Over the last few weeks of 05 we will be posting our writers' picks for the best of 2005. 

Each day we posted a new Top 5 list from one of our writers. Now at the conclusion we are please to present the master list comprised of the top picks from all of our writer submissions. 

Hobo's Top 5 of 05.

Much like 2004, 2005 was a great year for death, gore, grind and hardcore. We got the first on-par Strapping Young Lad album since 1997’s City, a new Napalm Death album and a taste of some innovative new strains of grind.

5.  Lord Gore – Resickened: Technically this album was released on Christmas eve of 2004 – which means there was no way I could have included it in 2004’s best-of list. This brilliant piece of grooving, guttural sickness was the first gore-grind album I ever really got into. Perhaps that’s because this is the perfect gore album – in all aspects.
(samples / buy cd | review)

4.  Ramallah – Kill a Celebrity: ‘White trash’ Rob Lind (Blood for Blood) fires back with an apocalyptic, hate-filled bludgeoning hardcore solo release. Robs song-writing, perceptions and disillusionment with mankind have reached their peak in this furious hardcore punk rock album – edging out Bane’s The Note for a position in the Top 5.
(samples / buy cd | review)

3. Strapping Young Lad – Alien:  For most people, Strapping Young Lad’s self titled release didn’t feel right. Devy was too side-tracked with his production duties to develop a worthy follow-up to City. It was two-dimensional. Alien is the album that should have been released – every bit as good as City; the subliminal mind-f**ks, chaotic wall of sound and awesome drumwork of Gene Hoglan make this one of the top release of 2005.
(samples / buy cd | review)

2.  Genghis Tron – Cloak of Love (EP):  Three daring college kids making waves across the grinding world with their mind-blowing electro-pop grind mutation. In five short songs, Genghis Tron have taught us to discount any narrow-minded pre-conceptions of the “limited-nature” of grindcore – and proved once more that grind is simply the most innovative, progressive and exciting metal genre in existence.
(samples / buy cd | review)

1.  Rotten Sound – Exit: Mind-blowing extreme death/grind. This Finnish outfit will grind your f**king cranium into dust and then proceed to do lines of your crushed skull. Unmatched extremity and brutality, brilliant drum-work, a powerful and diverse vocal attack, and riff after memorable riff make this album my most-played and favourite release of 2005.
(samples / buy cd | review)

Special mentions: Napalm Death’s The Code is Red… Long Live the Code once more solidified their throne as kings of grind – doing what they do best better than 99% of imitators our there some 23 years on. Bane’s The Note was the best old-school hardcore release, full of powerful riffs and lyrics. Cephalic Carnage’s Anomalies continues to push the boundaries of death metal.  A special mention also to Engorged – Where Monsters Dwell, giving us their best release to date; a powerful grinding death/thrash attack.