We continue to count down the finest slabs of metal from the last year, as chosen by the devout scribes here at BW&BK;/BraveWords.com. As with previous years, each writer was asked to pick his top 20 albums of the year (no live records, compilations or covers etc...). We perform a little behind-the-scenes metal math and voila, we have our list! We'll be counting down the Top 30 all month - yup, one a day until we get to New Year's - yes, we're aware that December has 31 daze but we thought we'd let you hang until January 1st!

We are halfway there! It's time for #15! Drum roll please...

#15 - BLIND GUARDIAN - At The Edge Of Time (Nuclear Blast)

German metallers BLIND GUARDIAN released their tenth studio album, At The Edge Of Time in August, the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2006’s A Twist In The Myth.

At The Edge Of Time secured the #1 position on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and also debuted at #108 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. In Canada, At The Edge Of Time debuted at #18 on the Top Hard Music Albums chart and #108 on the Top 200 chart according to Nielsen Canadian Soundscan.

Lead singer and lyricist Hansi Kürsch, shared his elation over the chart news: "I am really happy to see that At the Edge Of Time has created such a massive impact amongst our loyal legions of Northern American bards and minstrels. Now join in our singing and dance with us on this glorious day. Still, this is just a beginning: Mission is not completed. Can't wait to sing the new songs with you when we are coming by."

In his overview, BraveWords.com's Mark Gromen wrote: Blind Guardian have crafted another elaborate and extensive musical landscape with At The Edge Of Time, yet this time remembered the guitars (and their older albums)! There are no less than three tracks which recall the classic Somewhere Far Beyond/Imaginations sound, also retaining the folk element (which they “pioneered” a decade or more before the current craze).

A track-by-track rundown can be read here.

Brave Picks Top 30 Of 2010

#30 - STONE SOUR: Audio Secrecy (Roadrunner)

#29 - APOCALYPTICA - 7th Symphony (Sony)

#28 - TWILIGHT: Monument To Time End (Southern Lord)

#27 - HAIL OF BULLETS - On Divine Winds (Metal Blade)

#26 - FORBIDDEN - Omega Wave (Nuclear Blast)

#25 - KROKUS - Hoodoo (Columbia)

#24 - AIRBOURNE - No Guts. No Glory. (Roadrunner)

#23 - SOILWORK - The Panic Broadcast (Nuclear Blast)

#22 - TRIPTYKON - Eparistera Daimones (Century Media)

#21 - DARKTHRONE - Circle The Wagons (Peaceville)

#20 - NEVERMORE - The Obsidian Conspiracy (Century Media)

#19 - FOZZY - Chasing The Grail (Riot)

#18 - EXODUS - Exhibit B: The Human Condition (Nuclear Blast)

#17 - MISERY INDEX - Heirs To Thievery (Relapse)

#16 - ARMORED SAINT - La Raza (Metal Blade)

#15 - BLIND GUARDIAN - At The Edge Of Time (Nuclear Blast)