Articles : ‘Best of 2009’ Readers Poll – Results

With voting now closed in Metal Obsession’s ‘Best of 2009’ readers poll, it is time to announce those albums which made an imprint on the Australian heavy metal public. With a massive increase of votes in this year’s edition spread over 69 Australian releases and 98 International’s, the list’s that you will see below cover a fairly broad cross-section of the scenes both internationally and here in Australia.

Given the websites focus on supporting all Australian metal, it was great to see representation from almost all Australian states. From Be’lakor‘s melodic death metal to the nihilistic offerings of Sydney’s Nazxul, and the doom master class from Adelaide’s Mournful Congregation to the progressive power metal by Voyager out of Perth. The scene is clearly booming here in Aus.

On the international front however, the list was dominated by American bands who filled up 7/10 places. Heavyweights Slayer and Megadeth ran a late race, eventually making it to mid-table; however it was the progressive trappings of Mastodon that came up trumps. Behemoth and Katatonia were the only Europeans to make the cut, surprising given the amount of great albums from the region in 2009.

Below you will see first your lists for the best albums of 2009, followed by the 4 staff members’ lists. From all the Metal Obsession staff, we thank you both for voting and the continued support we receive from you in running this website.

Here’s to 2010, stay metal! \m/

Readers Choice: Albums of 2009

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AUSTRALIAN RELEASES OF 2009
#1 Australian: Be’lakor – Stone’s Reach (review)
#2 Australian: LORD – Set In Stone (review)
#3 Australian: Deströyer 666 – Defiance
#4 Australian: Nazxul – Iconoclast (review)
#5 Australian: Portal – Swarth
#6 Australian: Karnivool – Sound Awake (review)
#7 Australian: Templestowe – Cimmerian (review)
#8 Australian: Voyager – I am the reVolution (review)
#9 Australian: Mournful Congregation – The June Frost
#10 Australian: Switchblade – Invictus Infinitium (review)

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INTERNATIONAL RELEASES OF 2009
#1 International: Mastodon – Crack the Skye
#2 International: Behemoth – Evangelion (review)
#3 International: Devin Townsend Project – Addicted
=#4 International: Lamb of God – Wrath
=#4 International: Slayer – World Painted Blood
#6 International: Megadeth – Endgame (review)
=#7 International: Alice in Chains – Black Gives Way to Blue (review)
=#7 International: Baroness – Blue Record (review)
=#7 International: Porcupine Tree – The Incident
#10 International: Katatonia – Night Is The New Day

Staff Choice: Albums of 2009

Brendan Amos (SMiM)

#1 Australian: Eleventh He Reaches London – Hollow Be My Name
#2 Australian: Be’lakor – Stone’s Reach
#3 Australian: Nazxul – Iconoclast
#4 Australian: Claim The Throne – Aletales
#5 Australian: Celephai – Antediluvian

#1 International: Ulcerate – Everything Is Fire
#2 International: Sólstafir – Köld
#3 International: Insomnium – Across The Dark
#4 International: Anaal Nathrakh – In The Constellation Of The Black Widow
#5 International: Hypocrisy – A Taste Of Extreme Divinity

Mitch Booth (Mean Machine)

#1 Australian: Be’lakor – Stone’s Reach
#2 Australian: Portal – Swarth
#3 Australian: Eleventh He Reaches London – Hollow Be My Name
#4 Australian: Arcane – Chronicles of the Waking Dream
#5 Australian: Voyager – I am the reVolution

#1 International: Devin Townsend Project – Addicted
#2 International: Anaal Nathrakh – In The Constellation of the Black Widow
#3 International: Candlemass – Death Magic Doom
#4 International: Amesoeurs – Amesoeurs
#5 International: Between The Buried And me – The Great Misdirect

Scott Boelsen (Boelsen)

#1 Australian: Eleventh He Reaches London – Hollow Be My Name
#2 Australian: Karnivool – Sound Awake
#3 Australian: sleepmakeswaves/Tangled Thoughts of Leaving – split ep
#4 Australian: Be’lakor – Stone’s Reach
#5 Australian: Voyager – I am the reVolution

#1 International: Rammstein – Liebe Ist Für Alle Da
#2 International: Brand New – Daisy
#3 International: The Decemberist’s – The Hazards of Love
#4 International: Alexisonfire – Young Cardinals
#5 International: Devin Townsend – Addicted

Anwar Rizk (Black Tooth Grin)

#1 Australian: Voyager – I am the reVolution
#2 Australian: LORD – Set In Stone
#3 Australian: Darker Half – Duality
#4 Australian: Be’lakor – Stone’s Reach
#5 Australian: Orpheus – So It Begins…

#1 International: Devin Townsend Project – Addicted
#2 International: Megadeth – Endgame
#3 International: Grave Digger – Ballads of a Hangman
#4 International: HammerFall – No Sacrifice, No Victory
#5 International: Behemoth – Evangelion