Since Metal Meltdown's inception in late 1997, I have always paused at the end of the year to count down my favorite releases of the moment. Looking back at these lists would surely cause me to reevaluate both which albums are missing and the individual rankings, and for that reason each list is simply presented here as it was given to the radio audience at the time.
Top 23 Albums of 2013
1) Volbeat - Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies
2) Tyr - Valkyrja
3) Stratovarius - Nemesis
4) Avantasia - The Mystery of Time
5) Trivium - Vengeance Falls
6) Orphaned Land - All Is One
7) Dark Moor - Ars Musica
8) Powerwolf - Preachers of the Night
9) Hell - Curse and Chapter
10) Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods
11) Dream Theater - Dream Theater
12) Timo Tolkki's Avalon - Land of New Hope
13) Edenbridge - The Bonding
14) Lingua Mortis Orchestra - LMO
15) Dark Tranquillity - Construct
16) Gloryhammer - Tales from the Kingdom of Fife
17) Turisas - Turisas2013
18) Pretty Maids - Motherland
19) Royal Hunt - A Life to Die For
20) Masterplan - Novum Initium
21) Death Angel - The Dream Calls for Blood
2) Tyr - Valkyrja
3) Stratovarius - Nemesis
4) Avantasia - The Mystery of Time
5) Trivium - Vengeance Falls
6) Orphaned Land - All Is One
7) Dark Moor - Ars Musica
8) Powerwolf - Preachers of the Night
9) Hell - Curse and Chapter
10) Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods
11) Dream Theater - Dream Theater
12) Timo Tolkki's Avalon - Land of New Hope
13) Edenbridge - The Bonding
14) Lingua Mortis Orchestra - LMO
15) Dark Tranquillity - Construct
16) Gloryhammer - Tales from the Kingdom of Fife
17) Turisas - Turisas2013
18) Pretty Maids - Motherland
19) Royal Hunt - A Life to Die For
20) Masterplan - Novum Initium
21) Death Angel - The Dream Calls for Blood