All lists are “In no particular order”

Mike’s Top 10 of 2012
Between the Buried & Me  – The Parallax II – Metal Blade
Asphyx – Deathhammer – Century Media
Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme  – Relapse
Soulfly  – Enslaved  – Roadrunner
Gojira  – L’enfant Sauvage  – Roadrunner
Pig Destroyer – Book Burner – Relapse
Lamb of God  – Resolution  – Epic
Cradle of Filth  – The Manticore And Other Horrors  – Nuclear Blast
Moonspell  – Alpha Noir / Omega White  – Napalm Records
Nactmystium – Silencing Machine – Century Media

Matt’s Top 10 of 2012
Testament  – Dark Roots Of Earth  – Nuclear Blast
Soulfly  – Enslaved  – Roadrunner
Lamb of God  – Resolution  – Epic
Gojira  – L’enfant Sauvage  – Roadrunner
Fear Factory  – The Industrialist  – Candlelight Records
Cradle of Filth  – The Manticore And Other Horrors  – Nuclear Blast
Spawn of Possession  – Incurso  – Relapse
Ex Deo  – Caligvla  – Napalm Records
King of Asgard  – …To North  – Metal Blade
Jeff Loomis  – Plains of Oblivion  – Century Media

Mike’s Honorable Mentions
Eluveitie  – Helvetios  – Nuclear Blast
Naglfar  – Teras  – Century Media
Zombie Inc – A Dreadful Decease – Massacre
Barren Earth  – The Devil’s Resolve  – Peaceville
Mystic Prophecy  – Ravenlord  – Massacre
Prong – Carved Into Stone – Long Branch
Angelus Apatrida – The Call – Century Media
Jeff Loomis  – Plains of Oblivion  – Century Media
Fear Factory  – The Industrialist  – Candlelight Records
Mad Maze – Frames of Alienation – Punishment 18
Helgrind  – Inquisition  – Digital Media
Nile – At The Gate of Sethu – Nuclear Blast
Axewound – Vultures – The End
Allegaeon  – Formshifter  – Metal Blade Records
Testament  – Dark Roots Of Earth  – Nuclear Blast
The Faceless – Akeldama – Sumerian
Eminence – The God of All Mistakes – Self

Matt’s Honorable Mentions
Moonspell  – Alpha Noir / Omega White  – Napalm Records
Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme  – Relapse
Shadows Fall  – Fire From the Sky  – Razor & Tie
The Faceless – Akeldama – Sumerian
Between the Buried & Me  – The Parallax II  – Metal Blade
Allegaeon  – Formshifter  – Metal Blade Records
Psycroptic  – The Inherited Repression  – Nuclear Blast
Cannibal Corpse  – Torture  – Metal Blade
Meshuggah – Koloss – Nuclear Blast
Naglfar  – Teras  – Century Media
Helgrind  – Inquisition  – Digital Media
Six Feet Under – Undead – Metal Blade
Zombie Inc – A Dreadful Decease – Massacre
Cattle Decapitation – Monolith of Inhumanity – Metal Blade
Nile – At The Gate of Sethu – Nuclear Blast

Mike’s Non-Metal Honorable Mentions
LA Guns – Hollywood Forever
Rush – Clockwork Angels
Aerosmith – Music From Another Dimension!
Van Halen – A Different Kind of Truth

Matt’s Non-Metal Honorable Mentions
Flying Colors  – Flying Colors  – Mascot
Adrenaline Mob  – Omerta  – Elm City
The Night Flight Orchestra  – Internal Affairs  – Coroner
Neal Morse – Momentum – Radiant
Diablo Swing Orchestra  – Pandora’s Pinata  – Lasers Edge
Rush – Clockwork Angels

Mosh Pit Top Local Bands
Warseid
Conniption
Pyroklast
Casket Robbery
Tragic Death

WTF!?
Geoff Tate  – Kings & Thieves  – Inside Out
The Amity Affliction  – Chasing Ghosts  – Roadrunner
Storm Corrosion – SC – Roadrunner

Matt’s Bonus “Great New release, but all of their stuff is awesome – Honorable Mentions”
Prong – Carved Into Stone – Long Branch
Overkill  – The Electric Age  – eOne
Kreator  – Phantom Antichrist  – Nuclear Blast
Goatwhore  – Blood for the Master  – Metal Blade
Mystic Prophecy  – Ravenlord  – Massacre
Epica  – Requiem for the Indifferent  – Nuclear Blast
Down  – Down IV: Part 1: The Purple  – ILG
Eluveitie  – Helvetios  – Nuclear Blast
Dew-Scented  – Icarus  – Prosthetic
Grave  – Endless Procession of Souls  – Century Media
Barren Earth  – The Devil’s Resolve  – Peaceville
Dethklok  – Dethalbum III  – Williams St.  or 1
Devin Townsend Project  – Epicloud  – InsideOut
Pathology  – The Time Of Great Purification  – Victory
Dark Tranquillity  – Zero Distance EP  – Century Media
High on Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis – eOne