Metallattorney's Top 21 Albums of the 21st Century So Far

Metalsucks is slowly revealing one album each weekday, so it will be a little while before I will post about their whole list, and what a depressing list it is so far. I won't provide any details or opinions here but, my god. So here is my list. I will reveal four albums each day this week and if I get to a post on Saturday, I will reveal my winner. These are my favorite albums in the 21st Century (since January 1, 2000, which Metalsucks determined, not me), if anyone has any differing opinions, I would be willing to hear them. If anyone doesn't like any of my opinions, fuck you, it's my site and I don't care.

So, without further ado:

#21. OPETH: BLACKWATER PARK
Opeth is not one of my favorite bands, although I do enjoy them quite a bit. This album is largely considered their masterpiece. I don't agree, but my favorite came before 2000. This is a great album though and effectively mixes their melodic side with their more extreme side. It is one of their better albums at keeping the listener's attention all the way through. Many of the other albums tend to get a little boring. On this album, Opeth provides very interesting riffs, exceptional lead guitar melodies, and the amazing vocals of Mikael Akerfeldt. The extreme parts outweigh the more melodic parts, but that is how I have always liked the band. A great album by a very interesting band.

#20. INTO ETERNITY: THE SCATTERING OF ASHES
Into Eternity is another progressive metal band, but they play considerably faster and blend influences from power metal, death metal, and progressive metal. The lyrics can be a little emo-ish, but the vocals are amazing. There are three different vocal styles present on this album: melodic clean vocals, death metal style growling, and high-pitched raspy vocals. The three styles often hit from all sides at the same time. The music is generally upbeat despite the nature of the lyrics. All in all, a great album by an up and coming band.

#19. SCAR SYMMETRY: PITCH BLACK PROGRESS
Scar Symmetry is similar to Into Eternity, but with more death metal elements and existing more on the Gothenburg/melodic death metal spectrum. Scar Symmetry had only one vocalist, who just recently left the band, who possessed the ability to sing in a very powerful clean style and deliver an impressive death metal growl. He switches between the styles effortlessly. The music is infectious and melodic, still possessing melodeath elements, but decidedly more musical and with frequent keyboard usage. An impressive release from a band who could have been huge had their vocalist stayed onboard. The bonus tracks are actually the best songs on the album.

#18. BEHEMOTH: DEMIGOD
Behemoth was previously a black metal band from Poland. By this time, the band had shed much of its black metal influences and become more of a death metal band. The music has a sinister atmosphere, almost Middle Eastern sounding. Nergal has some of the deepest vocals in the genre, particularly on this release. This album helped to propel the band into the mainstream despite its inaccessibility. Fairly impressive for this type of band.