LISTMANIA 2025: A YEAR-END LIST FROM THE GOAT TAVERN

(Last May we published an excellent interview of the Polish band Polish band Wędrowcy~Tułacze~Zbiegi by a metal enthusiast with some roots in Poland but based in the UK whose moniker is The Goat Tavern. With that as our introduction, today, as part of our 2025 LISTMANIA series, we’re sharing The Goat Tavern’s year-end list of 25 favorite albums. To follow The Goat Tavern, go here and here.)

Whenever it’s time to look back at the year that’s just passed, I always face the laborious task of selecting the albums that have tickled me the most and the ones I think are worth a special shout-out. I try to take different things into account but, in the end, it’s the emotions that matter to me in the first place.

Extreme metal is in a fantastic place at the moment. Each year brings more and more astonishing albums and 2025 was no different. The variety and range of music within the metal scene is overwhelming and it might be a real battle to follow everything that’s coming out.

This year, I selected 25 full-length releases that I consider my favourite ones that I’ve been listening to the most this year. The definite majority involves black metal and, this year, the list has been dominated (again!) by Polish bands.

I hope you can find something new there that you like. Enjoy!

 

Venus Star – Smokeless Fire
(Terratur Possessions)

I can’t remember the last time I bought an album so quickly after the first listen! Venus Star, which was a new band to me, has immediately bewitched me with the latest release, ‘’Smokeless Fire’’ that came out of nowhere on Terratur Possessions. Venus Star’s doomy black metal has instantly spoken to me. I think that in the back of my head I had a craving for some filthy tunes enriched with a vast amount of fantastic and groovy riffs to get stuck in your mind. Songs like ‘’Lesson’’ or ‘’Remember’’ have been resonating in my head throughout the year and I can’t get enough of ‘’Smokeless Fire’’ as a whole. The album is raw and primitive but not devoid of sense and full of great ideas and impressive song-writing. It feels like this band is a eulogy to old Amorphis or Beherit, but Venus Star, with its minimalism, ironically gives so much more. Not sure if Venus Star is a project that could potentially become a live band but I feel I’d love to witness this music and atmosphere in the flesh.

https://terraturpossessions.bandcamp.com/album/smokeless-fires

 

2. Medico Peste – Aesthetic of Hunger
(Malignant Voices)

Not many bands can impress me with a first single as much as Medico Peste did when they released ‘’St. Anthony’s Fire’’. This set up my hype for the new album incredibly high. It quickly turned out that this song was not the only thing to like about ‘’Aesthetic of Hunger’’ and the whole album delivered pretty much world-class black metal. It’s got everything I expect from black metal these days – the atmosphere, great riffs and some awe-inspiring song-writing. All of this plus the characteristic Medico Peste touch that they developed over the years. I think that the opening and closing songs are the best compositions but the entire body of the album has got plenty to offer. ‘’Aesthetic of Hunger’’ is not an album that will get to you after one listen. It’s an album that requires a lot of attention and some understanding. But this is what makes it beautiful. I would even risk and say that ‘’Aesthetic of Hunger’’ is potentially Medico Peste’s best album to date. In October, I travelled to Kraków to see Medico Peste live and their incredible show made me love this album even more.

https://medicopeste.bandcamp.com/album/aesthetic-of-hunger

 

3. Ulvehyrde – Dødsdømt
(Solistitium Records)

Ulvehyrde is one of those bands that I have heard about for a while but our paths never crossed until now. Featuring members and ex-members of such bands as Urgehal, Beastcraft or Sarkom, the band is certainly not represented by newcomers to the scene. ‘’Dødsdømt’’ introduces an excellent vibe from the very first seconds. A slow but really engaging intro leads to my favourite and very addictive song, ‘’Jammerdalen’’, with a great riff and an impressive song composition. The album doesn’t reinvent black metal, but at the same time, feels very fresh and definitely not boring. Great and unobvious tempo changes make the album even more interesting. ‘’Dødsdømt’’ has got this very strong Norwegian ambience; even without the vocals and lyrics in Norwegian, you’d be able to tell where it comes from. It embraces the musicians’ experience and all the good stuff the Norwegian scene has got to offer and puts it together into a very uniform set of songs.

https://ulvehyrde.bandcamp.com/album/d-dsd-mt

 

4. Varnheim – Void
(Godz Ov War Productions)

I really like it when a band that I haven’t heard of before appears within my radar out of nowhere and mesmerizes me after the first listen. ‘’Void’’ is the third album from the Polish band Varnheim and I really hope it will open a few gates for them. At the first contact with ‘’Void’’ you can’t shake off the impression that the album radiates emotions. The sort of emotions I very often look for in music in general. It feels genuine and honest. The album may only feature 4 songs, but they are all incredibly elaborate compositions with a lot to offer. The thing that makes me particularly happy, is how they sneak in some Métal Noir Québécois references (especially Forteresse) here and there and blend them with their own style and emotions. ‘’Onwards’’ is just a perfect example and, after many listens, it is still my favourite track from ‘’Void’’. Varnheim is definitely one of the most interesting discoveries of 2025.

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/void

 

5. Abduction – Existentialismus
(Candlelight Records)

For many years, Abduction have been successfully proving that they are one of the most mature bands in the UK black metal scene. Throughout their 11 years of existence, they went through a transformation that led them to this year’s ‘’Existentialismus’’, which might be the band’s most ambitious album to date. Excellent song-writing, fantastic mystical vibe and the intriguing album cover are only a few advantages of ‘’Existentialismus’’. The way the songs are composed makes you want to investigate this album further, keeping you on edge all the time. ‘’Razors of Occam’’, which is my favourite track, displays outstanding musicianship and shows that these guys are not newcomers to the scene. Additionally, having seen the band live with the new material this year, I can easily say that ‘’Existentialismus’’ sounds as impressive and monumental on stage as it does on the record.

https://abduction616.bandcamp.com/album/existentialismus

 

6. Jordsjuk – Naglet til Livet
(Indie Recordings)

Featuring musicians and ex-members of bands like Koldbrann, Djevel, Nattverd, Urgehal or Sarkom, Jordsjuk is a band that was introduced to me by Mannevond himself when we talked in London last year. I was very intrigued with it and checked out their EP, ‘’Råtner på Rot’’ straightaway. Knowing that the full-length album was coming soon, I was even more excited as I loved those vicious four songs that were an omen of a fantastic release!

As soon as you put the album on, you realize that Jordsjuk don’t bother with intros. From the first seconds of the album, you get hit in your face with a solid blast. ‘’Naglet till Livet’’ is Norwegian to its core with its sound and feel and it’s got a countless number of fantastic riffs to offer (Skreddersøm being a perfect example!). It feels natural, authentic and you can sense the experience and skill of the musicians throughout the album. Here and there, you can hear some influences from the other bands these guys are involved in (mainly Koldbrann) but Jordsjuk presents a different kind of intensity, even with numerous and very interesting slow-downs. I think that ‘’Naglet til Livet’’ will be an album that I’ll be coming back to very often and I really need to see the band live to see if that intensity translates well to performances.

https://jordsjuk.bandcamp.com/album/naglet-til-livet

 

7. Nyctophilia – Stargazer
(Wolfspell Records)

With a rather extensive catalogue of albums, Nyctophilia has always been embracing raw black metal and blending it with its specific depressive vibe. The new, 7th full-length album, ‘’Stargazer’’, got my attention from its very first minutes. Its production comes to my liking very much with a great balance between rawness and listenability. Six quite elaborate compositions provide a great number of interesting ideas making ‘’Stargazer’’ far from boring. The middle section of ‘’Ascension Through Black Flames’’ is a prime example of skillful song-writing with a decent idea in mind. Subtle keyboards in the background enhance the album with some extra depth giving it a little bit more elevated character. Just like any of the previous Nyctophilia releases, the album is very bleak and mysterious but it feels a little bit more mature. I think that ‘’Stargazer’’ is a noble addition to Nyctophilia’s discography and that this project certainly deserves more recognition.

https://nyctophiliaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/stargazer

 

8. Sarastus – Agony Eternal
(Dominance of Darkness Records / Korpituli Productions)

The Finnish black metal scene is extremely saturated with excellent and not-so-excellent bands, but Sarastus is certainly one to stand out, and, with this year’s ‘’Agony Eternal’’ album, has once again proven that it’s surely worth more recognition. The opening track gets the album straight to the point and serves a great selection of very Finnish-sounding riffs that continue throughout the release. It sounds fierce and traditionally black metal but is not devoid of interesting melodies that keep you engaged pretty much all the time. It’s not difficult to find personality and a lot of dynamism within ‘’Agony Eternal’’ and, after many listens, I still find it satisfying. With this third Sarastus album, I can only hope that the band will maintain this level in the future.

https://sarastus.bandcamp.com/album/agony-eternal

 

9. Owls Woods Graves – Strix
(Malignant Voices)

I still remember my first contact with Owls Woods Graves. It was a couple of years after they released their first EP and when I heard the song ‘’Do You Deny the Evil?’’ I got totally possessed. Since then, I saw them live a few times (including the first ever show in Kraków) and my adoration for the band has tripled. No surprise that the premiere of the new album was one of the most anticipated releases of 2025 for me. When I received the promo, I was in Belgium at the time and I decided to have the first listen to ‘’Strix’’ on the train back to London. This was a mistake as the album’s energy made me struggle to sit still in one place!

‘’Strix’’ feels like a punch in the face with a brutal force of the best punk and black metal blend. It does sound a little bit different than their previous releases but Owls Woods Graves haven’t redefined their music and are still providing a lot of chant-worthy hits that get stuck in your head straightaway. Halfway through the album, you’re already out of breath but the band serves you ‘’Anarcho-Occultism’’ which is a KO blow. I’m really glad that Owls Woods Graves are maintaining their energy and quality keeping their flag raised, as after the phenomenal ‘’Secret Spies of the Horned Patrician’’ the bar was set rather high. I wish I could have gone and see them on their recent tour in Poland. If you ever have a chance, don’t hesitate – their teenage punk black metal is something you’ve never seen on stage before.

https://owlswoodsgraves.bandcamp.com/album/strix

 

10. Teitanblood – From the Visceral Abyss
(Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

I will admit, I haven’t listened to Teitanblood that much before, but after this year’s album, I have fallen in love with their music which redefined my personal definition of intensity in music. ‘’From the Visceral Abyss’’ strikes hard. Like really hard! This merciless blend of black and death metal is incredibly intense and heavy but, at the same time, it doesn’t act as pointless noise. Quite the opposite – the album provides controlled chaos wrapped in dozens of great ideas that make it stand out. Little mercy is given in each song but ‘’And Darkness Was All’’ is, I think, my favourite track and, with those slower sections, has really stuck in my head this year. ‘’From the Visceral Abyss’’ made me notice Teitanblood much more and since its release, I have been slowly devouring the earlier albums, which are all mind-blowingly obliterating!

https://teitanblood.bandcamp.com/album/from-the-visceral-abyss

 

11. Havukruunu – Tavastland
(Svart Records)

I received the promo for the new Havukruunu album at the end of last year, just before our trip to Finland for the last week of 2024. The temptation to check it out was strong but I decided to wait until we got to the cabin we rented for a few days, in the middle of nowhere, not far north of Tampere. Surrounded by the Finnish winter wilderness, I wrapped myself up, sat outside with a Karhu beer and I had a first listen to ‘’Tavastland’’. Having this perfect setting, I immediately fell in love with the album!

After ‘’Uinuos Syömein Sota’’ I didn’t think they could come up with something more impressive, yet here we are. The epic vibe of ‘’Tavastland’’ introduces a new level of Finnish music in general. The melodies combined with furious riffs and numerous creative passages is just something I haven’t heard before. Havukruunu sounds incredibly convincing and they feel so comfortable with what they’re doing. The opening song, ‘’Kuolematon Laulunhenki’’, as much as ‘’Havukruunu ja Talvenvarjo’’ and the title track, are the best showcase of what the band can do. I think that words can’t fully express how I feel about ‘’Tavastland’’ but I am so glad I was able to listen to the album in Finland, looking at the frostbitten Finnish landscape. I was hoping to pop over to Helsinki for the release show, but the plan didn’t work out. I still haven’t seen Havukruunu on stage and I’m itching for the opportunity to come by…

https://havukruunu.bandcamp.com/album/tavastland

 

12. Necromaniac – Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable
(Invictus Productions / Down With The Most High Productions)

Necromaniac’s full-length debut album was a release I’ve been anticipating for a few years now, since I saw the band live for the first time. It’s 2025, and ‘’Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable’’ comes out and immediately compensates for the wait! Necromaniac skillfully fuses black, thrash and death metal and the latest album is a fantastic showcase of what they can do. The great energy meets with excellent musicianship and interesting song structures. They are lavish in proper old school riffs that make your head go up and down and ‘’Grave Mound Oath’’ is a perfect example.

‘’Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable’’ also features Mark of the Devil (known from Cultes des Ghoules, Death Like Mass and Sodality) as a guest vocalist and this simply doubles the load of evil on the album. His vocals are very characteristic and perfectly fit into Necromaniac’s music. Having confronted Necromaniac live again in January as well (which included a short appearance of an aforementioned guest vocalist), made me love this album even more and I’m pretty sure I will be coming back to it often.

https://necromaniac.bandcamp.com/album/sciomancy-malediction-rites-abominable

 

13. Loathfinder – Broken Branches and Torn Roots
(Godz Ov War Productions)

Digging deep into the underground of Polish music you can always find many fantastic bands that are lurking there, ready to attack. Loathfinder is definitely one of them! Since their ‘’The Great Tired Ones’’ EP in 2017, I’ve been eagerly awaiting a full-length album that has finally come this year. Those crushing doomy riffs embraced by a glimpse of the black metal atmosphere have totally mesmerized me and I was glad that the debut album, ‘’Broken Branches and Torn Roots’’, has also given me what I anticipated. The new album, however, gives us so much more! With a much rawer sound and a lot more fury in music, the album seems to be a step towards a slightly more black metal sound. It’s still filled with plenty of fantastic doomy riffs and this eerie atmosphere works for Loathfinder so well. I even had the chance to see the band live last year and the show was as intense and interesting as their music listened to at home.

https://loathfinder.bandcamp.com/album/broken-branches-and-torn-roots

 

14. Nihilvm – Ancient Cosmic Emanation
(Malignant Voices / Terratur Possessions)

I have already said a lot about the debut Nihilvm album this year, but even though it’s been about 5 months since I first heard ‘’Ancient Cosmic Emanation’’, I still can’t help but marvel at how much talent and passion for music seemed to have come out of nowhere. I heard the album in full the same week I was going to see the band live at Beyond the Gates, at their first-ever show, and was immediately bewitched by what this band has come up with!

The first single, ‘’Srebrzyste Ostrza Gwiazd’’ came in fact much earlier, at the end of 2024, but even then I was already 100% sure that this album would stir things up. Their cosmic black metal sounds so incredibly genuine throughout the album and each song offers something unthinkable. This very dense atmosphere combined with a ton of great riffs, excellent song-writing and powerful vocals makes ‘’Ancient Cosmic Emanation’’ an absolute top three in black metal this year. In fact, I probably haven’t been so impressed with a band since I discovered Darvaza several years ago. It feels like Nihilvm – if they play it right – have an excellent future ahead of them and, with a couple of gigs lined-up for next year, I hope more people will witness the astonishing vibe of ‘’Ancient Cosmic Emanation’’.

https://terraturpossessions.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-cosmic-emanation

 

15. Helheim – HrabnaR / Ad vesa
(Dark Essence Records)

For the last 30 years, Helheim have been pretty consistent in the level of quality of their music and this year we got to hear yet another excellent record, the band’s 12th release. ‘’HrabnaR / Ad vesa’’ is progressive and very refined but still strongly rooted in Norwegian black metal. I find this album very relaxing and comforting even though it can bite you with an excellent blast here and there. Each song demonstrates the band’s outstanding musicianship and experience spanning over three decades. Like a lot of previous Helheim albums, ‘’HrabnaR / Ad vesa’’ also feels very personal and emotional. The band doesn’t spare elaborate compositions with a lot to say and I think that after many listens to the album, ‘’Fylgla’’ remains my favourite song, with an opening riff that can get stuck in your head. It’s great to see Helheim still coming up with superb material and ‘’HrabnaR / Ad vesa’’ will surely be an album I’ll be coming back to often.

https://helheim.bandcamp.com/album/hrabnar-ad-vesa

 

16. Warmoon Lord – Sancrosanct Demonopathy
(Werewolf Records)

I got familiar with Warmoon Lord on the occasion of their previous album in 2021, ‘’Battlespells’’, and was immediately drawn to it. Their music seemed to stand out for me and, with its powerful and interesting riffs and song compositions enhanced by a touch of tasteful keyboards, I’ve had my eyes on the band since then. The new album, ‘’Sancrosanct Demonopathy’’, brings you a little bit sharper and dirtier sound but the band is definitely not reinventing their music. From the very first minutes, it throws at you a lot of great and memorable riffs where the melody meets fury on a regular basis. The album also doesn’t let you forget that Warmoon Lord is a band from Finland with its passages and style so characteristic for the Finnish scene.

‘’Sancrosanct Demonopathy’’ is a very elaborate album that will make you keep discovering new things with every listen. ‘’Tartaros Offering’’ is definitely my favourite song which, in fact, was one of my favourite black metal track this year in general. Really curious where the band goes next, but what they were doing so far surely works for them very well.

https://warmoonlord.bandcamp.com/album/sacrosanct-demonopathy

 

17. Solfatare – Asservis par l’espoir
(Signal Rex)

Solfatare is a band I discovered a short while ago while catching up with what Signal Rex have been releasing this year. I was initially attracted to their debut album because of the intriguing cover art, but it quickly turned out that the band has got a lot to say with their music. Upon the first listen to ‘’Asservis par l’espoir’’, I can’t shake off the feeling of hearing some of the Polish black metal influence (especially Mgła and late Kriegsmaschine) here and there, but the album has got a very unique and remarkable vibe nonetheless. There’s some serious skill and musicianship there (those sections in Du Deuil Affaire!!) and this Belgian band seems to be very promising! ‘’Asservis par l’espoir’’ sounds very profound and personal and I can sense a lot of emotions in the music, which is always a priority for me in black metal. I think that Solfatare is one of the most fascinating debuts of 2025 and certainly one of the many captivating releases that Signal Rex had to offer this year.

https://solfatare.bandcamp.com/album/asservis-par-l-espoir

 

18. Darvaza – We Are Him
(Terratur Possessions)

To say that the new Darvaza album was the most anticipated release for me this year would be a criminal understatement. When I saw them at Cosmic Void Festival earlier this year, out of nowhere they played a new song (Holy Blood), which was a fantastic surprise that felt like a slap in the face. The song sounded incredible and I knew that the new album, that was in the making for a while, was going to be legendary.

It’s been over 2 months since I first received the promo of ‘’We Are Him’’ but I’m still speechless with the level of black metal they presented there. I was convinced that after such a powerful full-length debut, ‘’Ascending into Perdition’’, they wouldn’t be able to top this, yet here we are. Each song offers astonishing and potent riffs that sound more genuine than ever before. In the sea of repetitive and same-y black metal bands, Darvaza is a sanctuary of something sinister and spiritual. Something that I can’t exactly describe, yet something that is a priority for me in music. The new album has raised the bar very high and it doubled the feeling of something ominous and evil. Darvaza are right. They ARE Him…

https://darvazablackmetal.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-him

 

19. प्रलय (Pralaya) – Beyond the Tattered Curtain of Unspeakable Madness
(Ancient Dead)

When you think that nothing coming from Poland can surprise you anymore, there comes Pralaya, all dressed in filth and grime, and you quickly understand that Poland may never stop astonishing you. I really like when an album takes you off guard and that’s exactly what Pralaya did to me. I got hit with an album that is incredibly heavy and dense but not pointless. When you put ‘’Beyond the Tattered Curtain of Unspeakable Madness’’ on, you don’t have to wait too long to understand that under this thick layer of grime, there is a lot of actual music, and the first song, ‘’Aeon of Dissolution’’ already delivers the best that Pralaya has got to offer.

At first, the album might come across a bit chaotic but this unnatural disorder is perfectly dressed in a fair chunk of great ideas and fantastic riffs that may not make an album that you’ll be playing at family gatherings, but make you remember this release. I really hope that ‘’Beyond the Tattered Curtain of Unspeakable Madness’’ is not a one-off from Pralaya and we’ll hear about the band again sooner rather than later.

https://desecrationcommand.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-tattered-curtain-of-unspeakable-madness

 

20. Cult of Fire – The One, Who Is Made of Smoke
(Beyond Eyes)

Quality, dedication, authenticity – those three words immediately come up to my mind when thinking of Cult of Fire. With each album, comes a certain vision which is very well thought through. I have been listening to the band’s latest offering a lot this year and I can’t shake off the admiration for what they’re doing. ‘’The One, Who Is Made of Smoke’’ tells a story of goddess Dhumavati and takes you through a full cycle of mourning. Starting with the death of a husband, through the stage of deep bereavement and hatred, into worshipping Dhumavati and the realization that adoration for the goddess must not stop.

Musically, the album is deeply rooted within black metal and each song perfectly delivers different sort of emotions. The sound and song-writing are immaculate and work perfectly with the story being told. With the beautiful songs like ‘’Dhoom’’ or ‘’Joy’’, the band leads you through a wide spectrum of feelings, and this diversity is, I think, one of the strongest points of the album. Cult of Fire is one of those bands that you know what to expect from, yet with each release they set the bar higher and the latest album is no exception.

https://cultoffire.bandcamp.com/album/the-one-who-is-made-of-smoke

 

21. Stellar Blight – Eventide: Synod of the Dying Stars
(Malignant Voices)

When I first had a chance to listen a little sample of Stellar Blight, knowing who was behind this band and what was their main inspiration, I was immediately enthralled with the whole concept. Stellar Blight is a new creation from the musicians known from bands like Mānbryne, Blaze of Perdition, Owls Woods Graves or Shodan. They call their music Death Driven Heavy Metal and, after listening to their debut album, ‘’Eventide: Synod of the Dying Stars’’ even for a brief moment, it’s late Dissection that comes to mind immediately.

The album, even though heavily rooted in the Swedish melodic death metal, provides you with a very fresh approach to the genre using musical nuances from the ’90s and ’80s but giving them a little bit of own touch. It’s insanely entertaining to listen to and each song proves the excellent musicianship of the people involved. ‘’Eventide…’’ was probably one of the greatest musical surprises this year and it was great to hear the very familiar musicians in another guise. I also had a chance to see the band’s first ever show in Kraków this year, but more on that in a separate post.

https://stellarblight.bandcamp.com/album/eventide-synod-of-the-dying-stars

 

22. Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
(Debemur Morti Productions)

Blut Aus Nord got us used to the extreme quality coming from their music throughout the years. With the last two albums, Blut Aus Nord provoked much more chaos and discord and even though I really liked both ‘’Disharmonium’’ albums, I didn’t find myself listening to them very often. The new album, ‘’Ethereal Horizons’’ is much closer to the phenomenal 2019 ‘’Hallucinogen’’ and, with its haunting melodies and more ordered compositions, went straight to my list of the best 2025 albums. Love at a first listen to say the least.

I adore the sound of those ‘’wailing’’ guitars that adds an incredible amount of depth to the album. Each track seems to be telling an emotional story and all those fantastic riffs wrapped around with haunting atmosphere makes ‘’Ethereal Horizons’’ an album to remember. What is happening in the second part of ‘’The Fall Opens the Sky’’ is just beyond words! That beautiful bass line followed by the blast-beat to finish the song is one of my new favourite Blut Aus Nord moments. With each release, I always wonder how Blut Aus Nord would sound like live…

https://blutausnord.bandcamp.com/album/ethereal-horizons

 

23. Stangarigel – Za Striebornou Horou
(Medieval Prophecy Records)

The best albums always take you off guard. When I saw that the new Stangarigel album had seen the light of day, I dropped everything and I went to check it out. After the extraordinary debut in 2022, ‘’Na Severe Srdca’’, my hopes were high and it immediately turned out that ‘’Za Striebornou Horou’’ is more than a worthy follow-up!

Being Malokarpatan’s Adam’s side project, Stangarigel’s atmosphere oscillates around a similar musical concept, but the ideas are implemented differently. You can still hear a lot of classic heavy metal influences and elements that would suggest that we are indeed listening to Malokarpatan, but ‘’Za Striebornou Horou’’ gives you something more. The album is filled with incredible passages and old-school riffs that are really vivid and memorable. The slow atmospheric sections also do a great job in keeping the album dynamic and diverse. It doesn’t happen often to me to listen to an album four times in a row in one sitting. The ‘’Za Striebornou Horou’’ vibe has totally bewitched me and this should definitely tide me over until we get to hear the new Malokarpatan album.

 

24. Urn – Demon Steel
(Osmose Productions)

Over the course of 30 years of Urn’s existence the band has provided six albums, each with its own character but equally entertaining. I remember I got familiar with Urn just after ‘’The Burning’’ got released and, back then, it was the most addictive album to me. Since then, I have closely watched the band’s next steps, and with this year’s ‘’Demon Steel’’ album Urn has once again brought their excellent and really enjoyable blend of thrash and black metal. The band has gone with their tested formula and hasn’t reinvented the music, that’s for sure. ‘’Demon Steel’’ is yet another collection of memorable and addictive songs with exemplary musicianship that just must be praised! Songs like ‘’Burning Blood’s Curse’’ or ‘’Wings of Inferno’’ are instant hits that are the perfect representation of Urn’s ability of music writing. Urn is a band that certainly needs to be talked about more and, even though it was recently laid to rest, I do hope they will return one day as I still need to see them on stage with this untamed energy!

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/demon-steel

 

25. Bloedmaan – Vampyric War in Blood
(Immortal Frost Productions)

When the second Bloedmaan album came out earlier this month, I decided to include it in my AOTY after one listen. The first album was rather impressive and the music, with its vampyric vibe, definitely spoke to me. With the second release, ‘’Vampyric War in Blood’’, Bloedmaan follows the trodden path with its sound and song-writing. It worked before and it works even better now! I love this sharp sound and the songs full of melodies and melancholic riffs that can definitely get stuck in your head. After many listens to ’’Vampyric War in Blood’’, I think that ‘’Return to Castlevania’’ is my favourite song which was haunting me since I first heard it. Just like with the first album, we can’t just not notice the incredible artwork that suits the band’s atmosphere perfectly and is done by Ronarg, the guy responsible for Bloedmaan itself. Two really strong albums are a fantastic start for Bloedmaan and I hope that this high-quality benchmark is maintained on future releases.