2000s

It's the '80s and '90s that's left with Metallica and Pantera going head to head in the March Madness championship.

Do you recall where you were when these big rock and metal events were happening?

In a year with a great influx of new talent, we had supergroups, new solo projects, emerging metalcore acts, rising alt-rock heroes and more capturing our attention in 2006.

Going through metal's first decade in the new millennium, these albums represent the best of each year from 2000 through 2009.