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 2011
1) Nightwish - Imaginaerum
2) Alestorm - Back Through Time
3) Tyr - The Lay of Thrym
4) Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
5) Symphony X - Iconoclast
6) Iced Earth - Dystopia
7) Rhapsody of Fire - From Chaos to Eternity
8) Turisas - Stand Up and Fight
9) Megadeth - Thirteen
10) Falconer - Armod
11) Powerwolf - Blood of the Saints
12) Brainstorm - On the Spur of the Moment
13) Jag Panzer - The Scourge of the Light
14) Iron Savior - The Landing
15) Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising
16) Iron Mask - Black As Death
17) Hammerfall - Infected
18) Edguy - Age of the Joker
19) Power Quest - Blood Alliance
20) Stratovarius - Elysium
21) Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers
22) Battle Beast - Steel
23) Samael - Lux Mundi
2) Alestorm - Back Through Time
3) Tyr - The Lay of Thrym
4) Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
5) Symphony X - Iconoclast
6) Iced Earth - Dystopia
7) Rhapsody of Fire - From Chaos to Eternity
8) Turisas - Stand Up and Fight
9) Megadeth - Thirteen
10) Falconer - Armod
11) Powerwolf - Blood of the Saints
12) Brainstorm - On the Spur of the Moment
13) Jag Panzer - The Scourge of the Light
14) Iron Savior - The Landing
15) Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising
16) Iron Mask - Black As Death
17) Hammerfall - Infected
18) Edguy - Age of the Joker
19) Power Quest - Blood Alliance
20) Stratovarius - Elysium
21) Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers
22) Battle Beast - Steel
23) Samael - Lux Mundi