I’m actually the most excited to write about this list above all the other ones that I’ve written because it contains the least amount of content that has been featured on the site.  We’ve written and talked about a fair share of purely non-metal albums this year, but the ones that I’ve been in touch with the most are the ones that I have kept the closest to my chest.  I enjoy a few surprises at the end of the year, and while you may have heard me gush about a few of these albums more than once, there should be enough curveballs in there to sufficiently throw you off the scent if you think you know what’s coming.  These are the albums that I flew to in the bad times, when I was too down to get into the spirit of metal, even as catharsis, and they’re albums I listened to to celebrate the good that happened this year.  It’s good to get some variety in the mix anyway, and these are some of the best ways I can think of to get that in there.