CanuckFan's Best of 2011

It's that time of year!  Here it goes.  Feel free to add any of your own lists in the comments.

Top 11 Albums of 2011 (this was very tough and the list went through several drafts before I got to where I was comfortable with it):

11. The Metamorphosis Melody - Midnattsol

10. Fall from Grace - Borealis

9. The Corruption of Mercy - Sarah Jezebel Deva

8. The Writ of Sword - Crimfall

7. Terra Incognita - Coronatus

6. Slovo - Arkona

5. Meredead - Leaves' Eyes

4. The Unforgiving - Within Temptation

3. The Awakening of Gaia - Crysalys

2. Eirwen - Dama

1. Imaginaerum - Nightwish

(honourable mentions: Imperia's Secret Garden and Visions of Atlantis's Delta)

Top 11 New Finds of 2011 (in no particular order):

1. Dama

2. Arkona

3. Echoterra

4. Arven

5. Amaranthe

6. Draconian

7. Liv Moon

8. Where Angels Fall

9. Weeping Silence

10. Crysalys
11. Akoma

Best ballads of 2011 (in no particular order):

1. "Rainy Roads" - Dama

2. "Let Down" - Imperia

3. "Turn Loose the Mermaids" - Nightwish

4. "Beyond Horizon - The Poem Part II" - Visions of Atlantis
5. "Slow, Love, Slow" - Nightwish
6. "My Dear Friend" - Arven
7. "Amaranthine" - Amaranthe (well, it's kinda ballady...isn't it?)
8. "Goodbye" - Midnattsol
9. "Scarlet Thoughts in Room" - Dama
10. "Where is the Edge" - Within Temptation
11. ???

Best Covers of 2011 (in no particular order):

1. "Live to Tell" - Dama

2. "Maria Magdalena" - Visions of Atlantis

3. "Zombie" - Sarah Jezebel Deva

4. "Primo Victoria" - Van Canto

5. "To France" - Leaves' Eyes
6. "Nemo" - Spythriller

I couldn't think of 11.

Last.fm top 11 most played songs of 2011:

1. "Storytime" - Nightwish

2. "Rainy Roads" - Dama

3. "Live to Tell" - Dama

4. "Sleeping Sun" - Nightwish

5. "Faster" - Within Temptation

6. "Sinead" - Within Temptation

7. "The House of the Rising Sun" - The Animals (don't ask)

8. "Wildfire Season" - Crimfall

9. "Sacrament of Wilderness" - Nightwish

10. "Let Down" - Imperia
11. "Rain" - Dawn of Destiny

Last.fm top 11 most played bands of 2011:

1. Nightwish 

2. Dama

3. Leaves' Eyes

4. The Decemberists (yes, I realize they're not metal, but they are still awesome)

5. Within Temptation

6. Crimfall

7. Dawn of Destiny

8. Tarja

9. Where Angels Fall

10. Loreena McKennitt (see #4)
11. Amaranthe