Literally hundreds of Sentinel Daily-friendly albums have been released thus far in 2023, and we’ve reviewed well over a hundred of those – which ones did you the readers like best? Well, crack open a can of something soothing n’frothy and get ready cos we’re about to find out… Here are our top twenty albums this year so far as defined by your readership!
20. Necrofier – Burning Shadows In The Southern Night (Season of Mist)
“Bullseye! in all honestly there isn’t a moment on the record that won’t have you catching your breath and revelling in the splendour of it all. Some albums are made simply to wallow in – and this is one of them”. – Michael Stronge, 16/05/23
Read Mick’s full review HERE
19. Small Town Saviours – Small Town Saviours (Own Label)
“This is full-on, unbridled rock n’roll mania, people, and it looks and feels suspiciously like the real thing!”. – Scott Adams, 03/01/23
Take a gander at Scott’s full review HERE
18. Wolves In Winter – The Calling Quiet (Argonauta Records)
“Despite only forming a couple of years ago, UK doomists Wolves In Winter present as a fully-formed, fully realised and pretty special unit on the debut full-length The Calling Quiet”. – SA, 14/02/23
Read Scott’s thoughts in full HERE
17. Ekrom – Uten Nådigst Formildelse (Edged Circle Productions)
“Uten Nådigst Formildelse exists out of nothing more than a desire to create something meaningful, and that’s the best reason of all to support it.”. – Jeff Tandy, 08/05/23
Read Jeff’s full appraisal HERE
16. Blak29 – The Waiting (Cleopatra Records)
“All killer, no filler; and, at the end of the day, for all the dissection on influences and inspirations, a record that is just so goddamn enjoyable to listen to that it transcends criticism.” – MS, 21/02/23
Have a look at Mick’s full take on The Waiting HERE
15. Temtris – Khaos Divine (Wormholedeath)
“Indubitably the best Temtris album we’ve been given yet, from a band who, seven albums in to a near-quarter century career, still manage to go from strength-to-strength.” – Gavin Strickmann, 09/03/23
Read Gavin’s full review of Khaos Divine HERE
14. Mötley Crüe – Crücial Crüe: The Studio Albums 1981-1989 (BMG)
“Truth is, this vinyl album box set is a great way to hear how good these records sound and is also a great way to get reacquainted with how great these albums really are.” – Leeno Dee, 24/01/23
See Leeno’s full take HERE
13. Medevil – Mirror In The Darkness (Own Label)
“There is not one second wasted here as the band deliver one of the most compelling, absorbing albums I’ve heard in quite some while.” – GS, 28/02/23
Take a look at Gavin’s full appraisal of Mirror in the Darkness HERE
12. Grand Royale – Welcome To Grime Town (The Sign Records)
“From second one Grand Royale take you by the scruff of the neck, and show you what the phrase ‘good time’ means time and again in no uncertain fashion..” – SA, 27/02/23
See Scott’s full review HERE
11. Cold Drop – Cold Drop (Lion’s Pride Music)
“A fabulously well-executed mix, and one that you’ll find yourself returning to again and again to wallow in the sheer fun of roustabout rockers like Sweet Lucille.” – GS, 31/01/23
Read Gavin in full flow on Cold Drop HERE
10. Millennium – The Sign Of Evil (No Remorse Records)
“Millennium have put together a very listenable album that’s rooted in their NWoBHM legacy for sure, whilst also acknowledging vocalist Mark Duffy‘s thrash dabblings and throwing a heap of newer influences into the mix to create a rather nice sound indeed..” – GS, 26/04/23
Read Gavin’s full review HERE
9. DeadBlondeStars – Metamorphosis (Own Label)
“There’s a lot to like about this record, and DeadBlondeStars in general, They’re certainly a name to keep an eye on for the future, but in the meantime they’ve given us a pretty good calling card to be going on with..” – GS, 10/01/23
Read Gavin on DBS HERE
8. Blood Moon Wedding – Blood Moon Wedding – An American Nightmare (Mobilization Recordings)
“Steve Lake and Mia Dean’s voices – the one serviceable at best, the other downright Angelic – were clearly made to work together, despite the pair being a World away from one another in their past creative lives, and it really feels like a privilege to be invited into this world they’ve created. Come one, come all – it doesn’t matter what sort of music you like normally, this is something you really need to here”. – SA, 06/03/23
Read Scott’s Eulogy to Blood Moon Wedding HERE
7. TekstiTV 666 – Vapauden Tasavalta (Svart Records)
“This is truly energising music, important music, and it’s fabulous to listen to in an age where most ‘alternative’ music exists entirely and very safely within the mainstream and seems happy to do so. Teksti-TV 666 are outsiders, and their strange and beautiful music deserves to be celebrated.”. – MS, 03/02/23
Read Mick’s unexpurgated thoughts on TTV666 HERE
6. Sleep of Monsters – ΓΓΓ (Svart Records)
“It’s clear that Sleep of Monsters are producing, important, substantial music here; Ghost have proven that occult music doesn’t need to be impenetrable to the untutored ear, and on ΓΓΓ you’ll find some of the most accessible occult rock ever committed to tape. On all levels this is a great success.” – MS, 21/04/23
Take a look at Mick’s full review HERE
5. Stonetrip – Run Free (Golden Robot Records)
“For all the musical dexterity on show, it’s the songwriting that’s the key to Run Free’s success; At thirteen songs in length, the danger might be that the album collapses under it’s own weight; however every song keeps things tight, economical and energised, meaning that you’ll never get the chance to get bored. These guys clearly know what they are at when it comes to making a very listenable record..” – SA, 07/03/23
Read Scott’s mind running free HERE
4. Host – IX (Nuclear Blast)
“At it’s best (the superb duo of Tomorrow’s Sky and Hiding From Tomorrow) the pair transport you back to about 1983, fusing the worlds of synthpop and post-punk into an easy-to digest package, in the process reminding you what master songwriters they really are…” – MS, 09/02/23
Have a look at Mick’s review in full HERE. Trenchcoats optional.
3. Stargazer – Life Will Never Be The Same (Mighty Music)
“Seriously, there are some righteous tunes going down here…This is hard rock as it used to be made, loud and proud, nothing more nothing less, and you’re gonna lap up every second of it when you get the chance…” – GS, 10/02/23
Soak up Gavin’s full take on Life Will Never Be The Same HERE
2. Hanoi Rocks – Oriental Beat (40th Anniversary Re(al)Mix) (Svart Records)
“With this version of Oriental Beat, the remaining members of Hanoi Rocks themselves were involved in the remixing process, and they got it right. Oriental Beat – 40th Anniversary Re(al)Mix – the reissue’s full title – shows just how good the original album should have sounded.. It’s sonically a pleasure to listen to. The songs emerge from their previous existence as flat and struggling to break through a sonic straitjacket, to three-dimensional rip snorting bastards.” – LD, 03/03/23
Enjoy Leeno’s full take on Oriental Beat HERE
All of which means our half-year, Readers Choice album of 2023 is…
1. Hawkwind – The Future Never Waits (Cherry Red)
“On their thirty fifth studio album, and with band leader Dave Brock approaching his mid eighties, Hawkwind have surely earned the right to do whatever they like. Which, to certain extent, is just what they do… A truly immersive piece of work that reveals more of itself with each listen, it’s easily – to my fevered mind at least – the best thing this band has come up with in decades. Bravo!” – MS, 05/04/23
Read the full review of our Reader’s Choice album HERE
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