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 22 Albums of 2009
1) Megadeth - Endgame
2) Powerwolf - Bible of the Beast
3) Sonata Arctica - The Days of Grays
4) Ensiferum - From Afar
5) Epica - Design Your Universe
6) Tyr - By the Light of the Northern Star
7) Trick or Treat - Tin Soldiers
8) Primal Fear - 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
9) HammerFall - No Sacrifice, No Victory
10) Alestorm - Black Sails at Midnight
11) Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
12) Rebellion - Arise
13) Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
14) Amorphis - Skyforger
15) Iron Fire - To the Grave
16) Stratovarius - Polaris
17) Cain's Offering - Gather the Faithful
18) Heavenly - Carpe Diem
19) Savage Circus - Of Doom and Death
20) Amberian Dawn - The Clouds of Northland Thunder
21) Cardiant - Tomorrow's Daylight
22) Wolf - Ravenous
2) Powerwolf - Bible of the Beast
3) Sonata Arctica - The Days of Grays
4) Ensiferum - From Afar
5) Epica - Design Your Universe
6) Tyr - By the Light of the Northern Star
7) Trick or Treat - Tin Soldiers
8) Primal Fear - 16.6 (Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
9) HammerFall - No Sacrifice, No Victory
10) Alestorm - Black Sails at Midnight
11) Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
12) Rebellion - Arise
13) Heaven and Hell - The Devil You Know
14) Amorphis - Skyforger
15) Iron Fire - To the Grave
16) Stratovarius - Polaris
17) Cain's Offering - Gather the Faithful
18) Heavenly - Carpe Diem
19) Savage Circus - Of Doom and Death
20) Amberian Dawn - The Clouds of Northland Thunder
21) Cardiant - Tomorrow's Daylight
22) Wolf - Ravenous