Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009) Recap

Here is the complete list/recap of my picks for albums of the decade, as well as some records that just missed the cut.

Best Albums Of The Decade 2000-2009
100.Cannibal Corpse-Kill(2006)
99.Korn-Take A Look In The Mirror(2003)
98.Atmosphere-When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold(2008)
97.Chimaira-The Impossibilty Of Reason(2003)
96.Arch Enemy-Doomsday Machine(2005)
95.Nas-Untitled(2008)
94.Pantera-Reinventing The Steel(2000)
93.Machine Head-The Blackening(2007)
92.Rise Against-The Sufferer and The Witness(2006)
91.Madvillain-Madvillainy(2004)
90.Darkest Hour-Deliver Us(2007)
89.Amon Amarth-With Oden On Our Side(2006)
88.Andrew W.K-I Get Wet(2001)
87.Unearth-III: In The Eyes Of Fire(2006)
86.Between The Buried and Me-The Silent Circus(2003)
85.The Red Chord-Fed Through The Teeth Machine(2009)
84.Incubus-A Crow Left Of The Murder...(2004)
83.Municipal Waste-Hazardous Mutation(2005)
82.Rammstien-Mutter(2001)
81.Rob Zombie-The Sinister Urge(2001)
80.Baroness-Red Album(2007)
79.Jedi Mind Tricks-Violent By Design(2000)
78.Foo Fighters-In Your Honor(2005)
77.Protest The Hero-Fortress(2008)
76.3 Inches Of Blood-Advance and Vanquish(2004)
75.System Of A Down-Mezmerize(2005)
74.All That Remains-The Fall Of Ideals(2006)
73.Avenged Sevenfold-City Of Evil(2005)
72.Killswitch Engage-As Daylight Dies(2006)
71.Lamb Of God-Sacrament(2006)
70.Baroness-Blue Record(2009)
69.Lazarus A.D-The Onslaught(2009)
68.System Of A Down-Hypnotize(2005)
67.Eminem-The Eminem Show(2002)
66.Municipal Waste-The Art Of Partying(2007)
65.Lacuna Coil-Karmacode(2006)
64.Alice In Chains-Black Gives Way To Blue(2009)
63.Tool-10,000 Days(2006)
62.Lamb Of God-As The Palaces Burn(2003)
61.Converge-Jane Doe(2001)
60.Goatwhore-Carving Out The Eyes Of God(2009)
59.Skeletonwitch-Breathing The Fire(2009)
58.Immortal Technique-Revloutionary Vol.2(2003)
57.Intronaut-Prehistorcisms(2008)
56.God Forbid-Earthsblood(2009)
55.High On Fire-Death Is This Communion(2007)
54.3 Inches Of Blood-Fire Up The Blades(2007)
53.Behemoth-Evangellion(2009)
52.Jedi Mind Tricks-Visions Of Ghandi(2003)
51.Muse-Absolution(2003)
50.Slipknot-All Hope Is Gone(2008)
49.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Ire Works(2007)
48.Doom-Born Like This(2009)
47.Between The Buried and Me-Alaska(2006)
46.Disturbed-The Sickness(2000)
45.Megadeth-Endgame(2009)
44.Down-Down III: Over The Under(2007)
43.Lamb Of God-Wrath(2009)
42.Unearth-The March(2008)
41.Outkast-Speakerboxxx/The Love Below(2003)
40.Skeletonwitch-Beyond The Permafrost(2007)
39.Gojira-The Way Of All Flesh(2008)
38.The Black Dahlia Murder-Miasma(2005)
37.Killswitch Engage-Alive Or Just Breathing(2002)
36.As I Lay Dying-Shadows Are Security(2005)
35.Mastodon-Remission(2002)
34.Linkin Park-Meteora(2003)
33.Queens Of The Stone Age-Lullabies To Paralyze(2005)
32.The Faceless-Planetary Duality(2008)
31.The Black Dahlia Murder-Nocturnal(2007)
30.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Miss Machine(2004)
29.Hatebreed-The Rise Of Brutality(2003)
28.Atmosphere-God Loves Ugly(2002)
27.The Black Dahlia Murder-Deflorate(2009)
26.Coheed and Cambria-In Keeping Secrets Of Slient Earth: 3(2003)
25,The Red Chord-Clients(2005)
24.The Mars Volta-Frances The Mute(2005)
23.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Buring Star IV, Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness(2005)
22.Atmosphere-Seven's Travels(2003)
21.Children Of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll(2003)
20.Behemoth-Demigod(2004)
19.MF Doom-MM..Food(2004)
18.Mastodon-Crack The Skye(2009)
17.Outkast-Stankonia(2000)
16.Muse-Black Holes and Revelations(2006)
15.Queens Of The Stone Age-Songs For The Deaf(2002)
14.Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory(2000)
13.High On Fire-Blessed Black Wings(2005)
12.Lamb Of God-Ashes Of The Wake(2004)
11.Jedi Mind Tricks-Servants In Heaven,Kings In Hell(2006)
10.Killswitch Engage-End Of Heartache(2004)
9.Eminem-The Marshall Mathers LP(2000)
8.Gojira-From Mars To Sirus(2005)
7.In Flames-Clayman(2000)
6.Children Of Bodom-Follow The Reaper(2000)
5.System Of A Down-Toxicity(2001)
4.Between The Buried and Me-Colors(2007)
3.Mastodon-Leviathan(2004)
2.Between The Buried and Me-The Great Misdirect(2009)
1.Mastodon-Blood Mountain(2006)

Honorable Mentions:
Suffocation-Souls To Deny(2004)
The Faceless-Akeldama(2006)
Nile-Those Whom The Gods Detest(2009)
Nile-Annihillation Of The Wicked(2005)
Hatebreed-Hatebreed(2009)
System Of A Down-Steal This Album!(2002)
Dark Tranquility-Character(2005)
Shadows Fall-The War Within(2004)
Nas-Stillmatic(2001)
Blink-182-Take Off Your Pants and Jacket(2001)

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #1

1.Mastodon-Blood Mountain(2006)

Not only is Blood Mountain my favorite album of the decade, it's my favorite album of all time. I have never heard a perfect album in my entire life. Blood Mountain blends together seemlessly their progessive and heavy elements. The record is full of brilliance and each song is layered,complex and bad-ass. From the thunderous drum intro on "The Wolf Is Loose" to the Star-Wars esque prog-fest "Sleeping Giant", Mastodon's verstillity is prominent throughout The riffs, as usual, are epic and the drumming by Brann Dailor is unreal. The production is crystal clear and the album sounds prestine. Blood Mountain is an absolutely unreal album that continues blow my mind even 4 years later.

Standout Tracks 1.The Wolf Is Loose 2.Crystal Skull 3.Circle Of Cysquatch

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #3

3.Mastodon-Leviathan(2004)

"Leviathan" is the reason that I fell in love with Mastodon's music. This was the first record I heard from them after hearing "Iron Tusk", I knew I had a new favorite band. The whole record hits hard. It's jammed packed with some of the best riffs ever crafted. The riffs alone sold me on the record. Later on after hearing "Remission", I enjoyed the inclusion of the progessive elements that really wern't present on "Remission". It added even more depth to Mastodon's sound. "Leviathan" is a behemoth of a record that is as immense as the Moby Dick concept that encompasses it.

Standout Tracks 1.Iron Tusk 2.Blood and Thunder 3.Megalodon

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #4

4.Between The Buried and Me-Colors(2007)

In 2007, Between The Buried and Me made one of the most ambitious records ever released. Colors takes such a wide variety of influences and it translates to one hell of a record. What struck me the most about Colors is just how perfect everything is. Drastic tempo changes and experimental sections of certain tracks including "Ants Of The Sky" with it's western banjo and "Informal Gluttony: with it's Middle-Eastern scales. These are such different and unique elements to have in a record and the inclusion of these elements are dynamite. Between The Buried and Me was coming off two great records with "The Silent Circus" and "Alaska" and Colors blows them out of the water. Colors is heavy,pretty,creative and just flat out fucking spectacular.

Standout Tracks 1.White Walls 2.Ants Of The Sky 3.Foam Born B: Decade Of Statues

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #8

8.Gojira-From Mars To Sirius(2005)

From Mars To Sirus was my first exposure to Gojira, needless to say I was hooked instantly. What grabbed me so much about Gojira is how they had so many different styles of metal encorprated into their sound. Gojira reminds me of a bit of Mastodon except with more of a death metal influence. Gojria, much like Mastodon, knows how to write some of the best riffs ever made. Their record is chock of memorable riffs and grooves that are remarkable and are the main reason that is band is so damn good. From Mars To Sirus is heavy and brilliant and Gojira is the best to thing to ever come out of France.

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #11

11.Jedi Mind Tricks-Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell(2006)

Jedi Mind Tricks has always been a group not afraid to talk about the issues in the world that they have a problem with and Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell is their most powerful album to date. "Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story" is one of the most staggering and painful hip-hop songs ever made with a lights-out guest apperance from R.A The Rugged Man. Servants In Heaven, Kings In Hell is a hard hitting, smart and powerful record that will leave a serious impact on the listener

Standout Tracks 1.Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story 2.Put Em' In The Grave 3.Razorblade Salvation

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #12

12.Lamb Of God-Ashes Of The Wake(2004)

Lamb Of God finally worked out all the kinks from their past works on Ashes Of The Wake. Ashes Of The Wake is a groovy,catchy and just flat out fantastic piece of heavy metal. The songwriting on this record is really strong and the lyrics are really,really good. I don't tend to focus on the lyrics in metal, but the lyrics on Ashes Of The Wake really struck me. Lamb Of God's gift for amazing riffs is at its finest on Ashes Of The Wake, every riff is insane. Ashes Of The Wake is the ultimate Lamb Of God album.

Standout Tracks 1.Laid To Rest 2.Blood Of The Scribe 3.Hourglass

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #14

14,Linkin Park-Hybrid Theory(2000)

Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park may not be the most complex or innovative record ever, but it is one of the most purely enjoyable records I have ever heard. I have a lot of fond memories of this record and it was the record that got me into heavier music. Besides nostalgia value, this record is full of great songs. Chester Bennington really is a great vocalist and his work on this album is really overlooked. Hybrid Theory is just a really fantastic piece of hard rock that always be Linkin Park's masterwork and a monumental album in my life.

Standout Tracks 1.A Place For My Head 2.By Myself 3.Papercut

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #16

16.Muse-Black Holes and Revelations(2006)

Muse hit a home run with Black Holes and Revelations. Rarely is a record this layered and perfect. This record is filled with epic song structures,amazing hooks and an array of different sounds. Matt Belleamy is one of the best vocalists in music right now. His voice is so powerful and makes these tracks even better than they already are. Black Holes and Revelations is a stirring classic by one of the most talented and just plain best acts in all of music right now.

Standout Tracks 1.Knights Of Cydonia 2.Starlight 3.Map Of The Problematique

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #17

17.Outkast-Stankonia(2000)

Stankonia is an album that instantly made an impact on me. Outkast's sound is so diverse and immense, it's insane. Their trademark blend of funk,soul, and pure southern hip-hop it at its peak on Stankonia. The tracks on Stankonia are some of the best hip songs ever, they are filled with emotion and wit. Outkast brought a fresh,focused sound to rap and Stankonia is just a marvel to listen to.

Standout Tracks 1. Ms.Jackson 2.B.O.B 3.Gangsta Shit

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #18

18.Mastodon-Crack The Skye(2009)

Crack The Skye takes Mastodon in a different direction. It's a more progessive than their past work, but it's just as brillant. Brent Hinds carries the vocal load on here, which is a cool change of pace. Hinds's guitarwork is astonishing and is definitely a highlight. This is not my favorite Mastodon record, but it is a unique masterpiece from the best band in the metal.

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #19

I didn't mention this yesterday,but I am going to be doing 1 album per day for the rest of the countdown in honor of the top 20.

19.MF Doom-MM..Food(2004

MF Doom's visonary oddball masterpiece MM..Food is the best record of his career. His signature blend of fun and intelligent is at it's peak here and MM.Food features a good amount of MF Doom's best tracks on here. MM..Food also features the most intresting samples of Doom's career. Rap needs more creative and smart artists like MF Doom.

Standout Tracks 1.Hoe Cakes 2.One Beer 3.Beef Rapp

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #22-21

22.Atmosphere-Seven's Travels(2003)

Atmosphere lays down the best record they have ever made with Seven's Travels. As usual, Slug delivers his amazing lyrics and Ant brings his diverse sense of beats into the picture. Seven's Travels is a classic hip hop record from an underappreciated rap group, who thrives in a genre that is on life support.

Standout Tracks 1.Trying To Find A Balance 2.Cats Van Bags 3. Bird Sings Why The Caged I Know

21.Children Of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll(2003)

Children Of Bodom became one of my favorite bands through hearing. This was actually the first record I had heard from them. Children Of Bodom brings a lot to the table musically. Alexi Laiho is such a force in the guitarwork. He blends melody and speed flawlessly. The keyboards are also infectious and add an awesome edge to their music. Hatecrew Deathroll is the clearest produced Bodom record as well, on their prior releases things got a bit muddy sometimes, but here they are crystal clear. Hatecred Deathroll is one of Bodom's strongest releases.

Standout Tracks 1.Needled 24/7 2.Sixpounder 3.Triple Corpse Hammerblow

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #24-23

24.The Mars Volta-Frances The Mute(2005)

The Mars Volta caught my attention when I heard they where touring with System Of A Down. I checked out Frances The Mute going in completely blind, I am so glad that I did. Frances The Mute is prog rock bliss. The 5 tracks on this record are all extremely long(except for "The Widow" which clocks in at about 6 minutes) , but they are all intresting in their own ways. There is a lot of experimentation and jam outs on this record which at the time I had not heard much of before. I first heard this record when I was 13 and it was great then, but in more recent years I have grown to love it even more. Frances The Mute is a visonary,twisted, wonderful mindfuck of a record.

Standout Tracks 1. Cygnus.....Vismund Cygnus 2.Cassandra Gemini 3.The Widow

23.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 1: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness(2005)

After their amazing 2nd release In Keeping Secrets Of Slient Earth: 3, Coheed and Cambria follows it up with the even better Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Volume 1. This record is even more epic than it's predecessor. Claudio Sanchez shows off his talent with more guitar solos and his best vocal performance ever. Coheed and Cambria shows off their diverse influences for their sound better on this record than on any other record they have released, there a couple of great ballads,spacey progessive stuff,pure punk rock and some pretty heavy metal tracks. Good Apollo is the most complete Coheed record and their best work to date.

Standout Tracks 1.Ten Speed(Of God's Blood and Burial) 2.Welcome Home 3.The Willing Well II: Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #28-27

28.Atmosphere-God Loves Ugly(2002)

God Loves Ugly, Atmosphere's 2nd full length album, they really came into their own. Slug began to write amazing lyrics and really tell stories with his raps. Ant also starts trying out new things beat wise, that really keep it intresting. God Loves Ugly started the chapter of brilliance that Atmosphere has followed for years to come.

Standout Tracks 1. Fuck You Lucy 2.One Of A Kind 3.Modern Man's Hustle

27.The Black Dahlia Murder-Deflorate(2009)

The Black Dahlia Murder is one of the very few that gets better by each release. Their most recent release, Deflorate, is their best work to date. The whole band sounds better than ever. New guitar player Ryan Knight adds his own flare with the guitar work and his style of playing is perfect for Black Dahlia. Trevor Strnad proves once again why he is one of the top vocalists in the whole scene right now, screaming with more clarity and range. Deflorate, in my eyes puts Black Dahlia Murder at legend status. They are up there with death metal icons such as Suffocation,Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel. The Black Dahlia Murder continues to make amazing albums and I don't see that stopping any time soon.

Standout Tracks 1.Black Valor 2.Denounced,Disgraced 3.Christ Deformed

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #30-29

30.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Miss Machine(2004)

Miss Machine was the record that made me notice how fucking fantastic The Dillinger Escape Plan is. Their debut Calculating Infinity was pretty impressive, but Miss Machine takes The Dillinger Escape Plan to a whole new level. This was the 1st record to feature current vocalist Greg Puciato, who is such an asset to this band with his wide vocal range. Miss Machine, in true Dillinger fashion is pure, relentless, chaos. The band runs through manic tempo changes at an insane level of precision and ease. As with all Dillinger material, it's love or hate it, there really is no in between. Miss Machine is a whirlwind of an album and the best Dillinger record ever made.

Standout Tracks 1.Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants 2.Highway Robbery 3.We Are The Storm

29.Hatebreed-The Rise Of Brutality(2003)

Hatebreed has always really impressed me. They blend an old-school hardcore punk sound with modern metal. The Rise Of Brutality is a career-defining album for Hatebreed. The songwriting has never been better. You can every bit of Jamey Jasta's emotion in all of the songs. His lyrics are extremely personal and inspiring. Jasta is an all around great frontman and one of the finest vocalist ever to hit the hardcore scene. The Rise Of Brutality is the best hardcore to be released in the 2000's so far and it was extremely hard to top it.

Standout Tracks 1.Doomsayer 2.Straight To Your Face 3.Live For This

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #32-31

32.The Faceless-Planetary Duality(2008)

Planetary Duality is a fucking goregous record. Rarely is tech-death made that is this perfect. Planetary Duality's most impressive feat is the guitarwork from Michael Keene. Keene's guitarwork is precise, at time progessive and just balls-out amazing.This record also a rich concept about aliens that makes for some intresting lyrics and themes. Planetary Duality is one of the most ambitious and amazing pieces of death metal to come around in a long time. The Faceless is the future of tech-death, another couple of records like this one and they will be hitting legend status.

Standout Tracks 1.Sons Of Belial 2.Legion Of The Serpent 3.The Ancient Covenant

31.The Black Dahlia Murder-Nocturnal(2007)

The Black Dahlia Murder's reign as modern death metal's kings continued with Nocturnal. Nocturnal is more mature than Miasma and features more melodic undertones than on that record. Nocturnal serves up more Black Dahlia classic's such as "What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse" which is extremely heavy yet incredibly catchy and "Everything Went Black" which starts off slows then bursts into a thunderous solo in the mid-section. Another plus about Nocturnal, is the even better drum work from new drummer Shannon Lucas. Lucas is the best drummer Black Dahlia has ever had and his presence pays off big time. Nocturnal is yet another essential Black Dahlia recording.

Standout Tracks 1.What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse 2.Everything Went Black 3.Deathmask Divine

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #34-33

34.Linkin Park-Meteora(2003)

Linkin Park's 2nd album continues on what Hybrid Theory started, make kick ass hard rock. Unlike most band's with a hip hop influence, Linkin Park knew how to write great songs. Meteora knows what is and has a clear vision and direction as an album(the same can't be said for the two dogshit albums they have released since this). Meteora is a hard rock record that has held up extremely well over the years and every time I hear it reminds me of how great Linkin Park was in the beginning.

Standout Tracks 1.Faint 2.Don't Stay 3.Hit The Floor

33.Queens Of The Stone Age-Lullabies To Paralyze(2005)

Queens Of The Stone Age has always sound that I really like. I have always been a big fan of Josh Homme and all of his diverse projects over the years. Lullabies To Paralyze isn't drastically different than Songs For The Deaf, their previous album, but it's different enough to be pretty much just as amazing. Homme strings together collection of distorted yet killer riffs and his vocals are equally as good as in past efforts. Queens Of The Stone Age remains a force to be reckoned with the alternative rock field.

Standout Tracks 1.Tangled Up In Plaid 2.Little Sister 3.Someone's In The Wolf

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #36-35

36.As I Lay Dying-Shadows Are Security(2005)

After Frail Words Collapse, As I Lay Dying's popularity erupted. Shadows Are Security continued the legacy of As I Lay Dying. This record is very powerful stuff from a lyrical standpoint. All of these tracks have deep meaning behind them, and truly from the heart, that's always a nice touch. In addition to being a great lyricist, Tim Lambesis also steps up to the plate vocally. The production is far better than on their 2 previous releases, it brings out the talent Lambesis possess. I am a also a big fan of the clean vocals on this record, Clint Norris has a great voice and makes each track even better. Shadows Are Security is the album that transformed As I Lay Dying into the metal juggernauts they are today.

Standout Tracks 1.The Darkest Nights 2.Confined 3.Reflection

35.Mastodon-Remission(2002)

Before I even mention the music on Remission, this is one of my favorite album covers of all time. It's just such a badass image. Onto the music, this is one of the most impressive debut albums I have ever heard. Mastodon comes out and creates a heavy as shit debut that is such an achievement. Most bands go whole careers without making something this great, but Mastodon did that on their first album. What stands out in my mind about Remission is that it is pretty different musically than future Mastodon release, yet it stll has the amazing edge that the future release would have. Remission was the only beginning of Mastodon's masterworks.

Standout Tracks 1.March Of The Fire Ants 2.Burning Man 3.Workhorse

Best Albums Of The Decade(2000-2009): #38-37

38.The Black Dahlia Murder-Miasma(2005)

Miasma holds a special place in my heart, it was the first record that got me into death metal. Upon first listen, I was floored by the unique vocals of Trevor Strnad(which have since been poorly copied by a bunch of other bands) and the precision across the board instrumentally. A lot of Black Dahlia classics are found on this album including "A Vulgar Picture","Statutory Ape", and the title track. I was insantly in love with this band after this record. Miasma is an intense and very raw record from a band that was only coming into its own at this point in time.

Standout Tracks 1.A Vulgar Picture 2.Miasma 3.Spite Suicide

37.Killswitch Engage-Alive Or Just Breathing(2002)

Alive Or Just Breathing is one of the most lauded metalcore records of all time. This record is an absolute classic from top to bottom. This is the last record with Jesse Leach on it and though I love current vocalist Howard Jones, Leach is just as good if not better. Alive Or Just Breathing is full of great hooks and a nice mix of heavy and melodic guitars. This record is one of the finest within in this genre and Killswitch Engage are pretty much the masters of metalcore.

Standout Tracks 1.The Element Of One 2.Vide Infra 3.My Last Serenade