Okay, Xmas is over and we are still counting 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've been counting down the Top 30 all month ... our #1 Brave Pick of 2011 will be unveiled January 1st!

So now we've reached the much-anticipated TOP FIVE! Drum roll please...

#4 - GRAND MAGUS - Hammer Of The North (Roadrunner)

Although still not officially released in North America, the Swedish power trio GRAND MAGUS unleashed a stormer of a new album in June. Hammer Of The North was completed at Studio 301 just outside of Stockholm, and features the band's "style of full-on metal assault with fantastic heavy riffing and stomping songs, strong hook-lines, epic vocals/lyrics and rousing solo guitars," according to a recent press release.

In his BraveWords.com review Mark Gromen wrote:

Like the back catalog, the ten tracks are an infectious mix of groove and doom. JB Christoffersson possesses a smooth voice, capable of the occasional high note, to offset the booming bass elsewhere. Like long running countrymen, Candlemass, the key is the variation between depressive and joyous (there’s a reason JB was asked to guest on the Swedes’ 20th anniversary DVD a few years ago). That’s about as lofty compliment as I can give.

Read the entire review here.

Check out the video for 'Hammer Of The North' below:

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)

#14 - GAMMA RAY - To The Metal (earMusic)

#13 - MURDERDOLLS - Women And Children Last (Roadrunner)

#12 - RATT - Infestation (Loud & Proud/Roadrunner)

#11 - BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - Order Of The Black (E1)

#10 - KYLESA - Spiral Shadow (Season Of Mist)

#9 - FEAR FACTORY - Mechanize (Candlelight)

#8 - IHSAHN - After (Candlelight)

#7 - DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN - Option Paralysis (Party Smasher/Season Of Mist)

#6 - IRON MAIDEN - The Final Frontier (EMI)

#5 - NACHTMYSTIUM - Addicts: Black Meddle, Part II (Century Media)

#4 - GRAND MAGUS - Hammer Of The North (Roadrunner)