Elvenking Heathenreel (2001)
If you don't like power metal, then you can ignore this post, but I've been listening to this album almost constantly the past couple weeks. It's stone cold PM, concentrated, no chaser, but with some nice folk elements to give it a bit more personality. It's just so infectious though. The riffs are badass and full of energy, and there are just some massive choruses. Pretty much every song would be a Top 10 hit if the radio gave a **** about power metal. This album is just ear crack.
My only gripe are the "extreme" metal vocals that they throw in on a couple songs for no apparent reason. They're not intrusive, make the guy from Children of Bodom sound like Lord Wyrm from Cryptopsy, and are low enough in the mix that they don't even really detract from the music. I just don't know why they're there.