Our Founder Selects His Favorite Heavy Music Albums of 2025
Everyone who knows me knows this list is the pinnacle of my music nerdery. It’s an annual ceremony, my loudest tradition: the moment I get to unleash my personal Top 20 Metal & Hardcore Records of the Year. I look forward to making this list all year long, because metal and hardcore aren’t just music genres to me - they’re survival tools, creative fuel, and spiritual vitamins for anyone like me that needs their music loud enough to rearrange their atoms.
So here it is, chosen with zero objectivity and maximum sincerity; I present to you the vast soundscape that kept this remote slice of Indian Country dangerously loud all year long.
But before we dive headfirst into the chaos, triumph, filth, beauty, noise, and genius that made this year so unforgettable, I do need to say one thing: Thank You to every band who poured their entire beings into these records. Heavy music continues to be the life-force that keeps many of us stitched together, and this year felt especially powerful.
Keep the fire burning 🔥
-Charlie
20. Harakiri For The Sky - Scorched Earth
Scorched Earth is…well, black metal? Post-black metal? Atmospheric cosmic despaircore? Honestly, the genre labels fall apart pretty fast, because what Harakiri for the Sky is doing here is way bigger than any tag you can slap on it. What this record really is is badass and beautiful—equal parts celestial and crushing.
It’s spacey, progressive, and genuinely gorgeous. The melodies shimmer and float, the riffs hit like emotional avalanches, and the atmosphere is so thick you could suffocate in it (in a good way). And yes, beneath all that beauty, it’s still very, very heavy—like being hugged by a black hole that’s also quietly crying.
Scorched Earth is Harakiri for the Sky at their apex, painting something heartbreakingly pretty with a palette of pure darkness. Absolute stunner.
19. Vacuous - In His Blood
This record feels like what trying to do a counseling session inside a burning building must be like. In His Blood is the kind of modern death metal that hits like a brick to the face and a boot to the ribs - hard as fuck, intense, and absolutely drenched in hardcore-adjacent energy. The riffs lurch and swing with real weight, the blasts feel like they’re trying to cave in the ceiling, and the whole thing has this choking, claustrophobic heaviness that makes you instinctively look for an exit sign.
Vacuous manages to hit that sweet spot where everything is filthy, violent, and unrelenting, but also weirdly catchy and addictive. It’s the kind of death metal that doesn’t just hit hard—it makes you feel honored to be getting hit.
18. Intercourse - How I Fell in Love With the Void
Listening to How I Fell in Love with the Void is like getting thrown down a flight of stairs by someone you genuinely admire. It’s angry as fuck, noisy, and wildly unsafe. Intercourse channels that KEN mode, “I haven’t slept in three days,” type of energy, but with even more spite and considerably less concern for your personal well-being.
Every song sounds like it was recorded during an actual panic attack, which is exactly why it rules so hard. This album isn’t here to comfort you; it’s here to hold your face up to the terrifying abyss and whisper, “Isn’t it beautiful?” And honestly? Yeah. It kind of is.
17. Barren Path - Grieving
This bonkers debut by Barren Path is dense, technical, and completely batshit in the most creative way possible. The blasting is so frenetic it feels like the drummer is actively fleeing the scene of a violent crime. Grieving sounds like what would happen if Gridlink and Maruta had a baby that was born literally in the middle of a tornado.
These riffs somehow manage to be both thought-provoking and lethal—like getting stabbed with a philosophy textbook. Every track is a whiplash-inducing sprint through chaos, precision, and pure sonic mayhem. By the end, you’re a little disoriented after consuming 12 tracks in a whopping 13 minutes, all you know is you fuckin loved it…
16. Blood Monolith - The Calling of Fire
When you hear the term “supergroup,” you usually brace for a messy collision of styles, egos, and at least one guy trying way too hard. But The Calling of Fire is the rare case where the pedigree actually delivers. Featuring current and former members of Vastum, Nails, Undeath, etc. Blood Monolith arrives with legit credentials—and then proceeds to set everything on actual fire.
These songs are vicious and harsh, yet somehow they remain surprisingly listenable. The technicality is razor-sharp without ever slipping into “music-school flexing,” and every riff feels engineered to cave in your chest cavity. It’s brutal, tight, and unsettling in all the right ways.
In the end, Blood Monolith doesn’t just stick the landing — they crater the whole landscape and leave you grateful to be buried in it.
15. Secret Cutter - III
I’ve been into Secret Cutter since their first record. Pretty sure I discovered them after seeing Blake from Pig Destroyer (RIP) wearing one of their shirts. What I found upon first listen was a deliciously violent stew of sludge, grind, and nihilistic shrieks that felt like getting hit with a cinderblock…emotionally. III takes that formula and meticulously sharpens it into a deadly weapon.
I’ve seen reviewers claim there’s no real standout single to lose your shit to, but I respectfully disagree and would like to direct everyone to Destined to Fail, which is basically the band’s entire mission statement distilled into two minutes of maximum, lovingly-administered trauma. This record is completely unhinged - like a rabid dog foaming at the mouth, lecherously staring at you from a few feet away. Hit play, and just accept that you’re about to get fucked up.
14. Trauma Bond - Summer Ends. Some Are Long Gone.
This duo is a full-on paradox. Their promo photos look like they were ripped straight out of a J. Crew catalog, which makes the artistic contrast even better—you’re completely unprepared for the out-of-body facefuck they unleash. I’d call it grinding hardcore with a special emphasis on off-kilter, “destroy everything in the room” type breakdowns.
Sure, they slow things down occasionally, but only to lull you into a dreamy fugue state before biting your neck open and gulping your blood like an ice cold La Croix…all while looking like Abercrombie models. If that’s not nightmare fuel, I don’t know what is. Every song just absolutely pummels and beats the fuckin shit out of you. And if any of that sounds appealing to you, we should be friends.
13. Eyes - Spinner
Spinner doesn’t ease you in—it kicks the door down and starts throwing furniture around before you know what the fuck is happening. After a brief intro, this record launches in full on “go mode” and never once stops to ask if you’re okay. It’s punchy, immediate, fast as hell, and drenched in the kind of noisy hardcore chaos that makes you feel like you’re being chased through a bad dream.
The riffs stab, the rhythms encircle you, and the whole thing unfolds like a bar fight conducted entirely with distortion pedals and crash cymbals. Perhaps my favorite thing about this record is how completely maniacal the vocal approach is. The singer doesn’t just sound unwell—he radiates pure “I am unstable and I would like to harm you” energy in every line. It’s glorious.
The overall vibe reminds me of those movie scenes where the protagonist stands over some gasoline-soaked disaster, flicks their lit cigarette, and casually watches the whole thing erupt into a spectacular fireball.
12. Cadaver - Hymns of Misanthropy
Hymns of Misanthropy is death metal for people who love the genre but also want their brains gently scrambled in new and interesting ways. Cadaver isn’t out here trying to out-brutalize anyone, they’re too busy being progressive, experimental weirdos in the best possible sense. This album swerves away from the slam-and-smash aesthetic and instead dives headfirst into a labyrinth of odd structures, riffs that feel like puzzles, and grooves that sneak up behind you like a socially awkward coworker.
It’s still heavy, absolutely, just not in the “caveman with a sledgehammer” kind of way. The whole record is wonderfully off-kilter, creative, and just plain fun to get lost in. If you want death metal that thinks, twists, mutates, and occasionally makes you question your own sanity - but in a loving way - Hymns of Misanthropy is your jam.
11. Conan - Violence Dimension
Conan once again prove that you don’t need technical gymnastics to level a mountain—just riffs so simple and punishing they feel like ancient daggers. Violence Dimension is pure doom warfare, every chord and pulverizing beat crashing down like a raging tempest rolling across the northern Montana plains. It’s hypnotic, crushing, and impossibly captivating in its minimalism. No frills, no mercy, just the sound of a thunderstorm deciding it’s had enough of this god-forsaken world.
And honestly, this is exactly what you’d expect from Conan at this point. These dudes are doom metal lifers who’ve been dragging their amps through the cosmic swamp for well over a decade. Their discography is one of the most consistent in modern heavy music, conveying an absolute devotion to the almighty riff. Violence Dimension doesn’t just add to that legacy, it reinforces it like another stone in an already immovable fortress.
10. Habak - Mil orquídeas en medio del desierto
Living in remote Montana definitely has its perks, but no one would accuse this place of being a hotbed for live shows. That’s why I consider myself lucky to have caught Habak at Northwest Terror Fest a few years back. Their performance floored me. Alejandra Valdez absolutely captivated everyone in the room with her demonic vocal prowess.
As a guitarist, I’m constantly chasing the perfect blend of tone and atmosphere, especially when it comes to distortion. Habak nails it. Their crusty tone is flawless—not a buzzsaw meant to fillet you, but something strangely inviting while still being heavy, raw, and aggressive. It hits that emotional sweet spot I’m always searching for.
Every once in a while, you stumble into a live set that just blows your mind wide open. As a lifer, I’ve been lucky enough to have that happen a number of times. Necrot did it to me, Undergang has done it too. Seeing Habak was one of those special moments. The visceral impact of their performance genuinely changed me for the better.
This record rules, just like everything else they’ve released. If you’re not already hip to this band, you should fix that immediately.
9. Ritual Mass - Cascading Misery
Cascading Misery absolutely destroys. It’s evil, dark, and hopefully terrifying for any normie unlucky enough to wander within earshot. Ritual Mass clearly bows to the old-school death metal legends, but they lace this with just enough modern venom to make things feel fresh, violent, and extremely unsettling. The riffs are intricate and enveloping, while the production is so pristine you feel like you’re in a crowded yet comfortable Dolby Atmos orgy.
This record would probably be even higher on my list if I hadn’t stumbled onto it embarrassingly late. I had no clue who these maniacs were before this release, but now? Consider me a full-blown disciple of the Ritual Mass Church of Violence.
If you love heavy metal the way I do - religiously, irrationally, and with little regard for your own sanity - you need this album in your life today.
8. Caustic Wound - Grinding Mechanism of Torment
Grinding Mechanism of Torment is so absurdly heavy it feels less like an album and more like a controlled demolition. Considering Caustic Wound shares members with death metal titans Mortiferum, this level of pulverization shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Every track detonates with cacophonous impact, the kind of explosive violence that makes you wonder if your speakers just assaulted you. The riffs swarm, the drums sound like they’re collapsing a Butte mine shaft, and the unhuman vocals could peel paint off your walls. It’s fast, vicious, and utterly merciless - basically the audio equivalent of getting mauled to death by a pack of Browning rezdogs. In other words: perfect.
7. Tombs - Feral Darkness
This thing rips. I’ll own it: I apparently slept so hard on Tombs’ recent output I might’ve entered a medical coma, because Feral Darkness snapped me awake like one of my feral kids dumped a bucket of molten lava on my head. And ho-la! Those fuckin riffs. Inventive and endless, like Mike Hill found a secret cheat code that unlocks “infinite killer riff mode” and just kept going out of spite.
And speaking of Mr. Hill, he’s never sounded more alive, more enraged, or more ready to punch a hole through the universe. The whole band feels locked in - sharper, meaner, like they all collectively decided, “Hey, let’s ruin some lives today.” Every track is an absolute banger, and now I’m retroactively embarrassed I didn’t stick with Tombs this whole time. They deserve better. I deserve better. But here we are, finally reunited. And I’m never missing another Tombs release again.
6. Degraved - Spectral Realm of Ruin
Spectral Realm of Ruin is pure old-school death metal worship, but done with so much conviction it feels like the gods of the early ’90s have been summoned through a cursed amp stack. If you tossed Morbid Angel, Entombed, and Obituary into a blender and hit “liquefy,” you’d get something close—but Degraved whips that mixture into such a violent frenzy it practically climbs out of the jar to choke you itself.
The tone on this record is outrageous - thick, grimy, and mean enough to sandblast a concrete wall. And the drumming? Genuinely inspired. Every fill and stomp is so tasteful and creative it’s like the drummer is trying to politely escort you into the afterlife while everyone you loved is punching you in the balls.
It’s brutal, it’s fun, it’s a love letter to the classics written in blood and distortion. Death metal comfort food at its absolute finest.
5. Ragana & Drowse - Ash Souvenir
This album is simply stunning. It’s packed with so many gorgeous moments that I actually smirked at myself after the first listen, fully aware I’d just consumed a masterpiece. The opening track, In Eternal Woods Pts. 1–3, is one of the more beautiful songs I’ve heard in years. Honestly, this record is basically perfect. My only complaint is that it’s too short. Thirty delightfully hypnotic minutes flew by before I could even collect myself.
The title comes from the collective grief felt across the Northwest after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens; ash literally covered the region for months, and people referred to the falling embers as an “ash souvenir.” Ragana, the blackened doom duo from Olympia, and Drowse, the dreamy slowcore dude from Seattle channel that haunting history into a collaboration that feels both natural and otherworldly. The fusion makes total sense: it’s slow, simple, mournful, and breathtakingly beautiful.
If gazey, atmospheric, blackened beauty is your thing, stop reading and go buy this record immediately.
4. Hedonist - Scapulimancy
I had to Google what scapulimancy means. Evidently it’s “a form of divination where the future is foretold by observing cracks in a heated mammal's shoulder blade.” Pretty cool. While I’m not sure how often that practice comes up here in Blackfeet Country, what I do know is that this record is absolutely relentless from start to finish. Seriously, if this thing were any heavier, OSHA would be so far up their asses with regulations they’d need a spelunking permit.
From the moment you press play, Execution Wheel sets a vicious tone - urgent, razor-sharp, and delivered with surgical precision. Hedonist doesn’t waste a second; every riff feels like the lab-chimp from the opening sequence of 28 Days Later lunging straight for your throat. And by the time you get to the final track, Hidden Corpse, with its crescendoing tempos and violent double blasts, there’s barely anything left of you to appreciate this modern death-metal masterclass.
Hedonist didn’t just release a great record this year, they released a warning shot. The kind that whistles past your ear, buries itself in the wall behind you, and politely informs you that death metal’s new overlords have arrived; and they’re not taking prisoners.
3. Chepang - Jhyappa
Chepang’s Nepalese roots shine through with their fearless experimentation on this record. And after relocating to New York, they’ve clearly absorbed the city’s signature “fight the world” energy. Industry folks call their sound “immi-grind,” but Jhyappa feels more like getting hit by a subway train made of blast beats than any type of cultural exchange. It’s heavy as hell—absolutely stuffed with wild riffs, deranged start/stop whiplash, and enough rhythmic chaos to make your internal organs file a Title IX harassment complaint.
The vocals alone are a whole ecosystem - screamed, growled, barked, and delivered with the kind of ferocity you’d expect from someone trying to exorcise a demon using only their larynx. At times Chepang sounds like a wolf pack chasing you through a collapsing building; other times it’s more like being sermonized by an eyeless street preacher who only communicates in blast beats.
It’s chaotic, brilliant, and heavy enough to bend light. In other words, Chepang doing exactly what Chepang does.
2. Crippling Alcoholism - Camgirl
I realize that picking an electro-pop record as my #2 album of the year may seem slightly off-brand. But Camgirl is different. This thing sounds like Future Islands’ evil twin after a year-long diet of LSD, zombie flicks, and whatever psychedelic residue lives in abandoned mall arcades.
It’s mesmerizing, triumphant, and emotionally devastating in that very specific “staring into your bathroom mirror at 3 a.m.” kind of way. There are so many peak moments I gave up trying to count somewhere around track three. And the final two minutes of despair? Sheer, sonic perfection. It’s like being lovingly strangled by a synth ghost. That’s how you close out a motherfucking record.
If you’re a riff-freak like me, trust me - do not be scared off. This album is heavy without using any of the traditional heavy tools. No blast beats (basically). No distortion (pretty much). Just pure existential weight drop-kicking your spirit in time with a dance beat.
Camgirl is proof that heaviness isn’t a genre, it's a spiritual state-of-being. And this record has that in catastrophic, glitter-covered abundance.
1. Ancient Death - Ego Dissolution
And here it is friends, my #1 record of the year.
Ego Dissolution isn’t just the best metal album released in 2025, it feels like the opening chapter of a prophecy we’re all lucky to witness in real time. Ancient Death manages to pull off something incredibly rare: tasteful Chuck Schuldiner worship that honors his blueprint without ever feeling derivative. The riffs twist, shimmer, and punch with that unmistakable Death-era elegance, but they’re fully their own thing; forward-thinking, emotional, and razor-sharp.
The vocals are a revelation. The harsh delivery is perfectly intelligible (a lost art, apparently), and the clean vocal passages are legitimately beautiful - haunting, soaring, and never cheesy. It’s the kind of dynamic that could’ve felt forced in lesser hands, but here it just feels…prophetic. Like the band is channeling something bigger than themselves.
The mix is crisp and immaculate, letting every moment breathe while still hitting with an absurd amount of weight. And the songwriting? Masterful from start to finish. Not a wasted second, not a throwaway riff, not a dip in momentum…just 35 minutes of death metal brilliance that manages to be both savage and transcendent.
From the very first spin back in April, I had that rare feeling: “Yeah… this is gonna be a tough one to beat.” And predictably, Ego Dissolution was not eclipsed. Ancient Death didn’t just drop my album of the year, they delivered a statement. A promise. And if this record is any indication, we’re standing at the doorstep of something truly special.
Congratulations, Ancient Death. This one is an all-timer.
Top 10 Screamo/Post HC Albums of 2025
10. Hundreds of Au - Life in Parallel
9. The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid To Die - Dreams of Being Dust
8. Massa Nera - The Emptiness of All Things
7. Fleshwater - 2000: In Search of The Endless Sky
6. Nuvoluscara - How This All Ends
5. Mondrary - No Better Than Man
4. Bulletsbetweentongues - Fragility
3. Boneflower - Reveries
2. To be Gentle - If You Are Reading This We Are All Connected and We All Love You
1. To be Gentle - I am a Spiritual Being Having a Human Experience
Top 5 EP’s of 2025
5. Smearing - Self-titled
4. Denial of Life - Witness the Power
3. Suffering Hour - Impelling Rebirth
2. Pustulant Flesh - Gurgling Pustulence
1. Wretched Blessing - Psychic Barriers to Entry
Top 5 Horror Movies of 2025
5. Bring Her Back
4. VHS/Halloween
3. Presence
2. 28 Years Later
1. Good Boy
Top 10 Live Sets of 2025
10. Deceased - Seattle, WA
9. Witching - East Glacier, MT
8. Wardruna - East Glacier, MT
7. Houkago Grind Time - Seattle, WA
6. Demolition Hammer - Seattle, WA
5. Chelsea Wolfe & Ben Chisolm - Tie! East Glacier, MT and New York, NY
4. Spectral Wound - Seattle, WA
3. Wormrot - Seattle, WA
2. Blood Incantation - East Glacier, MT
1. Converge - East Glacier, MT
Top 5 “Heavy Adjacent” Albums of 2025
5. Goatman - Rez Erection
4. Chat Pile/Hayden Pedigo - In the Earth Again
3. Osi and the Jupiter - Larvatas
2. Wardruna - Birna
1. Steve Von Till - Alone in a World of Wounds
Top 5 Most Anticipated Albums of 2026
5. Converge - Love is Not Enough
4. Converge - Love is Not Enough
3. Converge - Love is Not Enough
2. Converge - Love is Not Enough
1. Converge - Love is Not Enough
