(written by Islander)
You might not have noticed, but our annual LISTMANIA extravaganza at NCS has begun, as evidenced by this post from last week. But we didn’t really give this project a proper introduction (though I did make an effort in our new-music roundup this past Saturday), so we’re doing that now. For those of you new to the orgy, our LISTMANIA blockbuster comes in four parts:
First, like that post linked above, we re-print assorted lists of the year’s best albums, leeched from other big web sites and magazines. Second, we will provide a post in which our readers can share their lists of the 2025 albums and shorter releases they enjoyed the most (we’ll be asking for those on December 1st, so get ready). Third, we will post the year-end lists of our own staff and assorted guest writers, and that will begin whenever Andy Synn gets his week-long series of lists ready, since that’s how we always begin.
And fourth, I’ll again roll out my list of the year’s Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs. That list is the subject of this request for help.
In case you’ve become an NCS reader since the last time I did this, here’s what this Most Infectious Song list is all about:
This is about individual songs, not albums, EPs, demos, etc. It’s also not our list of the best individual extreme metal songs of the year — though some of the songs might actually be among the best of the year. Instead, this will be a list of the most infectious extreme metal songs I’ve heard this year. Yes, it’s my list, but I do take into account ideas from others.
The objective here is to think of songs that might produce involuntary physical movement, songs that have got catchy melodies or irresistible grooves, or anything else that sticks the song in your head and makes you want to keep listening to it.
To be one of the most infectious songs of the year, it should be something that you revisit often, something you put on playlists, something you mentally replay at unexpected times — songs you go back to repeatedly for listening. “Most played” might be a good synonym.
As is true every year, I do already have my own working list of candidates — and as in every other year, there are a ton of songs on there already. I’ll get more ideas from some of our other writers. But I have no doubt we’ll overlook some songs we really liked, especially from earlier in the year, and there are inevitably a lot more that we just never heard at all. And so here’s where I’m asking for your help:
Please leave Comments to this post with your own lists of Most Infectious Songs that you think ought to be on our list — or if you’re bashful, you can e-mail your ideas to me (see the CONTACT US tab up above).
I’ll then pick what I think are the most infectious tracks of the year and start posting those songs in groups of two or three as we get closer to year-end or at the beginning of 2026. The first year I did this (in 2009), I limited the list to 10 songs. In 2010, I expanded it to 30. In 2011 it grew to 39. In 2012 it topped out at 56. In 2013 I worked really hard and got the list all the way down to.. gulp… 73. In 2014, life got in the way and I never finished the complete rollout, though I announced 62 songs before I gave up.
In 2015 I stopped at 75. The list for 2016 included 71 tracks, and I included 78 of them in 2017. In 2018 I stopped at 99 (double-gulp!), and in 2019 I partially came to my senses and stopped the list at 60 tracks. In 2020 I stopped at 47 songs — again because I simply ran out of time. In 2021 the list swelled again, to 99 tracks, tying the 2018 record. In 2022, my list included 66 songs. Things happened and I couldn’t create a list for 2023 (though Vizzah Harri did). And my 2024 list hit the wall at 66 songs.
As you can tell, I have a really fuckin’ hard time making lists. Of course, as usual, I have no idea how many songs we’ll feature this year, because I tend to make it up as I go along and because I can’t foresee the extent to which outside interferences in my work or personal life might distract me.
So, please reflect on the songs you’ve found most addictive this year and let us hear from you. By leaving your list in the Comments, you’ll also help make this post a way for other metalheads to find good music from the year that’s now rushing to an end. Thanks for your help.
P.S. If you leave a comment and it doesn’t appear, don’t worry. We have an overly aggressive spam filter that holds some comments for moderation, often for inexplicable reasons. I see all of those, though sometimes not immediately, and I will approve them. Please be patient.
23 Responses to “THE MOST INFECTIOUS EXTREME METAL SONGS OF 2025: OUR ANNUAL APPEAL TO READERS FOR HELP!”
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I find most my metal on your site, so probably nothing new for you here, but the first songs that come to mind for me are:
1914 – 1918 pt. 3 – Ade
Astronoid – Third Shot
Psychonaut – And you came with searing light
Riven – Colossus
Vacuous – Contraband
Definitivamente una de las canciones más infecciosas del año ha sido
Decimated Graves – Mastiff
Mastiff – Decimated Graves
Terzij de Horde – The all consuming works of the souls foreclosing
Coroner – Symmetry
Lijkschouwer – Colours of Woe
Dodenkrocht – Entity
Schreigarm – Winds of the Ancient Pantheons
Sargeist – An Eternal Dream Beyond the Accused Portent
Afsky – Natmaskinen
Starer – In the Place of Truth
Vokkr – Smoczy krzyk
Morild – 1000 Kroppe
The Thought of Death – Yellow Eyes
Arrows and Clay – Cave Sermon
Genesis of Error – Cryptodira
Lexington Delirium – Imperial Triumphant
(Become) Carrion – Corridoré
Dominion – Stygian Bough
Anything from the new debut Degraved full length, Spectral Realm of Ruin. Maybe track 6. But any track is up for grabs, it’s a perfect record and tough to choose.
Abduction – Truth is as Sharp a Sword as Vengeance
Cave Sermon – Three-Headed Moth
Psalm – I Am The Slaughter
Messa – The Dress
Ainsoph – The Beaten Path Made Flesh
MØL – Garland (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq94LUIUJws)
MØL – Garland
Pulchra Morte – When Hearts Become The Wave
Deadguy- barn burner
Okay, I’ll play for once
Ancient Death – Breaking the Barriers of Hope
Bronze Hall – We Follow the Ravens
Cemetery Moon – Triumphant Spirit
Clairvoyance – Eternal Blaze
Diabolizer – Purulent Divinity in Black Flames
Dormant Ordeal – Horse Eater
Kal-El – B.T.D.S.C.
Metaphobic – Mental Deconstruction
Mean Mistreater – Do or Die
Pest – Dr Crow
Violator – The Evil Order
Ovader – Ymir’s Tale
Phantom – Thunderbeast
Siege Column – Chains of Satan
Venator – Steal the Night
Ichor’s Glaive – Jörmungandr
Mine ones:
NEPHASTO – Deformed Deviation
Defacement – Unexplainable
Knives – THE DAGGER
Crust – Lightgiver
Heteropsy – Old Friends
NIN – As Alive as You Need Me to Be
Nite – Cult Of The Serpent Sun
Lipoma – Pathology for Life
You ever heard goregrind in a major key? Well now you have. Posi goregrind should not exist but I’m so glad it does.
Pulse – by Ashbreather
Mors Principium Est – The Rivers of Avernus
Vauruva – Legado
Anzv – Alu
Nephylim – Grand Denial
Dormant Ordeal – Solvent
Amon Amarth – We rule the waves
We lost the sea – A dance with death
Noble Victory – Womankind
Asteriæ — 1-4-8
Demersal – Inter formår
Trhä — teq qër’hä
Habak — Dejamos hablar al viento
Illvilja – Dödsmärkt
Church Tongue / George Clark — You’ll know it was me
To Be Gentle – Rakkauden Taikuus
Cassus – Seaseless Tumult
Allegaeon – Wake Circling Above
Mors Principium Est – The Rivers of Avernus
Anzu – Alu
Zmarylm – Wielke Zanikanie
Abigail Williams – Talk to Your Sleep
Rivers of Nihil – House of Light
(Honorable mentions – not extreme metal):
Perturbator – Venus (feat. Author & Punisher)
Health – You Died
Health –
Age of Apocalypse – Mortal Coil
Here Are The Few Infectious Ones For The Year 2025.
1. Ancient Death / Ego Dissolution
2. Blackbraid / And He Became The Burning Stars
3. Coroner / Renewal And Symmetry
4. Cryptopsy / Malicious Needs
5. Depravity (Australia) / Call To The Fallen
6. Lamp Of Murmuur / Forest Of Hallucinations
7. Messa (Italy) / Reveal
8. Sun After Dark / Burning Blue
9. Tomarum (Atlanta USA) / Shallow Ecstasy
10.Thron (Germany) / The Hunter And The Prey