2010 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Blood of the Nations finds Accept rebooting the classic heavy-metal frame with Mark Tornillo and a modern sense of weight.

Deep Exceed is Aldious’ debut statement, joining bright twin guitars, speed-driven rhythm and melodic vocals in a traditional melodic-metal frame.

A Road to Depression uses the contrast of female dual vocals and metallic guitar to build shadowed, melodic rock.

For We Are Many combines All That Remains’ cutting riffs, heavy breakdowns and singable choruses in tightly built metalcore.

The Showdown centers on the powerful voices of Russell Allen and Jørn Lande, building dramatic melodic metal around their contrast.

Aqua uses a water-themed concept to connect Angra’s Brazilian rhythmic feel, progressive turns and melodic power-metal lift.

Annihilator is a self-titled dose of Annihilator’s cutting thrash riffs, complex rhythm and Jeff Waters’ distinctive guitar spark.

7th Symphony joins Apocalyptica’s weighty cello sound to metal riffing while making room for guest vocals and electronic color.

Omega layers Asia’s grand keyboards, refined guitar and open choruses to connect progressive sensibility with AOR-style songcraft.

Angel of Babylon expands Avantasia’s metal-opera appeal through varied guest voices and symphonic arrangements.

The Wicked Symphony polishes Avantasia’s grand rock-opera feel with huge choruses, emotional melody and multiple vocal personalities.

Nightmare connects Avenged Sevenfold’s sharp metal riffs, dramatic lead guitar and darker melody.

Order of the Black puts Zakk Wylde’s thick guitar riffs, heavy groove and bluesy song sense at the front in classic Black Label Society fashion.

Re-rise reaffirms Blindman’s melodic-hard-rock strengths through fluent guitar work, rich melody and flexible rhythm.

All Night Long delivers Buckcherry’s thick riffs, rough-edged vocals and no-frills rock and roll directly.

Generation Wild joins Crashdïet’s sleazy rock-and-roll charge to catchy choruses and slightly shadowed melody.

New Religion rebuilds the huge choruses, bright guitar and forceful beat of eighties hard rock with a modern sound.

Ancestral Romance connects Dark Moor’s classical melody, symphonic breadth and refined power metal.

We Are the Void layers Dark Tranquillity’s cold-toned guitar melodies, precise rhythm and harsh vocals to create a beauty shaped by shadow.

Relentless Retribution packs Death Angel’s Bay Area thrash sharpness, shifting rhythm and urgent vocals into an ambitious record.

Asylum builds dark hard rock from Disturbed’s low, heavy groove, tense riffs and commanding vocals.

In the Night drives traditional heavy metal straight ahead with Dream Evil’s thick riffs, heroic choruses and passionate vocals.

Solitaire connects Edenbridge’s symphonic breadth, clear vocals and power-metal momentum.

Exhibit B: The Human Condition is an expansive blast of Exodus’ unforgiving thrash riffs, sharp drumming and socially tense atmosphere.

Days of Defiance unites Firewind’s fast power metal, memorable lead guitar and strong choruses.

First Signal is a self-titled AOR and melodic-rock debut built around warm vocals, rich choruses and polished keyboards.

Metropolis marks FM’s return to British melodic rock with smooth vocals, refined keyboards and tasteful guitar.

Legend of the Shadowking collects Freedom Call’s bright, fast melody, singalong choruses and fantasy-world atmosphere in a concept-minded record.

Resurrection opens a new chapter for Galneryus by gathering virtuosic guitar and keyboards, racing rhythm and soaring melody into one forward thrust.

To the Metal! puts Gamma Ray’s racing riffs, heroic choruses and Kai Hansen’s forceful vocal style directly in front.

Promise Land reaffirms Giant’s melodic-rock strengths with rich choruses, refined guitar and a sense for emotional balladry.

The Oracle pushes Godsmack’s aggressive hard rock through low, rolling riffs, heavy drums and tense vocals.

Freedom Rock delivers youthful Scandinavian melodic rock through H.E.A.T’s soaring vocals, gleaming keyboards and lively guitar.

Split Your Lip joins Hardcore Superstar’s punk-like roughness to heavy guitar and poisoned melody.

Red Velvet Car shows Heart’s mature rock character through deep vocals, weighty guitar and measured arrangements.

7 Sinners pushes Helloween toward a more aggressive power-metal attack with fast riffs, rougher rhythm and large choruses.

The Final Frontier uses cosmic atmosphere, long-form construction and layered triple guitars to create Iron Maiden metal on an adventurous scale.

Poetry for the Poisoned layers Kamelot’s shadowed melodies, symphonic breadth and dramatic choruses into a dark, theatrical world.

Korn III: Remember Who You Are revisits Korn’s earlier rawness through rough riffs, bouncing bass presence and urgent vocals.

Return to Heaven Denied Pt. II carries the spirit of Labyrinth’s earlier classic through ornate guitar, grand melody and detailed power-metal construction.

A Touch of Heaven layers Last Autumn’s Dream’s warm vocals, soft keyboards and graceful melody into Scandinavian AOR.

Yes is a useful way to hear LAST AUTUMN'S DREAM from a different angle within the 2010 catalogue.

A Thousand Suns moves Linkin Park toward a concept-driven world of electronic sound, fragmented interludes and heavy rock passages, carrying a nuclear-age sense of tensio

Bad D.N.A. layers Marty Friedman’s exotic-tinged melodies, sharp guitar phrases and arrangements that cross rock and metal.

Time to Be King builds dramatic power metal from Masterplan’s thick guitar, symphonic keyboards and grand choruses.

Scream combines Ozzy Osbourne’s unmistakable vocal character with heavy guitar and modern rhythm to create dark, hard-edged metal.

Fuzz Universe lets Paul Gilbert move freely between rock, fusion, metal and pop-minded ideas in an instrumental showcase of guitar expression.

Strings to a Web combines Rage’s hard riffs, speed and multi-part large-scale construction.

Infestation revisits Ratt’s L.A. hard-rock appeal through catchy riffs, loose-but-satisfying groove and husky vocals.

Reckless Love is Reckless Love’s full-color debut, firing off huge choruses, bouncing beats and sweetly catchy melodies.

The Frozen Tears of Angels binds Rhapsody of Fire’s grand orchestration, fast power metal and cinematic storytelling.

X shows Royal Hunt’s symphonic and progressive metal strengths through dramatic keyboards, hard guitar and shadowed melody.

Sting in the Tail balances Scorpions’ hard guitar riffs, forceful rockers and emotional balladry.

Origins layers Shaman’s Brazilian-metal passion, symphonic color and emotional melody.

Slash pairs Slash with a wide range of guest vocalists, moving from bluesy riff rock to arena-sized hard rock.

The Panic Broadcast combines Soilwork’s cutting melodic-death riffs, modern groove and vocals that move between clean and harsh approaches.

Audio Secrecy combines Stone Sour’s heavy guitar with melancholic melody and a sensitive ballad instinct.

Eyes in the Night is Striker’s youthful traditional-metal debut, powered by sharp guitar riffs, racing rhythm and high-reaching vocals.

A Farewell to Arms layers TNT’s beautiful vocal melodies, delicate yet bright guitar and clear keyboards.

Coup de Grace brings Treat back with thick choruses, sharp guitar and refined keyboards, powerfully restoring Scandinavian melodic rock’s appeal.

Facemelter delivers classic hard rock through Y&T’s bluesy guitar, sturdy rhythm and direct vocals.

Relentless puts Yngwie Malmsteen’s neoclassical melodies, breathtaking speed and heavy riffs at the front.