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

 LISTMANIA 2025  5 Responses »
Dec 312025
 

(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! Continue reading »

A GUEST INTERVIEW: WĘDROWCY~TUŁACZE~ZBIEGI

 Interviews  No Responses »
May 232025
 

(We are very fortunate today to present a guest interview originally conducted in Polish by The Goat Tavern and translated by them into English. It is a rare and relentlessly interesting discussion with the two members of the fascinating Polish band Wędrowcy~Tułacze~Zbiegi, a band that has now come to an end — sadly for us and many other fascinated listeners.)

The Polish metal scene is full of wonders. Sometimes, the deeper you dig the more treasure you can find. You don’t have to look far, however, to find bands like Furia, Odraza, Gruzja or Totenmesse. These bands, well-established in the underground, feature musicians who often want to express themselves in a different field.

On one sunny May afternoon, I sat down with Sars and Stawrogin and talked about their project, Wędrowcy~Tułacze~Zbiegi, into which they’ve been putting their hearts for years. Now, after they decided to call it a day, it was time to reflect a bit on the past and try to introduce this incredibly fascinating musical creation to a broader audience. Continue reading »