It's that time of year again! With 2014 coming to a close, we look back on the metal songs which impacted our ears since Jan. 1. For this list, we're taking into account fan response, songwriting prowess, popularity, creative progression, technical ability and many more dynamics.

After a year's worth of thought, listening to everything we can get our hands on and keeping our ears to the ground, we give you our choices for the 20 Best Metal Songs of 2014!