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My year-end “Top Ten” list for 2025:
#10. Ritual Ascension, “Profanation of the Adamic Covenant”. Having listened to so much extreme metal in it’s various forms over the years, there’s not many albums that give me an ‘eerie feeling’ anymore. This one certainly does though. Just a fantastic record when you want to hear something nasty and creepy. Best song: “Womb Exegesis”
#9. Dawn of Ashes, “Infecting the Scars”. I’m always a sucker for dark industrial, and this album hits that particular nail right on the head. Best song: “Infecting the Scars”
#8. Ghost, “Skeleta”. Yes, it’s Scooby Doo chase music. No, I don’t care. It’s still a blast. Best song: “Umbra”
#7. Evoken, “Mendacium”. An absolutely devastating soundscape that I find something new in every time I spin it. I usually have to be in the right mood for doom metal, but this one always hits perfectly. Best song: “Lauds” (starts at 9:55)
#6. Lamp of Murmuur, “The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy”. A fascinating and unique blend of styles that comes together perfectly. The “Dreaming Prince” suite to close out the album is just sublime. Best song: “Moondance”
#5. Blackbraid, “Blackbraid III”. Black metal with strong Native American influences that brings a rage and intensity that is unmatched. Best song: “Wardrums at Dawn on the Day of my Death”
#4. Mechina, “Bellum Interruptum”. If Mass Effect had a metal soundtrack, it would be Mechina. A fantastic return to form after a couple really disappointing albums. Best song: “Cruelty Is the Point”
#3. Lord of the Lost, “Opvs Noir Vol 1”. A band that somehow manages to pull off just about every genre with excellence. From soaring gothic to fist-pounding folk, to industrial metal, to epic symphonic, every song on this album is a banger. Best song: “Lords of Fyre”, with an assist from the always hilarious Feuerschwanz. Definitely the catchiest song of 2025.
For the last two albums, I’ve been going back and forth forever on which would take the top spot. I’ve listened to both of them over and over again the last few weeks trying to decide which I liked better and I simply can’t decide. They’re very different and both excellent, so I’m just gonna list a 1a and 1b.
#1a. Contemplation, “Au bord du precipice”: This is the genre mix that I never knew I needed. Beautiful folks melodies with crushing atmospheric metal supported by…reggae dub. There is no possible way this combination should work, but it does to perfection. If metalheads needed a “music to listen to while walking on a deserted beach” album, this is it. Best song: See below.
#1b. Igorrr, “Amen”: Nothing short of sheer musical insanity. Every song is absolutely bursting with so many creative ideas but yet it always feels entertaining and never overwhelming. Igorrr had set a high bar, but this exceeded it in every way. A truly brilliant album. Best song: "Blastbeat Falafel. If you can listen to this without a smile, you’re dead inside.
Song of the Year: Contemplation, “Au bord du précipice”. A beautiful guitar/violin combo leads into crushing bleakness which then soars into a dreamy dub before crashing heavily back to earth. Difficult to describe and must be experienced.
Honorable mentions:
- Amorphis, “Borderland”
- Graveripper, “From Welkin to Tundra”
- Terror Corpse, “Ash Eclipses Flesh”
- Sleep Token, “Even in Arcadia”
- Oromet, “The Sinking Isle”
- Pertubator, “Age of Aquarius”
- Pupil Slicer, “Fleshwork”
- Impureza, “Alcazares”
- Hate, “Bellum Regiis”
- Thurnin, “Harmr”
Disappointment of the year: Baest, “Colossal”. I had such high hopes for this one after Necro Sapiens, but it just fell horribly flat in every possible way.
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Avi Kaplan came up on one of my Pandora stations, his “Peace Somehow” is his first song to come up. I’ve found that I like him, and his style.
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AH! I remember this guy ! The original bass and founding member of Pentatonix… Ive always been impressed by him.
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I know. I post this every year. I like it.
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I’ve been listening to a lot of the deeper cuts from the J Geils Band lately. Some of their Honky Tonk and Rythm and Blues work is very good.
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First I look at the purse…
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These hit me hard every time. As good as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is, these do more for my soul. Maybe because I’m Catholic, idk.
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Prince’s three minute guitar
solo in honor of George Harrison.
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