Lots of great music released in 2010. There have been plenty of albums I've really liked - but which have been my five favourite?

In This Moment "A Star Crossed Wasteland"
I know I'm too old for this sh*t, but when it popped up as an Amazon suggestion I checked the band out. Bloody hell what a surprise, the kind of band that the Kerrang kiddy channel would play but I actually like. While most young American metal seems like a load of noisy strummy crap this band actually likes a bit of harmony, plenty of Maiden-like moments in the music and vocalist Maria Brink really is going to be a megastar.

Example tracks - The Promise, The Gun Show

...

Joe Satriani "Black Swans & Wormhole Wizards"
After loving Joe's early work up to and including the Extremist I never really liked the later stuff. But I love his new album, sounds like a collection of songs this time around. Favourite track is Wind in the Trees, with it's interesting use of autotune and lovely piano playing.

Example track - Wind in the Trees

Slash "Slash"
Well what a great album this turned out to be. The use of so many vocalists does result in a little lack of cohesion, but overall it's a strong effort and easily better than Axl's recent effort Chinese Democracy (an album I still like). Who would have thought Fergie (from Black Eyed Peas) would ever record a song folks with taste would enjoy? And Back from Cali is particularly great and it's no surprise Miles Kennedy will be the sole vocalist on Slash's next album.

Example tracks - Back From Cali, Beautiful Dangerous

Cathedral "The Guessing Game"
Lee Dorian's mob of doom metallers have released some great records over the years, some amusing, some fecking heavy. They've never released anything this unique or odd though. While retaining plenty of the Sabbath influence The Guessing Game - a double concept album - goes off into some wild tangents that recall the glorious seventies excess of Genesis and Jethro Tull. Bonkers and brilliant for it.

Example tracks - The Casket Chasers, Cats, Incense, Candles & Wine

Iron Maiden "The Final Frontier"
Best album from the lads since Brave New World and contains many musical moments that recall Seventh Son. Very interesting and very un-Maiden like vibe at times as the three amigos sound like they are trading licks and jamming rather than playing (what has often been in recent times) Steve Harris rigid building-block compositions. Especially cool is Janick's rhythm playing (right channel in your headphones), loads of cool little licks and moments that propel the songs along. Good production too, lovely and clear, looks like Kevin Shirly does know where the treble knob (after accidentally turning it right down while recording Black Country Communion). The Final Frontier is my favourite album of 2010 by a country mile and my favourite song of the year is also from this album, Isle of Avalon.

Example tracks - When the Wild Wind Blows, Isle of Avalon

Honourable Mentions:
Alter Bridge - AB III
Cradle of Filth - Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa
Joanne Shaw Taylor - Diamonds in the Dirt
ReVamp - ReVamp
Ozzy Osbourne - Scream

There were also great live albums from Heaven & Hell, Megadeth and most notably the awsome Live from the Royal Albert Hall by Opeth.

Disappointments included Black Country Communion (shame about the muddy production), Jeff Beck's Emotion & Commotion and Joe Bonamassa's Black Rock. All three had some great moments but failed overrall.

The worst thing in music this year was the death of Ronnie James Dio. Metal will not be the same without him, so lets end with him doing what he does best on Neon Nights - 30 Years of Heaven & Hell.