Or at least it felt that way. Lost one job, found another. Moved across country. Big life changing stuff. Haven't bought a new CD of any kind or followed the metal scene since 2011.

What is the best shit that I missed fellas? Need to catch up this winter.

My favorite albums of the year (that I've heard so far) were Finsterforst "Rastlos" and Dordeduh's "Dar De Duh." If you like epic black metal with some folk, I recommend both of them.

My knowledge of metal seems to be limited to pagan/folk metal, so I'm not much help in other areas. I heard good things about the latest from A Forest Of Stars.

If we're talking about folk/pagan/black etc, then also count in Burzum, Heidevolk, Ereb Altor, Drudkh, Sventoyar, Nezhegol, Mondstille, Llvme, Graveland, Anabioz, Fortid, Arstidir Lifsins, Enslaved, Kawir, Dalriada, Hel, Dammerfarben, Kamaedzitca, Waylander, Celtachor, Oakenshield, Zrec, I don't know how many I forgot.

I believe in the Metal discussion forum there's a "best of 2012" thread going on, you should browse that.

As for me, some of my favorites are...

Dephosphorus - Night Sky Transform
Dynamic, dark, and otherwordly grindcore that blends thrash and black metal into one of the year's best trips.

http://perpetualstrifemusic.blogspot.co ... sform.html

Bosse-De-Nage III
Excellent black metal with a huge dose of 90's alt rock, post rock, or whatever else you want to call it.

http://perpetualstrifemusic.blogspot.co ... e-iii.html

Flourishing - Intersubjectivity
Bizarre, uncomfortable and shambling death metal with nods to Portal, Gorguts, Ulcerate, etc.

http://perpetualstrifemusic.blogspot.co ... ivity.html

Column of Heaven - Mission From God
Powerful grindcore with nods to power violence from this soon to be seminal outfit. Awesome theme putting the album together.

http://perpetualstrifemusic.blogspot.co ... m-god.html

Be sure to check out the new side-project of Mark Shelton (from Manilla Road). It's called Hellwell, and the first album is entitled "Beyond The Boundaries Of Sin".

The pinnacle of modern extreme metal (more specifically death and grind), Cattle Decapitation's savage opus of suffering, chaos, and gore known as Monolith Of Inhumanity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il5TVnQw30g

Incantation's new one came out a few weeks ago and it's some pretty crushing death/doom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLcBjkOSjY0

Anaal Nathrakh gives Cattle a run for their money (not that much money though) with a more blackened take on chaotic grind with some hardstyle electronic influences thrown into the mix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51W4dGmlWq4

Revocation's new EP release through Scion A/V can be downloaded for free and is by far their best work yet
http://www.relapse.com/teratogenesis-t- ... av-cd.html

Deathspell Omega's Drought EP rules and serves as a great end to their trilogy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SV4vCQGJko

Pig Destroyer's Book Burner is their most punishing release since Prowler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6dycCqqZS0

*ahem*, I appear to have accidentally put a self-promoting URL here by mistake

http://heavymetalspotlight.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/feature-album-of-year-2012-shortlist.html

If I were to make a post, however, it would probably cover roughly the same albums - Anaal Nathrakh and A Forest of Stars have been fantastic.

I found the new Winterfylleth to be enjoyable, despite not making it onto my short-list - it sounds like the album they were always aiming at, but this time properly fulfilled. The new Wodensthrone was great, although I've not listened to it as much - a worthy follow up to their first album.

Ketzer released what may well be one of my favourite black-thrash albums in a while, in the form of Endzeit Metropolis, which is technical, has superb leads, and really goes to places that black-thrash doesn't always go.

You missed quite a nice year...Wintersun´s "okay" comeback album, Carach Angren´s masterpiece, Baroness experimentation, The great Rush masterpiece of the last decade and some really nice albums that you can check on "2012 favourites thread"

How much PCP did you do to come to this realization?

I think the thread in the Metal Discussion forum has this covered. Also, people who are making "hey, I'm back, tell me what I missed" are pissing me off.