ty @breadablefemboy for the rec

This is an extra dissonant outing by Aosoth, even reminding me of Portal most of the time. I get the different appeal compared to IV and possibly their earlier works, but it definitely didn't hit for me as much as I'd hoped. Songwriting isn't quite there.

obg @lucasthesousa pela rec

Não sou muito familiarizado com os gêneros derivados da 'Psychedelia', além de alguns grupos adjacentes como Pink Floyd, etc. Mas realmente gostei bastante das vibes desse projeto, elementos clássicos do Rock anos 70 ainda persistem (a instrumentação no geral me lembrou do Deep Purple em dados momentos), mas há sem dúvidas uma reinvenção daquele som clássico para melhor se ... read more

Que disco massa. Geralmente não sou fã de Rap nerdola, mas o conjunto da obra aqui é tão divertido que eu consigo perdoar alguns lapsos líricos. A profundidade dos beats do IKU é incrível, desde os samples de Jazz clássico e Ópera até as produções mais modernas, como o estilo 16-bit visto em 'Brutal' (baita música btw). O motif da moça japonesa falando 'Black Lamen' é bem ... read more

ty @ValentinesDay for the rec

apparently this is a Saidan side project, but I don't really see the vision tbh. Saidan are an extremely refreshing band in the Black Metal scene, but this side EP just sounds like kind of a bog-standard Atmoblack project with little to set it apart from the pack other than some synth work and clean vocals, I guess. I just don't really see the point in Saidan specifically doing something like this. Glad its only a 21 min EP tho

This was pretty much the first ug Metal project I listened to this year, and it's safe to say I was spoiled for quality lol. Ego Dissolution is up there with the best debut full-lengths ever made, a Progressive Death Metal heavyweight that packs everything you could ever want from the genre into 35 minutes of pure cinema. Third-stage Death, Blood Incantation, Innana, whatever you want to compare it to; Ancient Death's impeccable display of both elite technicality and masterful ... read more

This is legit some of the best Melodeath ever made, and it comes from an extremely obscure recently-formed Croatian band with middling reviews on RYM. That's just Metal in a nutshell, ig.

Everything is so fucking good across this entire project. They absolutely nail the 'Mongolian horde' aesthetic with ingenious incorporation of eastern chords into a relatively clear-cut Death Metal framework. Despite that, I don't mean to say that this is a musically safe, gimmicky ... read more

One of the most lush and complex Metal albums to come out all year, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is a proper musical journey, one that blows by its 53-minute runtime, and that by the end, will leave you awestruck at what you just listened to.

The first half of the album is a very unique take on Symphonic BM, showcasing compositions that remind you of the genre's greats (most notably Dimmu Borgir, with the pronounced presence of aristochratic keys and orchestral crescendos) while ... read more

I'm now noticing that 'comfort albums' were a big part of my 2025 musical diet, and Scapulimancy is perhaps the best out of them all.

I really really love Bolt Thrower, and this is basically a blackened, crustier version of their signature style, incorporating elements of every era of the band in order to create a project that serves as both a worthy tribute and a standalone tour de force. The tones are chunky and reverberous, the music strides along in a groovy pace that ... read more

If you like Icon-era Paradise Lost, or 80s Heavy Metal, then you'll probably like this record. Thankfully for me, Icon is one of my favorite albums ever, and also a big fan of 80s trad.

I remember listening to Tritonous Bell in the past and not liking it that much, but if it sounds similar to this, then I definitely wasn't ready for it at the time. The glammy chords and solos kinda do a 'my turn your turn' with the old-school, sharply produced Death Doom riffage, and it ... read more

Tooth and Nail is a culmination of Death Metal's development during the last 10/15 years. Frantic, Dissonant, Technical, Blackened, Atmospheric, all these terms can be used to describe this record at one point or another during its runtime, and that's not even mentioning the sprinkles of Mediterranean/Levantine musical motifs that gesture towards the 'Greek Vase' aesthetic of the cover.

During the past few decades, a clear tendency can be observed inside the world of ... read more

If you just want some classic BM with well-done modernized production, this is the record for you. IMO Sargeist's best record to date, and the musical equivalent of cozy, homemade cooking for any Black Metal fan.

Finnish Metal is unbelievably awesome, man. The folky, Trad-influenced Meloblack of Tavastland perfectly encapsulates the vibe of pagan Scandinavia, with a cool concept to boot. Not only one of the most memorable and cohesive Metal albums of the year, but also one of the most fun and accessible listening experiences.

Despite the tragic story it tells, this record always keeps up an epic and triumphant veneer, representing the iron will of the clansmen amidst their plight. Reminds me of the ... read more

boiiiii ts so tuff it made me shit myself violently while listening. Karl's aura is way too much for my bowels to handle.

Finally, the definitive 'Best Metal albums of 2025' list has arrived! Let's go ahead and review what hasn't yet been reviewed.

Judging by the cover, you wouldn't expect anything more than a gloomy Blackgaze record, as the 'dimly lit minimalist object' album cover trope is a staple of that genre. However, mysterious anonymous artist Blood Abcission instead opts into a more traditional Atmoblack lane, even if the floaty and melodramatic undertones of Blackgaze ... read more

Chegou o álbum do verão 🔥🔥🔥

Tanto aqui quanto nuz EUA, TODAS as festas de ensino fundamental vão estar tocando sem parar esse amálgama de Travis Scott, Yeat e Playboi Carti, até pq o garoto Tuê fez questão de, novamente, incluir uma faixa em inglês (o fato dele ainda reservar esperanças de ter alguma chance no mercado internacional é bem tragicômico).

Eu até gostei mais do que o 333, muito pelo fato de ... read more

Some good modern nordic radio prog type splish. It reminded me of the AVKRVST record I recently reviewed, just a lot more mature and expansive. You hear a lot of Melodeath influence, naturally, but there's also some Doomy sections in the vein of modern-day Swallow the Sun, and even some Black Metal on a track such as 'Staghorn'.

This album is unlikely to blow anyone away, but it's a very good addition to the already well-established lane of hyper-polished, atmospheric ... read more

Really cool mix of atmospheric/dissonant Death Metal and Post-Punk, a combination that shouldn't work on first thought, but that absolutely should at second thought. Its basically just some cavernous DM that incorporates the classic post-punk drum beat and some spaced out atmospheric melodies that are also staples of the genre.

70 is crazy, they took a risk and it paid off quite well. Worth checking out fs.

Absolutely insane. Lets see if the 5 year wait was worth it.

This first single is a good sign. Its starts off with some frantic techdeathing, before transitioning into an absolutely perfect slower-paced melodic section near the middle, and abruptly cutting to a short breakdown type passage at the end. In short, showcasing everything that's amazing about Archspire in a single track, even if it comes at the cost of a scuffed song structure that kinda keeps Carrion Ladder from reaching the ... read more

super fucked up song, but at least its interesting, something that can't be said for the rest of their music

Progressive extreme metal is all about the ambitious soundscape, grandiose chord progressions, epic build ups... Felgrave is happy to just hang around in one particularly undynamic pocket for 18 minutes per song. No idea why they opt to limit themselves like this, but the result is predictably quite middling.