quirky vocal arrangements, but other than that, it f***in rips \m/

So, count me in for "other" as well I guess ;)

NP---Low Down---Hank lll live in Wichita

# Dec 16, 2016 @ 5:38 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
hellrat's avatar

Member

15. hellrat writes:

**ARKTIS....f***ing auto correct

# Dec 16, 2016 @ 5:42 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
16. S. "The Crescent" holder writes:

From the other category: https://seniorfellows.bandcamp.com/album/the-christened-remains-of-an-evolutionary-catastrophe

# Dec 17, 2016 @ 11:07 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

17. xFiruath writes:

Hey looks like Myrath just pulled ahead - warms the heart to see Metallica get trounced by lesser known bands :)

# Dec 19, 2016 @ 3:10 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
xFiruath's avatar

Contributor

18. xFiruath writes:

I'm guessing someone shared this to a Babymetal fan page? There's now like 200 Babymetal votes in "Other."

# Dec 29, 2016 @ 12:16 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Drum_Junkie's avatar

Member

19. Drum_Junkie writes:

LMAO - Take That, Senior Fellows...

Still, just the name Baby Metal makes me laugh.
I keep waiting for others like:
Toddler Thrash
Diaper Doom
NUK-Metal (like Nu-metal)
Meconium (a children's take on black metal)
and Lullaby Metal for the symphonic crowd

# Dec 29, 2016 @ 12:31 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader
20. ,,/, writes:

Stop drinking piss - Watchtower, you lame-ass b****es.

# Dec 29, 2016 @ 2:20 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address

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