1. Whitesnake – Good To Be Bad

Whitesnake is back! Quality music with a great tour to support its release. Mr Coverdale still has it.

2. Sabaton – The Art Of War

I'm still trying for figure out why I haven't heard of this band before. Seeing them live at Wacken reinforced this release in my favourite releases this year.

3. Scar Symmetry – Holographic
4. Saint Deamon – In Shadows Lost from the Brave
5. Eluviette - Slania
6. Axel Rudi Pell – Tales of the Crown
7. Biomechanical – Cannibalised
8. Sonic Syndicate – Love and Other Disasters
9. Pain – Cynic Paradise
10. Warrel Dane – Praises To The War Machine
11. Leverage – Blind Fire
12. Avantasia – The Scarecrow
13. Hypocrisy – Catch 22
14. Children of Bodom – Blooddrunk
15. Poisonblack – A Dead Heavy Day
16. Edguy – Tinnitus Sanctus
17. Kataklysm – Prevail
18. Almah – Fragile equality
19. Voodoo Circle – Voodoo Circle
20. Amberian Dawn – River of Tuoni

BEST NEW BAND

Saint Deamon
So some of the members are tried and true, but 'Nobby' Noberg and Ronny Milianowicz (Dionysus) keep coming up with quality line-ups and music to match.

BEST DVD

1. A Finnish Summer with Turisus
2. Global Metal

GREATEST HOPES FOR 2009

1. Attending a few more obscure intimate European metal festivals.

2. Finally finishing renovations and returning to the local metal scene.

DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2008

1. Leaving my Wacken tickets on the fridge in Australia.

2. Michele Luppi leaving Vision Divine before I got to see him front the band. Wanting to hear him live was the reason for our trek to RockinField, Italy.