My top 50 of 2023

[Guillaume]

TOP 50
#50 Dominum - Hey Living People
Very late entry only released only a few days ago that could have moved higher if released sooner. Good mix of hard rock, power and pop at times.
https://youtu.be/KpjLnkI3qHA

#49 ScreaMachine - Church Of The Stream
Cool heavy/power from Italy.
https://youtu.be/T2j0hy4AkLk

#48 Megaton Sword - Might And Power
Traditional metal from Switzerland.
https://youtu.be/AE2I8n9kWw8

#47 Eldritch – Innervoid
One of my faves from the legendary Italian prog metallers. New singer fits great.
https://youtu.be/MnIjfBcW050

#46 Hitten - While Passion Lasts
Catchy melodic hard rock with a metal edge is the game for this Spanish band.
https://youtu.be/QdadtnK2VJY

#45 Eclipse – Megalomanium
Eclipse always means quality hard rock, but I liked this one a bit less than the previous ones and I miss the heavier edge of Bleed’n’Scream. Still really enjoyable.
https://youtu.be/AP_sX3Bf7VU

#44 Stray Gods – Olympus
The Greeks win the year for the best Maiden clone. I like this album more than recent Maiden…
https://youtu.be/FLczTyxwqcE

#43 Revolution Saints - Eagle Flight
The super hard rock band with Dean Castronovo, Jeff Pilson and Joel Hoekstra delivers another winner, this time a bit heavier than the previous ones.
https://youtu.be/uEy5-jZXjZc

#42 Robledo - Broken Soul
Melodic hard rock/metal from the band of James Robledo, one of the best newer singers.
https://youtu.be/Xd0GGkStImo

#41 Pyramaze – Bloodlines
More quality stuff from the long-time running Danish prog/power band, featuring once again the great Terje Haroy on vocals and renowned producer Jacob Hansen on guitars and bass.
https://youtu.be/gyUuNbYcjtU

#40 Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall - Hunt The Flames
Another quality album from Magnus with another cast of great singers. Still, my least fave of the 4 so far, but Magnus never releases bad stuff so…
https://youtu.be/QB8zx0IF9sU

#39 Six Foot Six - Beggars Hill
Another late entry that could have climbed higher. Traditional heavy metal from Sweden with Snowy Shaw on drums.
https://youtu.be/zflzmT9O2JU

#38 Skull And Crossbones – Sungazer
Melodic power metal from Germany that features ex-Stormwitch members.
https://youtu.be/xUbknuuZY0s

#37 Oblivion Protocol - The Fall Of The Shires
Follow-up to the great Threshold’s Legend Of The Shires album with Richard West and other guys. Real cool melodic prog that recalls the Threshold disc.
https://youtu.be/Wma_iVqKRWw

#36 Mystic Prophecy – Hellriot
With these German heavy/power metallers, you know you’ll get quality true metal with powerful vocals.
https://youtu.be/qdxLsLsC9t4

#35 Twilight Road – Trapped
Hard rock with Dario Mollo (who worked previously with Tony Martin (The Cage) and Glenn Hughes (Voodoo Hill). Now with the very underrated singer Carl Sentance, currently fronting Nazareth and Persian Risk.
https://youtu.be/EKhBDVs_PiY

#34 Steel Rhino - In Rhino We Trust
Melodic power from Sweden with Herbie Langhans (Firewind) on vocals.
https://youtu.be/6rz6K-7ozV8?list=RD6rz6K-7ozV8

#33 Icarus Witch - No Devil Lived On
I can’t understand why this US trad metal band remains so unknown… This new album delivers once again.
https://youtu.be/ehSbVUziKEo

#32 Primal Fear - Code Red
Another excellent album from the legendary German heavy/power metal band. Ralf Scheepers still in fine vocal form.
https://youtu.be/JUISvCi3hyA

#31 Valentino Francavilla - Midnight Dreams
Excellent newcomer. This Italian multi-instrumentalist plays all instruments and also sings. Traditional heavy/power reminding me of the Riot-Thundersteel era with many hard rock touches.
https://youtu.be/nJjL1st5sdc

#30 Screamer – Kingmaker
The Swedish true metallers added more hard rock and classic rock sounds this time and it’s a success for me.
https://youtu.be/Arbwc6ook7Y

#29 Crowne - Operation Phoenix
This Swedish hard rock band with members from Europe, Dynazty, Art Nation… makes me think of Eclipse, but it’s superior!
https://youtu.be/JqM3R2zhOsM

#28 Alcatrazz - Take No Prisoners
2nd album with Doogie White on vox and probably their heaviest. Classic traditional metal.
https://youtu.be/klf-dndsNH8

#27 High Spirits - Safe On The Other Side
5th and best album so far by this one-man band from the USA. True classic metal.
https://youtu.be/5Gy5x3M_5qU

#26 Spillage - Phase Four
This band sounds like the bastard child of Trouble and Black Sabbath. Their 4th and best so far IMO.
https://youtu.be/OxGYfBkOq7U

#25 Lazy Bonez - Eye Of The Sky
Finnish hard rockers deliver another catchy hard rock album. With Tommi Salmela on vocals, also in Tarot as co-singer.
https://youtu.be/srT7r8O_slQ

#24 Ronnie Romero - Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
1st album of original songs from Romero and his own band. Traditional heavy metal.
https://youtu.be/t8d2ccN5yxY

#23 Vandenberg – Sin
Now with Mats Leven on vocals, it’s another winner for Adrian and his band. Classic hard rock/metal with a huge Whitesnake influence.
https://youtu.be/k-pekCtZWI8

#22 Spirit Adrift- Ghost At The Gallows
Another winner for the once-doomy-but-not-so-much-anymore metal band.
https://youtu.be/_vrFXyAiwMM

#21 Demons Down - I Stand
Another entry with the excellent James Robledo on vocals, along with guitarist Jimi Bell (House Of Lords, Autograph), drummer Ken Mary (ex-House of Lords, Alice Cooper, Fifth Angel) and bassist Chuck Wright (Quiet Riot, ex-House Of Lords). Real nice hard rocking songs.
https://youtu.be/hpD-o5wdD8o

#20 Big City - Sunwind Sails
More hard rock/metal from these Norwegians rockers. Might be their best so far.
https://youtu.be/83LwcPtUV6c

#19 Sarayasign - The Lion's Road
Another excellent melodic metal band from Sweden. Features a rising star on vocals, Stefan Nykvist.
https://youtu.be/_s0BZK9XtSc

#18 Vanish - A Hint Of Solace
Another excellent prog/power album by this sadly underrated German band with the powerhouse vocals of Bastian Rose.
https://youtu.be/lLTXYaLbyts

#17 Ronnie Atkins – Trinity
3rd hard rock solo album by the Pretty Maids awesome singer. His heaviest so far.
https://youtu.be/cS2jJLlFGF4

#16 Martin Simson's Destroyer Of Death - Eternal Reign
Traditional heavy metal with powerhouse Rob Rock singing all songs but one (the other singer is another powerhouse, Jorn Lande).
https://youtu.be/4bokCugJwc8

#15 Soen - Memorial
I became a fan with the previous album (2021’s Imperial) but this one is even better. Catchy powerful heavy/prog.
https://youtu.be/O0n_N-xGx6o

#14 Jelusick - Follow The Blind Man
1st album by the new band of arguably the best “new” singer in metal/hard rock, who is also a pro keyboard player. Powerful melodic metal.
https://youtu.be/SQSIZV9LlgU

#13 Hollenthor – Divergency
3rd album of this traditional heavy metal band/project, this time featuring the great Henning Basse (Metalium, Firewind) on vocals as well as many guests.
https://youtu.be/JvwMIXScgVU

#12 Heavy Load - Riders Of The Ancient Storm
Killer comeback by the legendary Swedes playing old-school traditional metal.
https://youtu.be/YxH-628cHsU

#11 Rozario - To The Gods We Swear
Best newcomer of the year. Traditional heavy metal played the right way.
https://youtu.be/Vhzd_jAZKTA

#10 Tygers Of Pan Tang – Bloodlines
They’re on a mean streak, with 3 great albums in a row. Killer melodic metal/hard rock.
https://youtu.be/e9Zhcvmj-fc

#09 Uriah Heep - Chaos And Colour
Old geezers still rock hard. One of the heaviest and best of their recent albums.
https://youtu.be/-yG9hUBZ_tY

#08 Roadwolf - Midnight Lightning
Old-school metal is the name of the game for these Austrians.
https://youtu.be/P_4kDN8NiEY

#07 Elegant Weapons - Horns For A Halo
New band featuring the busy Ronnie Romero, Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest), Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep) and Christopher Williams (Accept).
https://youtu.be/8K37V1KwROU

#06 Joel Hoekstra's 13 - Crash Of Life
Excellent hard rock/metal with a stellar line-up:
Joel Hoekstra -Guitars
Girish Pradhan -Lead Vocals
Vinny Appice -Drums
Tony Franklin -Bass
Derek Sherinian - Keyboards
Jeff Scott Soto- Backing Vocals
https://youtu.be/KJvjQ7-ydDY

#05 Diviner – Avaton
Greeks metallers possibly deliver their best album yet.
https://youtu.be/TXPDT_miKk8

#04 Winger – Seven
Another winner for the legendary band, getting heavier with the years passing by. Kip’s voice is still top notch.
https://youtu.be/Taxd5-d1Lp4

#03 Sorcerer - Reign Of The Reaper
Once again, Sorcerer gives us a killer album with the awesome vocals of Andy Engberg. Less doomy this time, more uptempo, but always excellent.
https://youtu.be/u_ottXoptV4

#02 First Signal - Face Your Fears
Might be the heaviest album featuring Harry Hess from Harem Scarem. Killer hard catchy rocking songs.
https://youtu.be/38UouwKZ0kA

#01 Fight Angel - When Angels Kill
New singer again but Steven Carlson is more than a worthy replacement for Kendall Bechtel, being a Dio-type singer too. Great double album and even greater when you skip the narrations that I could have lived without.
https://youtu.be/7zig9QIpc9Q
https://youtu.be/tmGzEqZHJVE


SPECIAL MENTION
Ronnie Romero - Raised On Heavy Radio
Ronnie covered metal classics this time and he picked excellent songs like this under appreciated Sabbath song from the Tony Martin era, the cover being approved by the master Iommi himself.
https://youtu.be/6jFO_lQAfzs

Wicked Smile - Night Time Riders EP
Only 4 songs but all very good from the Australian traditional metal band, with the powerhouse vocals of Danny Cecati (ex-Pegazus), the man with the longest hair in metal!
https://youtu.be/H0bv5WVfSJs

Black Sabbath - Live Evil Super Deluxe
The remix of this new edition (not the remaster!) of the classic from 1982 brought new life to this album. Much improved sound IMO. Long live Dio-led Sabbath!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwOrblFRB7Q


HONORABLE MENTIONS
Air Raid - Fatal Encounter (heavy/speed)
All My Shadows - Eerie Monsters (heavy/prog)
Anthem - Crimson And Jet Black (heavy/power)
Archon Angel - II (melodic metal)
Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution - Golden Age Of Music (hard rock/classic rock)
Ashrain - Requiem Overloaded (heavy/power)
Axe Witch - The Last Of The Dying Breed-40 Years In Metal (heavy metal)
Black Hawk - Soulkeeper (heavy metal)
Cyhra - The Vertigo Trigger (hard rock/prog)
DGM - Life (power/prog)
Doro - Conqueress-Forever Strong And Proud
Edge Of Forever - Ritual (hard rock)
Elm Street - The Great Tribulation (heavy/thrash)
Evile - The Unknown (heavy/thrash)
Fire Rose - Blood On Your Hands (hard rock/metal)
Graven Sin - Veal Of The Gods (heavy metal)
Haunt - Golden Arm (heavy metal)
Icon Of Sin - Legends (heavy/power)
Immortalizer - Born For Metal (heavy metal)
Invasion - Invasion (heavy metal)
Iron Savior - Firestar (power)
Jag Panzer - The Hallowed (heavy/power)
Kerrigan - Bloodmoon (heavy metal)
Kikimora - For A Broken Dime (hard rock/metal)
KK's Priest - The Sinner Rides Again (heavy/power)
Lethal Fate - Argonauts (heavy/speed)
Lordi - Screem Writers Guild (hard rock/metal)
Marauder - Metal Constructions VII (heavy/power)
Majesty - Back To Attack (heavy/power)
Metal Church - Congregation Of Annihilation (heavy/thrash)
Metallica - 72 Seasons (heavy/thrash)
Mezzrow - Summon Thy Demons (thrash)
Night Demon - Outsider (heavy metal)
Noveria - The Gates Of The Underworld (power/prog)
Overkill - Scorched (heavy/thrash)
Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons - Kings Of The Asylum (hard rock)
Prime Creation - Tell Freedom I Said Hello (heavy/power)
Raven - All Hell's Breaking Loose (heavcy/speed)
Redemption - I Am The Storm (prog)
Robin McAuley - Alive (hard rock)
Sacred Outcry - Towers Of Gold (heavy/power)
Saint Deamon - League Of The Serpent (heavy/power)
Scream Maker - Land Of Fire (heavy metal)
Silver Bullet - Shadowfall (heavy/power)
Stardust - Kingdom Of Illusion (hard rock)
Stephen Georg Ft. David Reece - Swallow The Glow (hard rock/metal)
Stormwarning - Stormwarning (hard rock)
Temple Balls - Avalanche (hard rock)
The Raven Age - Blood Omen (melodic metal)
The Unity - The Hellish Joyride (heavy/power)
Thriller - Street Metal (heavy metal)
Tombstone - Angel Of Blood (heavy metal)
U.D.O. - Touchdown (heavy/power)
Vega - Battlelines (hard rock)
Voivod - Morgoth Tales (heavy/thrash)
Vypera - Race Of Time (hard rock/metal)
Wig Wam - Out Of The Dark (hard rock)
Wings Of Steel - Gates Of Twilight (heavy/power)
Wishing Well - Sin And Shame (hard rock/classic rock)
Zhiva - Into The Eye Of The Storm (hard rock/metal)

[introclaus]

Such a great list - lots of stuff on here I never listened to but will have to check out.

#50 Dominum - Hey Living People
#49 ScreaMachine - Church Of The Stream
#48 Megaton Sword - Might And Power
#42 Robledo - Broken Soul
#40 Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall - Hunt The Flames
#38 Skull And Crossbones – Sungazer
#35 Twilight Road – Trapped
#34 Steel Rhino - In Rhino We Trust
#31 Valentino Francavilla - Midnight Dreams
#30 Screamer – Kingmaker
#27 High Spirits - Safe On The Other Side
#26 Spillage - Phase Four
#25 Lazy Bonez - Eye Of The Sky
#24 Ronnie Romero - Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
#18 Vanish - A Hint Of Solace
#16 Martin Simson's Destroyer Of Death - Eternal Reign
#20 Big City - Sunwind Sails
#13 Hollenthor – Divergency
#11 Rozario - To The Gods We Swear
#08 Roadwolf - Midnight Lightning
#07 Elegant Weapons - Horns For A Halo
#06 Joel Hoekstra's 13 - Crash Of Life
#02 First Signal - Face Your Fears

Have not checked out any of these ... Will give them all a spin later.

#36 Mystic Prophecy – Hellriot
#33 Icarus Witch - No Devil Lived On
#32 Primal Fear - Code Red
#22 Spirit Adrift- Ghost At The Gallows
#17 Ronnie Atkins – Trinity
#12 Heavy Load - Riders Of The Ancient Storm
#10 Tygers Of Pan Tang – Bloodlines
#09 Uriah Heep - Chaos And Colour
#01 Fight Angel - When Angels Kill

I've listened to all of these and didn't care for any of them. Most of them are bands where I've loved some of their previous stuff but this new one does nothing for me.

#46 Hitten - While Passion Lasts
#45 Eclipse – Megalomanium
#43 Revolution Saints - Eagle Flight
#41 Pyramaze – Bloodlines
#39 Six Foot Six - Beggars Hill
#21 Demons Down - I Stand
#05 Diviner – Avaton

I liked these albums, but they just missed out on top 100. Some of them were really close though (Hitten, Demons Down, Diviner).

#47 Eldritch – Innervoid
#44 Stray Gods – Olympus
#37 Oblivion Protocol - The Fall Of The Shires
#29 Crowne - Operation Phoenix
#28 Alcatrazz - Take No Prisoners
#23 Vandenberg – Sin
#19 Sarayasign - The Lion's Road
#15 Soen - Memorial
#14 Jelusick - Follow The Blind Man
#04 Winger – Seven
#03 Sorcerer - Reign Of The Reaper

Yup, all of these made it onto my list as well.

[LarryD]

Absolutely bad ass G ..... you are a true metal warrior ..............

Checking out the tunes you told me to ......

[Guillaume]

Absolutely bad ass G ..... you are a true metal warrior ..............

Checking out the tunes you told me to ......

Thanks!

Glad you like the Eldritch.

[LarryD]

Absolutely bad ass G ..... you are a true metal warrior ..............

Checking out the tunes you told me to ......

Thanks!

Glad you like the Eldritch.

****I checked out the bands that you and Claus wanted me to over the past few months ... I'll post on that soon, but of the 3, the Eldritch singer was the best I heard and he was in awesome company with the other bands ..... his voice just soared over the top of the rest of them - purchase underway.

[introclaus]

****I checked out the bands that you and Claus wanted me to over the past few months ... I'll post on that soon, but of the 3, the Eldritch singer was the best I heard and he was in awesome company with the other bands ..... his voice just soared over the top of the rest of them - purchase underway.

Yeah, he is an easy like ... very pleasant voice, yet not too distinctly different from Terrence, just more "commercially appealing". It also helps that the music didn't change a lot with him joining the band, it still sounds like Eldritch, just with an added commercial factor.