Top 10 Rock Albums of 2011

With their first album in 11 years, Primus made a triumphant return in 2011 with 'Green Naugahyde.' The disc, a collection of quirky tunes powered by frontman Les Claypool's trademark bass lines, ranks up there with Primus' best albums. The single 'Tragedy's a Comin'" deals with some dark themes, but 'Green Naugahyde' proves that things are as bright as ever in the world of Primus.

Five Finger Death Punch have become big players in the hard rock world, and their third album 'American Capitalist' offers up a big step in their climb up the rock ladder. The band came out swinging against haters with the disc's first single, the metal anthem 'Under and Over It,' but show their versatility with the melodic rock ballad 'Remember Everything.'

'This Is Gonna Hurt' is not just the second album from Sixx: A.M., but verification that the band is not just a side project for Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx. Along with Sixx, guitarist DJ Ashba and singer James Michael delivered a powerful disc that contains two big rock hits -- 'Lies of the Beautiful People' and the title track, the latter of which took the No. 1 spot on our Top 10 Rock Songs of 2011 list.

Staind's latest effort nearly tore the band apart, but the end result is a powerful disc. Drummer Jon Wysocki left the band during the recording sessions, while frontman Aaron Lewis and Mike Mushok butted heads throughout the making of the album. However, with heavy songs like the first single 'Not Again,' the self-titled disc is one of the band's most solid efforts to date.

Rise Against have never been afraid to take on society's toughest issues, and that's exactly what the band does on 'Endgame.' The album tackles several sociopolitical issues, with the single 'Make It Stop (September's Children)' dealing with the bullying of gay and lesbian teens. With 'Endgame,' Rise Against continue to show that a band can rock hard and be socially conscious at the same.

Dutch rock band Within Temptation gave fans a treat with the release of their fifth studio album, ‘The Unforgiving.’ The disc was accompanied by a series of short films and a comic book. So far, Within Temptation has released three up tempo songs from the disc, ‘Faster,’ ‘Sinead’ (which will get you dancing) and ‘Shot in the Dark.’ ‘The Unforgiving’ is the band’s first album in five years and it was certainly worth the long wait.

A few years ago, longtime guitarist John Frusciante left Red Hot Chili Peppers, leaving the band's future in doubt. However, with new axe-man Josh Klinghoffer in tow, the Peppers have made a successful return with their latest album 'I'm With You.' The disc offers up the hits 'The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie' and 'Monarchy of Roses,' along with a collection of melodic funk-rock jams.

Foo Fighters are the model of consistency when it comes to producing rock-solid albums, and their latest effort 'Wasting Light' is no exception. The band doesn't stray to far from its signature sound on the disc, but the singles 'Rope' and 'Walk' rank alongside some of their best-known hits. And now the band is showing off its softer side with the album's newest single 'These Days.'

It had been a while since we heard from Evanescence, and boy did they come back in a big way in 2011. Their self-titled third album topped the Billboard 200 chart when it debuted in October and has already yielded the massive rock hit 'What You Want.' The disc shows that singer Amy Lee's voice is as hypnotic as ever, while showcasing the diverse music skills of the rest of the band.

Seether took over rock radio in 2011 with their album 'Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray.' The disc produced two monster singles: 'Country Song' is a rocking tune with some Nashville elements, while 'Tonight' may be Seether's most melodic single to date. Overall, the album offers up a collection of impassioned, hard-rocking tunes from frontman Shaun Morgan and company, making it Loudwire's Top Rock Album of 2011.