Albums of the Year 2025

19 Dec, 2025

Another year in the bag and what a weird one it was. So much so that several months back I wrote a blog post about how I was struggling to get into new music and that I was having a very off year in this regard, relying mostly on old favourites to get me through. Fast forward to December and I have been having a hard time trimming my list down to a top 20. This is partly because I rediscovered my spark, thanks in part to some of these albums, but also because it turns out that I forgotten a lot of great stuff from earlier in the year that I never spent enough time with or just forgot about entirely.

So, with that unfortunate episode behind me, I have been able to come up with a list of albums that are my personal favourites for the year. I am going to try and keep it brief with just a couple words for each one. I may fail. So here are my top 20 albums of 2025:

20. Dust Eater by Dimsûa

Labelled on their page as post metal/atmospheric sludge. Colossal riffs and haunting ambience create creating an emotional soundscape.

19. Cave IV by Cave

Harsh. Angular. Uncompromising. Complex and weird harmonies reach new depths of cavernous.

18. The Spin by Messa

Italian doom band evolve into much more, showcasing elements of jazz, blues and prog, fusing them in a cohesive way.

17. Wearisome Guardians by Dwelling Below

Dizzying death doom with a warped flair. It’s unpredictable and erratic but most of all it is heavy.

16. Solastalgia by Heretoir

German post-metallers provide the most melodic chorus on this list. Long and contemplative.

15. Grieving by Barren Path

Grindcore. Rising from the ashes of Gridlink. Melodic in parts, dissonant in others. Blasts through at a blistering pace

14. Gruesome and Macabre by Grave Ghoul

Horror inspired old school death metal band from the UK set the bar high on their debit album.

13. Desert Smoke by Desert Smoke

Third album from instrumental stoner rockers from Portugal blends stoner and psychedelia in a pleasing way that fans of Floyd will appreciate.

12. Subnormal Dives by BYONOISEGENERATOR

Possibly the weirdest album on this list and on any list. Possibly my most played album of the year. Its labelled jazzgrind. If that doesn’t pique your interest…

11. Ash Eclipses Flesh by Terror Corpse

In their own words “Low tuned, dark and violent Texas death metal”. What more needs to be said? Go listen to it.

10. Lonely People with Power by Deafheaven

Blackgaze pioneers with, in my opinion, an astonishing return to form.

9. Bestial Possession by Depravity

Australian death metal pedallers return after five years with their most technical sounding record.

8. No Cure for the Sick by Lipoma

Weird death grind with everything you can think of thrown in. Skate punk melodies, Organ, power chords. You want it, they got it.

7. The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy by Lamp of Murmuur

Glory to thee. One-person black metal project does it again. This time weaving an interesting canvas of black metal and gothic melodies.

6. Kremess by Gràb

Black metal from Germany in the classic 90’s style creating haunting atmospheres perfect for the winter nights.

5. Tavastland by Havukruunu

Fourth album by the harbingers of oblivion that provides a fitting soundtrack for those who like sensitive black metal that can still hit hard.

4. Obsecration of Immortal Flesh by Exorency

Second full-length album by arcane death metal three piece from the US revels in misanthropic darkness.

3. Spectral Realm of Ruin by Degraved

Debit full length from Seattle death metal outfit that seek to harness 90s death metal in all its glory

2. Mossbane Lantern by Sallow Moth

One person death metal project from the USA provides progressive, technical, brutal flavours. This one has it all.

1. A Single Flower by We Lost the Sea

Australian post rock powerhouse make vocals look overrated on another instrumental masterpiece.

And that’s my list.

Hails!