Part 2 – Number 10-1
Previously published at Metal Epidemic, here are my favourite 10 albums of 2025. A very difficult list to make.
10. Trold – I Skovens Rige
This year, I tried new things, and took a deep dive into the wonderful world of folk metal. Trold released an album that floored me, leading me to wonder why I had forgone this style of metal for so long.
9. Ter Ziele – Embodiment of Death
Frighteningly claustrophobic, Ter Ziele decided to give me a complete kicking with the intensity and heaviness of their debut album.
Seriously good.
8. Novarupta – Astral Sands So good, I have the vinyl. The final part of their elemental tetralogyis a genre-defying masterpiece that heralded the end of Novarupta as a band. Nothing short of superb.
7. Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence
You want heavy, Abigail Williams brings the heavy. Bleak, suffocating and utterly immense, this album is intense, but warm. Listen and enjoy!
6. Hebi Katana – Imperfection
Samurai Doom apparently. Whatever that genre is, Hebi Katana wield it like the sharpest of blades as the sludgey doom goodness utterly destroys your withering soul.
5. Æl-Fierlen – All is Far Away
Black Shoegaze Folk – who would have thought this would make my top 5. A seriously impressive debut by Æl-Fierlen that catches your imagination, before entrancing it forever and a day.
4. Haggus – Destination Extinction
Mincecore is a thing – who knew? Not me! I wrote to Bossman Dave at Metal Epidemic asking ‘What the fuck is mincecore’. Let me tell you! Haggus – Haggus are mincecore to the, erm, core!
3. Behemoth – Shit ov God
2025 is the year that Behemoth got good again. So good, I bought the white vinyl version and it is a constant play on the stereo. ‘If I’m not god, nobody is’. What an album!
2. The Wildhearts – Satanic Rites of The Wildhearts
The fear I had when this album was announced with a new band was palpable. It should have been non-existent. The Wildhearts released yet another great album to remain my favourite band.
1. Kal-El – Astral Voyager, Vol. 1
I struggled to get this album on vinyl without having to spend a fortune on postage, finally getting a copy from the US. A superb slab of stoner metal, Kal-El will release Vol.2 in 2026, and I am pre-ordering that after I finish typing.
Simply my favourite album of 2025.
Best of the Rest
So many superb albums were released this year. It is entirely possible albums may move out the top 20 and back in again. Such was the strength of the year, the albums listed below are seriously unfortunately not to be listed. Check them out.
- Sundrowned – Higanbana
- Kaiser – 2nd Sound
- The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven
- Harikari for the Sky – Scorched Earth
- Employed to Serve – Fallen Star
- Beneath a Steel Sky – Cleave
Here is to a wonderful 2026.
The DevilsHorns 
Leave a comment