Here are Mike’s (The Book’s) top lists of 2005….

Overall Top 10 (in no particular order)
Arch Enemy — Doomsday Machine
Soilwork — Stabbing The Drama
Dew Scented — Issue VI
Sentenced — Funeral Album
Byzantine — …And They Shall Take Up Serpents
System of a Down — Mezmerize/Hypnotize
Watch Them Die — Bastard Son
Dream Theater — Octavarium
Soulfly — Dark Ages
Exodus — Shovel Headed Kill Machine

Death and Black Metal List (in no particular order)
Summon — Fallen
Behemoth — Demigod
Dark Tranquillity — Character
Children of Bodom — Are We Dead Yet?
Opeth — Ghost Reveries
Old Man’s Child — Vermin
Cryptopsy — Once Was Not
Nile — Annihilation of the Wicked
Obituary — Frozen In Time
Bloodbath — Nightmares Made Flesh

Best Metalcore (in no particular order)
Between The Buried And Me — Alaska
Still Remains — Love And Lunacy
Agony Scene — Darkest Red
Madball — Legacy
Throwdown — Vendetta

Best Prog/Power Metal (in no particular order)
Kamelot — Black Halo
Nevermore — This Godless Endeavor
Brainstorm — Liquid Monster
Judas Priest — Angel of Retribution
Helloween — Keeper of the Seven Keys III

Best Live Performances
Devildriver
Strapping Young Lad
Clutch
Iron Maiden
Arch Enemy
Dream Theater
Opeth
Obituary
Children of Bodom
Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Worst Live Performances
Fear Before The March Of Flames (Sounds of the Underground)
It Dies Today (opened for Fear Factory)
Robert Fripp (opened for Porcupine Tree)

Honorable Mentions
Apocalyptica — Reflections
Porcupine Tree — Deadwing
Chimaira — Chimaira
God Forbid — IV: Constitution of Treason
Avenged Sevenfold — City of Evil
Candlemass — Candlemass