Wow, very nice job with this, Rev.  Looks like I've got some catching up to do!  Links to the reviews are a nice touch.  And the banner is sweet.

Nice job, Rev. Here's to MR!

First class, just like everything else here. I see some albums that I have yet to buy, so I will get busy ASAP and take care of that. Thank you guys for making this THE definitive metal site on the web.

Surprised and pleased to see Withered get top 10 honors.  I think Vertebrae would be my favorite of the year.

I'd love to see this done for the previous 5 years of Top 10 lists

lol at Decrepit Birth. thats not even top 10 for death metal.

im glad Arghoslent got some recognition but i have them #1. no Gride is no surprise.

that Bloodbath album is a turd

Hail of Bullets is way too low

no Machetazo...wow

no Dead Congregation

no Gruesome Stuff Relish

good job on the Dismember and Grand Magus

wheres Hour of Penance?

its a list and nobody will be happy.

Nice work guys.  Here's to the best friggin' reviews out there!  Cheers and Thanks

I am a bit surprised to not see Dead Congregation on the list since there was a lot of raving 'bout that album but I still think a lot of essential albums were touched upon on this list.  Great job!

My personal #1 was Pharaoh's latest.

Great list!  I've still got a few more things to check out.  It seems 2009 is getting off to a slow start, but I look forward to a great year at MR. Thanks!

I have 13 of these, and have heard at least 3 more that I know I want.  Great list.  Think my best of the year is probably Vertebrae.

Dead Congregation made it to my #3 spot, and I believe ol' Goblin McDonald was the only other staffer that had it on their list, which, of course, I find appalling. :D

Great to see the Manilla/Gates/Grand/Dismember love though.

Great, great job Rev! I guess I have 7 more albums to obtain.

Also, very surprised with the omission of DC.

And one of my favourites that came out this year (oops, last year), Valkyrie, is not on the list...

Screw you guys I'm goin home! :P

will get that Decrepit Birth

Good job guys. I'd say that I at least liked every album on that list. A few of them I have only heard once or twice, but still I could almost stand behind this. My only disappointment is that it doesn't have my album of the year, Eternal Kingdom.

I'm pretty surprised by the No. 1 pick, really didn't expect that one at all. It's a great album, sort of got lost in the shuffle for me though.

Yeah, I was also surprised that me and Captain were the only writers that ranked Dead Congregation. Its a fucking great album, although minute-for-minute I actually prefer the Putrefying Consecrated Ground EP.

No love for Gojira... "The Way of All Flesh" is easily top 10 material no doubt about it.

Just noticed the lack of Cult of Luna.  F--, repeat year til you get it right!!!

Seriously, though, thanks for everything this year guys.  You've broadened my horizons and waned my wallet.

Great buying guide for a lot of great music I would otherwise miss. Thanks for a great 2008, MR staff.

What an awful list for an excellent years....

Why an album like Tulimyrsky who was rated 666 is not in that list???

Lame...

Mst, I'm the feller that gave Tulimyrsky a 666, and it made my personal top-ten list. I think a few of the staffers here kept it off because it's technically considered an EP, but I didn't give a shit. Ha ha.

Great job, JC. I still hate lists, but you've put together a pretty decent one.

This is an okay list for being compiled from such a wide range of tastes, but the top five is a huge miss (for me at least)...except for maybe "Watershed".

If I'm remembering correctly, most of those albums at the top got there not because they appeared highly ranked on a lot of staff member's lists, but because they made an appearance somewhere on most of them.  So it's odd that the group's top albums don't match the lists of the individuals that contributed to the list--but the math of it works out.

I actually found that with a few when I compiled last year, so I guess it's not much of a surprise.

Pretty solid list I suppose. There's definitely a couple albums i'd add though. Maybe i'm biased because of my huge liking of viking metal, BUT...Forefather's newest, Steadfast, and Andras' new album, Iron Way would easily be in my top 10, let alone top 25 of the year. I checked and neither of those were actually reviewed by anyone, so i suppose that's probably the biggest reason why they weren't on this list. They should be reviewed! I'm not surprised Andras wasn't, but Forefather? Aren't they quite highly touted and respected in the metal world? I would've thought SOMEone would've picked this one up and reviewed it. Oh well...just thought i'd throw my 2 cents in.

Good list... Obzen and Diminishing are killer fucking albums...

Ahhh Opeth is glorious.  Can't complain if they're on there.

Looks like I have some good stuff to get acquainted with though.  Thanks for the list guys.

Solid list. Thx for the tip on Grayceon, really nice stuff.

wow. i have some stuff to check out. me personally, i would have put amon amarth on the top. otherwise, good work and i look forward to your reviews in 2009

This list has convinced me to go back and relisten to several albums that I gave short shrift to when I first got them, namely Solient Green, Dismember, Hail of Bullets, and Decrepit Birth. I must say that I'm pleased with all four of them. I am shocked that nobody on this site has reviewed the mighty Cynic, or Krallice (which I do own and enjoy). My personal list would have had Opeth at the top and would have included Gojira, but I'm glad to be introduced to some bands I haven't listened to before, Grand Magus especially.

I think it would have been better to just have listed those albums in no particular order and we would still have the individuals writers top lists. But its till an interesting selection. I do think not having Gojira's latest is criminal however!

Either way, this is by far the best metal review site and one of my favorite websites in general. More reviews please!!!

Man... it isn't until you look at this that you realize how much better this year is than last.

I cringe everytime I see that Diminishing Between Worlds got the number one spot.  It's super cool at first, until the novelty wears off and you realize how immature the songwriting is, and how self-indulgently Sotello throws solos in there.