2025 Albums of the Year

It feels like every year gets more and more packed with great albums, to the point that it's easy to overlook some real gems. This year's list was culled from a selection of more-than 141 albums, most of which were documented in the 2025 AOTY Contenders article.

Right away, I am going to level with you; this list has a lot of metal on it. Despite what some have suggested, metal — and its innumerable sub-genres — is in a really good place right now. (The existence of tedious industry plants notwithstanding.)

Sure, deathcore bands are still having to make statements that begin with "...we are aware of the allegations," and Tim Lambesis continues to find hired guns desperate enough to work with him — even if his touring is confined to countries using the Cyrillic alphabet...

However, we also get instant-classic headlines like: Vitriol members quit band, leave co-founder at Vermont gas station, or Gene Simmons claiming that falling down stairs doesn't kill people (big if true), or a man in a leather tophat with a buckle on it claiming that he "doesn't understand bands who wear masks".

Truly, a land of contrasts. Anyway, on to the lists.

Full-Length Albums

In order to qualify as a full-length album for my purposes, the release has to be more-than 22 minutes in length — or one whole side of a vinyl record. Aside from that, I don't care if it was released on a major label or independently. As long as it was generally available and not some ultra-obscure, cassette-only release that only 3 people have actually heard.

The Project Hate MCMXCIX — Undivine Dethroning

Look, I'll get this out of the way right now: I am probably the biggest fan of The Project Hate walking the earth. (And if anyone else wants to dispute that claim, meet me by the monkey bars at recess and we'll settle things.) I've been a fan of the band since their debut record, CyberSonic SuperChrist, and its been 25 years of stellar releases ever since. Undivine Dethroning doesn't break any new ground, but the record continues a trend of releasing some of the best death metal out there, with symphonic flourishes, electronic interludes, and the devastating mix of Jörgen Sandström's growls and Elinor Asp's haunting clean vocals. And, as if that wasn't enough, Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth, ex-Soilwork) once again contributes his world-class drumming, keeping things tastefully brutal — not just smashing everything on his kit as fast as possible.

A combination of epic, post-rock song lengths, and the lowest guitar tunings imaginable has always been compelling to me, and simply calling it "symphonic death metal" really undersells the grandeur of the record. This album is not for the feint of heart; we're talking 6 tracks, with the shortest clocking in at 12:25. For those willing to take the plunge, the album will assail you with some of the heaviest riffs and sickest grooves ever recorded, while also featuring incredible dynamics courtesy of a pristine production job — and capped off with the legendary mixing skills of Dan Swanö. Everyone involved in the making of this album is an underrated master of their craft and Undivine Dethroning is one of those rare instances where musicians continue to raise the bar decades into their respective careers.

You can grab this album from the Bandcamp link below, or head over to TheProjectHate.net and get instrumental and FLAC versions as well. I'm personally not one to care about fully lossless audio, but the absurd amount of nuance and sonic detail deserves every chance to be heard.

» Listen

Deafheaven — Lonely People With Power

When Deafheaven decided to go all-in on shoegaze with Infinite Granite, I could not have been more soured by an album. I have no problem with bands following their creative instincts and making the music they genuinely want to make, but I disliked the last album so much — and so thoroughly scoured it from my memory — that I am shocked every time someone reminds it came out in 2021. My enduring memories consist of shock at how immemorable the album was and disgust at the squandering of drummer Daniel Tracy's talents.

It might have taken 4 years, but it seems like they got that nonsense out of their system. Lonely People With Power instantly assuaged any fears I had of the band mellowing out, after a 56-second intro track, thrashy riffs and tortured vocals immediately assert themselves, as if to say: "we are back"! Everything that defined the band's breakthrough album, 2013's Sunbather, is present on this new record, but is also refined and better focused. I find the riffs more distinct, the melodies more impactful; overall, the band's entire sound feels more mature and developed.

I started off merely thinking Lonely People With Power was a great album and a return to form, but over the last ~9 months it has thoroughly convinced me that this is hands-down the best Deafheaven album to date. The record perfectly blends the 'black-gaze' sound of Sunbather and New Bermuda's thrash metal influences. Tracks like "Doberman" and "Magnolia" are some of the best pieces the band has written — legitimate bangers.

If you exclude The Project Hate on the grounds that I am an unrepentant fanboy (true), then this would be my number-one album of the year. The more I listen to it, the more it outclasses all of the band's prior work. If it took releasing a clunker like Infinite Granite to get Lonely People With Power, then I guess that's a more-than fair trade.

» Listen

JID — God Does Like Ugly

Ever since I saw JID perform in the 2018 XXL Freshman Class, I've been following his career. Despite a string of really good albums, he remained one of those really good, but severely underrated artists. I'm not saying he was languishing in obscurity, but his talent is so obvious that anything short of super-stardom could be seen as coming up short. Suffice to to say, God Does Like Ugly feels like the sort of record that takes a career to that vaunted Next Level.

It's easy to dismiss JID as just another guy who can rap really fast, but that's some pretty lazy, surface-level analysis. Aside from being packed to the brim with bangers, this record showcases the broad range of flows and styles JID has in his repertoire — often changing them up several times in a single track. There are several guest fearures, but they all complement the album; there's no lazy SEO and phoned-in verses here. Clipse and Vince Staples were my favourite features, while Earthgang and Ciara added the vocal hooks to my favourite track on the album, "Sk8".

It takes a lot for a rap record to hold my attention for a long time. That God Does Like Ugly was able to keep me captivated, despite the siren song of deathcore and black metal, says a lot for its overall appeal. JID already had a strong discography, but this is his best work to date and I think this record could be his big breakout moment.

» Listen

Spelling — Portrait Of My Heart

Ever since discovering Spelling via her outstanding 2021 album The Turning Wheel (which made my AOTY list for that year), she's been a consistent pick when I need to give myself a break from aggressive metal. While this new album is a more stripped-down effort compared to its predecesor, it's still got plenty of hooks and overall great songs. The record begins with a solid rocker in the title-track, and covers a lot of ground — from slow-burners like "Mount Analogue" to dabbling in a little shred-rock on "Satisfaction."

I found myself coming back to this album over and over, throughout the year. While it is not that difficult for something outside the metal genre to interest me, retaining that interest is fairly rare. Portrait Of My Heart is a breath of fresh air and the type of pop music we need more of.

» Listen

Propagandhi — At Peace

I first learned of Propagandhi back in grade 8, because a kid in my class owned exactly two different kinds of T-shirts: skate brands and punk bands. He was also my first exposure to someone with left-wing politics, and he put a beating on one of my bullies so bad, the guy changed schools with only a couple months left before graduation. It's tough to get a better introduction to a band that also, incidentally, makes really good, thoughtful music.

One of the recurring themes of this year is veteran artists turning in some of their best work and Propagandhi are no exception. At Peace easily makes the 8 year wait between albums worth it, combining furious punk riffing with an even greater emphasis on melody than before. The band also still indulges their proclivity for walking right up to the line between metal and punk and hinting at a thrashier, more aggressive direction before pulling things back from the brink. It's a bittersweet feeling, but it works amazingly well to highlight the rest of the material.

For a band I associate with "the left," they cover a wide range of subjects with a unique blend of overt commentary and metaphor. "Cat Guy" and "Benito's Earlier Work" good examples of this, while "Stargazing" features an earworm of a bassline paired with some low-key heart-wrenching lyrics. Those are just my personal favourites however, the whole record is excellent from start to finish. Seeing a lot of the album's material in a live setting only furthered my appreciation.

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Allegaeon — The Ossuary Lens

My first exposure to Allegeaeon was their 2022 release, Damnum. It ended up being my favourite album of that year, and they effectively made a fan for life. I had very high expectations for this follow-up record and they were absolutely met. The Ossuary Lens features some line-up changes in the vocal department, but the material remains a potent blend of progressive technicality and intensely heavy riffing.

I somewhat hesitate to label the band "technical death metal" because it feels dismissive; it's not just guys wheedling away at 100mph while Cookie Monster shouts in something resembling a vocal pattern. There are lots of harsh vocals, but they are fairly easy to discern, and the technicality rarely feels that obvious outside of flashy moments like the slap guitar intro to "Dark Matter Dynamics". I guess "progressive death metal" is a better label but, ultimately, that's a debate best left to dorks and lesser Melvins to settle.

I do miss the greater emphasis on the clean vocals from Damnum but that's just a preference, rather than a critique. The Ossuary Lens is a worthy follow-up to its predecessor, and a more concise showcase of Allegaeon's diverse songwriting influences.

» Listen

Whitechapel — Hymns of Dissonance

In a year packed with great deathcore releases, it took a lot to stand out from the rest of the field. I had to give Whitechapel the nod here. Not only did they release an unfathomably brutal record with Hymns In Dissonance, it really feels like another step forward for a genre that was in danger of growing stale — as nothing more than low-tuned breakdowns with or without accompanying animal noises.

I'm not saying they turned into a progressive metal band, but Whitechapel added just enough nuance and variety to their song writing — while still keeping the riffs low-tuned and chunky as ever. I wouldn't say they added anything to the genre, except perhaps a small amount of restraint; all the genre hallmarks are still present — the pig squeals, the half-time breakdowns, and so on — but their more sparing use increases their effect.

While I can't say I represent a huge demographic, I am a huge fan of metal bands closing out their records with instrumentals. "Nothing is Coming for Any of Us" is both a tremendous instrumental in its own right, but it's also the perfect closer after getting your ass kicked for 37 minutes prior.

» Listen

Despised Icon — Shadow Work

After an 8-year gap between albums, Montreal's Despised Icon released — seemingly out of nowhere — a late contender for Album Of The Year lists. Shadow Work is a technical masterclass that isn't above settling into a fist-pumping groove before resuming the technical assault. If you're looking to round out a diet of extreme metal, this has everything you need: shredding, chugging breakdowns, brutal syncopated sections, and a frontman trading harsh vocals with the drummer.

Clocking in at just over 36 minute, nothing overstays its welcome. It's just one brutal track after another, but with enough variety and tempo changeups to avoid becoming monotonous. Guest appearances from members of Chelsea Grin, Kublai Khan TX manage to elevate their respective songs ("Reaper" and "Over My Dead Body"), without feeling like the band is just following a growing trend.

Shadow Work is capped off with an immaculate production job, giving the band's incredible musicianship proper attention, as well as a truly disconcerting piece of cover artwork. An absolute masterpiece from a veteran band I have, honestly, not given their proper due until now.

» Listen

The Acacia Strain — You Are Safe From God Here

The Acacia Strain were always one of those bands I just never looked into. I would see their name on music websites and just keep scrolling, and I don't even know why — an insanely heavy metalcore band that tours with Killswitch Engage is exactly my jam. Anyway, this ignorance persisted until the band released the first single from this record. At first I felt like an idiot for all those years of avoidance, but that quickly gave way to elation when the full album dropped.

Even in the context of extreme metal, You Are Safe From God Here is an unfathomably bleak and heavy album. The combination of caustic, brutal riffs and strained, harsh vocals uttering lines like "life is a sucking, oozing wound that never closes" almost make me feel like I'm headbanging to a murder-suicide note. (Oh, wait, no — that's track 6: "I Don't Think You're Going to Make It". I regret the error.)

Plenty of metal records deal in dark or gory topics, but The Acacia Strain manage to delve deep into the darkness of the human spirit without verging into the ridiculous. Parts of this record feel like what you'd get if you had Nails write songs longer than 2 minutes, giving them time to get angrier and more resentful. The production is a little raw, but I feel this enhances the record's overtly hostile aesthetic, and makes it stand out in an digital era where a lot of records have a similar tonal palette.

» Listen

Sanguisugabogg — Hideous Aftermath

One of the biggest red flags is a band that's overly online or "funny." That usually means there's an emphasis on everything but the music, usually because it's substandard. Sanguisugabogg, luckily, manage to backup the shitposting — and cartoonishly illegible logo — with actual musical talent. Hideous Aftermath is a gross, nasty sounding record — really exuding the brutal nihilism of a self-described "drug death metal" band. (To be clear, that means it's good.)

Resting somewhere between technical death metal and the meme genre of slam, Sanguisugabogg wrote more than just a bunch of really fast riffs with edgy titles like "Felony Abuse of a Corpse" (featuring the slamtacular Peeling Flesh). There are tempo changes, sections where the band settles into a nice groove, and plenty of cacophonous playing and tremolo runs. The interplay between both guitarists leads to some really nasty, dissonant tones that distinguishes the band's sound from a lot of their peers.

There were a lot of strong death metal releases this year, but none with the staying power of Hideous Aftermath for me. I love the brutal, meathead riffing and deceptive technicality. The guest appearances from the likes of Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation) and Dylan Walker (Full Of Hell) push the whole record over the finish line. It's been a joy to watch the band's profile continue to grow along with their songwriting.

» Listen

EPs of Note

This year was filled with a lot of EPs, enough to warrant their own section in this list. My criteria for whether or not something is an EP is that it's under 30 minutes and / or it is officially designated an EP by the artist. I'm less interested in precise definitions as I am talking about good music.

Car Bomb — Tiles Whisper Dreams EP

I don't know if it's deserved or not, but Car Bomb feels like a band mostly discussed by music theory nerds. In spite of this, I think their brand of ultra-technical math metal is actually really engaging; you don't need a calculator or a protractor to deciper the fun in their "angular" riffing. This 3-song EP has more riffs and change-ups than some full-length records, but it's all done in service of actual songs. "Paroxysm" is both infuriating and awe inspiring to me, a hack guitar player.

» Listen

Full Of Hell — Broken Sword, Rotten Shield

As one of the hardest working bands on the metal scene, Full Of Hell continue to impress me with their development across each release. I didn't mind the more soundscapey detour they took on Scraping The Divine, but it did see the band shorn of the intensity that defines their sound. Regardless, this EP is more firmly in the band's typical noisey, grindcore style, although the songs are a little longer — with a pair clocking in at 2:30 along with a veritable epic in the 4-minute closer.

» Listen

Wisdom in Chains & Evergreen Terrace — split EP

The good news is that we got some new songs from Evergreen Terrace, ostensibly from a forthcoming album. The bad news is that guitarist Craig Chaney has been dealing with some serious health issues (GoFundMe.) "Jail For Christmas" absolutely rips and "Restless Leg Syndrome" has a really hooky chorus that bodes well for any potential new releases.

I was unfamiliar with Wisdom in Chains previously, but "The Gospel" feels like an instant classic. It's a genuinely anthemic song that must burn the house down live. Wisdom In Chains' stronger punk influences pair really well with Evergreen Terrace's metalcore style. Both bands share a common through-line but veer off in different directions but with great results. I love split releases like this for finding new bands.

» Listen

Rhûn — Burial Pact

A spinoff from Falls Of Rauros, leaning much more in the doom and death metal direction. This EP provides a very good encapsulation of the project: chugging riffs and traditional death metal lead runs, alongside atmospheric sections. A great follow-up to last year's Conveyance In Death full-length. Whether we get another Falls record any time soon remains to be seen, but the quality of their sundry side-projects remains incredibly high.

» Listen

Panopticon — The Poppies Bloom For No King EP

I've followed the Panopticon project for a little over a decade now, and was wondering if the folk and other non-metal influences were going to comprise more and more of the material going forward. The answer to this is a resounding "no," as The Poppies Bloom For No King features some of the biggest, heaviest songs Austin Lunn has written to date.

Everything retains that distinctive, rustic Panopticon sound, but this feels like an amazing fusion of Roads To The North and the grandeur of Once More Into The Light. The fact this EP was also released as a fundraiser to assist those being targeted by ICE deportations is a nice reminder that the black metal scene has some genuinely good people in it.

I wasn't overly enthused with the two other Panopticon full-length releases this year. I can't honestly say they were bad, but neither was as engaging as this EP.

» Listen

xWeaponx — Weapon X Demo 2

This is one of those gems I only found via other year-end lists. At a running time of 9:51, over 5 songs, this record does not mess around. Easily some of the heaviest hardcore music I have ever heard; we absolutely need a full-length album from this band. This record reminds me a lot of the unbridled violence Nails — like they're thoroughly kicking your ass but also have a busy schedule to keep — and I love that kind of energy. I'm also a sucker for an Earth Crisis guest feature and some gang vocals, I won't lie.

» Listen

Kittie — Spit XXV

I was never a big fan of Kittie's debut album, preferring the band when they leaned into the more extreme metal genres with albums like Oracle. That said, my curiosity was piqued when the band announced they were re-recording a few songs from Spit to mark its 25th anniversary.

I'm also not really a fan of re-recording albums, because you're never going to recapture the vibe of the original studio sessions, or the musical climate they were initially released in. They're not a guaranteed failure, but the risk of a bad or unnecessary re-release is higher than I would like.

Luckily, the band selected the 4 best tracks to represent Spit and they did a great job updating them to match the band's current style — a blend of metalcore, death metal and alt-rock. The songs don't sound drastically different, but you can feel the band has matured significantly since writing that album as teenagers. These songs all sounded great; I don't think I need to revisit Spit though.

» Listen

Church Tongue — You Will Know It Was Me EP

This EP was recommended to me earlier this year and I've been listening to it a lot. At only 18 minutes long, it's a perfect serving of stompy metalcore that reminds me of Hatebreed and Poison The Well. Each track flows nicely into the next, although I found that streaming services ruin this experience a lot.

Not a whole lot to say about this one, just a really solid, compact little record. The closing track, featuring George Clarke (Deafheaven) is a real heater, and concludes what I would consider an appropriate microdose of metalcore.

» Listen

Honourable Mentions

Last but not least, we have the records that caught my interest but not enough to get a slot in the main list.

Clipse — Let God Sort 'Em Out

I really wanted to include this album on the main list, but I didn't find myself listening to it enough throughout the year. Don't get me wrong, there's a reason this album appears on almost every other 2025 round-up. Not only did Malice and Pusha T bring their A game to this project, Pharrel delivered big-time with the perfect beat selection. You know an album made an impact when people are debating whether or not it's a sign Kids These Days just can't make classics.

Still, an absolutely phenomenal record — just not close enough to the top of my list.

» Listen

The Browning — Omni (Ultra)

Technically this record came out in 2024, but they released an "Ultra" edition this year. They also put on one of the best live performances I've seen, when I saw them with Born Of Osiris in the summer, and this is my list and my rules!

As someone who loves blending genres, especially electronic music, the concept of a band influenced by Meshuggah, metalcore and EDM was love at first sight. The band's ability to work a room was also very impressive, as I live in a city somewhat known for low-energy live crowds and they still got people moshing and dancing for their set. I spoke to a number of people who were at that show and they were similarly impressed. This record is phenomenal and it feels like this band is on the cusp of their big break.

» Listen

Scorching Tomb — Ossuary

Yeah, that's right; some more Canadian content. I've seen these guys live a few times and they've been steadily improving, but this year marked a significant upgrade. Ossuary is a really tight set of 8 tracks that runs just under a half-hour. Nothing fancy here, just some brutal, straight-up death metal; songs about killing — including one with the awesome title of "Stalagmite Impalement" — and there's even a guest appearance from vocalist Devin Swank (Sanguisugabogg) to top things off.

» Listen

Ho99o9 — Tomorrow We Escape

I'm not hugely into the new nu metal bands, but Ho99o9 (pronounced "horror" ... I know) really knocked this one out of the park. Aside from putting together some genuinely good rap-rock material, this record boasts some exceptional guest appearances from the likes of Chelsea Wolfe and Greg Puciato (ex-The Dillinger Escape Plan). I went from utter ambivalence about this band to a genuine fan. Really looking forward to what they do next; maybe I'll have to see what these young whippersnappers are doing to my old genre.

» Listen

Thrice — Horizons/West

I only recently got into Thrice, thanks to a bass-player analysis of their track "Stare At The Sun" — from what is probably their best-known album, The Artist In The Ambulance. That converted me into a fan very quickly, and I've really enjoyed their whole discography.

This album dropped, seemingly, out of nowhere; I was not aware of any significant build-up. It's not as heavy as the aforementioned Artist In The Ambulance but that one's somewhat of an outlier. This new record really grew on me, going from "well that's neat" to an album I have listened to regularly over months. I'd put this squarely in alt-rock territory, if that's still a genre these days. "Holding On" is a very strong single, and easily one of my favourite songs the band has written.

» Listen

Silly Goose — Keys To The City

Since this is the second new wave of nu metal band on this list, I guess I am starting to soften on the concept. Silly Goose, until now, were a band I only read about but never felt any urge to look into. I figured they were a bunch of annoying dorks who would be gone once their gag ran stale. Well, turns out that was a really poor assessment, as they are actually a really good band and seem to have actual morals. Keys To The City is a really fun record with fun songs that certainly draw influences from the original nu metal era, but are modern interpretations. Also, the singer is a decent rapper, which is something we didn't have back in the day.

» Listen

Wrap up

As much as it pains me that this article is done, it's already too long. The amount of good music that came out in 2025 was astounding to me, with my list topping out at 147 unique albums. There are dozens of bands that deserve a mention, so I strongly encourage you to check out the list of contenders I maintained throughout the year.

Until next year...

—by Derek

Published: December 31st, 2025.