The Zero Decade: Albums Of the Year: 2000-2009

My fsvorite album cover of the 2000's:
Megadeth: The System Has Failed

For the most part, the last ten years were good for heavy metal and progressive rock. Big acts regained their old spark. Bands like Mastodon and Opeth clambered toward the top of the heap, only to find Metallica still up there, renewed with the release of Death Magnetic. Radio and record stores continued to die a slow death, but downloading and services like Pandora point the way to a bright future.

• 2009: Porcupine Tree--The Incident
  This album sums up the strengths of Steven Wilson's quartet: tight interplay, keyboard textures and a melancholy longing that defines the band's appeal. The tour featured the band playing the entire first disc as one huge set opener.
• Runner-Up: Alice in Chains--Black Gives Way to Blue
  
  
• 2008: Metallica--Death Magnetic
  The triumphant return of the greatest metal band on the planet. New bassist Robert Trujillo and new producer Rick Rubin revitalized Metallica, giving fans the album that should have followed …And Justice For All, albeit 19 years too late.
  Runner-up: Judas Priest--Nostradamus
  
  
• 2007: Rush--Snakes & Arrows
  Rush made their first worthwhile album in 15 years with a powerhouse production and a back-to-basics approach that recalled their glory days of the late '70s and early '80s. The furious anger of Neil Peart's lyrics helped. 
• Runner-up: The Nightwatchman--One Man Revolution
  
  
• 2006: Mastodon--Blood Mountain
  These Georgia boys get up the hill in record time. Crystal skulls, crushing, jackhammer grooves and a prophetic, Cyclopean sasquatch make this a dizzying heavy metal hayride into the depths of the wilderness--and the heart of darkness. 
• Runner-up:: Tool--10,000 Days
  
  
• 2005: Opeth--Ghost Reveries
  This is a brilliant gem in the midst of a decade of great Opeth albums. A dark concept record, Ghost Reveries is a fan and critical favorite that highlights the band's virtuosity and the contrast between Mikael Åkerfeldt's clean singing and death--growl. 
• Runner-up: Dream Theater--Octavarium
  
  
• 2004: Motörhead--Inferno
  Of the five(!) albums released by Lemmy and the boys this decade, this is the finest. Strong, well-written songs, ("In the Name of Tragedy" is killer) thunderous Mickey Dee drumming and Phil Campbell's underrated guitar playing make for a strong outing. It ends with "Whorehouse Blues", the only acoustic country blues in the band's catalogue.
• Runner-up: Megadeth--The System Has Failed
  
  
• 2003: The Mars Volta--De-Loused In the Comatorium
  This is a swirling, stomping beast of a record, with jagged guitars, pounding tribal percussion and a distinctive vocal screech that recalls early Geddy Lee. It also helped trigger the prog-rock revolution of the 2000s, bringing complicated music newfound critical respect.
  Runner-Up: Opeth--Damnation
  
  
• 2002: Dream Theater--Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
  This magniicent double concept album encompasses everything that is good about Dream Theater. It also contains the band's longest song, the eight-part title track which examines six different psychological disorders over the course of 45 minutes of pure prog insanity.
  Runner-up: Porcupine Tree--In Absentia
  
  
• 2001: Tool--Lateralus
  From the punishing opening riff of "The Grudge", this is the quintessential Tool album, one of the records that helped redefine heavy music for this decade. And what a rhythm section.
  Runner-up: Rammstein--Mutter
  
  
• 2000:Iron Maiden--Brave New World
  In the year of weak metal albums, cultural marginalization and the arrival of Britney Spears, Maiden got their act together and put out their strongest album since the 1980s. With Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith back in the fold, and strong songs like "The Wicker Man" and the title track, this was a return to form and the first of three great Maiden albums released this decade.
  Runner-up: Pantera--Reinventing the Steel
  

Art by Mike Learn © 2004 Megadeth