It’s that time of year again when I thoughts turn to the year that is rapidly coming to an end. To kick off our 2023 review we asked Sentinel Daily’s ‘Heavy Division’ – Michael Stronge, Graham Goodge and Chris Arrowsmith, to have a think about the albums that made most of an dent on their musical worlds this year. This is what they came up with…

MICHAEL STRONGE
It’s been a good year for the heavier end of the musical spectrum IMHO – I could probably have stretched to forty titles that’ve mad an impression. But the boss said twenty five, so here they are. Happy holidays!
25. Barbarian Swords – Anti-Dogma Megaforce (Eternal Juggernaut Records)
24. Master’s Call – A Journey For The Damned (Fireflash Records)
23. Wolves In Winter – The Calling Quiet (Argonauta Records)
22. The Eating Cave – The Miscalculation (Own Label)
21. False Fed – Let Them Eat Fake (Neurot Recordings)
20. The Hard Ons – Ripper 23 (Golden Robot Records)
19. Knogjarn – Mera Bedovning (Indie Recordings)
18. Metallica – 72 Seasons (Blackened Recordings)
17. Persekutor – Snow Business (Blues Funeral Recordings)
16. The Royal Beggars – Falling To New Heights (Desert Rambler Recordings)
15. Necrofier – Burning Shadows in the Southern Night (Season of Mist)
14. Sleep Of Monsters – rrr (Svart Records)
13. Small Town Saviours – Small Town Saviours (Own Label)
12. die Oberherren – Die By My Hand (Svart Records)
11. Naut – Hunt (Season of Mist)
10. Bulletbelt – Burn It Up (Impaler Records)
9. Velvet Insane – High Heeled Monster (Wild Kingdom)
8. Hawkwind – The Future Never Waits (Cherry Red)
7. Teksti-TV 666 – Vapauden tasavalta (Svart Records)
6. La Chinga – Primal Forces (Ripple Music)
5. Overkill – Scorched (Nuclear Blast)
4. Host – IX (Nuclear Blast)
3. Godthrymm – Distortions (Profound Lore)
2. Enslaved – Heimdal (Nuclear Blast)
1. Blak29 – The Waiting (Cleopatra Records)

GRAHAM GOODGE
I don’t think lists are helpful for the consumption of music as art. With that statement in mind, here are some releases I felt added to the greater good of the music community in 2023. Please enjoy.
25. Jaaw – Supercluster (Svart Records)
24. Naut – Hunt (Season of Mist)
23. Artanor – In Servitude of Darkness (Gutter Prince Cabal Records) 
22. Krigsgrav – Fires In The Fall (Wiseblood Records)
21. Grafvitnir – Into The Outer Wilderness (Regain Records)
20. Blodtår – Det Fortegna Forflutna (Nordvis Produktion)
19. Heimdall’s Wacht – Mystagogie (Trollzorn)
18. Gong – Unending Ascending (Kscope)
17. Hawkwind – The Future Never Waits (Cherry Red)
16. Xysma – No Place Like Alone (Svart Records)
15. Ekrom – Uten Nådigst Formildelse (Edged Circle Productions)
14. Host – IX (Nuclear Blast)
13. Vahrzaw – In The Shadows of a Starlit Lake (Bitter Loss Records)
12. Forndom – Alster (Nordvis Produktion)
11. Arditi – Emblem of Victory (Blooddawn Productions)
10. Dark Sanctuary – Cernunnos (Avantgarde Music)
9. Skratte – Akt II: Des Wolfes Klagen (Northern Silence Productions)
8. Cløudy Skies – Changes (Argonauta Records)
7. Funus – Mono (Own Label)
6. Blood Moon Wedding – Blood Moon Wedding: An American Nightmare (Mobilization Recordings)
5. Demogorgon – A Hate For All That Grows (Sliptrick Records)
4. Sleep Of Monsters – rrr (Svart Records)
3. Teksti-TV 666 – Vapauden tasavalta (Svart Records)
2. Enslaved – Heimdal (Nuclear Blast)
1. Tilintetgjort – In Death I Shall Arise (Dark Essence Records)

Chris Arrowsmith
Well, my first few months writing for the unstoppable juggernaut that is Sentinel Daily have been exciting for sure, but I’ve also included albums I enjoyed this year before joining the mothership as well. And thanks to those in charge for making that all-important last-minute change to my list! Bang that head that does not bang! See you in 2024!
25. Rotten Sound – Apocalypse (Season of Mist)
24. Ironmaster – Weapons of Spiritual Carnage (Black Lion Records)
23. Blessed Curse – Pray For Armageddon (M-Theory Audio)
22. Werewolves – My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me (Prosthetic Records)
21. Diabolic Night – Beneath The Crimson Prophecy (High Roller Records)
20. Night Crowned – Tales (Noble Demon)
19. Skratte – Akt II: Des Wolfes Klagen (Northern Silence Productions)
18. Majesties – Vast Reaches Unclaimed (20 Buck Spin)
17. Graveripper – Seasons Screaming Death (Wiseblood Records)
16. Progenitor – Eldritch Supremacy (Own Label)
15. Satsuriku Robot – No Thrash Metal No Life (Wormholedeath)
14. Shadowspawn – Absolution Carved From Flesh (Emanzipation Recordings)
13. Küntsquäd – Küntsquäd (Wormholedeath)
12. The Plague – Erosion of Gods (Brilliant Emperor Records)
11. Putrid Yell – Consuming Aberration (Pulverised Records)
10. The Bleeding – Monokrator (Redefining Darkness)
9. Demogorgon – A Hate For All That Grows (Sliptrick)
8. The Eating Cave – The Miscalculation (Own Label)
7. Master’s Call – A Journey For The Damned (Fireflash Records)
6. Ignited – Cradle of the Wicked (Own Label)
5. Necrofier – Burning Shadows of the Southern Night (Season Of Mist)
4. Bulletbelt – Burn It Up (Impaler Records)
3. Overkill – Scorched (Nuclear Blast)
2. Godthrymm – Distortions (Profound Lore)
1. Swarf Damage – Swarf Damage (Own Label)