Byzantine have pretty much already locked up the best thrash CD of the year award with this release, great riffs and solos throughout.

If you like your metalcore heavy as hell without the lame emo vocals, then Heaven Shall Burn is right up your alley, get the limited addition if you can as it comes with an in depth booklet and DVD, there's even an instrumental song at the end, HSB always delivers.

One of the best straight up heavy metal albums I've heard in a long time. There are lots of specials guests on this one, most of them amazing singers, great ballads, some of the most memorable choruses, killer leads and solos, this CD has it all, if you like old school metal like Savatage or more modern power metal, check it out.

Hate Eternal have taken sound to the next level, to join the upper echelon of death metal, looking forward to hearing them live with Skeletonwitch and Soilent Green on their upcoming headlining tour.

Meshuggah are coming out with their most technical album and there are actually real drums on this one, from the previews are heard, this will be one of their best CDs they've released, looking forward to seeing them with Ministry.

My first exposure to this band from the Netherlands, they combine well played death metal with many influences ranging from classical to techno to industrial and everything in between, if you're looking for something fresh in the death metal scene, look no further.

Don't know how good this will be given that I couldn't stand Come Clarity but really liked Soundtrack To Your Escape, but judging from their new single, it could be worth checking out, I'll definitely give it a couple of listens before I make my decision.

Melodic death metal album of the year without a doubt, James Malone never disappoints and now that he has a solid band behind him, Arsis will be unstoppable this year, catch them on tour with Shadows Fall and Kataklysm.

New Bloodbath and Opeth in the same year? That just isn't fair. Unfortunately this is only available through mp3 format, but it's definitely worth it. Bloodbath retains that old-school death metal feel, but still sounds fresh and even a little more technical than usual, I love it.

Sure to be the comeback thrash album of the year, you know Testament is going to deliver the goods now that Alex Skolnick is back, one of the most highly anticipated CDs of the year.

This is a no brainer if you're a fan of Nevermore or Sanctuary, Warrel Dane is simply one of the best voices in metal and even though it's not as heavy as Nevermore, it seems more emotional and personal, with Peter Wichers (ex-Soilwork) as the primary writer, you know it's good.

Vastly underrated prog band comes out with what could be their masterpiece, it seems like Salinas finally found his voice in the band. Overall the band sounds similar to Dream Theater/Queensryche, but much heavier, and should appeal to fans of the afore mentioned bands, as well as Evergrey, Symphony X, etc.

Another great album from the Canadian death metal masters, Kataklysm have never let me down and it doesn't look like they will anytime soon, if you enjoyed any of the previous 3 or 4 or 5 albums, then you know what to expect, comes with a bonus DVD, can't beat that.

New Opeth = automatic purchase. Hopefully it's a bit heavier than Ghost Reveries and more along the lines of Deliverance, but even if it's not, you know it will still be some great progressive death metal goodness, I'll be interested in hearing how the new guitarist fits alongside Akerfeldt.

Cryptopsy is back after their 2005 masterpiece Once Was Not and even though Lord Worm is no longer in the fold, they are sure to continue to be the kings of Canadian technical death metal that they have always been.

Featuring the legendary Matt Barlow from Iced Earth, from the previews that I've heard, this album sounds better than anything that Iced Earth has done in years, this is power metal the way it should be.