(written by Islander)
As of today we are entering the final month of 2025, and that begins the final countdown to the end of the year. In the world of metal, this month we’ll also start seeing more and more lists of the year’s best releases.
Back in 2009, when this site was just a few days old, I wrote a post about year-end lists and why people bother with them. The best reason still seems to be this: Reading someone else’s list of the albums they thought were best is a good way to discover music you missed and might like.
We don’t do an “official” NCS year-end list of best albums. However, we publish the picks of each of our regular staff writers as well as a group of invited guests, in addition to lists that we re-post from a few print zines and “big platform” online sites.
Every year we also invite our readers to share their lists and we’re doing that again right here, right now.
If you’ve been pondering what you’ve heard this year and have made your own list of the albums, EPs, or splits released in 2025 that you think are the best of what you’ve heard, we invite you to share it with everyone in the Comments section to this post. And if you haven’t made a list yet but want to, there’s still plenty of time (read below).
******
We don’t have any hard-and-fast rules about year-end lists. Your list doesn’t have to be a specific number — it doesn’t have to be a “Top 10” or “Top 20” list, it could be a Top 2 list or a Top 15, or any other number.
And it doesn’t have to be a cross-genre list, i.e., the best of all metal you’ve heard this year. It could be the best death metal, or the best black metal, or the best grind, or the best crust or doom or prog or thrash metal, and on and on — pretty much whatever you want to do and feel comfortable doing, as long as it fits your definition of metal.
Don’t be shy, and don’t worry about being judged — if you haven’t figured it out already, it ain’t our style nor is it usually the style of our commenters to ridicule what someone else thinks is great metal.
And if you don’t have a list ready yet, no sweat, because you can come back to this post whenever you like and add your list later — or comment on the lists others have posted. I’ll put a link to this post at the top right side of every page so people can find it quickly — look for the link to 2025 NCS READERS’ YEAR-END LISTS. That will make the comments to this post a collection point for “Best of” readers’ lists. And that link will stay on our page from now through this time in 2026.
Over the past year we’ve had 75 comments on this invitation in December 2024. That’s down from 86 the year before, but it still says something about how interested people are in seeing each other’s lists and reacting to them. So start thinking and start commenting — please, and thank you.
~ islander
P.S. We use a spam filter that applies to Comments. For reasons I don’t comprehend, it sometimes seems to randomly hold comments for approval and won’t let them appear until I approve them. If yours doesn’t immediately appear, don’t worry. I do check the “moderation” list several times a day and will free them from bondage as soon as possible.
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All Death Metal, Top 40, in alphabetical order.
Ancient Death – Ego Dissolution (Profound Lore)
Anthrodynia – Unspeakable Horrors Emanating From Within (Nameless Grave)
Ataudes – Tempus Edax Rerum (Memento Mori)
Binah – Onkos (Osmose)
Blight Lodge – Everlasting Blight Festering Upon The Land (Unsigned)
Blood Monolith – The Calling Of Fire (Profound Lore)
Castrator – Coronation Of The Grotesque (Dark Descent)
Continuum of Xul – Voratore (Lavadome)
Corpus Offal – Corpus Offal (20 Buck Spin)
Dead And Dripping – Nefarious Scintillations (Transcending Obscurity)
Decrepisy – Deific Mourning (Carbonized)
Degraved – Spectral Realm Of Ruin (Dark Descent)
Decryptal – Simulacre (Me Saco Un Ojo)
Disembodiment – Spiral Crypts (Everlasting Spew)
Drawn And Quartered – Lord Of Two Horns (Nuclear Winter)
Escarnium – Inexorable Entropy (Everlasting Spew)
Filth – Time To Rot (Me Saco Un Ojo)
Glorious Depravity – Death Never Sleeps
Haxprocess – Beyond What Eyes Can See (Transcending Obscurity)
Hexrot – Formless Ruin Of Oblivion (Transcending Obscurity)
Innumerable Forms – Pain Effulgence (Profound Lore)
Malthusian – The Summoning Bell (Relapse)
Metaphobic – Deranged Excruciations (Everlasting Spew)
Morbific – Bloom Of The Abnormal Flesh (Me Saco Un Ojo)
Mortual – Altar Of Brutality (Nuclear Winter)
Occulsed – Antegnosis (Everlasting Spew)
Ossuary – Abhorrent Worship (Me Saco Un Ojo)
Phobocosm – Gateway (Dark Descent)
Plasmodulated – An Ocean Ov… Hell (Unsigned)
Putrescent – Darkness Embraced (Rotted Life)
Qrixkuor – The Womb Of The World (Invictus)
Ritual Ascension – Profanation of the Adamic Covenant (Sentient Ruin)
Ritual Mass – Cascading Misery (20 Buck Spin)
Terror Corpse – Ash Eclipses Flesh (Dark Descent)
Thorn – Nebulous Womb Of Eternity (Transcending Obscurity)
Toughness – Black Respite of Oblivion (Gods Ov War)
Undersave – Merged In Abstract Perdition (Transcending Obscurity)
Vacuous – In His Blood (Relapse)
Venomous Echoes – Dysmor (I, Voidhanger)
Weeping Sores – The Convalescence Agonies (I, Voidhanger)
Special acknowledgement to Ominous Circle and Omegavortex, who are clearly great but I haven’t had enough time with yet.
AINSOPH – Affection & Vengeance
Ancient Death – Ego Dissolution
BA’AL – The Fine Line Between Heaven And Here
Barren Path – Grieving
Binah – Ónkos
Chat Pile – In the Earth Again
Dephosphorus – Planetoktonos
Exterior Palnet – Haragma II
Faetooth – Labyrinthine
Fer De Lance – Fires on the Mountainside
Grave Hex – Vermian Death
Gloombound – Dreaming Delusion
Hadopelagyal – Haematophoryktos (Album)
Hedonist – SCAPULIMANCY
Lamp Of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy
MALEFIC THRONE – The Conquering Darkness
OMEGAVORTEX – Diabolic Messiah of the New World Order
OROMET – The Sinking Isle
Ossuary – Abhorrent Worship
Rothadás – Töviskert… a kísértés örök érzete… lidércharang
Siege Column – Sulphur Omega
Structure – Heritage
Spiine – Tetraptych
Summoning Hellgates – Spear of Conquest
Teitanblood – From the Visceral Abyss
No particular order:
1914
Havukruunu
Abigail Williams
Astronoid
Ashen
Dormant Ordeal
Dying sun
Paradise Lost
Pothamus
Psychonaut
Remina
Tombs
Wolvennest
Ordeals
Capitan
Cranial
Dimscûa
Autrest
Morast
My list ended up being mostly death metal and traditional metal…in no order
Century- Sign of the Storm
Pissgrave- Malignant Worthlessness
Tubal Cain- Slime Abyss
Nite- Cult of the Serpent Sun
Corpus Offal- S/T
Decrepisy- Deific Mourning
Ancient Death- Ego Dissolution
Pagan Altar- Never Quite Dead
Caustic Wound- Grinding Mechanism of Torment
Venator- Psychodrome
Ossuary- Abhorrent Worship
Lipoma- No Cure for the Sick
Helm’s Deep – Chasing the Dragon
Plasmodulated- An Ocean ov Putrid, Stinky, Vile, Disgusting Hell
Hooded Menace- Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
1914- Viribus Unitis
Decrepisy, Ancient Death, Ossuary and Plasmodulated are brilliant.
Preface this with a couple of caveats. Plenty I’m leaving off (like the new Coroner) as I just haven’t been focused on new releases this year, and there’s still several new releases pending this month that will surely be here when all is said and done (new Circle of Ouroborus is guaranteed if it comes out before Jan 1). All that aside, here’s where I stand currently in no particular order. Genre designations are loose, so don’t come at me bro.
A Shrine to Failure – Undone (Goth)
Abigail Williams – A Void Within Resistance (Black)
Amorphis – Borderlands (Melodic HM)
Auriferous Flame – The Duel (EP) (Black)
Blackbraid – III (Black)
Castle Rat – The Bestiary (Trad)
Caustic Wound – Grinding Mechanism of Torment (Grind)
Century – Sign of the Storm (Trad)
Corpus Offal – Corpus Offal (Death)
Cult of Fire – The One, Who is Made of Smoke (Black)
Dark Meditation – Where the Darkness Bleeds (EP) (Trad)
Echoes of Gloom – The Mind’s Eternal Storm (Black)
Fell Omen – Caelid Dog Summer (Black)
Interceptor – Metal Death (Blackened Speed)
Lamp of Murmur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy (Black)
Lathe of Heaven – Aurora (Goth)
NITE – Cult of the Serpent Sun (Black)
One of Nine – Dawn of the Iron Shadow (Black)
Ossuary – Abhorrent Worship (Death)
Paradise Lost – Ascension (Melodic HM)
Perdition Temple – Malign Apothesis (Death)
Phrenelith – Ashen Womb (Death)
Skyforger – Teikas (Black)
Slough Feg -Traveller Supplement 1: The Ephemeral Glades (EP) (Trad)
Suffering Hour – Impelling Rebirth )Death)
Teitanblood – From the Visceral Abyss (Black/Death)
Terror Corpse – Ash Eclipses Flesh (Death)
Time Rift – In Flight (Trad)
Vauruva – Mar da Deriva (Black)
VOID – Forbidden Morals (Thrash)
Weald + Woe – Far From the Light of Heaven (Black)
Witchcraft – Idag (Doom)
The order matters less the further it goes, but the top 10 are pretty thoroughly loved.
Weeping Sores – The Convalescence Agonies 5/30
Creatvre – Toujours Humain 8/1
Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate 10/31
Messa – The Spin 4/11
Scimitar – Scimitarium I 2/28
Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings 4/16
夢遊病者 – РЛБ30011922 10/28
Nyredolk – Barndommens hjem 2/7
Havukruunu – Tvastland 2/28
Vacuous – In HIs Blood 2/28
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar 3/21
Ancient Death – Ego Dissolution 4/18
Changeling – s/t 4/25
Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth 7/18
Seven Sisters – Shadow of a Fallen Star Pt. 2 3/28
Wulkanaz – Luftuz 3/14
Rwake – The Return of Magick 3/14
StumpTail – Sonder Down Yonder 9/3
Arrows – Yearning Arrows, Cloven Suns 8/28
Haxprocess – Beyond What Eyes Can See 7/25
Teitanblood
Malefic Throne
Perdition Temple
Mortual
Devoured God
Chaos Inception
Imprecation
Beyond Mortal Dreams
Arrows
Arkhaaik
Omegavortex
Imperishable
Eternal Darkness
Hooded Menace
Pestifer
Horrendum Vermis
Ursula
Depravity
Summoning Hellgates
Malphas
Additional:
Exhumation Profana
1. Abigail Williams
2..Structure
3. Messa
4 . Unreqvited
5 . Pyschonaut
6 . Dormant Ordeal
7 . Deadguy
8 . Tomarum
9. Morast
10 Veilburner.
A roughly Top 20 list of the albums i’ve enjoyed the most, the top 5 is fairly accurate for me.
La Dispute – No One Was Driving The Car
Xiraleth – Stellar Worship
Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar
Boneflower – Reveries
Zeegang – Van niets uit deze wereld
Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth
Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
Dessiderium – Keys To The Palace
Beannachd Leibh – Walking in His Works
Calyces – Fleshy Waves of Probability
Changeling – Changeling
Am I in Trouble? – Spectrum
Massa Nera – The Emptiness of All Things
Messa – The Spin
Pale – Our Hearts In Your Heaven
Floating – Hesitating Lights
Unreqvited – A Pathway to the Moon
Blood Abscission – I I
Here is my AOTY year list as of 12/1/2025. Might change a bit by year end. This is genre Agnostic
1. Zeicrydeus – La grande heresie (Black Metal)
2. Mckinley Dixon – Magic, Alive! (Hip Hop)
3. Psych-War – Psychotic Warmonger (D-beat / Crust)
4. Hedonist – Scapulimancy (Death Metal)
5. Nyredolk – Barndommens hjem (Black Metal / Punk)
6. Grenadier – Wolves of the Trench (Melodic Death Metal)
7. Siege Column – Sulphur Omega (War Metal)
8. Caustic Wound – Grinding mechanism of Torment (Deathgrind)
9. Subversive Rite – Apocalypse Zone (Hardcore Punk / Stenchcore)
10. Gabestok – Alle dor i fremtiden (Black / Heavy Metal)
11. Century – Sign of the Storm (Speed / Heavy Metal)
12. Kuroishi – Egocide of the Warmad (D-beat / Crust Punk)
13. Blood Monolith – The Calling of Fire (Deathgrind)
14. Warbringer – Wrath and Ruin (Thrash Metal)
15. Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out (Hip Hop)
16. Arkhaaik – Uihtis (Black / Doom Metal)
17. Catharsis – Hope Against Hope (Metalcore / Neocrust)
18. Ancient Death – Ego Dissolution (Death Metal)
19. Phantom Spell – Heather & Hearth (Progressive Rock / Metal)
20. Honningbarna – Soft Spot (Post Hardcore / Synth Punk)
21. Willi Carlisle – Winged Victory (Country / Singer Songwriter)
22. Brother Ali – Satisfied Soul (Hip Hop)
23. Saor – Amidst the Ruins (Atmospheric Black Metal)
24. Havukruunu – Tavastland (Pagan Black Metal)
25. Illiterates – Does Not Compute (Hardcore Punk)
I only rate the standouts and i have 5 albums i have listened on repeat and earned the best albums for me in 2025.
1. ARROWS – Yearning arrows:Cloven suns
2. Arkhaaik – Uihtis
3. Old magic – The escapist
4. Oromet – The sinking isle
5. Kauan – Wayhome
Here’s my top as of right now, though it is likely to change as I start looking into everyone’s lists this season:
Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings (Progressive…Sludge?)
Agriculture – The Spiritual Sound (Progressive Black)
An Abstract Illusion- The Sleeping City (Progressive Blackened Death)
Ethel Cain – Perverts (Dark Ambient)
JID – God Does Like Ugly (Hip Hop)
Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power (Blackgaze)
Black Country, New Road. – Forever Howlong (Post Rock)
Unprocessed – Angel (Progressive Metalcore)
Qrixhuor – Womb of the World (Symphonic Death)
Laufey – A Matter Of Time (Jazz Pop)
Havukruunu – Tavastland (Pagan Black)
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar (Progressive Black)
Sanguisugabogg- Hideous Aftermath (Brutal Death)
The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven (Mathcore)
1. Sarkom – Exceed into Chaos
2. Abduction – Existentialismus
3. Pyre – Where Obscurity Sways
4. Crippling Alcoholism – Camgirl
5. Labyrinthine Heirs – S/T
6. Valdrin – Apex Violator
7. Kryptan – Violence, Our Power
8. Patristic – Catechesis
9. Imha Tarikat – Confessing Darkness
10. Phrenelith – Ashen Womb
11. Hedonist – Scapulimancy
Here’s my AOTY list:
1. Blut Aus Nord – “Ethereal Horizons”
2. Crypt Sermon – “Saturnian Appendices”
3. Malefic Throne – “The Conquering Darkness”
4. Phobocosm – “Gateway”
5. 1914 – “Viribus Unitis”
6. Qrixkuor – “The womb of the World”
7. Glorious Depravity – “Death never Sleeps”
8. Coroner – “Dissonance Theory”
9. Evoken – “Mendacium”
10. Testament – “Para Bellum”
11. Hooded Menace – “Lachrymose monuments of Obscuration”
12. Mors Principium Est – “Darkness Invisible”
13. Antiversum – “De Nemesis Omnes Et Omnia”
14. Paradise Lost – “Ascension”
15. Demiurgon – “Miasmatic deathless Chamber”
16. Proscription – “Desolate Divine”
17. Deftones – “Private Music”
18. Blackbraid – “Blackbraid III”
19. Malthusian – “The summoning Bell”
20. Mortual – “Altar of Brutality”
21. Noise Trail Immersion – “Tutta la morte in un solo Ounto”
22. Thanatorean – “Ekstasis In subterranean Currents”
23. Drawn And Quartered – “Lord of two Horns”
24. King Witch – “III”
25. Lord Belial – “Unholy Trinity”
26. Byzantine – “Harbringers”
27. Gaahls Wyrd – “Braiding the Stories”
28. Vildhjarta – “+ där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar +”
29. Escarnium – “Inexorable Entropy”
30. Skaphos – “Cult of Uzura”
31. Labyrinthus Stellarum – “Rift In Reality”
32. Hate – “Bellum Regiis”
33. Acherontas – “Nekya – The necromantic Patterns”
34. Serpentes – “Desert Psalms”
35. Blood Abscission – “II”
36. Teitanblood – “From the visceral Abyss”
37. Crawling Chaos – “Wyrd”
38. Rothadas – “Töviskert… a kísértés örök érzete… lidércharang”
39. Nite – “Cult of the serpent Sun”
40. Havukruunu – “Tavastaland”
41. Continuum Of Xul – “Voaratore”
42. Chaos Inception – “Chaos Evangel”
43. Barshasketh – “Antinomian Ascetism”
44. Perdition Temple – “Malign Apotheosis”
*21) Noise Trail Immersion – “Tutta la morte in un solo Punto”
41) Continnum of Xul – “Voratore”
My top 25 of the year:
1. The Great Old Ones – Kadath
2. Helheim – Hrabnar/Ad Vesa
3. Drudkh – Shadow Play
4. Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern
5. Barshesketh – Antimonian Asceticism
6. Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence
7. Pyre – Where Obscurity Sways
8. Cradle Of Filth – The Screaming Of The Valkyries
9. Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth
10. Aphonic Threnody – A Silence Too Old
11. Tombs – Feral Darkness
12. Wode – Uncrossing The Keys
13. Orm – Guld
14. Felgrave – Otherlike Darknesses
15. Black Talon – Scenes Of Agony
16. Grave Digger – Bone Collector
17. Shagor – Lyksalver
18. Shepherds of Cassini – In Thrall To Heresy
19. Hibernaut – Obsidian Eye
20. Aganoor – Doomerism
21. Saor – Amidst The Ruins
22. Heads For The Dead – Never Ending Night Of Terror
23. Coroner – Dissonance Theory
24. Acidsloth – Acidsloth
25. Baku – Soma
The best time of the year at NCS I bet. I am sitting out of this one, for I’ve done very less active listening to this year’s releases. Nonetheless I’ll be ever the more on the lookout for the regular staff and contributors’ lists. Also SurgicalBrute! Are you still around???? can you hear me???? Andy’s, DGR’s, Cifers, Professor Grover and Gonzo, all the regular suspects! Austin and Neil’s I hope too. All the new writers as well! I’ll be waitin….
Thank you man. We’ll get the staff lists kicked off next week with Andy’s lists and go from there. I have several others in hand already.
Im actually considering it…would have to see if Islander would still be down too, since Im even more cvrmudgeony than before.
(and if this comment appears twice, blame Islanders weird spam filter…I swear that thing hates me)
I swear the spam filter doesn’t hate you specifically. It doesn’t have mind enough for that and probably hasn’t spent any quality time with you. 🙂 And by all means, your list would (probably) be welcome.
@surgical. Release thy cvrmudgeony!!
@Islander. Oh yes! Actively looking and reading them up at the moment.
I’ve been trying to do this quarter by quarter this year, but Q4 has been slipping away from me.
This is what I’ve got so far this year, in no particular order:
Catacombes – Les Âmes Oubliées
Grima – Nightside
Mutagenic Host – The Diseased Machine
Grave Infestation – Carnage Gathers
Morast – Fentanyl
This Gift is a Curse – Heir
Ninkharsag – The Black Swords of Winter
Sepulchral Curse – Crimson Moon Evocations
Rhûn – Burial Pact
Pothamus – Abur
Voodus – Emanating Sparks
Ghül – Rhîw
Aldaaron – Par-delà les cimes
Mortuaire – Monde Vide
Robust – Self-titled
Blood Abscission – I I
Kiira – Syvyyden Yllä
Uulliata Digir – Self-titled
Neptunian Maximalism – Le Sacre du Sol Invaincu
Cave Sermon – Fragile Wings
Verhinderer – Heimatblick
Seas of Cosmic Filth – VI – XI
KVR – The Black Flame
Medico Peste – Aesthetic of Hunger
Drudensang – Geysterzvvang
Pelican – Flickering Resonance
Swans – Birthing
Returning – Numinous
Patristic – Catechesis
Mania/Natürgeist – Split
Cénotaphe – Chimères
NIHILVM – Ancient Cosmic Emanation
Conan – Violence Dimension
Arkhaaik – Uihtis
Pralaya – Beyond the Tattered Curtain of Unspeakable Madness
Arrows – Yearning Arrows; Cloven Suns
Haeksenhamer – Poisonous Heathenism +Rabid:antikosmik:madness+
Deathhammer – Crimson Dawn
Hedonist – Scapulimancy
Worm Altar – Promo 2025
Acceptance – Crucifixion of Orchids
Tar Pit – Scrying the Angel Gate
Ashtoreth & Penumbral Aethyr – Naiad
Faetooth – Labyrinthine
Hadopelagyal – Haematophoryktos
Last Retch – Abject Cruelty
Deathwinds – …Towards Doom…
Illusive Key – Consume Us
Fordæðuskapr – Hræflóð markar fjalla
Malakhim – And In Our Hearts the Devil Sings
Castle Rat – The Bestiary
Angrrsth – Zludnia
Nimbifer – Vom Gipfel
Phobocosm – Gateway
Puritan Bone – Ecstasy on the Frontier of Blood
Slaughterday – Terrified
Gnarl – The Old Rutted Track
And I’ve not listened to them yet, but the Blut Aus Nord and Darvaza albums are 100% going to be in my top 5.
Oromet – The Sinking Isle
Dormant Ordeal – Tooth and Nail
Hedonist – Scapulimancy
Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
SCARAB – Burn After Listening
Tribal Gaze – Inveighing Brilliance
Havukruunu – Tavastland
Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
Haggus – Destination Extinction
Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
my top whatevs are all mostly recommended from here. There are still some other 2025 albums i need to listen to, like Agriculture’s The Spiritual Sound. but these have been in heavy rotation for most of the year, especially the ones i discovered in early 2025. Man can’t believe another year has passed in the world of metal.
Chumpychump’s top whatev’s in Metal, 2025. In no particular order:
Untamed Revulsion by Tentacult (Death, mostly, maybe a lil doom? Nasty AF)
Guides for the Misguided by -16- (pure sludge. might be favorite album of 2025 due to how surprising and addicting it was from the get go)
Flickering Resonance by Pelican (also another surprise hit, very happy sounding prog metal)
Amen by Igorrr (it’s at least as good as Spirituality and Distortion. could have used more accordion and harpsichord, but it is possibly his most straightforwardly metal album. Still full of surprises only Igorrr can present, however!)
Mt. Oolith EP by Cob (Buckethead’s lil apprentice or whatever, but she can sling string, very Devin T vibes from her playing.).
Ancient Monuments and Modern Sadness by Starer (just excellent songwriting, playing, and singing from one man, who makes an excellent flavor of symphonic metal.)
oh and how could i forget BAAL’s excellent The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here
Top 15 for me, in rough order.
Arrows – Yearning Arrows; Cloven Suns
Patristic – Catechesis
Arkhaaik – Uihtis
Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
Between the Buried and Me – The Blue Nowhere
Havukruunu – Tavastland
Dormant Ordeal – Tooth and Nail
Jade – Mysteries of a Flowery Dream
Walg – V
Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
Psychonaut – World Maker
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar
Maud the Moth – The Distaff
Nexion – Sundrung
Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
Deadguy – Near Death…
Serpents – Desert Psalms
Detresse – Pessimismes
Health – Conflict DLC
Shagor – Lyksalver
Freddie Gibbs & Alchemists – Alfredo 2
Gjendød – Svekkelse
Martrød – Draumsynir…
Haeresis – Si Vis Pacem…
Nimbifer – Vom Gipfel (EP)
Here Is My List… Best Albums Of 2025
1. Blood Letter / Leave The Light Behind
2. Depravity / Bestial Possession
3. Flummox / Southern Progress
4. Hexrot / Formless Ruin Of Oblivion
5. In Mourning / The Immortal
6. Maud The Moth / The Distaff
7. Qrixkuor / Womb Of The World
8. Shepherds Of Cassini / In Thrall To Heresy
9. Thron / Vurias
10. Urn / Demon Steel
Hi there. The top 15 or so its pretty accurate, after that you know. Definitely have to listen to the Yellow Eyes album more.
1 Barren Altar – Bound by Impermanence
2 Ramleh – Hyper Vigilance
3 Toughness – Black Respite of Oblivion
4 Pissgrave -Malignant Worthlessness
5 Morast – FentanylSepsis – Fetishize the Gutted
6 Knives – GlitterMorast – Fentanyl
7 Sepsis – Fetishize the Gutted
8 Kandarivas – Rhythms of Obliteration
9 Hedonist – Scapulimancy
10 Depravity – Bestial Possession
11 Dormant Ordeal – Tooth and Nail
12 Cadaver – Hymns of Misanthropy
13 Blood Monolith – The Calling of Fire
14 Amateur Podiatry – Arch Madness
15 COFFIN APARTMENT – Lesion Plea https://coffinapartment.bandcamp.com/album/lesion-plea
16 Deftones – private music
17 Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
18 PSYCHO-FRAME – Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother
19 Impurity – The Eternal Sleep
20 No Hand Path – Μυστικισμός Της Ενηλικίωσης [Mysticism of Coming of Age]
21 Crust – Where Light Fears to Descend
22 Defacement – Doomed
23 Blindfolded and Led to the Woods – The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me
24 Angrrsth – Złudnia
25 Blood Expectoration – Mortality Blast
26 Jordsjuk – Naglet til livet
27 Refusal – Venomous Human Concept
28 Snooze – I Know How You Will Die
29 Bleed – Bleed
30 Paradise Lost – Ascension
31 Bone Fetish – Bone Fetish
Full list with honorable mentions here: https://rateyourmusic.com/lists/edit?list_id=1525593&rand=0.14332374564526776&page=1
Deadguy – Near Death…
Serpents – Desert Psalms
Detresse – Pessimismes
Health – Conflict DLC
Shagor – Lyksalver
Freddie Gibbs & Alchemists – Alfredo 2
Gjendød – Svekkelse
Martrød – Draumsynir…
Haeresis – Si Vis Pacem…
Nimbifer – Vom Gipfel (EP)
Rå – Rå
Trest – Energumen
Vespéral -La Mort de l’Âme
Nimbifer – Vom Gipfel
Zeit – R.U.M.S.
As every year, I’ll probably add one or two albums to my favorites after going through Andy’s lists!
But for now, here are the ones that stood out to me in 2025:
At the top of my list is the beautiful album from Contemplation – Au Bord du Précipice
Next, my top 5 would be:
Ereb Altor – Hälsingemörker
Hexvessel – Nocturne
Phosphorus – Frail Grasp of Broken Hands
SIJJIN – Helljjin Combat
Bergsvriden – I Haggans Afton
Honorable mentions go to
Blackbraid – Blackbraid III
Castle Burner – Revengeance
Lamp of Murmur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy
Krigsgrav – Stormcaller
Ofnus – Valediction
Ovader – Asagrim
Sanguisugabogg – Hideous Aftermath
1. Forbidden Temple
2. Крюкокрест
3. Wulkanaz
4. Yellow Eyes
5. Absolute Key & Brånd
6. Nacior Udun
7. Ära
8. Pénombre
9. Fleckentarn
10. Hail Conjurer
I’m getting old lol. Very few new things interest me more than things already in my collection and I’ve been deep diving back into said collection. The stuff from this year that I have given fair time to is pretty to outright mainstream lol.
Age of Apocalypse-In Oblivion (thanks Andy)
Volbeat – God of Angels Trust
Kiss – Off the Soundboard San Antonio
Coheed and Cambria – Vaxis-Act III: The Father of Make Believe
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Castle Rat – The Bestiary
Benjamin Tod and Lost Dog Street Band – Live From A Mile High
Whitechapel – Hymns in Dissonance
That poor list is probably laughable for most here. It’s ok, you can laugh it won’t hurt my feelings, not really.
Fósphene
Yellow Eyes
Afsky
Blackbraid
Century
Esoctrilihum
Hermóôr
Faetooth
Drudkh
Vaūruva
Degraved
Blut Aus Nord
Woebather
The top 3 are in that order and stand above the rest as records that got a ton of play time. Werewolves started strong but the amount of time that record gets happily replayed has been sort of ridiculous and it gets better every time.
Werewolves
Patristic
Venus Star
Grav
Profanatica
Omega Vortex
Perdition Temple
Malefic Throne
Trivax
Frightful
Brazen Horde
Krigsgrav
Imha Tarikat
Nattverd
Desaster
Caustic Phlegm
Hexekration Rites
Imperishable
Occulsed
Streams of Blood
The Stone
Autumn Strife
KAUAN
Graveripper
Starer
Unviar
Mirar – Ascension
Chestcrush – ΨΥΧΟΒΓΑΛΤΗΣ
Blazing Tomb – Singles from the Tomb
Pains – Blistering Wrath
Wiltwither – Pure Light
Lowen – Do Not Go to War with the Demons of Mazandaran
Hypermass – Apparition Day
Harms Way – Other World
Pyres – YUN
God Complex – He Watches in Silence
Der Weg einer Freiheit – Innern
Distance – so as not to forget
I made a Top 30 this year with the Album, that meant the most to me this year at the top
1. Gaahls Wyrd – Braiding the Stories
2. The Great Sea – Noble Art of Desolation
3. Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern
4. Deafheaven – Lonely People with Power
5. Psychonaut – World Maker
6. Qrixkuor – The Womb of the World
7. Blackbraid – III
8. Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
9. Wolvennest – Procession
10. Blut aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
11. Blood Abscission – II
12. Noctambulist – II: De Droom
13. Lamp of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy
14. Ba’al – Between Heaven and Here
15. Monograf – Occultation
16. Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence
17. Sun After Dark – Tatkraft
18. Dawnwalker – The Between
19. Obsidian Tongue – Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn
20. Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy
21. Farseer – Portals to Cosmic Womb
22. Sprints – All That Is Over
23. Faetooth – Labyrinthine
24.Jade – Mysteries of a Flowery Dream
25. Swans – Birthing
26. Sumerian Tombs – Age of Eternal Night
27. Austere – The Silence of Dissolution
28. Aran Angmar – Ordo Diabolicum
29. Havukruunu – Tavastland
30. Abduction – Existentialism
2025 Records
Arkhaaik – Uihtis
Beheaded – Għadam
Hell – Submersus
Havukruunu – Tavastland
Istapp – Sól Tér Sorta
Morast – Fentanyl
Nexion – Sundrung
Sanguisugabogg – Hideous Aftermath
Skaphos – Cult of Uzura
What I mostly listened to:
Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere (2024)
Dakhma – Blessings of Amurdad (2021)
Meshuggah – Immutable Remastered (2025)
Meshuggah – I (2004)
Prometheus – Aornos (2022)
Decoherence – Unitarity – (2020)
Aeviterne – The Ailing Facade (2022)
Mork – Syv (2024)
Slugdge – Esoteric Malacology (2018)
Thou – Umbilical (2024)
Portrayal of Guilt – Devil Music (2023)
Also, I think Esoteric Malacology is in the running to be the best record of the last decade. Slugdge guys, new record please.
After many trials and tribulations, endless hours of listening and re-listening, and rivers of beer, behold the supreme list — the very best of the best of 2025:
10 – Hazzerd – The 3rd Dimension
09 – Nexion – Sundrung
08 – Blackbraid – Blackbraid III
07 – 1914 – Viribus Unitis
06 – Dormant Ordeal – Tooth & Nail
05 – Destinity – Ascension
04 – Harakiri for the Sky – Scorched Earth
03 – Brainblast – Colossus Suprema
02 – Havukruunu – Tavastland
01 – The Halo Effect – March of the Unheard
Honorable mentions:
Coroner – Dissonance Theory
Cryptosis – Celestial Death
Nightfall – Children of Eve
1. Afsky – Fælleskab
2. Warmoon Lord – Sacrosanct Demonopathy
3. Kveldstimer – The Cursed Oak
4. Drudkh – Shadow Play
5. Acherontas – Nekiya : The Necromantic Patterns
6. Gràb – Kremess
7. Cénotaphe – Chimères
8. Behemoth- The Shit of God
9. Svrm – Скорбота
10. Coffret de Bijoux – Qunaiqû nèjautsè
11. Death dagen – Lonely People with Power
12. Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
13. Blood Abcission- / /
14. Felgrave – Otherlike Darknesses
15. Necromantic Worship – Necromantic Worship
16. Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar
17. Grey Aura – Zwart vierkant: Slotstuk
18. Lichen- Mossblood
19. Blood Red Fog – Marrasväet
20. Rauhnåcht- Zwischenwelten
21. Gjendød – Svekkekse
22. Vanvidd – Avlivsritualer
23. Aldaaron – Par-delà les cimes 24.
25. Der Weg einer Freiheit – Innern
I made a few stupid mistakes. May I correct them?
Nr. 11 is of course Deafheaven. Autocorrect got it wrong again.
Nr. 24. Is Imperial Crystalline Entombment – Abominable Astral Summoning.
The complete list: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/lichtmens/2025-black/
Aran Angmar – Ordo Diabolicum
Coroner – Dissonance Theory
Hate – Bellum Regiis
Afsky – Fællesskab
Teitanblood – From the Visceral Abyss
Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
Perdition Temple – Malign Apotheosis
Malefic Throne – The Conquering Darkness
Imperishable – Revelation In Purity
Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
1. Fallujah – Xenotaph
2. The Acacia Strain – You Are Safe From God Here
3. Paradise Lost – Ascension
4. Hate – Bellum Regiis
5. Afflicta – Origin of Sorrow
6. Boltcutter – Still Broke
7. Cytotoxin – Biographyte
8. Malevolence – Where Only The Truth Is Spoken
9. Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil
10. Whitechapel – Hymns in Dissonance
11. Revocation – New Gods, New Masters
12. Blindfolded and Led to the Woods – The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me
13. Veilburner – Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy
14. The Ominous Circle – Cloven Tongues of Fire
15. Eschaton – Techtalitarian
16. Obscura – A Sonication
17. Exterminatus – Echoes From A Distant Star Part I
18. Human – Concetto Transeunte
19. Retromorphosis – Psalmus Mortis
20. Inoculation – Actuality
21. Harakiri for the sky – Scorched Earth
22. Behemoth – The Shit Ov God
23. Ghost Bath – Rose Thorn Necklace
24. Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar
25. Scour – Gold
26. Orthodox – A Door Left Open
27. Pale Face Swiss – Cursed
28. Sanguisugabogg – Hideous Aftermath
29. Mugshot – All The Devils Are Here
30. Internal Bleeding – Settle All Scores
31. Despised Icon – Shadow Work
32. Testament – Para Bellum
33. Greyhaven – Keep It Quiet
34. Barren Path – Grieving
35. Ingrown – Idaho
36. Tómarúm – Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
37. AbigailWilliams – A Void Within Existence
38. :)Bookburner! – Volume In Preparation For Cemeteries
39. Demon King – Death Knell
40. VoidCeremony – Abditum
41. Angerot – Seofon
42. Supreme Void – Towards Oblivion
43. Dormant Ordeal – Tooth And Nail
44. Blood Monolith – The Calling of Fire
45. Deadguy – Near-Death Travel Services
46. Ba’al – The Fine Line Between Heaven And Here
47. Lowheaven – Ritual Decay
48. Defacement – Doomed
49. Kostnatění – Přílišnost (Excess)
50. Blackbraid – Blackbraid III
51. All That Remains – Antifragile
52. Signs of The Swarm – To Rid Myself Of Truth
53. Allegaeon – The Ossuary Lens
54. The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven
55. Noise Trail Immersion – Tutta la Morte in un solo punto
56. Vildhjarta – + där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar +
57. Act of Impalement – Profane Altar
58. Insidius – Vulgus Illustrata
59. Cryptopsy – An Insatiable Violence
60. Warbringer – Wrath And Ruin
61. Cancer – Inverted World
62. AngelMaker – This Used To Be Heaven
63. Your Spirit Dies – My Gnawing Pains Will Never Rest
64. Kardashev – Alunea
65. Conjurer – Unself
66. Baelfyr – Empowered By Hatred
67. Dying Remains – Merciless Suffering
68. Malformed – Confinement Of Flesh
69. Frostmoon Eclipse – As Time Retreats
70. Cross Bringer – Healismus Aeternus
71. Drudkh – Shadow Play
72. Great American Ghost – Tragedy of The Commons
73. Jaundice – Infernal Demise
74. Spire Of Lazarus – Those Who Live In Death
75. Thron – Vurias
76. Dessiderium – Keys To The Palace
77. For Your Health – This Bitter Garden
78. Crown of Madness – Memories Fragmented
79. Gnostician – Unification As An Art
80. Dysentery – Dejection Chrysalis
81. Larcenia Roe – Extraction
82. Stray From The Path – Clockworked
83. Cell – I Will Not Be Found Here After
84. Unaligned – A Form Beyond
85. Deliquesce – Saviour ∕ Enslaver
86. ByoNoiseGenerator – Subnormal Dives
87. Harvested – Dysthymia
88. Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
89. Scalp – Not Worthy of Human Compassion
90. State Of Filth – Realm Of Oblivion
91. Yotuma – The Final Void
92. Gorde Embrace – In the Presence of a Malevolent Soul
93. Caustic Wound – Grinding Mechanism of Torment
94. Lorna Shore – I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me
95. Fractal Universe – The Great Filters
96. Ordeals – Third Rail Prayer
97. Shadow of Intent – Imperium Delirium
98. Reformist – Voyages
99. Gates To Hell – Death Comes To All
100. Demon Hunter – There Was A Light Here
EP’s:
1. PeelingFlesh – PF Radio 2
2. P€ni$lobotomy – P1$$WORLD
3. Car Bomb – Tiles Whisper Dreams
4. Discovery Through Torment – Telesynthetic Rebirth
5. Corpsing – Viewing The Invisible
6. Accuser Of The Brethren – Justice Through Violence
7. ChurchTongue – You’ll Know It Was Me
8. Immortal Disfigurement – Hell Is Right In Front Of Us
9. Crown Magnetar – Punishment
10. Enemy Crucifixion – Malignanted By Scars
11. Slaves of Evil – Certain Death
12. Dejecter – Oblation Husk
13. Autumn Lies Buried – Mob Mentality
14. Der Rote Milan – Verlust
15. Leylines – Sepulchral
16. Many Eyes – Combust
17. NecroticGoreBeast – Brute
18. Voluntary Mortification – Mortem Cultus
19. Darko – Deathmask 3
20. SufferingHour – Impelling Rebirth
Honorable Recognitions:
Amorphis
Benediction
Bestia
Bleed From Within
Bodybox
Concrete Icon
Corrupter
Death Before Dishonor
Demiurgon
Dream Theater
Extortionist
Faithxtractor
Fight From Within
Hangman’s Chair
Idle Heirs
Lacittàdolente
Malefic Throne
Medico Peste
Pissgrave
Saor
Sargeist
Sun of the Suns
The Great Old Ones
Tribal Gaze
Vulnificus