I was in the minority who thought 2024 was a banner year for metal releases, so 2025 was bound to disappoint at least a little. Fortunately, there were quite a few albums that I really liked, and there are some on the Honorable Mentions list that in a lesser year might have made the main one. That said, there were a few surprises and several albums that the Ometer lads tenaciously argued about this year, and there is one album here where I promised a fist in the face to any member of the group who doesn’t have it somewhere on his list. ‘Tis the season!
Also, shout out to the team at Angry Metal Guy, whose reviews pointed me to no less than four albums that made the list and I may not have otherwise heard. Their site is must-read stuff for me, so check them out!
Don’t let the Lord of the Rings name and Power Metal cover deceive you - Helms Deep play straight-up Heavy Metal, as one would expect when you learn that members of Raven are involved in the project. Alex Sciortino’s falsetto wails are truly a love ‘em or hate ‘em proposition, but if you can get on board with some shrieks that would give King Diamond pause, there’s a ton to love here. Couldn’t find a video of my song of the year with a riff that kills, ‘Cursed’, but the leadoff track is a close second.
These Brazilian thrashers were active in the early naughts but didn’t get around to actually recording until recently. Thank goodness they stuck it out because their second album is an outstanding throw-back to the early days of when technical, progressive metal bands like Death, Atheist and Cynic were blowing minds. The production oozes with the charm of those Morrissound albums - one can almost picture Scott Burns and Jim Morris themselves on the faders. At a brisk 33 minutes, fans of Individual Thought Patterns, Unquestionable Presence, and Focus would be remiss to pass this one by.
As I said in my mid-year write-up,
These lads from Raleigh, NC, specialize in straight up heavy metal with some flourishes of Black and Doom Metal added in for good measure. Though this is their second album, Secret Storm, Secret Garden was 10 years in the making. I’m here to tell you that it was definitely worth the wait!
I stand by every word: these guys are not being talked about nearly enough.
It’s 20 years on for Novembers Doom, and good on them for still making great albums. Major Arcana feels quite a bit like modern Katatonia, from the guitar parts to the choral vocals. So if you’re a fan of Night is the New Day and forward, you’ll find a lot to like here. And, as always, Paradise Lost is a constant foundation. If it weren’t for an album near the top of my list, ‘Mercy’ would be the most soul-shattering track of the year.
In my mid-year list, I wrote,
These Norwegians blew me away with their 2023 debut The Approbation, so I eagerly awaited their follow-up. I’m glad to say that Waving at the Sky largely delivers. It still mines territory that Steven Wilson popularized with Porcupine Tree, but think more Lightbulb Sun-era than Deadwing.”
If you’re a fan of the afore-mentioned artists or Haken, this will be right up your alley.
I’ve been listening to Testament since I was in middle school and had a mullet (if only I had enough hair now…), and though we’ve both grown older since then, the band has not lost a step. Any time you lose The Atomic Clock behind the kit there are bound to be some concerns, but I’m pleased to say that Chris Dovas kills it on this record (and Hoglan is my favorite metal drummer)! Jens Bogren did a great job on the mix, and the songs are as tight as anything they’ve done in years. Hell, I even like the ballad! I daresay this is the band’s best album since Dark Roots of Earth, which I listed as my #1 album way back in 2012.
I’ve been a fan of Wytch Hazel since their debut in 2016, and their latest really captured my attention this year. As expected, the album parties like it’s ‘72: 1672 lyrically, and 1972 musically. V: Lamentations has a bit of an easy-listenin’ Hard Rock vibe, with incredibly infectious tunes and excellent solos. I hear a lot of Wishbone Ash here, particularly in the twin guitar lines. I’d be hard-pressed to find a solo I loved more than the one in at 2:55 of ‘The Demon Within.’ Put this record on with the Old Man while both of you reminisce about the good ol’ days.
They’ve gotten a lot of press lately and, thus, a predictable backlash, but don’t let the haters sway you: Castle Rat are the real deal. Best heard with the volume cranked to 11, The Bestiary is a slab of tight, well-written Doom-inflected Heavy Metal in the neighborhood of early The Sword. Sure, the sword battles and imagery are a bit over the top, but so are Gwar and King Diamond and you’re cool with them. One of my Ometer colleagues referred to them as “Pitchfork Doom Metal,” and if that’s the case, so be it: this album rules.
After an eight-year gap, Andreas “Vintersorg” Hedlund is back with another outstanding set of folk-inflected Black Metal with his namesake project. Gifted with one of the best voices in Black Metal, Hedlund’s mastery of both clean and harsh vocals is naturally the centerpiece. But the entire album is beautifully composed, with a deft weaving of the folk elements in a way that only happens when you’re 25+ years at it, and excellent supporting performances by Matte Marklund and Simon Lundstöm. Keep this one in your pocket for that long walk after a snowfall.
I’m a sucker for Swedish Melodeath and, though they don’t get nearly the press of some of their brethren, In Mourning has been as consistent as any in their 17 years. The Immortal is everything you expect: tight riffs, great solos, and a mix of vocals that leans more harsh than clean. It may not change your life, but when the songs and execution are this good, that is more than enough.
Deafheaven’s latest got all of the press (and it’s also really good!), but the Shoegaze-tinged Black Metal album that stole my attention this year was Innern. There’s no light to be had here, just pure darkness turned inward with the somber tone for which the group is known. Innern is an emotional journey that blasts your ears and your soul in equal measures, so it’s best saved for those days when the world feels like it’s crumbling before you.
Regular readers of my work (thanks to both of you!) will remember that I was head over heels about Helloween’s self-titled album in 2021, but I approached this year’s follow-up with both excitement and worry: was the “Pumpkins United” thing a gimmick that would wear thin? Well, I’m happy to report that it wasn’t a fluke and Giants & Monsters has all of the Power Metal cheese and 80’s Metal inspiration for which I hoped. Michael Kiske and Andi Deris sound fantastic together, and the trading-off between them is a joy to hear. Kai Hansen’s guitar work (and vocals!) needs no introduction, but don’t sleep on Daniel Löble’s work on the drums - he’s a truly underrated beast behind the kit. I love the dark stuff as much as anyone, but sometimes you need a little fun in your musical life and that’s what Helloween delivers: pure Metal fun. Just watch this video and try to get through it without a smile… I DARE YOU.
Eric has been screaming me in the face about Harem Scarem for years and has gone to great lengths to make me see the light. Then came Chasing Euphoria and now the turns have tabled… the one doing the face screaming IS ME!! From start to finish, this album oozes with earnest 80’s rock with hooks that kill and vocal harmonies that will melt even the most jaded hearts. I’ve died so many times on the hill of this album that it’s come between friends AND FAMILY, but I carry on unwavering - embrace your inner Night Ranger and chase euphoria with me!
“A lion could rip the flesh right off your bones
A mother the same, she could do it with six simple words
The length she'd go is non-negotiable
A knife through the heart, "’I am so disappointed in you’"
So begins Green Carnation’s latest album, the first in a projected trilogy and a work that explores the depths of grief and tears at the soul. I love Kjetil Nordhus’ clean vocals, but they can take some warming and won’t be to the taste of everyone. This is Progressive Metal that leans more progressive than metal, aside from one track that features no less than Grutle Enslaved himself on lead vocals and is a surprising full-on black metal assault. If you’re willing to take the journey, it is a spellbinding work that will punch you in the gut: if you don’t need to take a moment when Nordhus exclaims, “I’m not living, I’m just alive,” then it’s time to check your pulse. This seemed locked into the #1 spot on my list until…
It’s been 32 years since Coroner released the delightfully weird Grin, and fans had long since given up hope that it would be anything other than their swan song. So imagine my surprise when Eric and I saw the band live this summer and Ron Broder announced that an album was dropping in October. I had high hopes for Dissonance Theory, but to say they were exceeded is an understatement of massive proportions. From the opening strains of ‘Consequence’ to the extended keyboard solo of ‘Prolonging,’ Coroner have crafted an album that is perhaps the best in their catalogue.
Everything about Dissonance Theory is outstanding: Broder’s vocals and bass work have never sounded better, Tommy Vetterli’s riffs and solos are as good as you remember, and new drummer Diego Rapacchietti is incredible. Eric remarked to us that this is the best-sounding (produced by Vetterli and mixed/mastered by Jens Bogren) thrash album this year, and I have to agree. The album is not quite as progressive as Mental Vortex or No More Colors and has some modern influences (definitely a bit of Meshuggah in ‘Transparent Eye’) that may frustrate older fans. So, this may not be the album that Ron Royce, Tommy T. Baron, and Marquis Marky would have made in 1998, but it sounds like the one that Broder, Vetterli, and Rapacchietti needed to make in 2025. The best album I heard this year, and it’s not all that close.
