2025 Album Recap

A lookback to some of last year’s releases. 

Let’s face it. The obligatory end of the year round up must happen right? Even if we're slightly into 2026 it's fun to recap! We have been treated to SO many amazing albums- some have hit the spot, some have exceeded it by far, and some, unfortunately, land a little flat, but I think it’s important to celebrate all music.  To me, the bands journey is important, and whilst an album we didn’t enjoy as much as previous ones is disappointing, it’s a good exercise to re-listen, and try to get the feeling of what the band are putting out. That feeling of it “clicking” after a second or third listen can be even more satisfying than an immediate love.  

This list of 22 albums is a varied one, but I think it encompasses the wide variety that metal, as a whole, offers. To start the list, arguably the biggest releases of the year would go to Architects, Machine Head, Lorna Shore and Sleep Token .  

The Sky, the Earth, & All Between is Architects eleventh release, and was first teased when ‘Seeing Red’ was released at the end of 2023. Nearly a year later they announced the album and its release date for 28^th February 2025. The long-awaited 12 track album dropped after 5 singles were released, and fans, who were already so happy with what they had already heard took the album so well. The band had been touring with Of Mice and Men, While She Sleeps, and they supported Metallica during 2024. I was lucky enough to see their headline performance at Bloodstock Open Air which was a huge highlight of the whole festival- their live show is exciting, the songs catchy, and being in a crowd with diehard fans of any band will pump up the atmosphere tenfold- I would recommend to anybody who hasn’t yet, to see them live! 

Machine Head dropped their album UNATØNED in April, also making it their eleventh album release. It was announced in November 24 that they were working on the new album, but we had to wait until February for the album name. A second single was released at this time, and it set the tone for what was to come. It’s the first album with guitarist Reece Scruggs, after Vogg (Waclaw Kieltyka) left to fully commit to the band Decapitated, which he founded in 1996. The Album gained mixed reviews from critics, but I really enjoy it! The catchy singalong choruses along with the familiar Machine Head tone just work. It’s the shortest album Machine Head have released, and I was left wanting more! I also caught their Bloodstock Headline show; after going to bed, it had been a long day! I had seen them before so didn’t mind skipping them, but I could hear them and knew I couldn’t miss it! Stood watching them in my pyjamas wearing crocks and socks, didn’t take away from feeling the intensity and joy of their performance!  

Lorna Shore’s fifth album (second with vocalist Will Ramos) I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me is, as usual, a masterpiece. The storytelling ability these boys have both lyrically and with the immense sound they create is so admirable, and in deathcore, or more extreme metal, is a rarity. After the huge success of the Pain Remains trilogy in the previous album, the emotional side of things could have been ticked off- but with the new album brought a song so deeply personal to Will, where he explores his relationship with his father. They were estranged from each other for ten years, and only recently reconnected. Along with the album, the video for 'Glenwood' tells a version of Will's story, ending with a conversation with his father. This band, wears their hearts on their sleeves, and it flows through the music straight to the hearts of the listeners.

Sleep Token. are they Rock? Jazz? Pop? R&B? Metal? All of the above? They burst into popularity with 'The Summoning' at the beginning of 2023, reportedly going from 300,000 monthly listeners to 1.58 million monthly listeners, and have had a cult-like following since. Their mix of sounds from different genres welcomed fans from lots of musical areas, and it works REALLY well. Whether you like them or not, the melodies and multi-aspects captivate their audience. Even in Arcadia was welcomed by fans on the 9th of May. It was surrounded in mystery, with clues including symbols needing to be deciphered indicating the date for the album announcement, and adding to the Lore that surrounds these masked musicians. The Album itself had mixed reviews, but the worshippers fought hard against haters, and this album has done so well. It's even taught Americans how to say 'Caramel' properly!

AngelMaker, Malevolence, Paleface Swiss and Whitechapel all supplied us with new albums this year. Whilst Whitechapel has held a place in the deathcore arena since 2007, the remaining three are a more recent addition, but have held their own and have furthered the genre in their individual ways.

This Used To be Heaven was released by AngelMaker last month on the 20th November, and it throws some punches! The blast beats are impeccable, the dual lead vocalists provide depth and intensity, and the pretty melodic breaks sprinkled within the harshness that deathcore brings, stands out and contrasts beautifully. Fans have said that this album is "everything they were hoping for and more". As a new listener this year I find them to be somewhat similar to other bands of this style, but what sets them apart for me is the aforementioned dual vocalists. This year they welcomed Ian Bearer, previously vocalist of Rings of Saturn, replacing co-founder Mike Greenwood.

Malevolance. What an amazing couple of years they have had! They have gone from strength to strength and there is no stopping them! I first heard of them when I missed their show at Bloodstock 2022. Will Ramos of Lorna Shore joined them on stage for 'Karma', a song from their previous album Malicious Intent, whilst headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage. I gave them a listen after everyone raved about the show, however it just didn't hit me. Where Only The Truth Is Spoken is their fourth album, and came out June 20th. This is where things changed. I made sure to see them when they played the Ronnie James Dio stage 2025 as they have kicked it up a few gears. 'Trenches' and 'If It's All The Same To You' have almost everything you would want in a song. Heavy, chuggy riffs, catchy singalong choruses, and powerful grooves that make it impossible not to bang your head too.

Paleface Swiss came out of nowhere. Of course that's not true, they have been together since 2017, but this year the album Cursed, that came out on Jan 3rd, propelled them to a bigger audience, and there is a very good reason for that. The album starts with an old nursery rhyme from the Canary Islands. Front man Zelli explains the reason for including this strange song. “When you’re a kid growing up, you’re happy and you think everything is cool, but nowadays, every time you open your phone, it’s just a flood of negativity. It’s supposed to be a children’s lullaby, but it was actually scary. The lyrics are the complete opposite of a lullaby.” It sets the tone of the album- it's angry at the world, it's full of frustration and sadness. It is REAL. What I really like is that you can hear his accent clearly throughout. It gives another aspect to the music. He raps along with the screams, and the clean vocals on the song 'River of Sorrows' are heartbreaking. A band that promises to be a permanent fixture in the deathcore scene for a very long time!

Whitechapel are old hands at bringing the brutality to our ears, but by no means does that mean they're getting old. Hymns in Dissonance is the ninth album since their first release in 2007, and they prove time and time again why they are at the position that they are. Considered part of the first wave of Deathcore, Phil Bozeman vocals helped bring the sound to the mainstream, and it now has become one of the biggest sub genres in metal today. This album is bringing back their more traditional sound. It's more reminiscent of the earlier albums, with less clean vocals that they had included in their previous album, Kin.

Alien Weaponry and Bloodywood are part of one of my favourite Genres- I call it Culture Clash Metal, but you can call it whatever you want. One of the best things about music is that it brings people together, and this is true here, but also it teaches people about other cultures, other instruments, and other languages.

Two brothers aged 8 and 10 formed a band in 2010. After watching District 9, they called themselves Alien Weaponry, and the name has stuck! They bring something magical to their music, and I'd like to think that the fact that they feature their Maori culture so heavily in the songs, has a big part to play in it. The Maori language is still a minority language in New Zealand despite governmental plans to teach it, but these young men have included the language in many of their songs, which has brought the language to so many new ears. Te Rā, meaning 'The Sun' in Maori, is the third album they have brought out, but first with this new lineup. New bassist Turanga has joined the band seamlessly. Visually he is a great addition too, as he has a Facial Moko strengthening the cultural aspect of the band. The album is again very much talking about the state of the world, in both Maori and English. The song Taniwha features none other than Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, who wrote his own lyrics and included Maori words; a testament to how the band are sharing the ways of their people, and bringing it into the 21st century.

Bloodywood are unapologically Indian. They are proud of where they come from, there is no pretence from these boys. They talk of the injustices and how change is needed, and celebrate the simple joys that many of us can connect with. Their second album Nu Delhi has a song, 'Tadka' praising the flavours and smells that come from South Asian cuisine, and being together enjoying a meal- who would have thought there could be a song about that, especially in metal! But these boys manage it with ease and power. laced with traditional sounds from instruments such as the Dhol, a Tumbi, and a Bansuri it is unmistakingly Indian through and through. They are joined by Japanese band BABYMETAL for the song Bekhauf, which make it an even bigger culture clash!

These next bands are all melodic and folky in thier own ways. Wolfheart is more melodic death metal, whereas Eluveitie leans towards the more traditional folkyness more. Amorphis have been going since the early to mid 90's, whereas Wolfheart annd Eluveitie formed a bit more recently, but they have all made their mark in these genres in different ways.

Ànv is the ninth album by Eluveitie, a band who has always had more than the usual number of members. In fact, they have over 40 known past members!  The current lineup continues to be headed by Christian "Chrigel" Glanzmann, with the other six members sustaining the gorgeousness of the music created by Eluveitie. Instruments such as a Hurdy Gurdy, Violin, and an array of Flutes and Pipes are used alongside the more familliar instruments that we see in bands, and harsh vocals duetting with the sweet tones of Fabienne Erni’s clean vocals create a spiritual experience. Ànv is just yet another example of how music can be brought together in ways that are unexpected but end up being so special. 

Amorphis is a band that is at the top of its genre. No question about that. They manage the sing-songy choruses and melodic bouncy tunes in a way that isn’t cheesy- Singer Tomi uses both clean and harsh vocals faultlessly; both versions of his vocals are just so lovely and complementary to each other. He has one of those recognisable voices that make you know exactly who is singing. Borderland came to us on the 26^th September and felt like coming home. It has that Amorphis sound that us fans love so much! At first listen it might have felt a bit samey, however after hearing it for a few months now, it has grown to have its own life and place in the Discography. 

I first heard Wolfheart when I saw them supporting Insomnium in 2017 and was an immediate fan. Draconian Darkness II is a follow-on Ep from Draconian Darkness, that came out in 2024, but I think it deserves a mention. Only 2 of the 5 songs are new, which is frustrating, but only because more Wolfheart is always wanted! But the live version of ‘Burning Sky’ makes the orchestral backing really pop which makes it so much more exciting to listen to. The next song is an acoustic version of ‘The Gale’, does the opposite, and brings a calmness and beauty to toe experience of the Ep. If you haven’t heard Wolfheart before, both Draconian Darkness’s are a great place to start. 

Omnium Gatherum is just pure melodic loveliness. Paired with the heaviness brought by these Finns, May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way, continues the intensity of feeling, that they are so good at evoking. It is their tenth album, and it is almost perfection for the sing songy grrowly music lovers! The one thing I would say can be taken as both a pro and a con- fans of Insomnium will love this band, and indeed this album- however, the similarities between the two bands can be VERY close at times- great if you're looking for more of the same kind of music, but perhaps for people looking for something along the same vein, but with obvious differences, then it may leave you wanting something else. Having said that, I really enjoyed this album. It’s an easy listen that has some gorgeous moments, and their iconic chord progressions make it feel familiar and new all at the same time! 

Signs of the Swarm, Ten 56. King 810, and Aviana all deserve a mention. I think all of these bands have huge futures ahead of them, I have been lucky enough to catch them all live, and can attest to their prowess. Each band brings their own touch to deathcore,

Finally.

My top albums of 2025 (in no particular order!) are:

Shadow of Intent brought us Imperium Delirium, their fifth album. After the success of Elergy in 2022, I was unsure if they were going to be able to reach the heights that album took us to. Why was I worried? The depth and intensity they create is brutal and beautiful and I can't get enough! They excite me in a way that I can only describe as soul shattering. The number of chills that are sent rolling down my spine are numerous as are the number of stank faces pulled! This band is SO impressive to me, and this album reached even higher than before.

Lonely People with Power is the sixth album from Deafheaven. A band that introduced me to the genre of Blackgaze; a complete accident whilst waiting for Devin Townsend's headline slot at Arctangent 2023 they held me in a trance like state, and still do. Their music, a vessel to pour my deepest emotions into, whilst allowing out a gut wrenching exorcism of darkness. Listening to George's death metal vocals, with such stunning melodies, booming drum beats and gentle finger picking moments is severe in the most exceptional way. It just works in the deepest way. This Album did not disappoint in any way, and gets better with every listen.

Blackbraid brought out his third album Blackbraid III in August. What I love about it is that it brings death and black metal to so many more people due to its ease of listening. Extreme metal can be too harsh for so many, but he has created a sound that is more accessible, due to the tuneful melodies and perhaps in part to the fact that his "nativeness" is so apparent. His lyrics, whilst tinged with the darkness metal encapsulates, talk of nature. His use of the acoustic guitar, and sounds of a stream, and a native flute all add to the atmosphere that blends so well with his black metal vocals- maybe the most distinguishable part of it that is black metal. Everything else is just so lovely to listen to that it’s hard to place it in that bracket completely. This album is the third in three years, his rise has been fast, and it’s no wonder. A beautiful piece of music, well worth listening to.  

Orbit Culture brought out Death Above Life this year, and with it cause to believe these guys could rise to be one of the greats. This album is full of oomph and is one of the bands that surprises you with the heaviness. They are fantastic at creating a heartbeat with the drums- it drags you in and you can’t help but to feel every chuggy riff to the bone. The harsh vocals blend into cleanish vocals that raise it to new heights- they are one of those bands that when listening, I imagine being in the pit, fist in the air, scream singing along with them and releasing any and all built up stresses.  

So there we have it. My list of albums of 2025. I can't wait to see what this year will bring us! So 2026? Bring it on!