Loudwire's top 50 metal songs of the 2000's

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Coming in at No. 50 on our Top 50 Metal Songs of the 21st Century list is Behemoth‘s monster cut ‘At the Left Hand ov God.’ Behemoth frontman Nergal gives fans a punishing vocal performance in ‘At the Left Hand ov God,’ like a block of concrete being repeatedly dropped onto your face.
The track explores the philosophical journey of the ‘Left Hand Path,’ which rejects religious conformity while embracing an unrighteous practice of magic, sexual liberation and the shattering of societal taboos.


Read More: No. 50: Behemoth, ‘At the Left Hand ov God’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/behemoth-at-the-left-hand-ov-god-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Although ‘The Wolf I Feed’ is new song (released in 2012), the track makes our list for its display of unique progression, heavily featured within Napalm Death‘s fifteenth studio album, ‘Utilitarian.’
‘The Wolf I Feed’ introduces the use of an incredibly rare characteristic in Napalm Death’s music — clean vocals. Although the vocals of Barney Greenway remain ridiculously intense, guitarist Mitch Harris provides a slightly melodic style of Gregorian Chant, giving the track an unnerving, yet fascinating quality.


Read More: No. 49: Napalm Death, ‘The Wolf I Feed’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/napalm-death-the-wolf-i-feed-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Out of everyone who wants to destroy planet Earth, the members of GWAR are easily our favorites. Spewed forth on the band’s 2004 album, ‘War Party,’ GWAR make their intentions morbidly clear in the opening track, ‘Bring Back the Bomb.’
It’s impossible for GWAR fans to resist screaming, ‘Bring! Bring back the bomb!’ at one of the band’s infamous shows, with front-thing Oderus Urungus threatening us all with the lyrics, ‘I must use the nukes / I can’t kill you all with my hands!’


Read More: No. 48: GWAR, ‘Bring Back the Bomb’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/gwar-bring-back-the-bomb-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Trivium exploded into the collective consciousness of metalheads with their 2005 full-length, ‘Ascendancy.’ Along with the success of the record, came the cornerstone track ‘Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr.’
Frontman Matt Heafy has offered an explanation regarding the meaning of the track. “‘Pull Harder’ is a look at a villainous tyrant; one who can simply kill and destroy on will, push his faith upon all, be hated by all other powers around – and still be loved by many that he rules.”


Read More: No. 47: Trivium, ‘Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/trivium-pull-harder-on-the-strings-of-your-martyr-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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‘Who needs a god when you’ve got Satan?’ You’d be hard-pressed to attempt and find a metal concert without that signature Goatwhore lyric on the back of someone’s shirt.
Currently consisting of former Crowbar, Acid Bath, Soilent Green and Nachtmystium contributors, Goatwhore have brought a simply brutal, yet eclectic mix of death and black metal to the 21st Century. With the crunch of Sammy Duet’s guitar and the grit of Ben Falgoust’s voice, ‘Apocalyptic Havoc,’ like many other Goatwhore tracks, is essential listening.


Read More: No. 46: Goatwhore, ‘Apocalyptic Havoc’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/goatwhore-apocalyptic-havoc-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Revocation are undoubtedly one of the most celebrated underground death metal acts of the 2000s. Having achieved a unique mix of technical death metal, thrash and some brain-melting genre experimentation, Revocation have already put out three fantastic albums this century.
‘Dismantle the Dictator’ was released as a single from the band’s 2009 full-length, ‘Existence is Futile.’ The track showcases the band’s pure talent as musicians, their mastery of the riff and the wealth of influence Revocation integrate into their songwriting. What’s even more insane about this track? It was recorded as a three-piece.


Read More: No. 45: Revocation, ‘Dismantle the Dictator’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/revocation-dismantle-the-dictator-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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If you’ve never heard the symphonic blackened death metal mastery of SepticFlesh, we advise you take a trip to the band’s homeland of Greece. Or you could just check them out this October on their first ever North American headlining tour. Either way, SepticFlesh’s 2011 album, ‘The Great Mass,’ displays some of the best songwriting in modern metal.
‘The Vampire From Nazareth,’ like every track on ‘The Great Mass,’ features the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, which provides a both beautiful and demonically atmospheric touch to the album. If you love heavily symphonic and purely brutal metal, do yourself a favor and listen to ‘The Vampire From Nazareth.’


Read More: No. 44: SepticFlesh, ‘The Vampire From Nazareth’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/septicflesh-the-vampire-from-nazareth-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Gorgoroth have caused a powerful stir in the world of music through their blasphemous and violent brand of Norwegian black metal. You may remember the unsettling appearance of then-vocalist Gaahl in ‘Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey,’ but what fans remember more is what the band have been able to accomplish musically.
The title track to Gorgoroth’s 2000 album, ‘Incipit Satan’ was the first piece of music the band put out with Gaahl as their full-time vocalist. Thus, the opening song ‘Incipit Satan’ ushered in a new age in the music of Gorgoroth, launching them to new heights as one of the 21st Century’s best black metal bands to date.


Read More: No. 43: Gorgoroth, ‘Incipit Satan’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/gorgoroth-incipit-satan-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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When Daughters were still an active band, they made one of the ballsiest decisions in metal history. Vocalist Alexis Marshall changed his vocal approach from harsh grindcore screaming to a style that can be accurately described as Jerry Lee Lewis on hallucinogenic drugs. However, the change was embraced by Daughters’ fans, especially on their 2010 self-titled album.
‘The Theatre Goer’ is one of the most bizarre and genuinely distinct tracks in experimental metal. The distant, yet heavy nature of the song is somewhat hypnotic and lures you into an uncomfortable dimension. The song is best experienced with your full immersion, so put on some huge-ass headphones and prepare to drift with Daughters.


Read More: No. 42: Daughters, ‘The Theatre Goer’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/daughters-the-theatre-goer-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Coming in at No. 41 is the internet’s favorite black metal band, Immortal. From the band’s 2002 full-length, ‘Sons of Northern Darkness,’ the opening track, ‘One By One’ is an absolute beast.
As one of the most purely heavy black metal tracks of the 2000s, ‘One By One’ sticks to black metal principles while luring in thrash and death metal fans with slight characteristics of the genres.


Read More: No. 41: Immortal, ‘One By One’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/immortal-one-by-one-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Anthrax came back like an F-5 tornado with their album ‘Worship Music’ in 2011. Not only did Anthrax prove that they could still deliver quality thrash, but they created a new fan favorite with ‘Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t.’
Written about the inevitable zombie apocalypse, Anthrax don’t take their zombie killing lightly, as evidenced in the lyrics, ‘When murder is the only cure / Brilliant savagery / Decapitate and bleed / Out the spoiled seed until it’s pure.’


Read More: No. 40: Anthrax, ‘Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/anthrax-fight-em-til-you-cant-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Thrash music has remained strong throughout the 2000s, as evidenced by bands such as Testament. Billy, Skolnick, Peterson, Christian, Bostaph — that’s all you need to know to understand the insanity that Testament are able to concoct.
‘More Than Meets the Eye’ isn’t only a killer track; it was the first song released by the band after vocalist Chuck Billy’s cancer recovery, and proved that with almost a decade having passed since their previous record, the band could still deliver punishing and intriguing original material.


Read More: No. 39: Testament, ‘More Than Meets the Eye’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/testament-more-than-meets-the-eye-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Swedish “suicidal black metal” band Shining, but when it comes to progression in songwriting, atmosphere and some of the most insane guitar work ever put to tape, Shining are in their own league.
‘Manniska O’Avskyvarda Manniska,’ which translates to ‘Man, O’ Despicable Man,’ was released on Shining’s seventh album ‘Fodd Forlorare.’ If you don’t feel like listening to the entire track, do yourself a favor and skip ahead to 3:33 and 4:36 for two of the greatest guitar solos written in the 2000s.


Read More: No. 38: Shining, ‘Manniska O’Avskyvarda Manniska’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/shining-Manniska-OAvskyvarda-Manniska-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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We’ve seen Italian death metal heroes Fleshgod Apocalypse live multiple times, and so far, no sound system has been able to control the band’s brutality. Sweden and the USA are legendary countries for death metal, but Italy deserves to be put under that same microscope after some of the music that has been emerging from the boot-shaped land mass.
Beginning with a beautiful piano intro, ‘Embodied Deception’ goes instantly from zero to 100 as the track kicks in. This track is everything modern death metal should be; blistering solos, masterful songwriting and 100 percent non-distilled brutality.


Read More: No. 37: Fleshgod Apocalypse, ‘Embodied Deception’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/fleshgod-apocalypse-embodied-deception-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Swedish viking metal band Amon Amarth have existed for two decades, but it was in the 2000s that they became bigger than Thor. The group boasts a ton of quality tracks, but to us, ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’ is absolutely essential.
Released on the 2008 album of the same name, ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’ expresses the unique feel that Amon Amarth deliver to their fans. If you don’t sense the urge to crush a barbarian’s skull with a viking hammer after listening to this track, you may not be fit for ancient Norse pillaging.


Read More: No. 36: Amon Amarth, ‘Twilight of the Thunder God’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/amon-amarth-twilight-of-the-thunder-god-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Many of the bands who occupy this list were formed before the dawning of the new millennium, but there are a few that began in the 2000s and are already considered as heroes of their genre.
Baroness released ‘Blue Record’ in 2009 to mass critical acclaim. Considered as the sister to Baroness’ debut, ‘Red Album,’ the Georgian sludge merchants composed a true opus in ‘A Horse Called Golgotha’. Baroness has demonstrated with this track, and their entire discography, that you can make beautiful music while remaining brawny, masculine and heavily-bearded in your approach.


Read More: No. 35: Baroness, ‘A Horse Called Golgotha’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/baroness-a-horse-called-golgotha-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Most metalheads know Bloodbath due to the tenure of Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt, who manned the Bloodbath helm for two studio albums and two EPs. However, Bloodbath’s trademark track was written by the extremely prolific Dan Swano and was sung by Hypocrisy vocalist Peter Tagtgren.
Written about the real-life German cannibal Armin Meiwes, ‘Eaten’ strives to delve into the mind of the willingly cannibalized victim Bernd Jurgen Brandes, conveying his sick perception through the lyrics of the prime cut.


Read More: No. 34: Bloodbath, ‘Eaten’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/bloodbath-eaten-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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‘Municipal Waste is gonna f— you up!’ — this lyrical mantra of the Virginian thrashers lives strong in ‘Born to Party,’ which was released on the band’s 2007 full-length, ‘The Art of Partying’ and usually closes out Waste’s live show.
‘The Art of Partying’ has been a cornerstone of the modern-day thrash revival, proving that the genre still has plenty of stones yet-unturned. Next time you’re at a local sock hop, be sure to throw on ‘Born to Party’ and watch gleefully as the place gets torn to shreds.


Read More: No. 33: Municipal Waste, ‘Born to Party’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/municipal-waste-born-to-party-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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German technical death masters Obscura created a metal supernova in 2009 with their Earth-shattering sophomore album, ‘Cosmogenesis.’ Kicking off the full-length is the instantly addictive ‘Anticosmic Overload,’ which mixes insane musicianship and a refreshingly catchy lead riff.
Obscura delivered a progressive and masterful balance with ‘Anticosmic Overload,’ with fret-melting solos, blissful melodies and a wealth of chemically unstable bass lines. For 21st Century tech-death, ‘Anticosmic Overload’ is essential listening.


Read More: No. 32: Obscura, ‘Anticosmic Overload’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/obscura-anticosmic-overload-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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We’re guessing that not everyone who checks out our Top 50 will sit and listen to every song on the list, but believe us, you’ll want to take a few minutes to hear Sigh’s ‘Inked in Blood.’
Hailing from Japan, Sigh are one of the most innovative metal bands on the planet. Their signature sound is based in black metal, but includes bizarre doses of death metal, progressive rock and classical music. Listening to Sigh is unlike any sonic experience, so for those of you who like your music weird, click below immediately.


Read More: No. 31: Sigh, ‘Inked in Blood’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/sigh-inked-in-blood-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Metalcore bands were a dime a dozen in the ’00s, but San Diego’s As I Lay Dying are one of the standouts of the genre for a myriad of reasons. The anthemic ‘Forever,’ from 2003′s ‘Frail Words Collapse,’ is a showcase of all the elements that propelled AILD to massive success.
While AILD have a rock solid Christian faith, they also grabbed secular listeners thanks to their meaty, moshable breakdowns and chunky, galloping guitars. Tim Lambesis provides vocalizations that sounds like he scaled the bowels of hell and emerged victorious after a battle with Satan himself, and when he sings, ‘I gave my heart away,’ moshers and metalcorists are compelled to shriek along.


Read More: No. 30: As I Lay Dying, ‘Forever’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/as-i-lay-dying-forever-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Shadows Fall killed ‘em all with 2000′s ‘Of One Blood,’ establishing their thrashy, three-tiered vocal sound. But they polished, perfected and mastered it on 2002′s ‘The Art of Balance,’ especially with ‘Thoughts Without Words.’
The song was an exercise in molten melodic metal, replete with a breakdown, masterful guitarwork, thrashy riffs and potent solos. Death metal growls, mid-range, Hetfieldian growls and clean singing were thrown into the mix by dreadlocked antihero Brian Fair and the result was one of the most solidly constructed neo-thrash jams of the 21st century.


Read More: No. 29: Shadows Fall, ‘Thoughts Without Words’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/shadows-fall-thoughts-without-words-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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German industrial metallers Rammstein may always be known as the ‘Du Hast’ guys, but the enigmatic act released some awesome material in the 2000s, including the blazing song ‘Feuer Frei!’
‘Feuer Frei!’ is a German military command to ‘fire at will’ or ‘open fire,’ and was featured prominently in the opening scene of the movie ‘xXx.’ Simply put, there is no band that will ever, or can ever, follow Rammstein when it comes to what they do, and the all-German ‘Feuer Frei!’ is one of the ultimate validations of that very statement.


Read More: No. 28: Rammstein, ‘Feuer Frei!’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/rammstein-feuer-frei-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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One word always comes to mind when a fan thinks about the audio assault that Meshuggah unleash upon their fans — crushing. Meshuggah accomplished a great deal in the 2000s, with ‘Bleed’ acting as a tremendous representation of Meshuggah’s success.
‘Bleed’ focuses mainly on the abnormal rhythmic patterns which Meshuggah have made their trademark. The super-down-tuned guitars mixed with the atmospheric species Meshuggah have managed to tame has turned them into one of metal’s most celebrated and identifiable extreme bands.


Read More: No. 27: Meshuggah, ‘Bleed’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/meshuggah-bleed-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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No, we don’t know when Necrophagist will be releasing a new album. That having been said, the band’s singular release of the 2000s, ‘Epitaph,’ is crammed with technical death metal gold.
‘Stabwound,’ along with the other seven tracks featured on ‘Epitaph,’ with the exception of ‘Symbiotic in Theory’ were all solely written by mastermind and frontman Muhammed Suicmez. ‘Stabwound’ has become a classic Necrophagist track since its release, boasting some of the most ear-gasmic guitar work of the 2000s.


Read More: No. 26: Necrophagist, ‘Stabwound’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/necrophagist-stabwound-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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With blistering riffs and pummeling drum patterns, it’s no surprise that Machine Head’s ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ makes our list. The faced paced, uncontrollable tune unleashes Machine Head’s fury at it’s very best as Robb Flynn delivers the chorus with venom. ‘For the love of brother / I will sing this f—ing song / Aesthetics of hate / I hope you burn in hell.’
‘Aesthetics of Hate’ is off of the band’s sixth studio album ‘The Blackening,’ released in 2007. Flynn wrote the song in retaliation to an article by William Grim. In the article, Grim inconsiderately praises Dimebag Darrell’s murder by Nathan Gale. The song was also nominated at the 50th Grammy Awards for ‘Best Metal Performance.’


Read More: No. 25: Machine Head, ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/machine-head-aesthetics-of-hate-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Fronted by legendary Sleep guitarist Matt Pike, High on Fire became a creation that covered the 2000s in a thick layer of sludge. High on Fire have released six albums in the 21st Century, with perhaps their defining moment being the groove-tastic track ‘Hung, Drawn, and Quartered.’
From the band’s second album, ‘Surrounded by Thieves,’ ‘Hung, Drawn, and Quartered’ displays High on Fire’s dont-give-a-*bleep* attitude as the muddy and heavily instrumental track takes its time in delivering the meat to the listeners. Combined with the Lemmy-like voice of Pike, High on Fire are one of the key metal acts of the 2000s.


Read More: No. 24: High on Fire, ‘Hung, Drawn, and Quartered’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/high-on-fire-hung-drawn-and-quartered-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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You know a death metal song must be good when it’s used in a commercial for the History Channel. Suffocation may be the heaviest band on the planet, and their ultra-technical and purely brutal style of death metal is displayed exquisitely in ‘Bind Torture Kill.’
‘Bind Torture Kill’ is an experiment to decipher the mind of Dennis Lynn Rader, aka the BTK killer. Along with a brilliantly written instrumental part, lyrics such as ‘Torture provokes to divorce sanity’ and ‘Suicide tempts the mind of the mortal sickened with grief’ make ‘Bind Torture Kill’ a Suffocation opus.


Read More: No. 23: Suffocation, ‘Bind Torture Kill’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/suffocation-bind-torture-kill-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Gojira are one of the most eclectic bands of the 2000s. Their mixture of progression, brutality and beauty creates the band’s unique sound, which has been continually gaining popularity in metal circles.
‘The Art of Dying’ is presented within Gojira’s highly acclaimed fourth studio album ‘The Way of All Flesh.’ With a band dedicating so much quality material to an album, let alone a 12-year span, it’s difficult to nail down just one Gojira track, but ‘The Art of Dying’ is a near-10-minute epic that highlights the many strengths the French metal masters possess.


Read More: No. 22: Gojira, ‘The Art of Dying’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/gojira-the-art-of-dying-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip

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Nachtmystium have released a rich array of experimental black metal throughout the 2000s. Chicago isn’t exactly famous for their black metal scene, but the city must take pride in being the home of Nachtmystium, who began to gain a much larger audience after the release of their 2008 full-length, ‘Assassins: Black Meddle, Part 1.’
‘Ghosts of Grace’ is both an excellent track with an extensive wealth of personality along with being accessible enough to indoctrinate new fans. One of the most rewarding parts of the song lies in the lyrics, ‘And the storm left nothing / And the storm left all / And the storm took nothing / And the storm took all.’


Read More: No. 21: Nachtmystium, ‘Ghosts of Grace’ – Top 21st Century Metal Songs | http://loudwire.com/nachtmystium-ghosts-of-grace-top-21st-century-metal-songs/?trackback=tsmclip