For me the most impressive albums have been (in no particular order):

Their best since Painkiller surely? While of course it doesn't have that same sound as Painkiller which I feel is unique in their back catalogue, the vibe and energy is there. It's their 19th studio album and few artists can say that their 19th album holds this strong a place in their catalogue.

I don't know where my rating will level out for this one yet but my early listens have been highly positive and it's one of my most revisited for this year so far. It is more symphonic than his solo stuff has ever been and I certainly prefer other Ihsahn albums to this one but this isn't the first time an Ihsahn solo album felt really different to his usual output and I'm feeling highly appreciative of this one.

In my view their best album for a long time although having revitalised my interest in them the one before this, True North, is also growing on me a lot. 

Here we have an act that I became aware of back in 2028 when they did their first album but somehow didn't hear until the start of this year which I'm kind of kicking myself over now since their music is right up my alley. Haven't decided which of their two is the stronger yet but I'm really digging both. 

Aborted - "Vault of Horrors"

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/aborted/vault-of-horrors

Morta Skuld - "Creation Undone"

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/morta-skuld/creation-undone

Vltimas - "Epic"

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/vltimas/epic

none of them have been earthshatteringly great...but I still enjoyed the new Vltimas. I think it´s pretty great. I´m not sure any of these will reach my top 10 this year though.

On top of them I'd add the following...

Another great album in a long run of solid albums.

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/saxon/hell-fire-and-damnation

Excellent old school death metal

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/necrot/lifeless-birth

and more really solid death metal though not quite as good as the last 2.

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/skeletal-remains/fragments-of-the-ageless

The new Judas Priest is amazing! Definitely gonna be high on my end-of-year list...as this will be:

There have been other releases, I'm sure of, but forget what they were. There's also plenty I still have to check out.

https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/dvne/voidkind

These two are excellent.

This a bit less so. I'm not sure if it's because it's sung in Suomi, but it just sounds like every other album Korpiklaani have done. Fun, but not amazing.