Our final Journo lists selections come from Reviews Editor Gavin Strickmann and the big cheese himself, Editor Scott Adams – did they like any new music at all in 2023?

GAVIN STRICKMANN
A strong year? I’m not so sure, but the best of what came out was very good indeed – hope you agree with at least some of my selections!
25. Hugo’s Voyage – Inception (Frontiers Music)
24. Cold Drop – Cold Drop (Lions Pride Music)
23. Elysion – Bring Out Your Dead (Massacre Records)
22. Medevil – Mirror In The Darkness (Own Label)
21. The Royal Beggars – Falling To New Heights (Desert Rambler Recordings)
20. Mammoth WVH – Mammoth II (BMG)
19. Sarayasign – The Lion’s Road (Frontiers Music)
18. Small Town Saviours – Small Town Saviours (Own Label)
17. Chromeskull – Screaming At The World (Own Label)
16. Bad Bones – Hasta El Final! (Rockshots Records)
15. Boys From Heaven – The Descendant (Target Records)
14. Velvet Insane – High Heeled Monster (Wild Kingdom)
13. Scream Maker – Land of Fire (Frontiers Music)
12. Voyager – Fearless In Love (Season of Mist)
11. Primal Fear – Code Red (Atomic Fire)
10. Air Raid – Fatal Encounter (High Roller Records)
9. Winger – Seven (Frontiers Music)
8. Beyond The Black – Beyond The Black (Nuclear Blast)
7. Host – IX (Nuclear Blast)
6. Tygers of Pan Tang – Bloodlines (Mighty Music)
5. Crowne – Operation Phoenix (Frontiers Music)
4. Diamond Dogs – About The Hardest Nut To Crack (Wild Kingdom)
3. KK’s Priest – Return of the Sinner (Napalm Records)
2. Kent Hilli – Nothing Left To Lose (Frontiers Music)
1. Dreamstreet – Dreamstreet 2.0 (Red Fields Entertainment)

SCOTT ADAMS
It’s that time of year again and I must say I had trouble whittling things down to a ‘mere’ twenty five. There’s no argument about the number one though, from a truly exciting young band who I hope will take the world by storm over the coming years. Thanks for joining us in such numbers all year – and we hope to see you and all your friends again in 2024!
25. Dreamstreet – Dreamstreet 2.0 (Red Fields Entertainment)
24. Scream Maker – Land of Fire (Frontiers Music)
23. Velvet Insane – High Heeled Monster (Wild Kingdom)
22. Grande Royale – Welcome To Grime Town (The Sign Records)
21. Primal Fear – Code Red (Atomic Fire)
20. Voyager – Fearless In Love (Season of Mist)
19. Air Raid – Fatal Encounter (High Roller Records)
18. Hawkwind – The Future Never Waits (Cherry Red)
17. Winger – Seven (Frontiers Music)
16. Night Legion – Fight Or Fall (Massacre Records)
15. Teksti-TV 666 – Vapauden tasavalta (Svart Records)
14. Beyond The Black – Beyond The Black (Nuclear Blast)
13. Tygers of Pan Tang – Bloodlines (Mighty Music)
12. La Chinga – Primal Forces (Ripple Music)
11. Department of Gloom – Department of Gloom (Andromeda Records)
10. Overkill – Scorched (Nuclear Blast)
9. Host – IX (Nucler Blast)
8. Crowne – Operation Phoenix (Frontiers Music)
7. Coven Japan – Earthlings (No Remorse Records)
6. Diamond Dogs – About The Hardest Nut to Crack (Wild Kingdom)
5. KK’s Priest – Return of the Sinner (Napalm Records)
4. Kent Hilli – Nothing Left To Lose (Frontiers Music)
3. Enslaved – Heimdal (Nuclear Blast)
2. Godthrymm – Distortions (Profound Lore)
1. Creeper – Sanguivore (Spinefarm)