10 Best Metal Albums of 2006

It was quite the year in 2006! Some of the most enduring bands from the old school mixed it up with emerging titans of the modern era, resulting in something for metalheads of all classes. Artists released what are largely considered their breakthrough albums in 2006, adding to the growing pool of new headliners that would continue to steamroll their success through the next decade, truly ushering in a new age of heaviness.

Simultaneously, legacy acts like Iron Maiden and Cannibal Corpse added to their already legendary discographies, proving they're worth all the accolades that have been rained down on them over the years. A sizable chunk of the heavy metal spectrum is represented here, from black to death to power to whatever the hell Mastodon can be categorized as.

See the 10 Best Metal Albums of 2006 below.