50. Grand Magus – Sword Songs (Nuclear Blast)

“If this is the future for Grand Magus I think it’s gonna be a bright one”. – Ferry Templeton, 12/05/16

Read Ferry’s full Sword Songs review HERE

49. Gygax – Critical Hits (Creator-Destructor Records)

Don’t be scared by the D&D connotations of the name; Gygax are simply purveyors of a distinctly American strand of dual guitar-driven hard rock that requires no knowledge of Dungeons or indeed Dragons to become immersed in. Former Gypsyhawk men Bryant Throckmorton and Eric Harris have surpassed themselves with Critical Hits, and then some – Gavin Strickmann

48. Gojira – Magma (Roadrunner)

Perhaps more sombre, more introspective than Gojiras of yore, Magma, despite causing disappointment in some quarters seems to me to be the album that sets them for the move to the next level, if not commercially then certainly artistically; to me there’s always been a whiff of Voi Vod about these boys, and pleasingly that seems to be coming more to the fore here. – Michael Stronge

47. Wolf Hoffmann – Headbangers Symphony (Nuclear Blast)

“Symphonies, Scherzos… and a tasteful amount of Shredding. Hoffmann clearly has a passion for the classical canon, and his playing here shows that. highly recommended!” – Ferry Templeton, 04/07/16

Read Ferry’s full Headbangers Symphony review, and listen to a track from it HERE

46. Opeth – Sorceress (Moderbolaget/Nuclear Blast)

“It now seems that the jazz/prog fusion is taking over far more, as is Mikael Åkerfeldt’s wont. Some of you will not necessarily enjoy all of this album, but give it a few listens. Sometimes those albums that you need to hear a few times before they grab you are the ones you keep playing for years to come”. – Lisa Taylor, 01/09/16

Read the full version of Lisa’s review HERE

45. Vega – Who We Are (Frontiers Music)

“A sleek, hooky exposition of grade A songwriting and performance… It’s perhaps silly to say that this is a coming of age record, but with Who We Are Vega have definitely proved that they are ready to bust out of the sometimes-too-cosy melodic rock ghetto and cross over to a wider world and a more mainstream audience. They definitely deserve to”. – Gavin Strickmann, 04/06/16

Read Gavin’s full review HERE

44. Russian Circles – Guidance (Sargent House)

Cook, Sullivan and Turncrantz deliver another album’s worth of stygian heaviness allied with a depth of dynamic I don’t often personally register in instrumental music. Producer Kurt Ballou acts as a valuable fourth member here, as the band continue to evolve and hone in equal measure. – Michael Stronge

43  Megadeth – Dystopia (Tradecraft/Universal)

Whatever the naysayers might say about things, I rather like this lineup of Megadeth; Chris Adler and Kiko Loureiro bring a dash of the class and flash of the Marty Friedman days back to the band and Megadave, angry again, contributes some of his best sneering and soloing in years. – Michael Stronge

42 The Casualties – Chaos Sound (Season of Mist)

“Young punx may well be swept up in the studded leather jacket and eighteen hole Doc Marten euphoria of it all, and good luck to them”. – Michael Stronge, 27/02/16

Read Michael’s full review and listen to a track from the album HERE

41. Exumer – The Raging Tides (Metal Blade)

“Strong return from the German veterans… by the time bonus tracks have finished you’ll be wanting to get back to the start of The Raging Tides to go another round with one of thrash’s most underrated veteran acts”. – Scott Adams 12/02/16

Read Scott’s full review of Exumer’s The Raging Tides HERE