i keep :facepalm:ing trying to decide the top 5. what a great fcking year.
turns out it cant be narrowed, so dont count my votes. but i'll still share a top 10:
the esseness project
btbam
dream theater
pain of salvation
blotted science
planet x
porcupine tree
beardfish
symphony x
thomas lang
a great year for instrumental isht (4 of my top 10). virgil himself had 3 awesome instrumental albums that year (gamabe donati fierabracci and devil's slingshot). other noteable albums include 3, almah, megadave, machinehead, after forever, canvas solaris, heart of cygnus, jordan rudess, riverside, thought chamber, and spherisc universe experience.