#moronpolice — Public Fediverse posts

AMG Goes Ranking – Sigh By Grin Reaper

The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. The reviewing collective at AMG lurches from one new release to the next, errors and n00bs strewn in our wake. But what if, once in a while, the collective paused to take stock and consider the discography of those bands that shaped many a taste? What if multiple aspects of the AMG collective personality shared with the slavering masses their personal rankings of that discography, and what if the rest of the personality used a Google sheet some kind of dark magic to produce an official guide to, and an all-around definitive aggregated ranking of, that band’s entire discography? Well, if that happened, we imagine it would look something like this…

For my money, Japan’s Sigh reigns uncontested as the standard for avant-garde metal, resting on a throne forged from a stellar back catalogue over thirty years in the making. Though the band has mustered an appreciable following, how Sigh isn’t a much bigger deal in the metalsphere boggles the mind. From modest, key-forward black metal roots to totally unhinged, free-for-all arrangements, Sigh never holds back from the extraordinary visions mastermind Mirai Kawashima wields. Fully integrating orchestral might, from winds, strings and brass to sundry keys the world over, Sigh’s discography consistently challenges the definitions and boundaries of metal.

With new album Goh-Ka arriving soon, we here at Angry Metal Guy felt compelled to honor this legendary and influential act with due consideration and a thoughtful dissertation. Whether you’re new to Sigh’s oddball antics or a longtime subscriber to their wonderfully outlandish hijinks, you can’t go wrong diving into any part of the band’s history. But in case you don’t want to jump in blind, outlined below is our definitive guide to appreciating one of metal’s most remarkable personalities.

– Grin Reaper

The Rankings

Grin Reaper

Each release within Sigh’s discography is unique, and as I weigh any one album against the others, I find myself categorizing each based on what instruments or styles feature most prominently. Imaginary Sonicscape indulges in keys and synths, Scenes from Hell spotlights big fat brass, and Scenario IV lumbers with thunderous umbrage. Yet no matter the prevailing mood, Sigh’s phasers are set to thrill. This has been a difficult ranking to assess and assemble, but also an incredibly rewarding one since I got to spend so much time blasting cherished records. At the very least, I hope reading this inspires you to either discover or revisit an unquestionably impeccable discography.

#12. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Sigh’s debut, Scorn Defeat sits squarely under the black metal banner while manifesting in utterly different ways than the burgeoning second wave fomenting in Norway at the time. Though it’s a strong LP that exhibits plenty of character, Scorn Defeat still ranks at the bottom when assessing Sigh’s overarching canon. Mirai Kawashima’s unhinged vocals and the tremolo riffing satisfy black metal appetites, yet the key-driven dirge of “Gundali” that morphs into a captivating piano feature and the crawling trudges in “Ready for the Final War” and “Taste Defeat” completely subvert expectations of the genre. Although interesting ideas reside on Scorn Defeat, I rarely return to it unless I’m listening to Sigh’s discography in full.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Picking up where Scorn Defeat left off, Infidel Art finds Sigh writing almost exclusively long-form tracks, with only “Suicidogenic” clocking under the eight-minute mark. Though the girthy durations don’t weigh down the front of the album, by the time “The Last Elegy” arrives on the heels of “Desolation,” Infidel Art begins to buckle. Luckily, “Suicidogenic” restores momentum, beginning with a flowery piano ballad supported by uplifting strings when a sinister chord progression waylays the build and diverts into a balls-out blackened thrasher that ends on the coy grace of a forlorn flute. The track presages Sigh’s unconventional song structures that would become an enduring hallmark of their sound, and the tandem of “Suicidogenic” and “Beyond Centuries” defines the best ending duo in Sigh’s discography until Gallows Gallery.

#10. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Though lively moments dot Scenario IV: Dead Dreams, Sigh’s fourth LP frequently decelerates to lurching paces. On one hand, this gives songs like “Diabolic Suicide,” “Infernal Cries,” and “Iconoclasm in the 4th Desert” time to breathe. On the other, the accumulation of doomy moments dampens Scenario IV’s momentum, particularly during the album’s back half. Even so, I enjoy listening to this bridge between early Sigh’s blackened roots and the experimental mayhem that came after. I also admire the creative programming employed by Kawashima and its enmeshment within Scenario IV’s other elements, foreshadowing Imaginary Sonicscape’s untamed ingenuity. Also, that guitar solo on “Severed Ways” is magnificent. In all, Scenario IV presents beautiful and bestial moments that often excite but occasionally drag.

#9. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Hail Horror Hail rips straight outta hell from the start, with the title track slinging classic rock riffs, punky snarls, and a string-and-flute interlude to rousing effect. It’s the album where Sigh properly inaugurates the inclusion of diverse instrumentation and psychedelia that Scenario IV augmented and Imaginary Sonicscape fully realized. The airy flute interplay with distorted guitar on “42 49” and the bizarre synth injections on “12 Souls” enrich the album’s fore with unconventional depth, but Hail’s middle sags a tad before “Curse of Izanagi” fully reignites my interest with unorthodox cinematic drama. Hail Horror Hail would be a top treasure in most discographies, yet such is Sigh’s burden and a testament to the quality of their other albums.

#8. Graveward (2015) — Inspired by classic Italian horror films and their soundtracks, Graveward embodies both a raw, DIY aesthetic and grandiose-to-the-point-of-camp schtick. More than most albums in Sigh’s oeuvre, Graveward splits fan opinions given its relatively scaled-back flamboyance, but I think this is a disservice to what Sigh accomplishes here. I largely attribute this attitude to following In Somniphobia, an impossible charge for a band putting out a new record after their last one met universal acclaim. Rather than outdoing themselves by going bigger, Kawashima et al. shifted to a direction that toes the line between garage rock spunk and their signature blend of orchestral shenanigans. Although the album might seem underwhelming relative to Sigh’s other records, “Kaedit Nos Pestis,” “The Tombfiller,” and “The Casketburner” supply hooks aplenty and catchy refrains that separate Graveward above their early era, while “Graveward” and “The Trial by the Dead” radiate lovable old-school cinematic pomp.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — There’s something about Gallows Gallery’s LoFi aesthetic that brings a smile to my face. The raw production and drastic shift in direction following Imaginary Sonicscape proved divisive, particularly for Sigh’s label at the time, given they refused to distribute the album.1 It’s an altogether different beast than what came before, leaning into blues-tinged and psychedelic rock arrangements that recall a bizarre cross-section of Pink Floyd, The Animals, and a dash of Rob Zombie. The album also flies by, making it a quick romp with singalong bops. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easier to see the threads that tie Gallows Gallery not just to its predecessor, but to the future journeys Sigh would guide listeners through. Ultimately, Gallows Gallery serves as a transition album, even for a band that constantly reinvents itself, and proves a kooky, succinct platter that hemorrhages fun.

#6. Heir to Despair (2018) — As Kronos detailed in his review of Heir to Despair, Sigh’s eleventh album finds them at their most direct and stripped down. This direction began on Graveward, but Heir to Despair further dials down the weird in favor of a more straightforward, if still offbeat, metal record. While this might seem a disappointment to some fans, hearing Sigh take on a less variegated platter allowed them to shine in a new light. “Homo Homini Lupus” rings with Maidenesque grandeur while “In Memories Delusional” instantly recalls Ozzy classic “Bark at the Moon,” at least before Mirai devolves into feral madman phrasing. Following Heir to Despair’s concept of a descent into madness, the album progresses in a clever thread from direct rocker in the front half to the idiosyncratic plunge into a psychological fracture during “Hands of the String Puller” and the title track. I think that Heir to Despair gets slept on because it’s Sigh’s most subtle work, but it rewards listeners who check expectations at the door and dare to Despair.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Sigh with horns! And not just the sweet, sweet sax that Dr. Mikannibal lends. Scenes from Hell boasts a bona fide mini orchestra,2 and it immediately sets Sigh’s eighth album apart from what came before. Another distinguishing factor is the sheer flexibility and audacity of their songwriting. One of Sigh’s defining characteristics is their plasticity, selecting what elements they want to use to invigorate an album and writing music around them to ensure the band remains fresh and exciting. Scenes from Hell begins with “Prelude to the Oracle,” where the brass section bounces between the raucous energies of a high school band section, mariachi madness, and cinematic action sequences, the latter of which gets amplified on follow-up “L’Art de Mourir” with the injection of classical strings and galloping drums. The rest of the album plays out in similar fashion, making for an excellently delectable Hellscape.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Billed as a more personal album for Mirai, Shiki ponders mortality through the lens of seasons as his autumn wanes into winter. Similar to Heir to Despair, Shiki’s instrumentation forgoes the widespread multifariousness Sigh is known for, or at least reins it in as more emphasis is placed on drums, guitars, and vocals. The latter becomes especially important given the intimacy of the subject matter. I understand academically that listeners may not always appreciate Mirai’s frantic deliveries, yet I find his acidity and bite a perfect match for the chaotic beauty of Sigh’s music. Not too much on Shiki veers from this approach, but the vocals are a touch higher in the mix and occasionally draw out in tortured howls I find particularly effective. Despite being more straightforward than many Sigh offerings, Shiki still incorporates a healthy amount of flute and keys, along with some killer shredding (“Mayonaka no Kaii”) to keep the music lively and exciting. And though I sense that Sigh always makes the music they want to, there’s an earnestness on Shiki that elevates it above the various other contenders vying for the upper echelon of their corpus.

#3. Hangman’s Hymn – Musikalische Exequien (2007)3 — Sigh goes Maiden on Hangman’s Hymn, describing the final moments and conscious thoughts of a man as he’s charged, condemned, and executed. “Hallowed Be Thy Name” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so magnifying that concept into a full-blown album presents a thrilling prospect—and boy does Sigh deliver. Though the album unfolds as a damnation of one flawed man, Hangman’s Hymn acts as a microcosm for humanity’s deserved judgment more broadly, where the solution is “Salvation in Flame.” Though bleak, Sigh furnishes this message with hellishly fun bombast. Fusing Teutonic thrash with German classical arrangements, Mirai forges an unforgettable funereal soundtrack that fumes with hellfire and musical opulence. “Inked in Blood,” “Me-Devil,” and “Salvation in Flame / Confutatis” are some of my favorite songs in Sigh’s discography, exquisitely melding the ‘ugliness’ of 80s German thrash with classical baroque underpinnings. Death never sounded so alive.

#2. Imaginary Soniscape (2001) — The first time I heard Imaginary Sonicscape, something clicked. Sigh’s fifth LP wasn’t my introduction, but it’s what cemented them as a band I would always follow. Not just a fever dream of key-drenched psychedelia,[1, Although it’s definitely that, too.] Imaginary Sonicscape swells with experimentation and an unfathomable, irresistible fearlessness. “Scarlet Dream” borrows from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera” with its half-step chromatic runs and adds an improbable 90s hip-hop synth, inducing a faint Faith No More undercurrent, while “A Sunset Song” meshes Beach Boys’ good vibes with smooth Michael McDonald butteriness and raw Celtic Frost edge. This thing should be a disaster, but it’s a masterpiece. A complete departure from what came before, Imaginary Sonicscape is weird yet accessible, heavy yet mellow, and an hour that disappears in a marvelous flash. Each song proves essential, and though front-loaded with my favorite tracks, bangers abound throughout and devise a record that would be the feather in the cap of many a discography. And yet…

#1. In Somniphobia (2012) — …In Somniphobia just edges into the top spot with its master-crafted auditory blitzkrieg of eclectic instruments and styles. From the slick lick that opens “Purgatorium” through the sultry sax on “Amnesia” to “Equal”‘s Moron Police-level power pop jauntiness backing the gritty refrain of ‘kill me now,’ every second of In Somniphobia exudes the peak confluence of Sigh’s intrepid creativity and musical execution. The concept of the album emboldens its soundtrack, as it explores the fragility of reality when sleep eludes or assails us. In Somniphobia deftly conjures nightmarish fluidity with constantly shifting, genre-bending while simultaneously wrangling engrossing melodies with megaton hooks. AMG Himself nailed the Iconic rating, and for my money, In Somniphobia is not only the deadliest weapon in Sigh’s arsenal, but one of the best albums this century.

Creeping Ivy

Sigh slashed their way into my life in 2022, when the bizarrely progressive strains of Shiki slaughtered my ears. Immediately, I explored much of their back catalogue, whether through the simple act of streaming (Heir to Despair, Imaginary Sonicscape) or the crapshoot destiny of crate digging (Scorn Defeat, In Somniphobia). Going through the entire Sigh discography for this ranking was a real treat—few metal bands can boast the consistent longevity and persistent creativity of Mirai Kawashima and crew. Here, AMG Faithful stands my humble offering to the inimitable Sigh!

#12. Graveward (2015) — Sigh have no bad albums, so Graveward occupying my bottom spot should not be interpreted as any sort of slight. It’s more impressive, off-the-wall stuff for sure, but it hews a bit too close to musical theater for my taste. Graveward does, like many Sigh records, grow more interesting as it goes; I especially dig the burst of orchestral blackened punk that is “Out of the Grave.” Having to follow a certain album, however, was always going to be a challenge—at this point in their storied career, Graveward feels like Sigh Sighing to me.

#11. Infidel Art (1995) — Superficially, Infidel Art seems like a marked step up from Sigh’s debut. “Izuna” and “The Zombie Terror” kick things off with kick-ass fluctuations between blackened plods, propulsive power chords, and ear-worm riffs that make the orchestral elements more central than Scorn Defeat. Gravitating towards sustained doom from “Desolation” onwards, the album ends up petering out for me in its back half. Having said that, Infidel Art portends great things to come, with “Suicidogenic” offering a late-album glimpse into Sigh’s potential for marrying macabre cinematics with metallic mobility.

#10. Heir to Despair (2018) — Shiki is the first Sigh album that, I would say, sounds like ‘modern’ metal; to my ears, Heir to Despair initiated this development. Its status as a sort of transition album makes it interesting within the band’s trajectory, but it’s also a bit tepid by Sigh standards. Going for a more patient variety of avant-garde metal, Heir possesses some killer highlights: opener “Aletheia” boasts one of the band’s most infectious riffs, “In Memories Delusional” shreds on guitar/vocal fronts, and “Homo Homini Lupus” has some sweet Phil black metal vocals. “Heresy” I–III, however, doesn’t quite cut it for me—without this (totally weird and cool) experiment in its midst, Heir to Despair might have ranked a bit higher.

#9. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999) — Situated between two Sigh albums I love, Scenario IV is an album I’m intrigued by more than I love. I do enjoy it, muchly; “Infernal Cries” has some of my favorite riffing from the band, and who amongst us can resist peering “In the Mind of a Lunatic”? Getting real, though, I’ll say that Scenario IV was the first time I felt the length of a Sigh album when listening to their discography in order. Hinging between two of my top Sigh albums, Scenario IV is an album I listen to as a precursory lull of sorts (and one I can see making great leaps up my ranking upon re-listens).

#8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007) — Switching to the middle of my ranking, I’ll say this: sometimes, a first impression is a lasting impression. I Saw the World’s End before I heard Hangman’s Hymn, and what I heard was the kind of breakneck, kooky, blackened extreme metal I’d come to know and love from Sigh. Going back to the rawer original for this ranking left me equally floored; from “Introitus/Kyrie” to “Hangman’s Hymn/In Paradisum/Das Ende,” Sigh never pumps the brakes. Hangman’s Hymn didn’t necessarily need to be re-recorded, I would say, but the fact that Sigh chose to re-record it unavoidably inflects my perception of the original: great, but maybe not singular.

#7. Gallows Gallery (2005) — Seven and eight on my ranking are somewhat interchangeable, but Gallows Gallery gets the nod as, to me, the more unique mid-aughts Sigh album. If Gallows Gallery is, indeed, Sigh doing power metal, then it’s almost assuredly my favorite power metal album of all time. Guitar heroics will always put a smile on my face—”Pale Monument” and “Silver Universe” deliver the melodies, harmonies, and shred I can never get enough of. Having only clean vocals limits my enjoyment of this as a Sigh album, but when I adjust, I always have a damn good time with this record.

#6. Scorn Defeat (1993) — Scorn Defeat might be the obvious candidate as Sigh’s weakest album, as it’s the most imitative and least experimental of the bunch. Indeed, the band’s debut sounds like Venom worship with hints of the insanity to come. Growing stronger as it goes, Scorn Defeat nevertheless reveals Sigh’s potential via the harpsichord intro to “The Knell,” the incredible ivory twinkling of “Gundali,” and the choral midsection in “Taste Defeat.” Hearing Scorn Defeat early in my discovery of the Sigh discography frames my relationship with it: a harbinger of things to come that simultaneously scratches the itch for first-wave fun.

#5. Scenes from Hell (2010) — Scenes from Hell tops the middle of my ranking by wrapping bonkers mid-period Sigh in the crustier production of the early albums. Initiating the now-central fixture of Dr. Mikannibal into the fold, Scenes holds a special place in the Sigh discography, and it’s one that, for me, flirts with novelty in the best possible way. Grandiose yet gritty, the two funerals at the heart of Scenes showcase Sigh masterfully wielding orchestral elements as both central fixtures and subtle touches, never losing touch with the album’s punky black core. Hell’s soundtrack supersedes Heaven’s; this I always knew; what I didn’t know was how lively and fun this soundtrack actually is.

#4. Shiki (2022) — Shiki introduced me to the wonderfully weird world of Sigh, and it’s an album I still hold in very high regard. I tend to love progressive music that embraces enabling constraints, and Shiki sees Sigh continuing the shift they made towards relative restraint on Heir to Despair (2018) with this meditation on mortality. Getting older sucks, but it sucks a lot less with a soundtrack of killer doom riffs (“Kuroi Kage”), bitchin’ bongo solos (“Skikabane”), and jazzy noir interludes (“Mayonaka No Kaii”). Having Frédéric Leclerq and Mike Heller on board as guest musicians helps reinvigorate the band (as adding Dr. Mikannibal did on Scenes from Hell)—Shiki ascends to the top of metal modernity by enlisting top-tier veterans.

#3. Hail Horror Hail (1997) — Sigh truly became Sighcotic on their third album, the one I reach for when I want slow-burning nightmare fuel at an aesthetic distance. It took a few spins for Hail Horror Hail to fully sink its murderous hooks into me; once it did, it easily clawed its way towards the top of my ranking. Going for a more black n’ roll sound off the bat with the anthemic title track, “12 Souls” starts to give me the scaries, but “The Dead Sing” has me roving between fear and joy in a manner that can be called sublime. Hardest one to get into, most rewarding one to get into—this is my experience with Hail Horror Hail.

#2. In Somniphobia (2012) — Sorting out the Sigh discography ended up being a two-horse race, with In Somniphobia slightly falling behind my winner. I found Sigh’s ninth in my local vinyl shop (and valiantly haggled the owner down $15), and it immediately floored me with its near-perfect balance of metallic speed, grandiose classicism, jazzy swagger, and a bunch of other things. Getting the Lucid Nightmare Suite alone would’ve made this Sigh’s second best; “L’excommunication a Minuit” gets my blood boiling with its Mortal Kombat riff, while “Amongst the Phantoms of Abandoned Tumbrils” brings me down with its haunting accordion compressions. Hearing In Somniphobia on double vinyl, however, made me realize that Sides A/D are an enveloping EP of sorts—best twofer ever!

#1. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) — Sonicscapes don’t get any more imaginary than this. In a discography where no two albums sound all that much alike, Imaginary Sonicscape truly sounds like no other Sigh record, which is precisely why it’s my favorite. Gushing about this album must be done in a concise manner, so I’ll leave it at this: “A Sunset Song” was the track that sold me on the album, full stop, and it’s still one of my favorite Sigh songs. Hearing this chaotic dreamsphere of crying corpses, Nietzschean conspiracies, and ecstatic transformations always feels like hearing it for the first time, and I love introducing people to it (metalheads, but anyone with a taste for the avant-garde).

Angry Metal Guy Staff Ranking

Combining the aforementioned analyses with the wisdom of more tenured staff, please enjoy the aggregated ranking below:

1. 1. Infidel Art (1995)
   2. Scenario IV: Dread Dreams (1999)
   3. Scorn Defeat (1993)
   4. Graveward (2015)
   5. Hail Horror Hail (1997)
   6. Heir to Despair (2018)
   7. Gallows Gallery (2005)
   8. Hangman’s Hymn (2007)
   9. Shiki (2022)
   10. Scenes from Hell (2010)
   11. Imaginary Sonicscape (2001)
   12. In Somniphobia (2012)

For any uncultured readers who need a quick study on one of the best bands in the biz, check out the below.

#2026 #AMGGoesRanking #AMGRankings #AvantGardeBlackMetal #AvantGardeMetal #BeachBoys #BlackMetal #CelticFrost #FaithNoMore #IronMaiden #JapaneseMetal #MichaelMcDonald #MoronPolice #OzzyOsbourne #PeacevilleRecords #PinkFloyd #RobZombie #Sep26 #Sigh #TheAnimals #Venom

Tyme’s and Killjoy’s Top Ten(ish) of 2025 By Steel Druhm

Tyme

I’ve spent much of my 2025 thinking about privilege. Not in the sense that the media has conditioned me, or us, to think about it, but in a way that I’ve employed to shift some of the mundane aspects of life onto their respective heads. For instance, it’s a privilege to look in my closet and have to decide what to wear each day. It’s a privilege to look in my kitchen pantry to figure out what I’ll eat for breakfast or, better yet, which coffee cup I’ll drink from. I could go on, but there’s a word limit to these intros. Suffice to say, I really tried to dwell on my blessings rather than my challenges this year.

And despite the blessings of my professional life, which bestowed upon me the incredible privilege of being really fucking busy for the last “whatever” number of months, I’ve been equally, yet much less facetiously, blessed in my personal endeavors as well. For, in addition to having a bountiful roof over my head, a vehicle to get me back and forth to my extremely privileged job, a dog I can honestly say I will have NO idea how to say goodbye to if I don’t go first, and a wife that, despite the ups and downs of a normal, healthy marriage, continues to love me, I have the distinct privilege of contributing my trve opinions on all things musically heavy, or adjacently heavy, here on the best heavy metal blog in the world! And now comes the part where I give thanks.

Thank you, first and foremost, to everyone who reads this blog every day. Without you, none of this would be worth doing. At least for me, who read, lurked, and commented for years before working up the courage to actually apply for this subservient existence. Thank you to this newest crop of freshly demoted n00bs and to my list mate Killjoy and the rest of the Freezer Freaks Crew—Alekhines Gun, Owlswald, and Clarkkent1—who, through perseverance and a buttload of patience, managed to survive nearly two years on ice to land in the crosshairs of the commentariat’s adverse, and always wrong, opinions.2,3 Thanks as well, to ALL the senior staff who are way nicer than they’d have you believe,4 except Grier, who’s even nicer than everyone else. And finally, the editors, the man himself, Dr. AMG, for seeing enough in me to bring me over, and Steel, who runs the tightest, most compassionate ship I’ve ever had the privilege of sailing on. Thanks, boss!

Now! To the LIST!!!

#ish. Antinoë // The Fold – When I snagged this late-year gem back in November, I had no idea it would have me shuffling my list. With a little more time, I’m sure it would have moved up the ladder, but as it stands, Antinoë grabbed my (ish) spot easily. With little to no instrumentation beyond her piano, Teresa Marraco crafted something so beautiful in its basic-ness that I was entranced. Her delicate melodies evoke vibes that are as much Darkher or Tori Amos5 as they are Emperor or Dimmu Borgir, and I am definitely here for it.

#10. King Witch // III – In a year when Messa released a new album as well, the fact that King Witch is sitting on my year-end proper list and not Sara Bianchin and company speaks volumes about the job Laura Donnelly, Jamie Gilchrist, and Rory Lee did on III. Whether crooning over wispy acoustics or belting out doomily powerful tones over rock-heavy riffs, Donnelly is the star of the show, and her performance had me swooning. From the minute I first heard “Suffer in Life” with its swing-heavy riffs and killer vocals, I was happy to take King Witch’s III for a spin over and over, and it’s been part of my regular rotation since summer.

#9. Imperishable // Revelation in Purity – As the year wore on, I became increasingly sure that I may have underrated Imperishable’s Revelation in Purity. In fact, I found myself returning to it several times, forgoing subsequent spins of albums I’d rated higher. With their Nile and Olkoth pedigree, Imperishable’s expert blend of blackened death metal hit an overtly swirling sweet spot for me. The songwriting on Revelation in Purity, while not groundbreaking, is expertly executed, rendering its quality undeniable. And when you toss in those very Alice in Chains-like grunge passages, akin to a cherry on top, it was easy for me to put Revelation in Purity on my year-end list.

#8. Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine – Mutagenic Host’s The Diseased Machine was the first album I successfully coveted and secured from the sump pit alllll the way back in January of this year. As a freshly demoted staff member at the time, I was overly excited at the opportunity to take it on, and the album surely didn’t disappoint. Mutagenic Host does death metal the way I like it: low-brow, Neanderthalic, and brutally chuggy. It’s a tenuous thing to run across something you deem so good so early in the year, but The Diseased Machine has definitely stood the test of Tyme and proved worth every point of the quarter-pounder I placed on it.

#7. Igorrr // Amen – My fancy with Igorrr has always been somewhat of a passing one. I was nowhere near the listener who would’ve been part of the band’s early target audience (Mousissure, Nostril). Still, I found more common ground with 2017’s Savage Sinusoid and even more with 2020’s Spirituality and Distortion. But when those first electronic beats of Amen’s opening track, “Daemoni,” poured out of my speakers for the first time, I was completely plugged in to Igorrr’s chaotically beautiful brand of metal madness. Amen’s surprisingly accessible break-cored, trip-hopped blackened death ‘baroque’ it’s big boot off in my ass, and I’ve been relishing and wallowing in its avant-garde pain ever since.

#6. Cave Sermon // Fragile Wings – Cave Sermon’s Divine Laughter was something I’d definitely missed out on in 2024. When Thus Spoke covered Cave Sermon’s rapid follow-up, Fragile Wings, in April, however, I vowed I wouldn’t sleep on Charlie Park’s solo black metal project this time around. And I’m certainly glad I didn’t. Words like ‘wistful,’ ‘exuberant,’ and ‘playful’ were tossed about in Thus’s excellent write-up and really homed in on what made listening to Fragile Wings such a connective experience for me. Imbued as Fragile Wings is with upbeat sadness, Cave Sermon proved that I can get on board with post metal, and to be honest, any metal that sounds this good is worth the time spent. And seriously, what is that cover?!6

#5. Crippling Alcoholism // Camgirl – Inspired by a subreddit I’m glad I never stumbled across, Crippling Alcoholism’s provocative moniker steels those who’d approach the band’s output with a certain sense of visceral anticipation before hearing even one note. My love for the disturbingly creepy With Love from a Padded Room led me to the pink, candy-wrapped murderpop of Camgirl with nary a moment’s hesitation. I gladly signed on to plumb the depths of weirdness I knew would exist, but could not have anticipated the absolute fathomless darkness lurking within Camgirl’s saccharine sweetness, especially as revealed with subsequent spins. A disturbing diatribe on hopelessness, disappointment, loneliness, and sex in the digital age, Camgirl wraps its message in a deceivingly poppy form of electronica that, when all is said and done, will have you wondering what the fuck just happened. I love it.

#4. Dax Riggs // 7 Songs for Spiders – Dax Riggs may be one of the more underrated artists of the last thirty years, and while I know I’m not the only one who rejoiced in the recent resurgence and subsequent touring schedule of one of the ’90s best sludge acts, Acid Bath, I also realized a new album will probably never materialize, at least not under that moniker. Instead, the universe graced us with 7 Songs for Spiders, Dax’s first solo effort in nearly 15 years. Filled with simplistically haunting melodies sung in Riggs’s inimitable style, 7 Songs for Spiders strummed every one of my fuzzed-out, laid-back heart strings and has remained consistently satisfying since its January release.

#3. Maud the Moth // The Distaff – I stumbled across Maud the Moth in 2023 while exploring the ever-expanding milieu of performers associated with my favorite artist Darkher. Searching Amaya López-Carromoero’s back catalog, I dove into 2015’s The Inner Wastelands and 2020’s Orphnē, emerging a fan of Maud the Moth’s quirky neo-classical piano-led operatics. When The Distaff popped up in the sump, I was glad to see Dolphin Whisperer snag it, knowing his words would do the album eloquent justice. Soaring in scope and execution, Maud the Moth proffers her most complex yet beautiful release to date. Filled with classically executed vocal acrobatics and massive amounts of intricate instrumentation, The Distaff is less a thing just to be listened to, as it is a thing to be wholly experienced. As immersive a piece of music as I’ve heard all year.

#2. Structure // Heritage – M-A-S-S-I-V-E is the word that best describes Structure’s Heritage, which is to say it’s big, sad, and “heavy as fook!”7 Every time I threw this beast on, and the album opener began crawling forth, it conjured the same cinematic image in my mind’s eye. A lone, bloodied warrior, fists clenched, head bowed, wind-swept and rain-soaked hair hanging down, muscles taut and twitching in furious sadness, standing in a field full of his fallen brethren as a lightning-laced deluge washed the blood of dead soldiers into the hungry ground. Then, slowly, he casts his gaze skyward, anguished tears streaming, contemplating his sole survivor existence, and screaming at the thunder-filled heavens “Will I deserve to live on?” Every time, that’s what I see when I listen to “Will I Deserve It,” and every time I break out in goose bumps with a lumpy throat and welling eyes. Heritage came as close to being my number one as to make the two offerings at the top of my 2025 list nearly interchangeable.

#1. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail – I know I underrated Dormant Ordeal’s fourth album, Tooth and Nail, for, despite giving it the 4.0 treatment, the sheer excellence of this record has only improved over time. April was THE month for me this year, yielding my two favorite metal releases and leaving Poland’s metal map deeply staked with a big, black-and-gold Dormant Ordeal flag. In true, warrior-like fashion, Maciej Nieścioruk and Maciej Proficz soldiered on without sole founding member Radek Kowal, which opened the door for Chase Westmoreland to waltz in and give my favorite drum performance of the year. From the brutally effective “Halo of Bones” to the excellent, Dylan Thomas-inspired “Against the Dying of the Light,” there wasn’t an album I returned to more this year than Tooth and Nail, its visceral riffs and razor-sharp edges leaving long-lasting scars. But in a good way, you know? It’s with profound pleasure that I dutifully crown Dormant Ordeal’s Tooth and Nail my album of the year.

Honorable Mentions

• Cryptopsy // An Insatiable Violence – This thing is an ass kicker. Full of satisfying death metal brutality and, like it or not, my favorite since the classic None So Vile.
• Pissgrave // Malignant Worthlessness – Thirty-one minutes of absolutely insane death metal that will melt your ears into maggot-infested pus. Soooooo good.
• Messa // The Spin – It’s Messa, fool! ‘Nuff said. There was no way I was getting out of 2025’s Listurnalia without mentioning the new album from one of my favorite doom bands.
• Depravity // Bestial Possession – This thing blew my socks off and, had I gotten more time to spend with it, might have threatened to rattle the cage of my list order for sure. Death metal done right.
• Diabolizer // Murderous Revelations – I had been in a death metal drought when I picked up Murderous Revelations; its traditional, no-frills approach hitting me hard. This one came so close to listing for me, I could smell its charred, crispy, burnt ends.
• Lipoma // No Cure for the Sick – Gurgly gore vocals over a circus parade of melodic death metal riffs. What’s not to like? I had tons of fun with this thing.
• Puteraeon // Mountains of Madness – Puteraeon was a band that had never been on my radar. Mountains of Madness’s mature aesthetic, great storyline, and engagingly crafted melodicism took me entirely by surprise.

Song o’ the Year:

‘Twas a mother-fookin’ toss up between my top 2 albums. I flipped a coin, so close was the race. (Heads) Structure // (Tails) Dormant Ordeal.

WINNER(?):

Structure – “Will I Deserve It” – Satisfyingly goose-bumpy!8

Killjoy

The fact that I’m writing this list feels nothing short of surreal. When I became a regular reader of this blog in 2019, I had a strong interest in metal but a knowledge of only a handful of its subgenres. I did not expect to make it this far when I auditioned, but somehow I became a member of the Freezer Crew. Although we were initially forced to huddle together for warmth to survive the n00b trials, as time went on, I developed a deep respect for all of my Crewmates. Their camaraderie and encouragement were great motivation for me to keep writing this year, even when it was tough. We were even allowed to organize a special edition Rodeö! I’m so proud to associate with them.

On a more somber note, I was sad to see many of the longtime writers who helped me fall in love with this site slip into the abyss we sometimes call “non-suspicious sabbatical.” While I will miss reading their eloquent words, their legacy and contributions will always influence and inspire me.

And now for some thank yous. I’m grateful to AMG Himself for creating the site and allowing me to run rampant with my questionable opinions. A gorilla-sized thanks to Steel Druhm for keeping day-to-day operations running and being the kindest, cruelest taskmaster I could hope for. Thank you to my list mate, Tyme, for making my musical tastes seem better by association. Finally, I’d like to publicly thank my wife for being so supportive of my new hobby.

I’m excited for what awaits in 2026 (which hopefully includes more power metal than I managed to review in 2025)!

#ish. Kauan // Wayhome – Kauan has demonstrated time and again that their ability to compose evocative soundscapes is unmatched in the post-rock sphere. Wayhome draws a little bit from different eras in Kauan’s fruitful career to form a richer, warmer experience. Each individual instrument—acoustic and electric guitars, strings, voice—is a crucial brush stroke in a breathtaking panorama. This is some of the most enchanting music I’ve ever heard.

#10. Anfauglir // Akallabêth – When I first grabbed Akallabêth for review, I was blissfully unaware of the 72-minute runtime (but probably should have had an inkling). After spending some time with it, I became blissfully aware of how awesome it is. Based on the chapter of Tolkien’s The Silmarillion chronicling the 3,000-year rise and fall of the island of Númenor, Akallabêth is as epic in sound as it is in scope. Mrs. Killjoy was more interested in the concept than the music, but it still made for some fun conversations. While the long runtime makes it a bit harder to revisit than the other entries on this list, this is my idea of a great symphonic black metal album.

#9. In Mourning // The Immortal – Progressive death metal comes in all shapes and sizes, and I tend to be drawn to the more emotive flavors. When Disillusion released Ayam a few years ago, it took me a while to understand the hype. In a similar manner, it took longer than it probably should have for me to appreciate The Immortal. I don’t know why this was, but in both cases I’m glad I stuck with them. In Mourning’s signature combination of earnest melodies and energetic riffs is now embedded in my mind and heart.

#8. Asira // As Ink in Water – Due to journalistic circumstances that I won’t discuss with fans, I was fortunate enough to obtain this promo earlier than I normally would have. Good thing, too, because As Ink in Water turned out to be a grower for me. The vocals proved much less popular in the comments than I anticipated, but they are the biggest reason why this record resonates with me. The buttery-smooth guitar and bass lines are another big factor. The fact that As Ink in Water was released during the tail end of 2025 might mean it appears on fewer top ten lists, but it should not be missed.

#7. Judicator // Concord – I don’t have a long history with Judicator. I am part of the seemingly small minority that prefers the post-Cordisco era, although I admit that I need to spend more time with their earlier work. Concord sees Judicator returning to their heavy/power metal roots after an experimental foray into progressive territory (which I also loved!). Other than brief saxophone and fiddle segments, there aren’t any fancy frills this time, only lots of guitar hooks and infectious choruses. And, in this case, that’s more than enough to make me happy.

#6. Valhalore // Beyond the Stars – I don’t normally see the point in quibbling about scores, however, I feel that Beyond the Stars was soundly underrated. It’s a distillation of everything I love about peak Eluveitie and Æther Realm. The folk instrumentation blends perfectly with the fast-paced melodic death metal elements. The interludes cleverly foreshadow and ease the listener into the subsequent songs. I also love the tender vocal performance by Anna Murphy towards the end. Beyond the Stars is a fun and emotional journey from start to finish.

#5. Gloombound // Dreaming Delusion – I’m always down to sample funeral doom, but it takes a very special kind to keep me coming back. Gloombound expertly walks the difficult balance between atmospheric and stimulating music. The overall sound is that of a soul trying to escape imprisonment, whether physical, emotional, or mental. Dreaming Delusion makes me feel different emotions every time I listen, but chief among them is a crushing awe.

#4. Phantom Spell // Heather & Hearth – I love uplifting, feel-good metal (this should not come as a surprise by now). So, it was almost inevitable that I would love the nostalgic keyboards and guitar solos of Heather & Hearth. But, for some reason, it took AMG’s landmark blog post about the evils of Spotify for me to really pay attention to Phantom Spell. I’m grateful I did, because I might have missed out on one of the most addictive pieces of progressive rock I’ve ever heard.

#3. Halocraft // The Sky Will Remember – Halocraft quickly became one of my favorite bands since I discovered them early this year. Their purposeful yet dreamy brand of post-rock is practically custom-made for me. This year, they expanded their creative limits by writing two very different records. I’m partial to The Sky Will Remember, but don’t miss out on its companion, To Leave a Single Wolf Alive, for a gloomier vibe. Their prior albums are really good too, and I listen to them just as often.

#2. An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City – “If not 4.5, then why 4.5 shaped?”, one of you rabble-rousers quipped about my review of The Sleeping City. The truth is, the more time I spend with it, the more I wonder if maybe I did underrate it. I’ve somehow grown to love The Sleeping City even more in the months since I awarded it a 4.0. Sure, the production leaves much to be desired, but there aren’t any other notable qualities that I would consider faults. It won’t appeal to the exact same audience as the legendary Woe, but I have plenty of room in my heart for both (and likely whatever An Abstract Illusion devises next). It was such an honor to write about this wondrous record.

#1. Black Narcissus // There Lingers One Who’s Long Forgotten – When I plucked There Lingers One Who’s Long Forgotten from the promo pit, I was a little skeptical about music made with only bass and drums. It turns out, though, that this minimalist approach—along with excellent songwriting, of course—was the key to unlocking a new realm of possibility within the post-rock genre. The bass blooms unfettered in this distraction-free biome, and the drum tone is crisp and refreshing. The two instruments intertwine to engender a spirit of companionship and exploration. There Lingers One Who’s Long Forgotten will always have a special place in my heart, and I am grateful to Black Narcissus for sharing this gift.

Honorable Mentions:

• Crimson Shadows // Whispers of War – As a parent of two children under age five, I am not often in the mood to be overstimulated by the media I consume. However, Whispers of War is so fun that I have to make an exception. The addition of melodic death metal feels like such a natural progression to the signature DragonForce style that conquered my naive teenage heart circa Guitar Hero III.
• Wyatt E. // Zamāru Ultu Qereb Ziqquratu Part 1 – My very first score safety violation! After spending more time with it, I can understand how some might see this as incomplete or underdeveloped, though I’m willing to give Wyatt E. the benefit of the doubt while I wait for Part 2.
• Bergfried // Romantik III – I’m a sucker for a good rock opera. Romantik III is undeniably rough around the edges, but not in a way that rubs off any of its charm. To the contrary, in my opinion.
• Moron Police // Pachinko – Talk about a late-year list disruptor! Pachinko is a wild and addictive whirlwind of prog/pop rock that I know for a fact I’ll still be spinning next year.
• Braia // Vertentes de lá e cá – Vibrant folk rock with a huge array of instruments and musical influences. This didn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves.
• Aganoor // Doomerism – Okay, maaaaybe I overrated this by half a point. But it’s still really solid psychedelic stoner doom with catchy riffs and lush instrumental breaks.
• Ancient Bards // Artifex – Am I only including this one for sentimental reasons? Probably. But it does contain some of my favorite songs of the year (“My Prima Nox,” “Soulbound Symphony,” “My Blood and Blade”) that I still revisit regularly.

Song o’ the Year:

Judicator – “Concord”



#2025 #Aganoor #AnAbstractIllusion #AncientBards #Anfauglir #Antino #Antinoë #Asira #Bergfried #BlackNarcissus #BlogPosts #Braia #CaveSermon #CrimsonShadows #CripplingAlcoholism #Cryptopsy #DaxRiggs #Depravity #Diabolizer #DormantOrdeal #Gloombound #Halocraft #Igorrr #Imperishable #InMourning #Judicator #Kauan #KingWitch #Lipoma #Lists #Listurnalia #MaudTheMoth #Messa #MoronPolice #MutagenicHost #PhantomSpell #Pissgrave #Puteraeon #Structure #TymeSAndKilljoySTop10IshOf2025 #Valhalore #WyattE

Who Are These Clowns and Where Did They Put My Flesh Stapler? The AMG Staff Pick Their Top Ten(ish) of 2025 By Steel Druhm

Listurnalia is now upon us once again! If you are not ready to be assailed by non-stop lists and bad opinions for the next week and change, I suggest you get fooking ready! Listurnalia cannot be stopped, nor contained. It can only be tolerated and endured!

More than any year in recent history, 2025 saw more seasoned staffers step away from writing duties due to time constraints and life changes. To compensate for the loss of these slackwagoning quitters and shirkers, we added a gaggle of fresh new voices. This made for a bittersweet time around these parts as long-time friends departed and a bunch of untested, unknowns rose through the brutal n00b gauntlet to seize the means of promo production. These greenhorn neophytes have created great havoc at AMG HQ with their terrible taste, inability to follow directions, and steadfast refusal to ignore deathcore.

We’ve been here before, though, and we always straighten out the newbie upstarts. The daily beatings, deprivations, and absence of positive reinforcement will wear them down, and if not, we have plenty of space in the rotpit out back. This is, and will ever be, the AMG modality.

2026 will be an interesting year as the new crew members are shepherded by the olde while everyone is crushed beneath the iron heel of AMG management. Who will make it to 2027? Who will be sold off to Metal Wani for a box of bananas and Gorilla Glue? Place your bets in the official AMG Survival Pool!

As you read the Top Ten(ish) lists below, remember, reading our content is free, but you get what you pay for.

Grymm

#10. Venomous Echoes // Dysmor
#9. Blut Aus Nord // Ethereal Horizons
#8. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#7. Structure // Heritage
#6. Lorna Shore // I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me
#5. Sigh // I Saw The World’s End – Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV
#4. Imperial Triumphant // Goldstar
#3. Am I In Trouble? // Spectrum
#2. Dax Riggs // 7 Songs for Spiders
#1. Paradise Lost // Ascension – I fully expected Paradise Lost to come out with quality music, which has been mostly par for the course in their storied almost-40-year career, and no one could blame them if they decided to coast along on their legendary sound. Instead, Ascension sees them giving a masterclass in songcraft and atmosphere, showing everyone, everywhere, how it’s done. With Black Sabbath now officially put to rest, Anathema long gone, and whatever the fuck is happening within My Dying Bride these days, somebody has to fly the British Doom flag high and proud, and Paradise Lost have done a bang-up job of doing so.

Personal Highlight o’ the Year: Seeing Acid Bath live. I may or may not have cried during “Venus Blue,” and no, I don’t fucking care. 19-Year-Old me was pleased as punch that 48-Year-Old me got to see a legendary band (and one of his personal favorites) come back from tragedy to pay tribute to their fallen bassist and friend, Audie Pitre, by giving it another long-awaited go.

Disappointment(s) o’ the Year:

• Losing so many influential heroes (RIP Ozzy Osbourne, Ace Frehley, and Tomas Lindberg, among too many others)
• My health: I was hoping to be a lot more active this year, but early on, I needed to, in the immortal words of David Lynch, “fix (my) heart or die.”1 Thankfully, after surgery, I feel a million times better, so you should see a lot more of me in 2026. You have been warned.

Song o’ the Year:

• Paradise Lost // “Salvation”

El Cuervo

#ish. Astronoid // Stargod
#10. Ollie Wride // The Pressure Point
#9. Kauan // Wayhome
#8. Zéro Absolu // La Saignée
#7. Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine
#6. Asira // As Ink in Water
#5. Bruit // The Age of Ephemerality
#4. Saor // Amidst the Ruins
#3. The Midnight // Syndicate
#2. Steven Wilson // The Overview
#1. Messa // The Spin – In a year replete with comfort picks—progressive rock, synthwave, and death metal abound—how is that Italy’s enigmatic, inscrutable Messa forged my Album o’ the Year? The Spin doesn’t take the trouble to make itself easily approachable. Doom, prog, and post influences circle around velvety melodies that sometimes sound like deliberate songs, and sometimes like jazz improvisation. But it’s these very qualities that belie its subtle allure; only with repetition and attention does The Spin shine. Messa gradually reveals rhythmic motifs, instrumental nuances, and rich compositions that enhance my life on so many days. “The Dress,” especially, is stunning. And though the record’s loungey whimsy defies metal conventions, each track prizes genuine grit through its top-drawer guitar riffs. With the devotion it demands, no record from 2025 was more rewarding than The Spin.

Honorable Mentions:

• Décryptal – Simulacre
• An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City
• Puteraeon – Mountains of Madness
• Hasard – Abgnose

Song o’ the Year:

• Ambush – “Maskirovka”



GardensTale

#ish. Structure // Heritage
#10. In Mourning //The Immortal
#9. Flummox // Southern Progress
#8. Der Weg Einer Freiheit // Innern
#7. Nephylim // Circuition
#6. Besna // Krásno
#5. Messa // The Spin
#4. Labyrinthus Stellarum // Rift in Reality
#3. Gazpacho // Magic 8 Ball
#2. Dormant Ordeal// Tooth & Nail
#1. Moron Police // Pachinko — I was a little nervous when I first read about the length and ambition behind Pachinko, especially in the context of the incredible and very concise A Boat on the Sea. I’ve never been this happy to be this wrong. Nothing in the last decade has overtaken my life as much as Pachinko has, and I’m listening to it yet again as I write this, and will probably restart it once it finishes. Pachinko has a lot in common with Everything Everywhere All At Once, one of my all-time favorite films, as a treatise on the chaos of life and the importance of friends and family. It treats its philosophy of silliness very seriously, laughing in the face of darkness in such a beautiful and inspiring way; it brightens my life every time I hear it. And it does all that in tribute to a dear friend who was gone too soon and too suddenly, and no other eulogistic album has let me feel like its subject’s soul touched mine. An astounding monument to friendship on top of an incredibly accomplished hour of music. Pachinko is a miracle.

Honorable Mentions:

• Hangover in Minsk // Party is Over
• 1914 // Viribus Unitis
• Bianca // Bianca
• Fange // Purulences
• An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City
• Blindfolded // What Seeps Through Threads

Song o’ the Year:

• Moron Police – “Giving up the Ghost”



Non-metal Albums of the Year:

• Lorde // Virgin
• Jonathan Hultén // Eyes of the Living Night
• Shayfer James // Summoning

Mark Z.

#ish. Malefic Throne // The Conquering Darkness
#10. Urn // Demon Steel
#9. Teitanblood // From the Visceral Abyss
#8. Shed the Skin // The Carnage Cast Shadows
#7. Guts // Nightmare Fuel
#6. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#5. Perdition Temple // Malign Apotheosis
#4. Paradise Lost // Ascension
#3. Revocation // New Gods, New Masters
#2. Death Yell // Demons of Lust
#1. Abominator // The Fire Brethren – It took me a few years after hearing this Australian duo’s last album, 2015’s Evil Proclaimed, to realize I was wrong about them. Their raw and relentless black-death metal wasn’t just good, it was fucking awesome. With their long-awaited sixth album, The Fire Brethren, Abominator has conjured flames that reach higher than ever. As always, the enraged rasps, scorching riffs, and endlessly pummeling rhythms are like plumes of hellfire shot directly into your ear canals. But amidst the bludgeoning is some genuinely great songwriting, with deep-cutting hooks (“The Templar’s Curse,” “Underworld Vociferations”), flashes of melody (“Progenitors of the Insurrection of Satan”), thrashy breaks (“Sulphur from the Heavens”), and just enough variety to keep everything hitting as hard as possible. It’s not for everyone, but for those into Angelcorpse and other music of that sort, The Fire Brethren is the type of album you just can’t get enough of.

Honorable Mention:

• Blasphamagoatachrist // Bestial Abominator

Song (Title) o’ the Year:

• Omegavortex – “Dystopian Worldrape”

Song o’ the Year:

• Fugitive – “Spheres of Virulence”



Carcharodon

#ish. Dax Riggs // 7 Songs for Spiders
#10. Novarupta // Astral Sands
#9. Atlantic // Timeworn
#8. Structure // Heritage
#7. Agriculture // The Spiritual Sound
#6. Igorr // Amen
#5. Messa // The Spin
#4. Abigail Williams // A Void Within Existence
#3. Cave Sermon // Fragile Wings
#2. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#1. Grima // Nightside – In each of 2019, 2021, and 2022, Grima released an album and, in each of those years, I listed said album (#5, HM, and #10). But this year, the year in which I have listened to the least metal and, of course, written the least since I started here in 2018, is also the year that Grima got everything dialled in to just what I want from a Grima album. On Nightside, the duo struck the perfect balance between the traditional influences of 2019’s Will of the Primordial and the propulsive, frozen atmosphere of Frostbitten (2022). The combination gives Nightside an almost hypnotic and weirdly tranquil flow, offset by Vilhelm’s rasping vocals, which remain among the best in the BM game. Every time I come back to this record, and the title track in particular, it’s even better than I remember it being, and I always end up spinning three or more times back-to-back. An album that can keep playing that trick deserves its #1 spot in my book.

Honorable Mentions:

• An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City
• Gorycz // Zasypia
• Psychonaut // World Maker
• Wardruna // Birna

Songs o’ the Year:

• Messa – “Fire on the Roof”



• Novarupta – “Now Here We Are (At the Inevitable End)”

Mysticus Hugebeard

#10. Orbit Culture // Death Above Life
#9. An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City
#8. Qrixkuor // The Womb of the World
#7. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#6. Panopticon // Laurentian Blue
#5. Blackbraid // Blackbraid III
#4. Arkhaaik // Uihtis
#3. Kauan // Wayhome
#2. Wardruna // Birna
#1. Thumos // The Trial of Socrates – I recall groggily stumbling upon Thumos’ The Trial of Socrates at work one early morning, and I’m not sure if I’ve grown attached to it or it’s grown attached to me. It looms in my periphery, routinely interrupting my listening schedule for just one more spin. This gargantuan dive into ancient Greek philosophy and justice is melodically rich, laden with atmosphere, and fiercely intelligent. I love how this album stimulates my curiosity. I pore over The Trial of Socrates like a madman, piecing the puzzle together with feverish glee but never quite feeling finished, because every re-listen yields new shapes, new colors, new ideas. It eggs me on to research various topics on ancient Greek history or philosophy, and even made for an unlikely study partner during my long preparations for the German A1 exam. I always feel smarter by the end of it—hubris, I’m sure, but The Trial of Socrates genuinely sparks my imagination in ways few albums do. Time to go listen to “The Phædo” for the zillionth time.

Honorable Mentions:

• Night Flight Orchestra // Give Us The Moon
• Mutagenic Host // The Diseased Machine

Songs o’ the Year:

• Disarmonia Mundi – “Outcast”

The Dormant Stranger by Disarmonia Mundi

• Jamie Page & Marcy Nabors – “Do No Harm (Ventricular Mix)”

Do No Harm by Jamie Paige, Marcy Nabors, & Penny Parker

• Thumos – “The Phædo”

The Trial of Socrates by Thumos

Disappointment(s) o’ the year:

• The dissolution of Ante-Inferno: After Death’s Soliloquy topped my list last year, I was genuinely gutted to see Ante-Inferno’s post that they were no more. Still, I shall not weep but rather smile that they happened, because Ante-Inferno was a rare breed of genuinely moving black metal. Just that one album rooted itself so deeply within me, and I will be listening for a long time.
• Arno Menses leaving Subsignal: Man, fuck. Fuck. Remember my nuclear-grade glaze of Subsignal, where I might as well have said Menses’ voice single-handedly justified the entire existence of music? How could I not break down in heaving sobs in the middle of this Denny’s when I heard that Menses and Subsignal have parted ways? It sucks, I tell ya. I will still listen to what Subsignal puts out in the future, because Markus Steffen is a talented musician, but it’s going to be a huge adjustment since Menses is nigh irreplaceable.

Samguineous Maximus

#ish. Imperial Triumphant // Goldstar
#10. Primitive Man // Observance
#9. Motherless // Do You Feel Safe?
#8. Deafheaven // Lonely People with Power
#7. Weeping Sores // The Convalescence Agonies
#6. Between the Buried and Me // The Blue Nowhere
#5. Calva Louise // Edge of the Abyss
#4. 1914 // Viribus Unitis
#3. Crippling Alcoholism // Camgirl
#2. Crippling Alcoholism // Bible Songs II
#1. Yellow Eyes // Confusion Gate – Yellow Eyes are one of the best black metal bands in the game, and Confusion Gate is their most impressive work to date. It sees the band return to a more traditional atmospheric sound, but with the lessons learned from their explorations of dissonance and ambience. The result is a kaleidoscopic blend of gorgeous melodies, haunting riffs, and a pervasive sense of pathos that only the best art can achieve. Confusion Gate feels like communing with nature from the top of a wintry peak, embodying both impossible grandeur and awesome terror. This is a record that bypasses the analytical reviewer’s brain and just hits me right in the feeling. It offers a unique catharsis in a year where I truly needed it.

Honorable Mentions

• Flummox // Southern Progress
• Hexrot // Formless Ruin of Oblivion
• Ava Mendoza/Gabby fluke-Mogal/Carolina Pérez // Mama Killa
• Strigiform // Aconite

Song o’ the Year:

• Crippling Alcoholism – “Ladies Night”



Spicie Forrest

#ish. Cryptopsy // An Insatiable Violence
#10. Crimson Shadows // Whispers of War
#9. Oromet // The Sinking Isle
#8. -ii- // Apostles of the Flesh
#7. Suncraft // Welcome to the Coven
#6. Suncraft // Profanation of the Adamic Covenant
#5. Chestcrush // ΨΥΧΟΒΓΑΛΤΗΣ
#4. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#3. Qrixkuor // The Womb of the World
#2. Primitive Man // Observance
#1. Wytch Hazel // V: Lamentations – I know, I’m surprised too. But the bottom line is that I’ve been listening to V: Lamentations front to back at least once a week since it released on the most American of holidays, July 4th. For Steel, Wytch Hazel’s latest didn’t have the same staying power as previous efforts, but Lamentations is the first to truly resonate with me. Though musically consistent with their Wishbone Ash-meets-Eagles style, vocalist Colin Hendra brings a new sense of passion to the record, and the interplay between instruments, vocals, and lyrics hits me like a lightning bolt. Very possibly inspired by the core Christian tenet laid out in Romans 6:23-24,2 Lamentations is a masterful portrayal of what it means to perpetually fail, to know you’ll never be good enough, and in the face of a salvation that renders all efforts, deeds, and accomplishments worthless, to keep striving toward the impossible anyway. Even for godless sinners like me, Lamentations is a beautiful reminder that purpose is found in hardship, that the journey is the goal, and that falling down is merely an opportunity to stand up again.

Honorable Mentions:

• Proscription // Desolate Divine
• Apocalypse Orchestra // A Plague upon Thee
• Messa // The Spin
• Bloodywood // Nu Delhi
• Pedestal for Leviathan // Enter: Vampyric Manifestation

Song o’ the Year:

• Yellowcard – “honestly i”

Grin Reaper

(ish) Sallow Moth // Mossbane Lantern
#10. Turian // Blood Quantum Blues
#9. Calva Louise // Edge of the Abyss
#8. Lychgate // Precipice
#7. An Abstract Illusion // The Sleeping City
#6. Thron // Vurias
#5. Structure // Heritage
#4. Species // Changelings
#3. Havukruunu // Tavastland
#2. Aephanemer // Utopie
#1. 1914 // Viribus Unitis – I didn’t know Viribus Unitis would be my top album of the year the first time I listened to it, but I knew it would list. 1914’s naked emotion and rousing story of a Ukrainian soldier’s survival through World War I, reconciliation with his family, and inescapable return to war remains as gripping and bittersweet now as it did the first time I heard it. Across adrenaline-fueled riffing, oppressive marches, and somber dirges, 1914 never relents on musical or lyrical weight. Though Viribus Unitis was released late in the year, it quickly became the standard I used to appraise albums while going through listing season. 1914 paints war-torn life with savage grace, supplying devastating melody and grueling crawls that elevate the album to such heights that I’m genuinely moved each time I get to the end. Viribus Unitis is bleak, raw, and human, but for all that, I’m never deterred from listening. Ultimately, 1914 clutches the threads of hope and weaves an aural tapestry that brings tragedy and triumph to life, cementing Viribus Unitis as my undisputed top album of 2025.

Honorable Mentions:

• Walg // V
• Moron Police // Pachinko
• Defigurement // Endbryo
• Ültra Raptör // Fossilized
• Igorrr // Amen

Songs o’ the Year:

• Aephanemer – “Le Cimetière Marin”

• 1914 – “1918 Pt. III: ADE (A Duty to Escape)”

Andy-War-Hall

#ish: Dragon Skull // Chaos Fire Vengeance
#10: Changeling // Changeling
#9: Steel Arctus // Dreamruler
#8: Abigail Williams //A Void Within Existence
#7: Petrified Giant // Endless Ark
#6: Imperial Triumphant // Goldstar
#5: Structure // Heritage
#4: Lipoma // No Cure for the Sick
#3: Crippling Alcoholism // Camgirl
#2: Hexrot // Formless Ruin of Oblivion
#1: 1914 // Viribus Unitis – Immersion defines great music and art for me. It is almost unfortunate how good 1914 are in this facet of their music. Their ability to transport the listener to the battlefield in all its violence, both carnal and psychological, is stupefying. The utter dehumanizing hatred with “1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl),” the ravenous bloodlust of “1917 (The Isonzo Front),” the hellish wails haunting “1918 Pt. 1 (WIA – Wounded in Action):” all portrayed vividly through 1914’s brilliantly caustic and composed musicianship and deeply personal lyricism. When Dmytro Ternushchak bellows “For three days / The Russians attacked / And accomplished nothing but / 40,000 dead pigs” [“1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl)”], it’s all you need to get into his character’s violent headspace. When 1914 mournfully sing in Ukrainian “Це моя земля”3 [1915 (Easter Battle for the Zwinin Ridge)], you grasp how someone could put their life on the line for kin and country. When our soldier sings “My little girl reached out to me / But duty calls” [1919 (The Home Where I Died)]… well, shit, your heart just has to break, right? 1914 don’t play “history metal.” Viribus Unitis is as present and relevant as you can get.

Honorable Mentions:

• Fell Omen // Caelid Dog Summer
• Ophelion // The Jaunt
• Coroner // Dissonance Theory
• Starscourge // Conqueror of the Stars – Betwixt Sundered Seraphim, the Lands Between Bleed

Song o’ the Year:

• Fell Omen – “The Fire is Still Warm”



Lavender Larcenist

#ish Spiritbox // Tsunami Sea
#10. Sold Soul // Just Like That, I Disappear Entirely
#9. Calva Louise // Edge of the Abyss
#8. Dying Wish // Flesh Stays Together
#7. Grima // Nightside
#6. Aversed // Erasure of Color
#5. Deafheaven // Lonely People With Power
#4. Ghost Bath // Rose Thorn Necklace
#3. Changeling // Changeling
#2. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#1. Crippling Alcoholism // Camgirl – Sometimes you listen to music, and you feel like it gets you. Camgirl was exactly that type of album, and it probably doesn’t say anything good about me. Ever since Crippling Alcoholism’s latest graced my ears and I shared it with my partner, we have been singing “I fucking hate the way I look, yeah I look like a fat fucking scumbag” way too often and mumbling “Mr. Ran away, ran away from family” every chance we get. The album is dripping with the atmosphere of neon-lit back rooms, seedy interactions, and terrible decision-making. It feels like a lens into the lives of those society has left behind, and I can’t help but feel a connection. The self-destructive nihilism, drugged-out sex, and abrupt violence that is all too common in those on the margins of life is something I think more and more we can all relate to, and Camgirl is the art that mirrors society back to us. As a result, it is an album that is just as ugly as it is terrifying and beautiful.

Honorable Mentions:

• Shadow of Intent // Imperium Delirium
• Pupil Slicer // Fleshwork
• 1914 // Viribus Unitis

Song o’ the Year:

• Crippling Alcoholism – “bedrot”

Creeping Ivy

#ish. Nite // Cult of the Serpent Sun
#10. Blackbraid // Blackbraid III
#9. Flummox // Southern Progress
#8. 1914 // Viribus Unitis
#7. Cave Sermon // Fragile Wings
#6. Saor // Amidst the Ruins
#5. Imperial Triumphant // Goldstar
#4. Phantom Spell // Heather & Hearth
#3. Coroner // Dissonance Theory
#2. Messa // The Spin
#1. Havukruunu // Tavastland – On their Bandcamp page, Havukruunu explain the concept of their fourth LP: ‘Tavastland tells how in 1237 the Tavastians rose in rebellion against the church of Christ and drove the popes naked into the frost to die.’ Sounds like the metal album of 2025 to me! But I didn’t crown Tavastland for its lyrics that I can’t understand. As Dr. A.N. Grier has been exhorting for a decade, Havukruunu stands as a model of Viking black metal consistency, having dropped only very good-to-great albums since 2015. Tavastland isn’t a radical improvement over 2020’s Uinuous syömein sota, but it’s an (arguably excellent) improvement nonetheless, making it Havukruunu’s finest work yet. Yes, these fiery Finns forge sounds reminiscent of Bathory and Immortal, but Tavastland seized my attention for its adventurous prog sensibilities. Some of this can be attributed to the return of Hümo, whose bass rattles like the four strings of Geddy Lee. But the prog is deep in the album craft, from the overture-style modulations of opener “Kuolematon laulunhenki” to the extended guitar wankery of closer “De miseriis fennorum.” Now if only I can learn Finnish, I’ll be able to appreciate the killer anti-popery narrative while headbanging to my Record o’ 2025.

Honorable Mentions:

• Am I in Trouble? // Spectrum
• Blut Aus Nord // Ethereal Horizons
• In Mourning // The Immortal
• Oromet // The Sinking Isle
• Wyatt E. // Zamāru Ultu Qereb Ziqquratu Part 1

Song o’ the Year:

• Phantom Spell – “The Autumn Citadel”



Baguette of Bodom

#ish. In the Woods… // Otra
#10. Species // Changelings
#9. Dragon Skull // Chaos Fire Vengeance
#8. A-Z // A2Z²
#7. Apocalypse Orchestra // A Plague upon Thee
#6. Amorphis // Borderland
#5. Dolmen Gate // Echoes of Ancient Tales
#4. Dormant Ordeal // Tooth and Nail
#3. Amalekim // Shir Hashirim
#2. Suotana // Ounas II
#1. Buried Realm // The Dormant Darkness – Melodic tech death? Symphonic power metal? Who knows! Much like my 2025 in general, The Dormant Darkness has a bit of everything in one gigantic clusterfuck. The great news is, neither I nor the album crumbled under all that weight. In a year full of odd twists and turns, my list became more varied and unusual than ever. Buried Realm took this variety and gave me everything I like about metal in one dense package: blazing speeds, soaring guitars, majestic vocals, and relentless fury. It’s also inexplicably well-produced for how many layers there are to deal with. While 2025 was not a particularly star-studded release year—especially compared to most of the 2020s so far—it threw plenty of fun curveballs at me, and The Dormant Darkness exemplifies this with its Xothian fusion of metal subgenres in one big Ophidian I blender ov shred. I would also like to request several Christian Älvestam features on every album, please.

Honorable Mentions:

• Victim of Fire // The Old Lie
• Dawn of Solace // Affliction Vortex
• Dynazty // Game of Faces
• Coroner // Dissonance Theory
• Hooded Menace // Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration

Song o’ the Year:

• Dragon Skull – “Blood and Souls”

Chaos Fire Vengeance by Dragon Skull

#1914 #2025 #AZ #AbigailWilliams #Abominator #Aephanemer #Agriculture #AmIInTrouble #Amalekim #Ambush #Amorphis #AnAbstractIllusion #ApocalypseOrchestra #Arkhaaik #Asira #Astronoid #Atlantic #AvaMendozaGabbyFlukeMogalCarolinaPérez #Aversed #Besna #BetweenTheBuriedAndMe #Bianca #Blackbraid #Blasphamagoatachrist #Blindfolded #BlogLists #Bloodywood #BlutAusNord #Bruit #BuriedRealm #CalvaLouise #CaveSermon #Changeling #Chestcrush #Coroner #CrimsonShadows #CripplingAlcoholism #DawnOfSolace #DaxRiggs #Deafheaven #DeathYell #Décryptal #Defigurement #DerWegEinerFreiheit #DolmenGate #DormantOrdeal #DragonSkull #DyingWish #Dynazty #Fange #FellOmen #Flummox #Gazpacho #GhostBath #Gorycz #Grima #Guts #HangoverInMinsk #Hasard #Havukruunu #Hexrot #HoodedMenace #Igorr #Igorrr #II #ImperialTriumphant #JonathanHultén #Kauan #LabyrinthusStellarum #Lipoma #Lists #Lorde #LornaShore #Lychgate #MaleficThrone #Messa #MoronPolice #Motherless #MutagenicHost #Nephylim #NightFlightOrchestra #Nite #Novarupta #OllieWride #Ophelion #OrbitCulture #Oromet #Panopticon #ParadiseLost #PedestalForLeviathan #PerditionTemple #PetrifiedGiant #PhantomSpell #PrimitiveMan #Proscription #Psychonaut #PupilSlicer #Puteraeon #Qrixkuor #Revocation #SallowMoth #Saor #ShadowOfIntent #ShayferJames #ShedTheSkin #Sigh #SoldSoul #Species #Spiritbox #Starscourge #SteelArctus #StevenWilson #Strigiform #Structure #Suncraft #Suotana #Teitanblood #TheAMGStaffPickTheirTopTenIshOf2025 #TheMidnight #Thron #Thumos #Turian #ÜltraRaptör #Urn #VenomousEchoes #VictimOfFire #Walg #Wardruna #WeepingSores #WyattE #WytchHazel #YellowEyes #Yellowcard #ZéroAbsolu