10. Metallica - St. Anger
They took a beating in the press over this album, but I was one of the few that apparently liked it.
9. Bret Michaels - Songs Of Life
The Poison frontman's solo album doesn't break a huge amount of new ground musically, but the songs are catchy and well-written.
8. Various Artists - Headbangers Ball
A great 2 disc compilation with some of the biggest names in metal including Godsmack, Anthrax, Slayer, Rob Zombie, Lamb Of God, In Flames, Lacuna Coil, Poison The Well and many others.
7. Cradle of Filth - Damnation and A Day
Their major label debut, and excellent black symphonic metal.
6. Overkill - Killbox 13
They're still going strong after 13 albums.
5. Inhuman - The New Nightmare
A great combination of punk energy and metal melody with a hardcore delivery.
4. King Diamond - The Puppet Master
He's still the master of the epic horror metal album.
3. Devin Townsend - Accelerated Evolution
The noted producer and Strapping Young Lad frontman's solo project is genre-defying, combing progressive metal, pop-metal, and even a bit of psychedelica. It manages to go in many musical directions without losing focus.
2. Evergrey - Recreation Day
Dark power metal at its finest.
1. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon
I'm generally not a huge death metal fan, but this album completely blew me away.
Here are the Best of 2003 lists from some other metal writers, musicians and others in the industry. Thanks to all that participated!
Martin Popoff, author of "The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs Of All Time" and many other books:
1. OSI - Office Of Strategic Influence (InsideOut Music America)2. Hammers Of Misfortune- The August Engine (Cruz Del Sur)
3. Opeth - Damnation (Koch)
4. Lamb Of God - As The Palaces Burn (Prosthetic)
5. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon (Nuclear Blast)
6. Soilwork - Figure Number Five (Nuclear Blast)
7. Green Carnation - Blessing In Disguise (Season Of Mist)
8. Steve Hackett - To Watch The Storms (InsideOut Music America)
9. Voivod - Voivod (Chophouse)
10. ZZ Top - Mescalero (RCA/BMG)
