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. 

Travis Becker's Top 5 of 05.

5.  Erik Larson - Faith Hope Love: More Aggro, more focus, my sleeper pick of the year.   Given the number of projects with which this guy is involved, he may also get the nod for hardest working man in showbiz.
(samples / buy cd | review)

4.  Corrosion of Conformity - In the Arms of God:  Most albums fall well short of expectations, should high expectations be in place for them (see the new Thrice, oy), but as soon as this record starting oozing out of the speakers, I knew it was exactly the record I wanted from this band.  It's dirty, druggy, and you can dance to it...if you were a dirty drug addict I guess.
(samples / buy cd | review)

3. High on Fire - Blessed Black Wings:  I was a little leery coming in as a fan of the band after seeing a well known producer's name on the back of the record.  But Matt Pike has proven without a doubt that production has almost no bearing on raw, guttural, power.  Imagine standing inside a jet engine, a strangely melodic one.
(samples / buy cd)

The battle for number one was intense this year.  There were two releases this year that I really played the hell out of (my number one criteria for picking a top 5 type list, as opposed to the more typical critic-type tactic of just going for the 5 most obscure releases of the year).  Drum roll please...

2.  Clutch - Robot Hive/Exodus: After their number one finish with me last year, the mighty Clutch has been unseated.  Not their most immediately accessible effort, but maybe the strongest of their storied career.  RN/E just gets better and better with each listen.  The video for "Burning Beard" almost put them over the top.  Nothing like crazy robots in church and flaming facial hair.
(samples / buy cd | review)

And the vaunted number one selection of 2005 is...

1.  Street Dogs - Back to the World: It's full circle for Travis this year.  Feels like just yesterday I was extolling the virtues of this album, when in fact, it was like eleven months ago.  And it's not often a record can come out that early in the year and hang at the top for the distance.  Street Dogs just made an almost unimaginable listenable album and backed it right up with their live show.  Sometimes an album just speaks to you, I guess.  Lightning in a bottle.  
(samples / buy cd | review)