Final list -
1. Journey - Revelation
2. Work Of Art - Artwork
3. Whitesnake - Good To Be Bad
4. Hinder - Take It To The Limit
5. Jeff Scott Soto - Beautiful Mess
5. Story Of The Year - The Black Swan
6. Bulletproof Messenger - Arm Yourself
7. Metallica - Death Magnetic
8. HEAT - s/t
9. Brother Firetribe - Heart Full Of Fire
10. Jimi Jamison - Crossroads Moment (ex the 5 theatrical crap songs the remaining 10 are all killer)
11. Marcello/Vestry - s/t
12. Harem Scarem - Hope
13. Sturm Und Drang - Rock n Roll Children
14. Simple Plan - s/t
15. Disciple - Southern Hospitality
16. Shinedown - The Sound Of Madness
17. Tesla - Forevermore
18. Khymera - The Greatest Wonder
19. Anberlin - New Surrender
20. Safety Suit - Life Left To Go
Disappointments -
Avantasia (after Lost in Space i & ii this really should have been brilliant, but was just average), GnR (I liked GnR when they were GnR), Jorn (lost the plot), Edguy ( nothing more to say - huge disappointment), Elevener (I know a few have rated this but to me just sounds like a poor mans Gregg Rolie)
Surprise of the year - The Old Schoolers!!!! Take a bow Journey, Whitesnake & Metallica - huge returns to form
I just hope 2009 is even better!