Top 50 albums of the Noughties

So before I post all my 2009 lists in both melodic metal and death metal, I decided it would be fun to try and figure out a top 50 albums for the decade. Now this was quite difficult for me and it's more than possible I might have missed something out that would otherwise have made the list however I am happy to let this list go to print. Stay tuned for the end of year lists but for now here in reverse order are my top 50 albums of the noughties!

50. Axenstar - Far From Heaven
The Swedes best album. Full of great melodies and vocals.

49. Sphinx - Paraiso en la Eternidad
Only foreign language album to make the list. Very underrated Spanish Maiden sounding record. Great vocals and memorable songs.

48. Elwing - War
Greek battle metal troop deliver a vast improvement on their previous album. Sounding like a mix between Running Wild and Grave Digger. Highly underrated for me and a worthy addition to the list.

47. Phoenix Rizing - The Eternal Crusade
The band is now known as Highland Glory and still good but when they were called Phoenix Rizing they release a superb melodic power metal album in The Eternal Crusade. Very much aping Hammerfall circa Legacy of Kings which is one of my fave power metal albums of all times.

46. Bal Sagoth - Atlantis Ascendant
The Power Cosmic and Battle Magic are actually my two favourite Bal Sagoth albums but they were released in the previous decade but AA is also a very worthy record. Full of great instrumentation and Byron's madcap lyrical genius. The melodies are there in abundance and the title track is one of the most amazing the band have ever penned.

45. Throne of Chaos - Menace and Prayer
A mostly unknown and unheralded debut from this Finnish Bodom clone band but what a debut it is. I easily like it better than any Bodom disk. The production as I recall is a touch thin but the music is really outstanding. Just a fantastic set of riffs and melodies with the typical scratchy vocals.

44. Necrophagist - Epitaph
I like the debut Necrophagist album a little better but this is still a tech death metal masterpiece and one of the best death metal albums ever released.

43. Dream Evil - United
Many great CDs under their belts but their last one just had it all for me. A great band that despite numerous line-up changes just keeps delivering the metal as you would expect it!

42. Wolf - st
In my opinion an underrated album of classic Maiden worship. Sure all their albums are pretty good but for some reason I have immense love for their debut release.

41. TNT - My Religion
The last disk with Tony Harnell and what a way to depart with a superb set of summery melodic rock songs.

40. Danger Danger - Revolve
I was never into DD much before this album but I'm now totally won over. Just a fantastic set of tunes that could have been even higher on the list

39. Impellitteri - Wicked Maiden
Rob Rock re-enters the fray and voila we have a melodic shred metal masterpiece on our hands.

38. Iron Mask - Hordes of the Brave
Led by guitar wiz Dushan Petrossi, Iron Mask really made a brilliant record here of neo-classical shred power metal with some hard rock tendencies as well. Great powerhouse vocals to boot

37. Nightwish - Wishmaster
Personally I like Oceanborn more but Wishmaster is the companion disk to that one so is a worthy addition on the list.

36. Astral Doors - Of the Son and the Father
The debut AD disk is a real rocker with tons of cool tunes and especially Slay The Dragon which would almost win a song of the decade competition.

35. Rob Rock - Garden of Chaos
A great solo album from Rob here. He is the voice of melodic metal as far as I'm concerned. Very glad he is back with Impellitteri

34. Axel Rudi Pell - Mystica
Axel has been churning out great albums all decade long and this is probably my favourite of the bunch and Johnny Gioeli is a hard rock vocal great.

33. Megadeth - The System Has Failed
The come back 'deth record has more melodies than the more thrashier albums that followed which I also enjoy. Great comeback from Dave after his troubles although they were never actually away all that long.

32. Sabaton - Attero Dominatus
Usual story from the Saba Panzer Division. Great stuff.

31. Brocas Helm - Defender of the Crown
Quirky and classic sounding trad metal featuring some of their older hits re-recorded and loads of new tracks. They sound like a more crazy Maiden with unique nasal vocals. Awesome band!

30. Mystic Prophecy - Regressus
My fave MP album although all of them are damn good. This one hit the spot more than most as I recall.

29. Saxon - Lionheart
My fave latter day Saxon disk featuring a myriad of great tunes especially the awesome title track.

28. Halford - Resurrection
The comeback disk from the metal god in the year 2000. An extremely strong effort!

27. Eclispe - Are You Ready to Rock?
A fantastic melodic rock record with tons of energy and songs that breathe fire.

26. Bloodbound - Nosferatu
Great Maiden fixated debut with tunes that stuck like super glue.

25. Nocturnal Rites - Grand Illusion
Probably my fave latter day NR album.

24. Kamelot - The Black Halo
Easily the best Kamelot album. Great vocals from Khan and epic songs.

23. Helloween - Gambling With the Devil
After a few so so albums after The Dark Ride, Helloween made a huge effort with this release. More speed orientated than before and heavier as well. Great stuff.

22. Wintersun - st
The debut album from the ex Ensiferum man is a work of absolute genius if you ask me. Epic sweeping melodies riddle with a cold atmosphere. Where in god's name is the second album? Are you Guns 'n Roses in disguise?

21. Masterplan - st
A brilliant debut album with Jorn at the helm and the second was awesome too.

20. Jorn - Worldchanger
A great record from the vocal god Jorn. Memorable tunes all over the shop.

19. Astral Doors - Astralism
Yet another killer from AD, what else can one say.

18. House of Lords - Come to my Kingdom
Melodic rock at it's very best with a set of songs that engrave themselves on your brain. Great vocals from James Christian as per usual.

17. Brother Firetribe - Heart Full of Fire
Melodic rock/AOR masterclass with songs that will send you dizzy. The debut is also ace but i slightly prefer the follow up.

16. Place Vendome - Streets of Fire
The debut was great but this follow up is just something else. Kiske delivers a knock out performance and the songs are just amazing

15. Firewind - Between Heaven and Hell
The debut Firewind album is perhaps their heaviest. Featuring the brilliantly powerful vocals of Stephen Frederick.

14. Sabaton - Primo Victoria
A rip roaring power metal album with anthems galore about 20th century war.

13. Lost Horizon - Awakening the World
Many people prefer the debut to the follow up but for me it's easily the other way although the debut in itself is something to behold as it hits like a ton of bricks.

12. Thunder Rider - Tales of Darkness and Light Chapter II
Totally left field and epic underground metal here from this obscure Canadian bunch. I just totally love the songs here and especially the totally brilliant and bizarre vocals of John Blackwing the band leader. I should play this more often!

11. Alter Bridge - Blackbird
Another modern rock entry of outstanding depth from ex Creed guys with the soaring vocals of Myles Kennedy. Worth it for the totally mesmerising title track alone.

10. Rage - Soundchaser
Probably my fav Rage album ever. Just a great bunch of tunes and very heavy to boot.

9. Firewind - The Premonition
Firecracker shredding power metal with awesome vocals and songs to die for.

8. Shinedown - The Sound of Madness
A very high entry for this modern rock combo who made an astonishing album last year. Superb vocals and a massive production help elevate this record to some serious epic highs in terms of memorable song writing.

7. Helloween - The Dark Ride
My favourite Helloween album although Gambling is not far behind. Just a great bunch of tunes and not so happy anymore!

6. Astral Doors - Evil is Forever
My fave AD disk featuring many songs that give me huge goosebumps with the legendary vocals of NPJ of course.

5. Powerwolf - Bible of the Beast
Probably my second favourite power metal act behind Sabaton. This year's Bible is a hammer of gigantic proportions.

4. Wuthering Heights - Far From the Madding Crowd
Wonderful folky power metal band with the amazing vocals of Nils Patrick Johannsson who also appears on the list with Astral Doors of course.

3. Sabaton - The Art of War
Their best album for me and the others also make the list so you can see how highly I rate this band. Probably my favourite power metal band in the world today

2. Falconer - st
A superlative and wondrous melodic power metal debut with awesome baritone vocals and songs to remember till your dying day.

1. Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath
A monument of epic self empowering melodic power metal with Godlike vocals from Daniel Heiman. Can't be bettered in my book!