#riversofnihil — Public Fediverse posts

#NowPlaying the Album "Where Owls know My name" by the band #RiversOfNihil from the #USA

#MelodicDeathMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #AlbumsOf2018

Personal Rating: 5 / 10
🟡🟡🟡🟡🟡⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪

Recommended Tracks: "The Silent Life", "Terrestria III - Withering", "Where Owls know My Name", "Capricorn / Agoratopia", "Death is real'

https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/where-owls-know-my-name

#NowPlaying the Album "Where Owls know My name" by the band #RiversOfNihil from the #USA

#MelodicDeathMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #AlbumsOf2018

Personal Rating: 5 / 10
🟡🟡🟡🟡🟡⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪

Recommended Tracks: "The Silent Life", "Terrestria III - Withering", "Where Owls know My Name", "Capricorn / Agoratopia", "Death is real'

https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/where-owls-know-my-name

#NowPlaying the Album "Where Owls know My name" by the band #RiversOfNihil from the #USA

#MelodicDeathMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #AlbumsOf2018

Personal Rating: 5 / 10
🟡🟡🟡🟡🟡⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪

Recommended Tracks: "The Silent Life", "Terrestria III - Withering", "Where Owls know My Name", "Capricorn / Agoratopia", "Death is real'

https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/where-owls-know-my-name

#NowPlaying the Album "Where Owls know My name" by the band #RiversOfNihil from the #USA

#MelodicDeathMetal #TechnicalDeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #AlbumsOf2018

Personal Rating: 5 / 10
🟡🟡🟡🟡🟡⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪

Recommended Tracks: "The Silent Life", "Terrestria III - Withering", "Where Owls know My Name", "Capricorn / Agoratopia", "Death is real'

https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/where-owls-know-my-name

Time to start the day with some old Rivers Of Nihil.

#nowplaying #RiversOfNihil

#NowPlaying #riversofnihil

In search of a medicine I just try it out. This album is a masterpiece!

https://album.link/i/1785000846

Queensrÿche announce summer 2026 European Tour:

#Queensryche #RiversOfNihil #TourAlert #EuropeanTour

Link: https://metalinsider.net/touring/queensryche-announce-summer-2026-european-tour

Queensrÿche announce summer 2026 European Tour:

#Queensryche #RiversOfNihil #TourAlert #EuropeanTour

Link: https://metalinsider.net/touring/queensryche-announce-summer-2026-european-tour

Albums the Fediverse Loved in 2025

And here we have it: a list of 151 albums (plus a few artists/labels in general) that kept 64 of us going in 2025, nearly 75% of those 2025 releases and the rest earlier gems! Given our collective eclectic tastes, voting/ranking was not attempted, but bolded titles and post tags indicate albums that were submitted by multiple Fedizens. Genre tags are included as tasting notes (apologies if I got any wrong), each title is linked to its Bandcamp/Songlink when possible, and footnotes list who submitted each album along with extra comments they included (warning: comments may include MOAR ALBUMS). So, click and listen away – perhaps you’ll find a new-to-you album that gets you through 2026!

Thanks so much to the Fedizens who joined in, it’s so nice to see familiar faces from the 1001 Other Albums project as well as some new ones! And, as always, it’s lovely to get a glimpse of how diverse our tastes in music are, and to see people trying something new solely based on a random Fedi recommendation. The Fedi music community truly is a bright spot, and I personally am immensely grateful for it. 🙏🏻

Band – Title (year released, place of origin; genre)footnote

Action/Adventure – Ever After (2025, US; pop-punk)1

AFI – Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… (2025, US; post-punk, gothic rock)2

Against Me! – White Crosses (2010, US; punk rock)3

Alkaline Trio – Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs (2024, US; punk rock)4

Am I in Trouble? – Spectrum (2025, US; avant-garde black metal)5

Ami Taf Ra – The Prophet and the Madman (2025, US/Morocco; Moroccan gnawa, gospel, jazz)6

An Abstract Illusion – Woe (2022, Sweden; atmospheric black/death/prog metal)7

Analog Africa (label, in general) (1960s-80s, Africa; reissues)8

Anna Tivel – Animal Poem (2025, US; indie folk)9

Archon Satani – The Righteous Way to Completion (1997, Sweden; death ambient/black industrial)10

Ashbreather – La Grande Bouffe (2025, Canada; progressive sludge/death metal)11

Au4 – …And Down Goes The Sky (2013, Canada; prog rock)12

aya – hexed! (2025, UK; electronic, noise)13

Bad Cop/Bad Cop – Lighten Up (2025, US; punk rock)14

Baghed – Smear Campaign (2025, US; punk rock)15

Bank Myna – Eimuria (2025, France; post-rock/metal, doom gaze, slow core)16

Belle and Sebastian – Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (2005, Scotland; indie pop)17

Benedicte Maurseth – Mirra (2025, Norway; folk, jazz)18

Bill Frisell – Harmony (2019, US; folk-jazz)19

Black Flower – Kinetic (2025, Belgium; Ethio-jazz, Afrobeat, dub)20

Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE (2025, US; indie folk/pop)21

Brittany Davis – Black Thunder (2025, US; cosmic jazz, r&b/soul, singer-songwriter)22

CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – Papota (2025, Argentina; experimental trap, hip-hop, EDM, jazz, Latin pop)23

Caroline Shaw / Attacca Quartet – Orange (2019, US; classical, ambient, folk)24

Castle Rat – The Bestiary (2025, US; fantasy heavy metal)25

Causa Sui – Pewt’r Sessions 1 (2011, Denmark; psych/stoner rock)26

Celeste – Woman of Faces (2025, UK; neo-soul, jazz, singer-songwriter)27

Charlie Hunter, Carter McLean featuring Silvana Estrada – s/t (2018, US/Mexico; jazz)28

Circuit des Yeux – Halo on the Inside (2025, US; singer-songwriter, experimental)29

Civic – Chrome Dipped (2025, Australia; punk)30

clipping – Dead Channel Sky (2025, US; hip-hop)31

Dan Mangan – Natural Light (2025, Canada; indie rock/folk)32

Daniela Pas – Spira (2023, Italy; singer-songwriter, electronic, experimental)33

Data Rebel – Single Cell (2025, UK; electronic, IDM, ambient)34

Dax Riggs – 7 Songs for Spiders (2025, US; blues metal/shoegaze blues)35

Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power (2025, US; blackgaze, metal)36

Degraved – Spectral Realm of Ruin (2025, US; death metal)37

Delobos – Cabal (2025, Spain; post-alt rock, post-rock, psychedelia)38

Devil ANTHEM. – Profound Rebuild (2025, Japan; J-pop)39

Die Spitz – Something to Consume (2025, US; punk, alt rock)40

Divide and Dissolve – Insatiable (2025, Australia; doom, drone, neo classical)41

Dödsrit – Mortal Coil (2021, Sweden; atmospheric/melodic black metal, blackened crust)42

Dool – The Shape of Fluidity (2024, Netherlands; rock, alternative)43

downy – 8th Album/Untitled (2025, Japan; math rock/post-rock)44

Drab Majesty – Completely Careless (2012-2015) (2016, US; darkwave, shoegaze, dream pop)45

Dropkick Murphy – For The People (2025, US; Celtic punk)46

Eikichi Yazawa – I believe (2025, Japan; rock)47

El Pino & The Volunteers – The Long-lost Art of Becoming Invisible (2009, Netherlands; alt country/folk)48

Elli De Mon – Raìse (2025, Italy; blues, dialect, garage, psychedelic)49

Eric Church – Evangeline vs. The Machine (2025, US; country)50

Ethmebb – Allo Babar et les Caramboleurs (2025, France; progressive melodic blackened death power metal)51

Ex-Vöid – In Love Again (2025, UK; indie pop/rock)52

EYES – Spinner(2025, Denmark; hardcore, noise rock)53

FACS – Wish Defense (2025, US; noise rock, neo-post-punk)54

Faetooth – Labrynthine (2025, US; fairy doom/stoner metal)55

False Aralia (label) – ALL the new 12-inch singles (2025, US; abstract electronic)56

Fever Ray – The Year of the Radical Romantics (2025, Sweden; experimental, electronic, pop)57

FOKALITE – Fokas, Lite & Four Shooting Riddles (2025, Japan; J-pop)58

Françoise Hardy – La question (1971, France; French pop, Brazilian saudade/bossa nova)59

Fust – Big Ugly (2025, US; rock)60

Geese – Getting Killed (2025, US; art/experimental rock)61

Gnome – King (2022, Belgium; stoner/prog/hard rock)62

Habak – Mil orquídeas en medio del desierto (2025, Mexico; melodic crust)63

Hallelujah the Hills – DECK (2025, US; indie rock)64

HANABIE – Bucchigiri Tokyo (2024, Japan; metalcore)65

Hatchie – Liquorice (2025, Australia; indie/dream pop)66

Hole – Live Through This (1994, US; alt rock)67

IAN – Come On Everybody, Let’s Do Nothing! (2025, UK; experimental, post-rock/metal)68

Igorrr – Amen (2025, France; experimental/avant-garde metal)69

Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar (2025, US; experimental metal)70

In the Womb of the Universe – Searching for Sunrise (2024, US; electronic, synthpop)71

In the Woods… – Otra (2025, Norway; avant-garde metal)72

Insomnium – Shadows of the Dying Sun (2014, Finland; melodic death metal)73

Jade Bird – Who Wants to Talk About Love (2025, UK; folk rock, singer-songwriter)74

JER – Death of the Heart (2025, US; ska punk)75

Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick (1972, UK; prog rock)76

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (2024, UK; heavy metal)77

Just Mustard – We Were Just Here (2025, Ireland; post-punk, noise, shoegaze, trip hop)78

Kaku P-Model – unZIP (2025, Japan; experimental, electronic)79

Kieran Hebden and William Tyler – 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s (2025, UK; electronic)80

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Float Along – Fill Your Lungs (2013, Australia; psychedelic pop)81

Kostnatění – Přílišnost (2025, US; avant-garde black metal)82

Küenring – In Search of Paradise (2025, Austria; heavy metal/hard rock)83

L.A. Salami (artist, in general) (UK; folk, post-modern blues, acoustic, rock)84

Labyrinthus Stellarum – Rift in Reality (2025, Ukraine; atmospheric/cosmic black metal)85

Lorien Testard – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Original Soundtrack) (2025, France; soundtrack)86

Lorna Shore – I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me (2025, US; death metal/deathcore)87

Lucy Dacus – Forever is a Feeling (2025, US; indie rock, folk-pop, singer-songwriter)88

Maeror Tri – Multiple Personality Disorder (1993, Germany; ambient, noise, drone)89

Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force – Khadim (2025, Germany/Senegal; mbalax, experimental, dub techno)90

Marshall Allen – New Dawn (2025, US; avant-garde jazz)91

Max Cooper – On Being (2025, UK; electronic, ambient, avant-garde)92

Messa – The Spin (2025, Italy; doom metal)93

Michel Legrand – The Essential Michel Legrand Film Music Collection (2005, France; soundtrack, compilation)94

MIKE – Showbiz! (2025, US; hip-hop/rap)95

Miynt – Rain Money Dogs (2025, Sweden; indie/bedroom rock)96

Modern English – Mesh & Lace (1981, UK; post-punk)97

Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky (2025, US; alt/indie rock)98

more eaze & claire rousay – no floor (2025, US; experimental, ambient, avant-pop, sound collage)99

Moron Police – Pachinko (2025, Norway; concept album)100

Morris Kolontyrsky – Origination (2025, US; ambient, drone, experimental)101

Nærværet – Når Man Ser Inn I En Annens Hjerte (2024, Sweden/Norway; experimental, field recording, tape manipulation/loops)102

Nailed to Obscurity – Generation of The Void (2025, Germany; melodic/prog death/doom metal)103

Nicolas Gombert & James Weeks / Apartment House – G O M B E R T (2025, Flanders/UK; contemporary classical)104

Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman – Lady of the Lake (2023, US; folk)105

Nout – Live Album (2024, France; alternative, punk, rock, jazz, noise)106

Olga Anna Markowska – Iskra (2025, Poland; modern classical, ambient)107

Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzmosis (1995, UK; heavy metal)108

Pino Palladino & Blake Mills – That Wasn’t a Dream (2025, Wales/US; experimental jazz)109

Point Mort – Le Point de Non-retour (2025, France; blackened crust postcore)110

Plague of Carcosa – In The Dreamless Deep (2025, US; doomnoise, experimental metal)111

Population II – Maintenant Jamais (2025, Canada; art/prog/psychedelic rock)112

Primal Scream – XTRMNTR (2000, Scotland; experimental electro-rock)113

Priscilla Block – Things You Didn’t See (2025, US; country, singer-songwriter)114

Psychonaut – World Maker (2025, Belgium; post-metal)115

Queens of the Stone Age – Alive in the Catacombs (2025, US; rock)116

Radiopuhelimet – Kosminen Tiedottomuus (2020, Finland; alt rock)117

Rebecca Foon & Aliayta Foon-Dancoes – Reverie (2025, Canada; modern classical)118

Rivers of Nihil – s/t (2025, US; death/prog metal)119

Rogue Jones – Dos Bebés (2023, Wales; folk, indie pop)120

Shayfer James – Summoning (2025, US; noir-pop, dark cabaret)121

Shedfromthebody – Whisper and Wane (2025, Finland; doomgaze, [post-]metal)122

Shepherds of Cassini – In Thrall to Heresy (2025, New Zealand; prog metal)123

Silvana Estrada – Vendrán Suaves Lluvias (2025, Mexico; singer-songwriter)124

Silvana Estrada (with Charlie Hunter) – Lo Sagrado (2017, Mexico/US; singer-songwriter)125

Širom – In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper (2025, Slovenia; instrumental avant-garde imaginary folk)126

SKC & The Poem – s/t (2025, Belgium; alt/folk rock)127

SKLOSS – The Pattern Speaks (2025, US/Scotland; space gaze, post-metal)128

Soulwax – All Systems Are Lying (2025, Belgium; electronic alt rock)129

Spiritbox – Tsunami Sea (2025, Canada; metalcore)130

State Azure – The Light That Remains (2025, UK; electronica, ambient, downtempo)131

Stereolab – Switched On Volumes 1-5 (2024, UK/France; avant-pop)132

Steve Tibbetts – Close (2025, US; jazz fusion)133

Stick To Your Guns – Keep Planting Flowers (2025, US; hardcore)134

Suede – Antidepressants (2025, UK; post-punk, gothic rock)135

Summer Walker – Finally Over It (2025, US; R&B, singer-songwriter)136

Susan Bear – Algorithmic Mood Music (2024, Scotland; electronic, alt-pop)137

Swansea Sound – Twentieth Century (2023, Wales; indie pop)138

TDJ (artist, in general) (Canada; electronic)139

Terveet Kädet – Lapin Helvetti (2015, Finland; hardcore punk)140

Tool – Lateralus (2001, US; prog rock/metal, art rock)141

The Bug Club – “Have U Ever Been 2 Wales” (2025, Wales; indie rock)142

The New Eves – The New Eve Is Rising (2025, UK; avant-garde/art rock)143

Trio del Mango – Cómelo (2025, US/Puerto Rico; experimental, noise)144

Turnstile – Never Enough (2025, US; alt rock)145

UNIVERSITY – McCartney, It’ll Be OK (2025, UK; punk, noise rock)146

Water Damage – Instruments (2025, US; experimental psych/drone-rock)147

Weakened Friends – Feels Like Hell (2025, US; indie rock)148

Weirs – Diamond Grove (2025, US; trad folk, experimental noise)149

Wet Leg – moisturizer (2025, UK; indie rock)150

White Lies – Five V2 (2019, UK; post-punk)151

X-Cetra – Summer 2000 (Y2K 25th Anniversary Edition) (2025, US; sleepover core, dance-pop)152

Yara Asmar – everyone I love is sleeping and I love them so so much (2025, Lebanon; modern classical/ambient)153

Yugen Blakrok – Anima Mysterium (2019, South Africa; hip-hop)154

Yws Gwynedd – Codi/ \Cysgu (2014, Wales; indie rock)155

Footnote Number. Fediverse username(s): Comments

1. poisonous ↩︎
2. buffyleigh: My emotional support album of the year. I’ve been a fan of AFI since 2000 but haven’t liked an album since 2006. The second I heard the first single “Behind The Clock”, my expectations for this album skyrocketed, and they were absolutely exceeded. It sounds nothing like anything they’ve ever done, and yet it feels like this was the album they’ve always been moving towards. Song of the year goes to the entirety of side A, and Davey Havok’s unexpectedly different sound on this album is my overall favourite vocal performance of year. ↩︎
3. Braininabowl ↩︎
4. umrk: top album requested by my kids in the car this year ↩︎
5. brh ↩︎
6. RolloTreadway: The most gloriously unhinged album I’ve heard this year. Twists together ideas from everywhere without the slightest consideration of whether doing so might be normal or accepted. The kind of album where a classic French chanson or some deep filthy funk just appears out of nowhere and then is never referred to again. It shouldn’t work but it absolutely does. ↩︎
7. gavin57: That last one is an all-timer. It’s astonishing. ↩︎
8. platenworm ↩︎
9. rachelcholst ↩︎
10. 3rik: This has been a year for nighttime music and music for trying to sleep. ↩︎
11. swampgas: definitely my most played this year. A sludgy, deathdoom concept album about greed and gluttony and corruption thats riffy and groovy af. These are driving rhythms that chug hard! ↩︎
12. MichaelMcWilliams: The one album that tops my list this year also appears in the 1001 Other Albums list. Band website offering free download of the album: https://au4.ca ↩︎
13. brh ↩︎
14. poisonous ↩︎
15. jake4480 ↩︎
16. mbr ↩︎
17. riff: Most “Wait why did i never listen to this band before ?” of the year. ↩︎
18. keefeglise ↩︎
19. eamonn ↩︎
20. _slotek_ ↩︎
21. onuryasar: My kind of, very balanced Indie Pop: just the right amount of Indie but not too much and just the right amount of Pop but not too much :) ↩︎
22. icastico ↩︎
23. santialone ↩︎
24. eamonn ↩︎
25. burnitdown || MetalheadDana ↩︎
26. cloudtripper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_e5kKzlFqU&list=RD8_e5kKzlFqU&start_radio=1 ↩︎
27. nevar23 ↩︎
28. debonaire: Recency bias is pushing me to three Silvana Estrada albums. I love her voice, I love the music, I love her with Charlie Hunter. ↩︎
29. otherdog ↩︎
30. fistfulofdave: Aussie punk in the vein of The Saints and Radio Birdman. ↩︎
31. rothko ↩︎
32. Chigaze: what happens when four guys to go a cottage in Ontario, find a flow state, and record an album over a few days. I got to see them play the album through at the Winspear in Edmonton and it’s way up there on my concert experience list. ↩︎
33. evilchili: The Italian singer and composer’s debut is a hypnotic journey of loops, bloops, and dramatic and impassioned vocalizations. ↩︎
34. nellie_m ↩︎
35. fistfulofdave: Blues metal? Shoegaze blues? I don’t know or care, I like it. ↩︎
36. tym || niels ↩︎
37. jake4480 ↩︎
38. santialone ↩︎
39. Kingu ↩︎
40. tym || demon6 ↩︎
41. otherdog ↩︎
42. MetalheadDana: I listened to this album when it first came out in 2021 but for some reason it didn’t click with me. But apparently 2021 Dana had horrible taste in music, because in early 2025 I randomly tried Dodsrit – Mortal Coil again and fell in love and have been obsessed with it all year, it’s the perfect blend of crust punk and black metal and I love it. ↩︎
43. TG_Esq ↩︎
44. rustynail ↩︎
45. alicemcalicepants ↩︎
46. Chigaze: nails it just as a solid Dropkick’s album but goes farther with songs made for the times. “Who’ll Stand With Us” and “School Days Over” are amazing workers songs while “Chesterfields and Aftershave” takes me back to my own grandfather. ↩︎
47. thesinkingbelle ↩︎
48. Braininabowl ↩︎
49. riff: Most listened this year. ↩︎
50. Mark52 ↩︎
51. Moss ↩︎
52. e (eva) ↩︎
53. steveroyle: Leaving out Never Enough by Turnstile as I’m sure that’ll get plenty of votes. ↩︎
54. fistfulofdave: Angular, noise rock, neo-post punk. Unsettling, laid-back, yet aggressive. And yes it was the last album Steve Albini recorded. ↩︎
55. MetalheadDana || demon6 ↩︎
56. soundclamp: Runner-ups – https://lineimprint.bandcamp.com/album/muzak-for-the-encouragement-of-unproductivity; https://myheartaninvertedflame.bandcamp.com/album/my-heart-an-inverted-flame-apparitions-split; https://timbarnes.bandcamp.com/album/lost-words-1 ↩︎
57. buffyleigh: I’ve known of Fever Ray since first seeing the TV show Vikings, but I for some reason didn’t check them out further until this year, when their s/t album came up for a blog post. I was floored. As it happens, their kinda sorta live album was set to come out soon after my first listen of the s/t, so I got caught up on the full Karin Dreijer discography, got super duper obsessed with their spectacular ARTE concert (which is essentially the same versions performed on the new album), and proceeded to be immensely inspired – nay, awakened – by this artist. ↩︎
58. Kingu ↩︎
59. onuryasar: I’ve first discovered the song Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex (I know, late comer), which brought me to Greg Gonzalez’s Wikipedia page, that says “Gonzalez was heavily inspired by French singer Françoise Hardy and her album La question”. I remember this album being mentioned in my Fedi timeline recently, so I gave it a spin and it turned on and on for the remainder of the year. [Editor’s note: Also see the 1001 OA spotlight on this album from earlier this year!] ↩︎
60. rachelcholst ↩︎
61. mynameistillian ↩︎
62. burnitdown ↩︎
63. demon6 ↩︎
64. donutage: I was a bit skeptical of this, and sure, in a 52-song project there’s some unevenness, but between the sheer audacity of the attempt & the frequent successes it scores, definitely one of the more remarkable records of the year. ↩︎
65. Tak ↩︎
66. e (eva) ↩︎
67. Lizahadiz ↩︎
68. mbr ↩︎
69. brh ↩︎
70. umrk: my fav album released in 2025 ↩︎
71. superflippy ↩︎
72. raisedfist ↩︎
73. gavin57 ↩︎
74. Mark52: Jade Bird has been by far my most listened to album this year. ↩︎
75. poisonous ↩︎
76. derthomas: I kept coming back to this album because it just fits every mood. It’s peak Jethro Tull if you ask me, it’s perfect in any way. Also the Steven Wilson Remaster sounds incredible. ↩︎
77. burnitdown ↩︎
78. jebeyer: a longer list is here – https://www.buymusic.club/list/whistlingkitty-some-of-my-favorite-2025-releases ↩︎
79. thesinkingbelle: honorable mentions – Scare – In The End, Was It Worth It; Creatvre – Toujours Humain
; Guck – Gucked Up
; AVTT/PTTN – AVTT/PTTN; Saor – Amidst the Ruins
; Jessica93 – 666 tours de periph’
; Deadguy – Near-Death Travel Services; 
LS Dunes – Violet; 
Aesop Rock – I Heard It’s A Mess There Too
; Fishbone – Stockholm Syndrome
; Dead Pioneers – Po$t American
; Ethereal Wound – Defile | Demise; 
Sci Fi Industries – Initial States ↩︎
80. soundclamp ↩︎
81. cloudtripper ↩︎
82. rustynail ↩︎
83. derthomas: My AOTY from a very underground Heavy Metal band from Austria. ↩︎
84. platenworm ↩︎
85. raisedfist ↩︎
86. thesinkingbelle ↩︎
87. t4s: Honorable mentions – The Halo Effect, Machine Head, Heaven Shall Burn, Spiritbox, Jinjer, Allegaeon ↩︎
88. rachelcholst ↩︎
89. 3rik ↩︎
90. Wintergr33n: Percussion-driven music from Senegal on a self-released album: https://ra.co/news/82509. ↩︎
91. platenworm: 5 things that ruled my world musically this year:
    – The Analog Africa Label
    – The Artist L.A. Salami
    – The knowledge that you can have too much music
    – The knowledge that you can make your solo debut album when you are 100 years old……Hail Hail Marshall Allen 
    – And that everybody loved Ozzy ↩︎
92. nellie_m: The music project that somehow touched me most deeply was the result of two years of work by Max Cooper. „Powerful works of art have traditionally sprung from some source deep within an artist and, if they strike the right tone, resonate with an audience to leave a lasting mark. But what if that equation were reversed: what if an artist were to draw their inspiration from deep within their audience, and use that to reflect those ideas, emotions, hopes, fears, pains and aspirations back to us?…“ ↩︎
93. niels || TG_Esq || sentynel || otherdog || umrk ↩︎
94. eamonn ↩︎
95. jake4480 ↩︎
96. steveroyle ↩︎
97. alicemcalicepants ↩︎
98. BramMeehan ↩︎
99. avi_miller: All three fall into the more ambient realm, and they all are absolutely phenomenal. I love music that is based more around textures and creating a mood than creating a melody, and this year had some really good ones. ↩︎
100. niels ↩︎
101. TG_Esq ↩︎
102. 3rik ↩︎
103. raisedfist ↩︎
104. keefeglise: Compositions by Nicholas Gombert and James Weeks. Performed by Apartment House. Flanders/UK. Contemporary Classical (Debatable! Gombert died in 1560.) ↩︎
105. evilchili: Two hipster kids from Brooklyn play 100 year old Appalachian folk tunes and make them come alive. Honest, reverential, and true. ↩︎
106. riff: “Instantly burned in my brain” this year (well, it was actually their KEXP session from april that blew my mind, but since i have to submit an album, it’ll do nicely :) ). ↩︎
107. avi_miller ↩︎
108. derthomas: I discovered this album this year on a metal journey (yeah, late to the party) and I loved it. It’s my favourite Ozzy album. ↩︎
109. _slotek_ ↩︎
110. mbr ↩︎
111. tym: Oh and not a brand new release, but the remaster and new tracks for the 20th anniversary reissue of ‘Takk…’ by Sigur Rós are pretty great. That and ( ) are still what I listen to the most, this year and apparently every year. ↩︎
112. Kingu ↩︎
113. epu: I had all but forgotten party drug enthusiasm tracks like ‘higher than the sun’ from 1991, and it turns out they made so many albums since I last tuned in. This one really resonates with my reaction to USpol this year. It rekindled my love for this band; I bought Evil Heat import on CD, my first physical purchase since last year. ↩︎
114. Mark52 ↩︎
115. sentynel ↩︎
116. Braininabowl ↩︎
117. jiiruu ↩︎
118. avi_miller ↩︎
119. jiiruu || t4s || gavin57 ↩︎
120. Steffi ↩︎
121. superflippy ↩︎
122. rustynail: most played ↩︎
123. sentynel ↩︎
124. debonaire ↩︎
125. debonaire ↩︎
126. TwoClownsEating: I discovered this band in 2025. Absolutely incredible, I’ve bought their entire catalogue and had the privilege to see them live a few months ago. Unbelievably good musicians. Magical music. ↩︎
127. jomel: 2025 was a great year for Belgian music. Stef Kamil Carlens, co-founder of dEUS has released a gem with his new band The Poem. I have seen SKC twice this year, once in a solo gig, and the second time (in less then 2 weeks) for the “worst Case scenario” rewind from (and so with) dEUS, those two concerts were fabulous, and at the time, I wasn’t expecting this release.
     Bonus Albums: The live album from Depeche Mode – Memento Mori: Mexico City; Arvo Pârt – Credo (released Alpha Classics label) which includes his “hits”
 – Credo
, Fratres
, Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten (my favourite one)
 https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/arvo-part-credo; 2025 Bryan Ferry release, with Amelia Barrat as female lead singer/speaker. Some of his material came from the 70’s and were updated, it’s a timeless album, and elegant as always https://soundcloud.com/bryanferry/sets/loose-talk-4 ↩︎
128. jebeyer ↩︎
129. jomel: (AKA 2manydj’s) Yep, those guys will make you dance, and rock, I guess they’ve listened to Kraftwerk & Front242. ↩︎
130. Tak ↩︎
131. nellie_m ↩︎
132. cloudtripper ↩︎
133. _slotek_ ↩︎
134. t4s ↩︎
135. Lizahadiz ↩︎
136. slamma ↩︎
137. e (eva): algorithmic mood music was my fav last year! but i’m still listening to it and i didn’t submit anything then. ↩︎
138. Steffi ↩︎
139. BramMeehan: I’ve listened to so much TDJ, though no one release in particular. ↩︎
140. jiiruu ↩︎
141. buffyleigh: There’s so many other albums I’d love to list here for exposure, but it feels more honest to list this masterpiece, my first obsession of the year, courtesy of catching their amazing set at the big Black Sabbath/Ozzy send-off concert. I mean, I even titled my AOTY list “Forty Six & 2”, since that was the first song Tool played there and got my attention. Said list is here. ↩︎
142. epu: Ok, this one’s kind of a cheat, it’s an EP.
     2024, my friend turned me on to Bug Club for its lo-fi production aesthetic, humor and infectious fun/dark undertones. Marriage from 2023 album ‘Rare Birds: Hour of Song’ was the hook.
     You can get this band straight into your heart and mind with this EP. And it takes me back to that one time I did go to Wales. ↩︎
143. jomel: This newcomer British female band has written the ultimate feminist anthem as opening track. || RolloTreadway: I don’t tend to be very much of a rock person, so for a big brash rock record to have such an impact on me must say something. It’s noisy and it’s loud and it has guitars and drums and punkiness. And, er, flutes. Harmonicas. Cellos. Weird interpretations of bible stories. All chaos and absurdity and celebration and being absolutely done with the patriarchy and above all else fun. So much fun. ↩︎
144. soundclamp ↩︎
145. santialone ↩︎
146. steveroyle ↩︎
147. jebeyer ↩︎
148. donutage: far & away my number 1; an angry & desperate neo-grunge banger. Sonia Sturino is a force of nature. ↩︎
149. RolloTreadway: In parts weird and experimental, in others traditional. Here there’s strange droney noise, and then there’s some light, old-fashioned fiddle playing. Electronic distortion, a choir recorded live outdoors singing a simple hymn. It’s an astonishingly creative and unique folk record. ↩︎
150. donutage: not as jaw-dropping as their debut (my runaway 2022 fave), but with a lot of the same qualities. It’s dancy, smart, & sexy, without ever once being submissive. || slamma ↩︎
151. alicemcalicepants ↩︎
152. slamma ↩︎
153. keefeglise ↩︎
154. evilchili: Afro-futurist South African Hip-Hop Mysticism. Blakrok instantly became my favourite female MC. ↩︎
155. Steffi ↩︎

#AOTY #AOTY2025 #CastleRat #Deafheaven #DieSpitz #Faetooth #ListenToThis #Messa #music #musicDiscovery #RiversOfNihil #TheNewEves #WetLeg

Before the grand finale, #HonourableMentions are the ones which have been played many times over the year.
Without any particular order:

#RiversOfNihil - Rivers of Nihil https://album.link/t/405710169

Some selected tasting notes on my AOTY list:

8. Rivers of Nihil - Rivers of Nihil

I don't know why I overlooked this album for as long as I did in 2025 - not for the first time, I found myself questioning my life choices - but I'm very glad I went back to it.

It also has the best posture advice in any metal album of 2025: "Keep your head up, Back straight" (TheLogicalEnd)

https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/rivers-of-nihil

#AOTY #RiversOfNihil

Fourth place goes to:

Rivers Of Nihil - Rivers Of Nihil
https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/rivers-of-nihil

To be honest, I had hoped the album would rank higher, but it feels a little too fragmented. There are some great songs on it, such as “Water & Time,” “House Of Light,” and “Rivers Of Nihil.” The other songs are also really good on their own, but somehow it feels like a compilation of different EPs. Maybe it's due to the upheaval. Overall, it's still a good release.

#RiversOfNihil #AOTY2025 #GroupMetalAOTY2025

7️⃣ #TomsAOTY2025

The "why did I always forget about this album award" and my #7 go to...

Rivers of Nihil with Rivers of Nihil 👏

They can't do any wrong, can they?

https://riversofnihil.bandcamp.com/album/rivers-of-nihil

#AOTY #RiversOfNihil

Lightchapter – Where All Hope Begins Review

By ClarkKent

Death metal generally dabbles in the dark, the grisly, the violent, and the brutal. With the aid of ’80s-style synths, Lightchapter plays a version with a lighter, more hopeful touch. The aptly-named Where All Hope Begins marks album number two for this quartet out of Denmark. The band’s mission is to merge “despair and hope” and also “pain and joy” through not only their sound but their lyrics. Even on a blog that celebrates the angry and still makes fun of the brief Happy Metal Guy stint, I imagine something that infuses joy and lightness would find a welcoming audience. After all, Countless Skies showed how a band could successfully write an uplifting progressive death metal record, and that one was well-liked around these parts. Do we dare get our hopes up for Lightchapter?

While synth is a core part of their sound, this ain’t no dungeon synth. Lightchapter strikes a balance between old-school synth rock and more modern melodeath. Following an intro tune, “Leading the Way,” that evokes Stranger Things-style synths, “Where All Hope Begins” sets the album going on its marriage between industrial death metal acts like Orbit Culture and ’80s synth rock stalwarts like Depeche Mode. This isn’t a brutal version of death metal but a much softer approach. Guitars have more reverb than bite, cutting down on the heaviness, and the drums similarly don’t punch with the punishing heft of a Brodequin. The ’80s stuff also helps to soften the sound, with the synths providing a layer that lightens the already light guitar tone. Then there’s those familiar ’80s drum tones—the gated reverb and toms—that’ll warp you back to your carefree days listening to Duran Duran and the like. Lightchapter also features some deathcore breakdowns, though not obnoxiously (“The Unholy Mass,” “Revenge”). This blend of styles finds its most effective execution towards the end of Where All Hope Begins, particularly on the catchy “Little Death.”

Due to the lack of brutal guitars and thunderous blast beats, Where All Hope Begins turns out to be a rather chill album. This is true despite the harsh growls from Mikkel Ottosen. In fact, his vocals complement the instrumentals well. The combination of Anders Berg’s reverb guitar tone and melodic riffs and Tobias Høst’s restrained drumming makes this a surprisingly relaxing listening experience. It’s true that songs like “What I Have Become” start out fast and heavy, but the heart of the song is soft tones and chill tempos. The softer moments gave me whiffs of Slipknot’s ballads, but also the lighter tunes on Rivers of Nihil’s latest. Lightchapter doesn’t quite hit the soaring emotional highs that Andy Thomas often reached, but that’s all part of their mellow charm. The hopeful tone is a breath of fresh air in the usually dark world of death metal.

If anything lets Lightchapter down, it’s a lack of hooks. The melodic leads and synths aren’t particularly catchy for most songs, nor are the choruses all that memorable. Some exceptions show how much stronger Where All Hope Begins could have been. “Unholy Mass” features not only a great synth line, but a memorable chorus when Ottosen sings “Father, you have forsaken me.” The final three tracks unleash Lightchapter’s true potential. “Little Death” is the album highlight, utilizing a catchy riff and synth combo that emphasizes Lightchapter’s strengths. The best chorus belongs to “My Own Kind,” which is the only song that comes close to reaching those Andy Thomas-level highs, thanks to the guitar tone. Combine the hooks of the one with the cathartic emotional highs of the other, and these guys could have something great on their hands. The finished product is an enjoyable record that doesn’t quite stick—but it shows how Lightchapter can get to that point next time.

Unfortunately, Lightchapter is releasing Where All Hope Begins at the end of a hectic release month, and on perhaps the biggest release day, where it’s competing for attention with Amorphis, Mors Principium Est, and Revocation. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and burned out from all of the must-listens this month, a spin or two of Where All Hope Begins could help ground you. Sometimes an album like this that tries something a little different without going off the rails is just what you need to settle your frayed nerves. Lightchapter has crafted an album that shows promise for this young band. If anything, it’ll at least give you some measure of hope.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: ~175 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Amorphis #Brodequin #CountlessSkies #DanishMetal #DepecheMode #DuranDuran #ElectroDeathMetal #IndustrialMetal #Lightchapter #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MorsPrinicipumEst #OrbitCulture #Review #Reviews #Revocation #RiversOfNihil #selfRelea #SelfReleased #Sep25 #Slipknot #SynthMetal #WhereAllHopeBegins

Lightchapter – Where All Hope Begins Review

By ClarkKent

Death metal generally dabbles in the dark, the grisly, the violent, and the brutal. With the aid of ’80s-style synths, Lightchapter plays a version with a lighter, more hopeful touch. The aptly-named Where All Hope Begins marks album number two for this quartet out of Denmark. The band’s mission is to merge “despair and hope” and also “pain and joy” through not only their sound but their lyrics. Even on a blog that celebrates the angry and still makes fun of the brief Happy Metal Guy stint, I imagine something that infuses joy and lightness would find a welcoming audience. After all, Countless Skies showed how a band could successfully write an uplifting progressive death metal record, and that one was well-liked around these parts. Do we dare get our hopes up for Lightchapter?

While synth is a core part of their sound, this ain’t no dungeon synth. Lightchapter strikes a balance between old-school synth rock and more modern melodeath. Following an intro tune, “Leading the Way,” that evokes Stranger Things-style synths, “Where All Hope Begins” sets the album going on its marriage between industrial death metal acts like Orbit Culture and ’80s synth rock stalwarts like Depeche Mode. This isn’t a brutal version of death metal but a much softer approach. Guitars have more reverb than bite, cutting down on the heaviness, and the drums similarly don’t punch with the punishing heft of a Brodequin. The ’80s stuff also helps to soften the sound, with the synths providing a layer that lightens the already light guitar tone. Then there’s those familiar ’80s drum tones—the gated reverb and toms—that’ll warp you back to your carefree days listening to Duran Duran and the like. Lightchapter also features some deathcore breakdowns, though not obnoxiously (“The Unholy Mass,” “Revenge”). This blend of styles finds its most effective execution towards the end of Where All Hope Begins, particularly on the catchy “Little Death.”

Due to the lack of brutal guitars and thunderous blast beats, Where All Hope Begins turns out to be a rather chill album. This is true despite the harsh growls from Mikkel Ottosen. In fact, his vocals complement the instrumentals well. The combination of Anders Berg’s reverb guitar tone and melodic riffs and Tobias Høst’s restrained drumming makes this a surprisingly relaxing listening experience. It’s true that songs like “What I Have Become” start out fast and heavy, but the heart of the song is soft tones and chill tempos. The softer moments gave me whiffs of Slipknot’s ballads, but also the lighter tunes on Rivers of Nihil’s latest. Lightchapter doesn’t quite hit the soaring emotional highs that Andy Thomas often reached, but that’s all part of their mellow charm. The hopeful tone is a breath of fresh air in the usually dark world of death metal.

If anything lets Lightchapter down, it’s a lack of hooks. The melodic leads and synths aren’t particularly catchy for most songs, nor are the choruses all that memorable. Some exceptions show how much stronger Where All Hope Begins could have been. “Unholy Mass” features not only a great synth line, but a memorable chorus when Ottosen sings “Father, you have forsaken me.” The final three tracks unleash Lightchapter’s true potential. “Little Death” is the album highlight, utilizing a catchy riff and synth combo that emphasizes Lightchapter’s strengths. The best chorus belongs to “My Own Kind,” which is the only song that comes close to reaching those Andy Thomas-level highs, thanks to the guitar tone. Combine the hooks of the one with the cathartic emotional highs of the other, and these guys could have something great on their hands. The finished product is an enjoyable record that doesn’t quite stick—but it shows how Lightchapter can get to that point next time.

Unfortunately, Lightchapter is releasing Where All Hope Begins at the end of a hectic release month, and on perhaps the biggest release day, where it’s competing for attention with Amorphis, Mors Principium Est, and Revocation. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and burned out from all of the must-listens this month, a spin or two of Where All Hope Begins could help ground you. Sometimes an album like this that tries something a little different without going off the rails is just what you need to settle your frayed nerves. Lightchapter has crafted an album that shows promise for this young band. If anything, it’ll at least give you some measure of hope.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: ~175 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Amorphis #Brodequin #CountlessSkies #DanishMetal #DepecheMode #DuranDuran #ElectroDeathMetal #IndustrialMetal #Lightchapter #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MorsPrinicipumEst #OrbitCulture #Review #Reviews #Revocation #RiversOfNihil #selfRelea #SelfReleased #Sep25 #Slipknot #SynthMetal #WhereAllHopeBegins

Lightchapter – Where All Hope Begins Review

By ClarkKent

Death metal generally dabbles in the dark, the grisly, the violent, and the brutal. With the aid of ’80s-style synths, Lightchapter plays a version with a lighter, more hopeful touch. The aptly-named Where All Hope Begins marks album number two for this quartet out of Denmark. The band’s mission is to merge “despair and hope” and also “pain and joy” through not only their sound but their lyrics. Even on a blog that celebrates the angry and still makes fun of the brief Happy Metal Guy stint, I imagine something that infuses joy and lightness would find a welcoming audience. After all, Countless Skies showed how a band could successfully write an uplifting progressive death metal record, and that one was well-liked around these parts. Do we dare get our hopes up for Lightchapter?

While synth is a core part of their sound, this ain’t no dungeon synth. Lightchapter strikes a balance between old-school synth rock and more modern melodeath. Following an intro tune, “Leading the Way,” that evokes Stranger Things-style synths, “Where All Hope Begins” sets the album going on its marriage between industrial death metal acts like Orbit Culture and ’80s synth rock stalwarts like Depeche Mode. This isn’t a brutal version of death metal but a much softer approach. Guitars have more reverb than bite, cutting down on the heaviness, and the drums similarly don’t punch with the punishing heft of a Brodequin. The ’80s stuff also helps to soften the sound, with the synths providing a layer that lightens the already light guitar tone. Then there’s those familiar ’80s drum tones—the gated reverb and toms—that’ll warp you back to your carefree days listening to Duran Duran and the like. Lightchapter also features some deathcore breakdowns, though not obnoxiously (“The Unholy Mass,” “Revenge”). This blend of styles finds its most effective execution towards the end of Where All Hope Begins, particularly on the catchy “Little Death.”

Due to the lack of brutal guitars and thunderous blast beats, Where All Hope Begins turns out to be a rather chill album. This is true despite the harsh growls from Mikkel Ottosen. In fact, his vocals complement the instrumentals well. The combination of Anders Berg’s reverb guitar tone and melodic riffs and Tobias Høst’s restrained drumming makes this a surprisingly relaxing listening experience. It’s true that songs like “What I Have Become” start out fast and heavy, but the heart of the song is soft tones and chill tempos. The softer moments gave me whiffs of Slipknot’s ballads, but also the lighter tunes on Rivers of Nihil’s latest. Lightchapter doesn’t quite hit the soaring emotional highs that Andy Thomas often reached, but that’s all part of their mellow charm. The hopeful tone is a breath of fresh air in the usually dark world of death metal.

If anything lets Lightchapter down, it’s a lack of hooks. The melodic leads and synths aren’t particularly catchy for most songs, nor are the choruses all that memorable. Some exceptions show how much stronger Where All Hope Begins could have been. “Unholy Mass” features not only a great synth line, but a memorable chorus when Ottosen sings “Father, you have forsaken me.” The final three tracks unleash Lightchapter’s true potential. “Little Death” is the album highlight, utilizing a catchy riff and synth combo that emphasizes Lightchapter’s strengths. The best chorus belongs to “My Own Kind,” which is the only song that comes close to reaching those Andy Thomas-level highs, thanks to the guitar tone. Combine the hooks of the one with the cathartic emotional highs of the other, and these guys could have something great on their hands. The finished product is an enjoyable record that doesn’t quite stick—but it shows how Lightchapter can get to that point next time.

Unfortunately, Lightchapter is releasing Where All Hope Begins at the end of a hectic release month, and on perhaps the biggest release day, where it’s competing for attention with Amorphis, Mors Principium Est, and Revocation. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and burned out from all of the must-listens this month, a spin or two of Where All Hope Begins could help ground you. Sometimes an album like this that tries something a little different without going off the rails is just what you need to settle your frayed nerves. Lightchapter has crafted an album that shows promise for this young band. If anything, it’ll at least give you some measure of hope.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: ~175 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Amorphis #Brodequin #CountlessSkies #DanishMetal #DepecheMode #DuranDuran #ElectroDeathMetal #IndustrialMetal #Lightchapter #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MorsPrinicipumEst #OrbitCulture #Review #Reviews #Revocation #RiversOfNihil #selfRelea #SelfReleased #Sep25 #Slipknot #SynthMetal #WhereAllHopeBegins

Lightchapter – Where All Hope Begins Review

By ClarkKent

Death metal generally dabbles in the dark, the grisly, the violent, and the brutal. With the aid of ’80s-style synths, Lightchapter plays a version with a lighter, more hopeful touch. The aptly-named Where All Hope Begins marks album number two for this quartet out of Denmark. The band’s mission is to merge “despair and hope” and also “pain and joy” through not only their sound but their lyrics. Even on a blog that celebrates the angry and still makes fun of the brief Happy Metal Guy stint, I imagine something that infuses joy and lightness would find a welcoming audience. After all, Countless Skies showed how a band could successfully write an uplifting progressive death metal record, and that one was well-liked around these parts. Do we dare get our hopes up for Lightchapter?

While synth is a core part of their sound, this ain’t no dungeon synth. Lightchapter strikes a balance between old-school synth rock and more modern melodeath. Following an intro tune, “Leading the Way,” that evokes Stranger Things-style synths, “Where All Hope Begins” sets the album going on its marriage between industrial death metal acts like Orbit Culture and ’80s synth rock stalwarts like Depeche Mode. This isn’t a brutal version of death metal but a much softer approach. Guitars have more reverb than bite, cutting down on the heaviness, and the drums similarly don’t punch with the punishing heft of a Brodequin. The ’80s stuff also helps to soften the sound, with the synths providing a layer that lightens the already light guitar tone. Then there’s those familiar ’80s drum tones—the gated reverb and toms—that’ll warp you back to your carefree days listening to Duran Duran and the like. Lightchapter also features some deathcore breakdowns, though not obnoxiously (“The Unholy Mass,” “Revenge”). This blend of styles finds its most effective execution towards the end of Where All Hope Begins, particularly on the catchy “Little Death.”

Due to the lack of brutal guitars and thunderous blast beats, Where All Hope Begins turns out to be a rather chill album. This is true despite the harsh growls from Mikkel Ottosen. In fact, his vocals complement the instrumentals well. The combination of Anders Berg’s reverb guitar tone and melodic riffs and Tobias Høst’s restrained drumming makes this a surprisingly relaxing listening experience. It’s true that songs like “What I Have Become” start out fast and heavy, but the heart of the song is soft tones and chill tempos. The softer moments gave me whiffs of Slipknot’s ballads, but also the lighter tunes on Rivers of Nihil’s latest. Lightchapter doesn’t quite hit the soaring emotional highs that Andy Thomas often reached, but that’s all part of their mellow charm. The hopeful tone is a breath of fresh air in the usually dark world of death metal.

If anything lets Lightchapter down, it’s a lack of hooks. The melodic leads and synths aren’t particularly catchy for most songs, nor are the choruses all that memorable. Some exceptions show how much stronger Where All Hope Begins could have been. “Unholy Mass” features not only a great synth line, but a memorable chorus when Ottosen sings “Father, you have forsaken me.” The final three tracks unleash Lightchapter’s true potential. “Little Death” is the album highlight, utilizing a catchy riff and synth combo that emphasizes Lightchapter’s strengths. The best chorus belongs to “My Own Kind,” which is the only song that comes close to reaching those Andy Thomas-level highs, thanks to the guitar tone. Combine the hooks of the one with the cathartic emotional highs of the other, and these guys could have something great on their hands. The finished product is an enjoyable record that doesn’t quite stick—but it shows how Lightchapter can get to that point next time.

Unfortunately, Lightchapter is releasing Where All Hope Begins at the end of a hectic release month, and on perhaps the biggest release day, where it’s competing for attention with Amorphis, Mors Principium Est, and Revocation. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and burned out from all of the must-listens this month, a spin or two of Where All Hope Begins could help ground you. Sometimes an album like this that tries something a little different without going off the rails is just what you need to settle your frayed nerves. Lightchapter has crafted an album that shows promise for this young band. If anything, it’ll at least give you some measure of hope.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: ~175 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Amorphis #Brodequin #CountlessSkies #DanishMetal #DepecheMode #DuranDuran #ElectroDeathMetal #IndustrialMetal #Lightchapter #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MorsPrinicipumEst #OrbitCulture #Review #Reviews #Revocation #RiversOfNihil #selfRelea #SelfReleased #Sep25 #Slipknot #SynthMetal #WhereAllHopeBegins

Lightchapter – Where All Hope Begins Review

By ClarkKent

Death metal generally dabbles in the dark, the grisly, the violent, and the brutal. With the aid of ’80s-style synths, Lightchapter plays a version with a lighter, more hopeful touch. The aptly-named Where All Hope Begins marks album number two for this quartet out of Denmark. The band’s mission is to merge “despair and hope” and also “pain and joy” through not only their sound but their lyrics. Even on a blog that celebrates the angry and still makes fun of the brief Happy Metal Guy stint, I imagine something that infuses joy and lightness would find a welcoming audience. After all, Countless Skies showed how a band could successfully write an uplifting progressive death metal record, and that one was well-liked around these parts. Do we dare get our hopes up for Lightchapter?

While synth is a core part of their sound, this ain’t no dungeon synth. Lightchapter strikes a balance between old-school synth rock and more modern melodeath. Following an intro tune, “Leading the Way,” that evokes Stranger Things-style synths, “Where All Hope Begins” sets the album going on its marriage between industrial death metal acts like Orbit Culture and ’80s synth rock stalwarts like Depeche Mode. This isn’t a brutal version of death metal but a much softer approach. Guitars have more reverb than bite, cutting down on the heaviness, and the drums similarly don’t punch with the punishing heft of a Brodequin. The ’80s stuff also helps to soften the sound, with the synths providing a layer that lightens the already light guitar tone. Then there’s those familiar ’80s drum tones—the gated reverb and toms—that’ll warp you back to your carefree days listening to Duran Duran and the like. Lightchapter also features some deathcore breakdowns, though not obnoxiously (“The Unholy Mass,” “Revenge”). This blend of styles finds its most effective execution towards the end of Where All Hope Begins, particularly on the catchy “Little Death.”

Due to the lack of brutal guitars and thunderous blast beats, Where All Hope Begins turns out to be a rather chill album. This is true despite the harsh growls from Mikkel Ottosen. In fact, his vocals complement the instrumentals well. The combination of Anders Berg’s reverb guitar tone and melodic riffs and Tobias Høst’s restrained drumming makes this a surprisingly relaxing listening experience. It’s true that songs like “What I Have Become” start out fast and heavy, but the heart of the song is soft tones and chill tempos. The softer moments gave me whiffs of Slipknot’s ballads, but also the lighter tunes on Rivers of Nihil’s latest. Lightchapter doesn’t quite hit the soaring emotional highs that Andy Thomas often reached, but that’s all part of their mellow charm. The hopeful tone is a breath of fresh air in the usually dark world of death metal.

If anything lets Lightchapter down, it’s a lack of hooks. The melodic leads and synths aren’t particularly catchy for most songs, nor are the choruses all that memorable. Some exceptions show how much stronger Where All Hope Begins could have been. “Unholy Mass” features not only a great synth line, but a memorable chorus when Ottosen sings “Father, you have forsaken me.” The final three tracks unleash Lightchapter’s true potential. “Little Death” is the album highlight, utilizing a catchy riff and synth combo that emphasizes Lightchapter’s strengths. The best chorus belongs to “My Own Kind,” which is the only song that comes close to reaching those Andy Thomas-level highs, thanks to the guitar tone. Combine the hooks of the one with the cathartic emotional highs of the other, and these guys could have something great on their hands. The finished product is an enjoyable record that doesn’t quite stick—but it shows how Lightchapter can get to that point next time.

Unfortunately, Lightchapter is releasing Where All Hope Begins at the end of a hectic release month, and on perhaps the biggest release day, where it’s competing for attention with Amorphis, Mors Principium Est, and Revocation. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and burned out from all of the must-listens this month, a spin or two of Where All Hope Begins could help ground you. Sometimes an album like this that tries something a little different without going off the rails is just what you need to settle your frayed nerves. Lightchapter has crafted an album that shows promise for this young band. If anything, it’ll at least give you some measure of hope.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: ~175 kbps VBR mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: September 26th, 2025

#2025 #30 #Amorphis #Brodequin #CountlessSkies #DanishMetal #DepecheMode #DuranDuran #ElectroDeathMetal #IndustrialMetal #Lightchapter #MelodicDeathMetal #Metalcore #MorsPrinicipumEst #OrbitCulture #Review #Reviews #Revocation #RiversOfNihil #selfRelea #SelfReleased #Sep25 #Slipknot #SynthMetal #WhereAllHopeBegins

I didn't listen to death metal in a while now, so for #MittwochMetalMix here is an excellent piece of progressive death. Also, it's by far the best track of an overall outstanding album.

🎵 American Death by Rivers of Nihil
💿 Rivers of Nihil, 2025
▶️ https://song.link/y/8j1T-EigIgQ

#TomsMusic #NowPlaying #RiversOfNihil

Also, #RiversOfNihil @ #SummerBreeze

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg2s7QHLjfY

#RiversOfNihil haben pünktlich angefangen 🤘

#arteconcert

Heute um 19:10 Uhr sund Rivers Of Nihil im Livestream!!!

#summerbreeze #arteconcert #riversofnihil

Affliction Vector – Contra Hominem Review

By Alekhines Gun

Sometimes you encounter a piece of work that stands as a testament to everything you love in music. Lovers of heavy tones and brutal riffs in all their permutations are constantly chasing that dragon, seeking the brutality to return us to our more joyful youth, or the blackened assaults that turn melted frowns into jubilant smiles. Some bands accomplish this through interesting cross-pollinations of sound, while others adhere to the straight and narrow definitions set by the genre’s torchbearers, who earn their merit through the strength of their songcraft and adherence to proper production. Either way, the quest is the same: create something to make audience and reviewer alike point in awe, stand smitten with horns raised high and tequila on our breath (or apple juice if you’re wholesome like Killjoy) and love in our hearts as we declare “This is good! This is real! This is excellent!” Fortunately for my limited well of superlatives, Contra Hominem is not such an album, and it’s not even close.

Affliction Vector have presented an album whose production is devoid of any real defining features. Somehow, at once lo-fi in mix yet hi-fi in tone, Contra Hominem offers a listen which avoids the abrasive, sharp tones of the brutal assault it pretends to offer, yet blends any melodies or riffs down into the mix until the entire album passes by in a listless haze. The aural equivalent of a glass of water, its sounds are featureless, smoothed over, and bland, with no sound grabbing the listener’s ear or providing any engagement despite its short 28-minute runtime. Faceless blast after faceless blast, so flavorless I’m offended a Faceless band name has already been taken, make attempts to walk in the cleft hoof of Teitanblood, but without the proper sound quality to match the necessary assault. Contra Hominem sounds lazy, meandering, and manages to take a package of high BPM assemblages somehow and make them sound as lethargic as the color scheme “adorning” the art.

But Gun! I hear you cry, what of the riffs? To be sure, this glass of water does contain a few ice cubes to chew on. Unfortunately, two of the biggest and most distinct cubes come in the shape of two interludes, one of which is nothing but the sound of running water. I’m more into album intros and interludes than some of my colleagues, but a sub-half-hour album has no need for interludes, let alone mere sound effects. The album opens with a twangy piano intro in an attempt to be spooky, but the melody is so protracted as to grate more than intimidate. “Lethal” manages to work a memorable moment above the deluge of textureless soundscapes, as does “Nero Gorgo”. The latter is the best song, with creative organ layering and a monster drop of a groove, which causes the ears to perk up in joy at the oasis in the barren desert across the rest of the album.

Performances by the members of Affliction Vector are serviceable in their delivery of mediocrity. Stefano S. handles drums, and the production does allow his kick to come through with meaty oomph, rendering blasts pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, he slows down enough to flirt with industrial tempos, particularly in “Ephemeral Lifeless.” Ans handles all other duties and shows competence in the delivery of solos. There’s a nifty time change in “Animalis Irae”, and he really lets his voice hit fever pitch at “To Lucifer.” But ultimately, these are fleeting moments in a lifeless experience, a few merciful snapshots of technical capability raising their head from the miasma of gray within.

Sorry to say, Contra Hominem is boring. The promo sheet described the album as trying to summon noise, which could bridge the gap between Heaven and Hell, but unfortunately, that’s a pretty big bridge to build. The first step is successfully crossing the gap in the points between my attention span, and in that goal, it has proven to be a cataclysmic failure. It’s boring in how it’s produced. It’s boring in how it’s performed. It’s boring in how it’s composed. Any one of the three are surmountable if the other two are used as strength (just see how the admittedly good production on the last Rivers album has people convinced the music itself is good) but this trifecta of drab and dreary only solidifies this album as memorable in how much I’ve not enjoyed my time with it, despite allowing numerable replays in a chance to win me over.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Websites: afflictionvector.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AnsAV666
Releases Worldwide: June 6th, 2025

#15 #2025 #AfflictionVector #BlackMetal #ContraHominem #IronBoneheadProductions #ItalianMetal #Jun25 #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil #Teitanblood #TheFaceless

Affliction Vector – Contra Hominem Review

By Alekhines Gun

Sometimes you encounter a piece of work that stands as a testament to everything you love in music. Lovers of heavy tones and brutal riffs in all their permutations are constantly chasing that dragon, seeking the brutality to return us to our more joyful youth, or the blackened assaults that turn melted frowns into jubilant smiles. Some bands accomplish this through interesting cross-pollinations of sound, while others adhere to the straight and narrow definitions set by the genre’s torchbearers, who earn their merit through the strength of their songcraft and adherence to proper production. Either way, the quest is the same: create something to make audience and reviewer alike point in awe, stand smitten with horns raised high and tequila on our breath (or apple juice if you’re wholesome like Killjoy) and love in our hearts as we declare “This is good! This is real! This is excellent!” Fortunately for my limited well of superlatives, Contra Hominem is not such an album, and it’s not even close.

Affliction Vector have presented an album whose production is devoid of any real defining features. Somehow, at once lo-fi in mix yet hi-fi in tone, Contra Hominem offers a listen which avoids the abrasive, sharp tones of the brutal assault it pretends to offer, yet blends any melodies or riffs down into the mix until the entire album passes by in a listless haze. The aural equivalent of a glass of water, its sounds are featureless, smoothed over, and bland, with no sound grabbing the listener’s ear or providing any engagement despite its short 28-minute runtime. Faceless blast after faceless blast, so flavorless I’m offended a Faceless band name has already been taken, make attempts to walk in the cleft hoof of Teitanblood, but without the proper sound quality to match the necessary assault. Contra Hominem sounds lazy, meandering, and manages to take a package of high BPM assemblages somehow and make them sound as lethargic as the color scheme “adorning” the art.

But Gun! I hear you cry, what of the riffs? To be sure, this glass of water does contain a few ice cubes to chew on. Unfortunately, two of the biggest and most distinct cubes come in the shape of two interludes, one of which is nothing but the sound of running water. I’m more into album intros and interludes than some of my colleagues, but a sub-half-hour album has no need for interludes, let alone mere sound effects. The album opens with a twangy piano intro in an attempt to be spooky, but the melody is so protracted as to grate more than intimidate. “Lethal” manages to work a memorable moment above the deluge of textureless soundscapes, as does “Nero Gorgo”. The latter is the best song, with creative organ layering and a monster drop of a groove, which causes the ears to perk up in joy at the oasis in the barren desert across the rest of the album.

Performances by the members of Affliction Vector are serviceable in their delivery of mediocrity. Stefano S. handles drums, and the production does allow his kick to come through with meaty oomph, rendering blasts pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, he slows down enough to flirt with industrial tempos, particularly in “Ephemeral Lifeless.” Ans handles all other duties and shows competence in the delivery of solos. There’s a nifty time change in “Animalis Irae”, and he really lets his voice hit fever pitch at “To Lucifer.” But ultimately, these are fleeting moments in a lifeless experience, a few merciful snapshots of technical capability raising their head from the miasma of gray within.

Sorry to say, Contra Hominem is boring. The promo sheet described the album as trying to summon noise, which could bridge the gap between Heaven and Hell, but unfortunately, that’s a pretty big bridge to build. The first step is successfully crossing the gap in the points between my attention span, and in that goal, it has proven to be a cataclysmic failure. It’s boring in how it’s produced. It’s boring in how it’s performed. It’s boring in how it’s composed. Any one of the three are surmountable if the other two are used as strength (just see how the admittedly good production on the last Rivers album has people convinced the music itself is good) but this trifecta of drab and dreary only solidifies this album as memorable in how much I’ve not enjoyed my time with it, despite allowing numerable replays in a chance to win me over.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Websites: afflictionvector.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AnsAV666
Releases Worldwide: June 6th, 2025

#15 #2025 #AfflictionVector #BlackMetal #ContraHominem #IronBoneheadProductions #ItalianMetal #Jun25 #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil #Teitanblood #TheFaceless

Affliction Vector – Contra Hominem Review

By Alekhines Gun

Sometimes you encounter a piece of work that stands as a testament to everything you love in music. Lovers of heavy tones and brutal riffs in all their permutations are constantly chasing that dragon, seeking the brutality to return us to our more joyful youth, or the blackened assaults that turn melted frowns into jubilant smiles. Some bands accomplish this through interesting cross-pollinations of sound, while others adhere to the straight and narrow definitions set by the genre’s torchbearers, who earn their merit through the strength of their songcraft and adherence to proper production. Either way, the quest is the same: create something to make audience and reviewer alike point in awe, stand smitten with horns raised high and tequila on our breath (or apple juice if you’re wholesome like Killjoy) and love in our hearts as we declare “This is good! This is real! This is excellent!” Fortunately for my limited well of superlatives, Contra Hominem is not such an album, and it’s not even close.

Affliction Vector have presented an album whose production is devoid of any real defining features. Somehow, at once lo-fi in mix yet hi-fi in tone, Contra Hominem offers a listen which avoids the abrasive, sharp tones of the brutal assault it pretends to offer, yet blends any melodies or riffs down into the mix until the entire album passes by in a listless haze. The aural equivalent of a glass of water, its sounds are featureless, smoothed over, and bland, with no sound grabbing the listener’s ear or providing any engagement despite its short 28-minute runtime. Faceless blast after faceless blast, so flavorless I’m offended a Faceless band name has already been taken, make attempts to walk in the cleft hoof of Teitanblood, but without the proper sound quality to match the necessary assault. Contra Hominem sounds lazy, meandering, and manages to take a package of high BPM assemblages somehow and make them sound as lethargic as the color scheme “adorning” the art.

But Gun! I hear you cry, what of the riffs? To be sure, this glass of water does contain a few ice cubes to chew on. Unfortunately, two of the biggest and most distinct cubes come in the shape of two interludes, one of which is nothing but the sound of running water. I’m more into album intros and interludes than some of my colleagues, but a sub-half-hour album has no need for interludes, let alone mere sound effects. The album opens with a twangy piano intro in an attempt to be spooky, but the melody is so protracted as to grate more than intimidate. “Lethal” manages to work a memorable moment above the deluge of textureless soundscapes, as does “Nero Gorgo”. The latter is the best song, with creative organ layering and a monster drop of a groove, which causes the ears to perk up in joy at the oasis in the barren desert across the rest of the album.

Performances by the members of Affliction Vector are serviceable in their delivery of mediocrity. Stefano S. handles drums, and the production does allow his kick to come through with meaty oomph, rendering blasts pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, he slows down enough to flirt with industrial tempos, particularly in “Ephemeral Lifeless.” Ans handles all other duties and shows competence in the delivery of solos. There’s a nifty time change in “Animalis Irae”, and he really lets his voice hit fever pitch at “To Lucifer.” But ultimately, these are fleeting moments in a lifeless experience, a few merciful snapshots of technical capability raising their head from the miasma of gray within.

Sorry to say, Contra Hominem is boring. The promo sheet described the album as trying to summon noise, which could bridge the gap between Heaven and Hell, but unfortunately, that’s a pretty big bridge to build. The first step is successfully crossing the gap in the points between my attention span, and in that goal, it has proven to be a cataclysmic failure. It’s boring in how it’s produced. It’s boring in how it’s performed. It’s boring in how it’s composed. Any one of the three are surmountable if the other two are used as strength (just see how the admittedly good production on the last Rivers album has people convinced the music itself is good) but this trifecta of drab and dreary only solidifies this album as memorable in how much I’ve not enjoyed my time with it, despite allowing numerable replays in a chance to win me over.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Websites: afflictionvector.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AnsAV666
Releases Worldwide: June 6th, 2025

#15 #2025 #AfflictionVector #BlackMetal #ContraHominem #IronBoneheadProductions #ItalianMetal #Jun25 #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil #Teitanblood #TheFaceless

Affliction Vector – Contra Hominem Review

By Alekhines Gun

Sometimes you encounter a piece of work that stands as a testament to everything you love in music. Lovers of heavy tones and brutal riffs in all their permutations are constantly chasing that dragon, seeking the brutality to return us to our more joyful youth, or the blackened assaults that turn melted frowns into jubilant smiles. Some bands accomplish this through interesting cross-pollinations of sound, while others adhere to the straight and narrow definitions set by the genre’s torchbearers, who earn their merit through the strength of their songcraft and adherence to proper production. Either way, the quest is the same: create something to make audience and reviewer alike point in awe, stand smitten with horns raised high and tequila on our breath (or apple juice if you’re wholesome like Killjoy) and love in our hearts as we declare “This is good! This is real! This is excellent!” Fortunately for my limited well of superlatives, Contra Hominem is not such an album, and it’s not even close.

Affliction Vector have presented an album whose production is devoid of any real defining features. Somehow, at once lo-fi in mix yet hi-fi in tone, Contra Hominem offers a listen which avoids the abrasive, sharp tones of the brutal assault it pretends to offer, yet blends any melodies or riffs down into the mix until the entire album passes by in a listless haze. The aural equivalent of a glass of water, its sounds are featureless, smoothed over, and bland, with no sound grabbing the listener’s ear or providing any engagement despite its short 28-minute runtime. Faceless blast after faceless blast, so flavorless I’m offended a Faceless band name has already been taken, make attempts to walk in the cleft hoof of Teitanblood, but without the proper sound quality to match the necessary assault. Contra Hominem sounds lazy, meandering, and manages to take a package of high BPM assemblages somehow and make them sound as lethargic as the color scheme “adorning” the art.

But Gun! I hear you cry, what of the riffs? To be sure, this glass of water does contain a few ice cubes to chew on. Unfortunately, two of the biggest and most distinct cubes come in the shape of two interludes, one of which is nothing but the sound of running water. I’m more into album intros and interludes than some of my colleagues, but a sub-half-hour album has no need for interludes, let alone mere sound effects. The album opens with a twangy piano intro in an attempt to be spooky, but the melody is so protracted as to grate more than intimidate. “Lethal” manages to work a memorable moment above the deluge of textureless soundscapes, as does “Nero Gorgo”. The latter is the best song, with creative organ layering and a monster drop of a groove, which causes the ears to perk up in joy at the oasis in the barren desert across the rest of the album.

Performances by the members of Affliction Vector are serviceable in their delivery of mediocrity. Stefano S. handles drums, and the production does allow his kick to come through with meaty oomph, rendering blasts pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, he slows down enough to flirt with industrial tempos, particularly in “Ephemeral Lifeless.” Ans handles all other duties and shows competence in the delivery of solos. There’s a nifty time change in “Animalis Irae”, and he really lets his voice hit fever pitch at “To Lucifer.” But ultimately, these are fleeting moments in a lifeless experience, a few merciful snapshots of technical capability raising their head from the miasma of gray within.

Sorry to say, Contra Hominem is boring. The promo sheet described the album as trying to summon noise, which could bridge the gap between Heaven and Hell, but unfortunately, that’s a pretty big bridge to build. The first step is successfully crossing the gap in the points between my attention span, and in that goal, it has proven to be a cataclysmic failure. It’s boring in how it’s produced. It’s boring in how it’s performed. It’s boring in how it’s composed. Any one of the three are surmountable if the other two are used as strength (just see how the admittedly good production on the last Rivers album has people convinced the music itself is good) but this trifecta of drab and dreary only solidifies this album as memorable in how much I’ve not enjoyed my time with it, despite allowing numerable replays in a chance to win me over.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Websites: afflictionvector.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AnsAV666
Releases Worldwide: June 6th, 2025

#15 #2025 #AfflictionVector #BlackMetal #ContraHominem #IronBoneheadProductions #ItalianMetal #Jun25 #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil #Teitanblood #TheFaceless

New & Noteworthy: Songs of Last Releases – 5/30/2025:

#NewNoteworthy #MayReleases #TheHaunted #HedPE #RiversofNihil #WolvesAtTheGate

Link: https://metalinsider.net/columns/new-noteworthy-columns/new-noteworthy-songs-of-last-releases-5-30-2025

New & Noteworthy: Songs of Last Releases – 5/30/2025:

#NewNoteworthy #MayReleases #TheHaunted #HedPE #RiversofNihil #WolvesAtTheGate

Link: https://metalinsider.net/columns/new-noteworthy-columns/new-noteworthy-songs-of-last-releases-5-30-2025

I've gotten some nutrients (pita with lemon hummus) in my chemical reactor, I'm almost done consuming a mental stimulant (...Pacific Punch Monster Energy), and I'm drowning myself in wonderous waves of sound (I'm obsessed with Rivers of Nihil's self-titled album that was just released). It's time to get some writing in! I might work on some art later. I really want to cook up a good cover for my first Dark Shadow book. I'm not expecting to be ready to publish it for a few years, but I want it to be superb.

#IamWriting #WritersWriting #DeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RiversOfNihil #Author #Writer #HorrorWriter #VampireHunterD

I've gotten some nutrients (pita with lemon hummus) in my chemical reactor, I'm almost done consuming a mental stimulant (...Pacific Punch Monster Energy), and I'm drowning myself in wonderous waves of sound (I'm obsessed with Rivers of Nihil's self-titled album that was just released). It's time to get some writing in! I might work on some art later. I really want to cook up a good cover for my first Dark Shadow book. I'm not expecting to be ready to publish it for a few years, but I want it to be superb.

#IamWriting #WritersWriting #DeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RiversOfNihil #Author #Writer #HorrorWriter #VampireHunterD

I've gotten some nutrients (pita with lemon hummus) in my chemical reactor, I'm almost done consuming a mental stimulant (...Pacific Punch Monster Energy), and I'm drowning myself in wonderous waves of sound (I'm obsessed with Rivers of Nihil's self-titled album that was just released). It's time to get some writing in! I might work on some art later. I really want to cook up a good cover for my first Dark Shadow book. I'm not expecting to be ready to publish it for a few years, but I want it to be superb.

#IamWriting #WritersWriting #DeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RiversOfNihil #Author #Writer #HorrorWriter #VampireHunterD

I've gotten some nutrients (pita with lemon hummus) in my chemical reactor, I'm almost done consuming a mental stimulant (...Pacific Punch Monster Energy), and I'm drowning myself in wonderous waves of sound (I'm obsessed with Rivers of Nihil's self-titled album that was just released). It's time to get some writing in! I might work on some art later. I really want to cook up a good cover for my first Dark Shadow book. I'm not expecting to be ready to publish it for a few years, but I want it to be superb.

#IamWriting #WritersWriting #DeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RiversOfNihil #Author #Writer #HorrorWriter #VampireHunterD

I've gotten some nutrients (pita with lemon hummus) in my chemical reactor, I'm almost done consuming a mental stimulant (...Pacific Punch Monster Energy), and I'm drowning myself in wonderous waves of sound (I'm obsessed with Rivers of Nihil's self-titled album that was just released). It's time to get some writing in! I might work on some art later. I really want to cook up a good cover for my first Dark Shadow book. I'm not expecting to be ready to publish it for a few years, but I want it to be superb.

#IamWriting #WritersWriting #DeathMetal #ProgressiveDeathMetal #RiversOfNihil #Author #Writer #HorrorWriter #VampireHunterD

https://www.europesays.com/uk/144693/ Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil Review #2.0 #2025 #AmericanMetal #BlackCrownInitiate #CyborgOctopus #DeathMetal #Entertainment #May25 #MetalBladeRecords #Mushroomhead #music #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil #UK #UnitedKingdom

Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil Review

By ClarkKent

With the decision to make their fifth album self-titled, Rivers of Nihil signal a rebirth of their sound—both a return to their roots and a new direction. This makes sense when considering that long-time lead singer Jake Dieffenbach departed in 2022. Taking his stead is bassist Adam Biggs, who was already a backup singer, and newcomer Andy Thomas (Black Crown Initiate), who lends his guitars as well as a significant vocal presence. It’s no secret that Rivers of Nihil’s prior albums haven’t met the warmest reception at AMG headquarters, but Kronos saw a clear improvement in their last two albums. Does Rivers of Nihil continue this line of progress, or does the new lineup take the band in the wrong direction?

In their latest iteration, Rivers of Nihil takes steps forward and some steps back. They largely strip away the progressive song structures that were successful on Where the Owls Know My Name and The Work. Tracks are more repetitive, coupled with industrial beats and simple chugging riffs. Not that many lauded Rivers of Nihil for their killer riffage—the inability to strum actual tunes was a constant complaint throughout Kronos’s reviews. The addition of Andy Thomas’s cleans and the return of the saxophone (handled by Patrick Corona of Cyborg Octopus) help offset this problem to an extent. Songs like “The Sub-Orbital Blues” work despite the simple guitar work due to its high energy on the drums, the seamless blending of Thomas’s and Biggs’s singing, and some sexy sax riffs. Rivers of Nihil is at its best when it embraces its proggy side. Songs like “Water & Time” and “House of Light” balance the gentle, the rough, and even the uplifting as Thomas belts out some stunning choruses.

Bringing Andy Thomas aboard was a brilliant move. His presence lifts good songs and even elevates some mediocre ones, like “Despair Church,” where his soaring croons deliver a gut punch. This isn’t to say anything against Adam Biggs, whose growls are punchy and effective. Rivers of Nihil are most effective when songs highlight the contrast between Biggs and Thomas. Also brilliant was giving Corona’s sax more play time. With the poor production values, the sax stands out in the mix better than the guitars and it adds layers and depth to the music. “House of Light” mixes the vocal and sax elements perfectly, with Biggs and Thomas taking turns demonstrating their strengths, and the sax adding melody over the guitars. Unfortunately, the inconsistent songwriting often lets Rivers of Nihil down.

While the front half is more mixed, the back half of Rivers of Nihil (except “House of Light”) takes a nosedive. Here, the band’s worst instincts rear their ugly head. With the slow tempo, uninspired guitar play, and anemic choruses, these songs could effectively replace your soporific of choice. The worst offender of this bunch is “American Death.” Its combination of blast beats and chug-a-chug riffs is the audio equivalent of a strobe light. Demonstrating a lack of imagination is the awkward chorus, whose lyric, “I can’t believe anything you say,” is word-for-word the same as the chorus on Mushroomhead’s “Eternal,” and the delivery is also uncannily similar. Even the album’s strongest elements fail to overcome the tedium of these final tracks. For example, the sax solo in “The Logical End” is an attempt to jazz up a dull song, but this has the same effect as trying to cover up a smelly poo with air freshener—it still stinks.

As a fan of Rivers of Nihil’s previous work, I had higher hopes when I plucked this from the promo bin. Rivers of Nihil likely won’t deter the band’s loyalest fans, nor will it sway its detractors. Those hoping for them to continue in the interesting direction of The Work will be largely disappointed, however. With one album under their belt, this new version of Rivers of Nihil is now at a crossroads. They can build upon the progressive foundations of “Water & Time,” or develop the energetic fun of “The Sub-Orbital Blues,” or continue the unimaginative performances of “The Logical End.” One can hope they can strike a balance between the first two options and leave the last one behind.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: riversofnihil.bandcamp.com | riversofnihil.com
Releases Worldwide: May 30th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AmericanMetal #BlackCrownInitiate #CyborgOctopus #DeathMetal #May25 #MetalBladeRecords #Mushroomhead #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil

Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil Review

By ClarkKent

With the decision to make their fifth album self-titled, Rivers of Nihil signal a rebirth of their sound—both a return to their roots and a new direction. This makes sense when considering that long-time lead singer Jake Dieffenbach departed in 2022. Taking his stead is bassist Adam Biggs, who was already a backup singer, and newcomer Andy Thomas (Black Crown Initiate), who lends his guitars as well as a significant vocal presence. It’s no secret that Rivers of Nihil’s prior albums haven’t met the warmest reception at AMG headquarters, but Kronos saw a clear improvement in their last two albums. Does Rivers of Nihil continue this line of progress, or does the new lineup take the band in the wrong direction?

In their latest iteration, Rivers of Nihil takes steps forward and some steps back. They largely strip away the progressive song structures that were successful on Where the Owls Know My Name and The Work. Tracks are more repetitive, coupled with industrial beats and simple chugging riffs. Not that many lauded Rivers of Nihil for their killer riffage—the inability to strum actual tunes was a constant complaint throughout Kronos’s reviews. The addition of Andy Thomas’s cleans and the return of the saxophone (handled by Patrick Corona of Cyborg Octopus) help offset this problem to an extent. Songs like “The Sub-Orbital Blues” work despite the simple guitar work due to its high energy on the drums, the seamless blending of Thomas’s and Biggs’s singing, and some sexy sax riffs. Rivers of Nihil is at its best when it embraces its proggy side. Songs like “Water & Time” and “House of Light” balance the gentle, the rough, and even the uplifting as Thomas belts out some stunning choruses.

Bringing Andy Thomas aboard was a brilliant move. His presence lifts good songs and even elevates some mediocre ones, like “Despair Church,” where his soaring croons deliver a gut punch. This isn’t to say anything against Adam Biggs, whose growls are punchy and effective. Rivers of Nihil are most effective when songs highlight the contrast between Biggs and Thomas. Also brilliant was giving Corona’s sax more play time. With the poor production values, the sax stands out in the mix better than the guitars and it adds layers and depth to the music. “House of Light” mixes the vocal and sax elements perfectly, with Biggs and Thomas taking turns demonstrating their strengths, and the sax adding melody over the guitars. Unfortunately, the inconsistent songwriting often lets Rivers of Nihil down.

While the front half is more mixed, the back half of Rivers of Nihil (except “House of Light”) takes a nosedive. Here, the band’s worst instincts rear their ugly head. With the slow tempo, uninspired guitar play, and anemic choruses, these songs could effectively replace your soporific of choice. The worst offender of this bunch is “American Death.” Its combination of blast beats and chug-a-chug riffs is the audio equivalent of a strobe light. Demonstrating a lack of imagination is the awkward chorus, whose lyric, “I can’t believe anything you say,” is word-for-word the same as the chorus on Mushroomhead’s “Eternal,” and the delivery is also uncannily similar. Even the album’s strongest elements fail to overcome the tedium of these final tracks. For example, the sax solo in “The Logical End” is an attempt to jazz up a dull song, but this has the same effect as trying to cover up a smelly poo with air freshener—it still stinks.

As a fan of Rivers of Nihil’s previous work, I had higher hopes when I plucked this from the promo bin. Rivers of Nihil likely won’t deter the band’s loyalest fans, nor will it sway its detractors. Those hoping for them to continue in the interesting direction of The Work will be largely disappointed, however. With one album under their belt, this new version of Rivers of Nihil is now at a crossroads. They can build upon the progressive foundations of “Water & Time,” or develop the energetic fun of “The Sub-Orbital Blues,” or continue the unimaginative performances of “The Logical End.” One can hope they can strike a balance between the first two options and leave the last one behind.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: riversofnihil.bandcamp.com | riversofnihil.com
Releases Worldwide: May 30th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AmericanMetal #BlackCrownInitiate #CyborgOctopus #DeathMetal #May25 #MetalBladeRecords #Mushroomhead #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil

Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil Review

By ClarkKent

With the decision to make their fifth album self-titled, Rivers of Nihil signal a rebirth of their sound—both a return to their roots and a new direction. This makes sense when considering that long-time lead singer Jake Dieffenbach departed in 2022. Taking his stead is bassist Adam Biggs, who was already a backup singer, and newcomer Andy Thomas (Black Crown Initiate), who lends his guitars as well as a significant vocal presence. It’s no secret that Rivers of Nihil’s prior albums haven’t met the warmest reception at AMG headquarters, but Kronos saw a clear improvement in their last two albums. Does Rivers of Nihil continue this line of progress, or does the new lineup take the band in the wrong direction?

In their latest iteration, Rivers of Nihil takes steps forward and some steps back. They largely strip away the progressive song structures that were successful on Where the Owls Know My Name and The Work. Tracks are more repetitive, coupled with industrial beats and simple chugging riffs. Not that many lauded Rivers of Nihil for their killer riffage—the inability to strum actual tunes was a constant complaint throughout Kronos’s reviews. The addition of Andy Thomas’s cleans and the return of the saxophone (handled by Patrick Corona of Cyborg Octopus) help offset this problem to an extent. Songs like “The Sub-Orbital Blues” work despite the simple guitar work due to its high energy on the drums, the seamless blending of Thomas’s and Biggs’s singing, and some sexy sax riffs. Rivers of Nihil is at its best when it embraces its proggy side. Songs like “Water & Time” and “House of Light” balance the gentle, the rough, and even the uplifting as Thomas belts out some stunning choruses.

Bringing Andy Thomas aboard was a brilliant move. His presence lifts good songs and even elevates some mediocre ones, like “Despair Church,” where his soaring croons deliver a gut punch. This isn’t to say anything against Adam Biggs, whose growls are punchy and effective. Rivers of Nihil are most effective when songs highlight the contrast between Biggs and Thomas. Also brilliant was giving Corona’s sax more play time. With the poor production values, the sax stands out in the mix better than the guitars and it adds layers and depth to the music. “House of Light” mixes the vocal and sax elements perfectly, with Biggs and Thomas taking turns demonstrating their strengths, and the sax adding melody over the guitars. Unfortunately, the inconsistent songwriting often lets Rivers of Nihil down.

While the front half is more mixed, the back half of Rivers of Nihil (except “House of Light”) takes a nosedive. Here, the band’s worst instincts rear their ugly head. With the slow tempo, uninspired guitar play, and anemic choruses, these songs could effectively replace your soporific of choice. The worst offender of this bunch is “American Death.” Its combination of blast beats and chug-a-chug riffs is the audio equivalent of a strobe light. Demonstrating a lack of imagination is the awkward chorus, whose lyric, “I can’t believe anything you say,” is word-for-word the same as the chorus on Mushroomhead’s “Eternal,” and the delivery is also uncannily similar. Even the album’s strongest elements fail to overcome the tedium of these final tracks. For example, the sax solo in “The Logical End” is an attempt to jazz up a dull song, but this has the same effect as trying to cover up a smelly poo with air freshener—it still stinks.

As a fan of Rivers of Nihil’s previous work, I had higher hopes when I plucked this from the promo bin. Rivers of Nihil likely won’t deter the band’s loyalest fans, nor will it sway its detractors. Those hoping for them to continue in the interesting direction of The Work will be largely disappointed, however. With one album under their belt, this new version of Rivers of Nihil is now at a crossroads. They can build upon the progressive foundations of “Water & Time,” or develop the energetic fun of “The Sub-Orbital Blues,” or continue the unimaginative performances of “The Logical End.” One can hope they can strike a balance between the first two options and leave the last one behind.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: riversofnihil.bandcamp.com | riversofnihil.com
Releases Worldwide: May 30th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AmericanMetal #BlackCrownInitiate #CyborgOctopus #DeathMetal #May25 #MetalBladeRecords #Mushroomhead #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil

Rivers of Nihil – Rivers of Nihil Review

By ClarkKent

With the decision to make their fifth album self-titled, Rivers of Nihil signal a rebirth of their sound—both a return to their roots and a new direction. This makes sense when considering that long-time lead singer Jake Dieffenbach departed in 2022. Taking his stead is bassist Adam Biggs, who was already a backup singer, and newcomer Andy Thomas (Black Crown Initiate), who lends his guitars as well as a significant vocal presence. It’s no secret that Rivers of Nihil’s prior albums haven’t met the warmest reception at AMG headquarters, but Kronos saw a clear improvement in their last two albums. Does Rivers of Nihil continue this line of progress, or does the new lineup take the band in the wrong direction?

In their latest iteration, Rivers of Nihil takes steps forward and some steps back. They largely strip away the progressive song structures that were successful on Where the Owls Know My Name and The Work. Tracks are more repetitive, coupled with industrial beats and simple chugging riffs. Not that many lauded Rivers of Nihil for their killer riffage—the inability to strum actual tunes was a constant complaint throughout Kronos’s reviews. The addition of Andy Thomas’s cleans and the return of the saxophone (handled by Patrick Corona of Cyborg Octopus) help offset this problem to an extent. Songs like “The Sub-Orbital Blues” work despite the simple guitar work due to its high energy on the drums, the seamless blending of Thomas’s and Biggs’s singing, and some sexy sax riffs. Rivers of Nihil is at its best when it embraces its proggy side. Songs like “Water & Time” and “House of Light” balance the gentle, the rough, and even the uplifting as Thomas belts out some stunning choruses.

Bringing Andy Thomas aboard was a brilliant move. His presence lifts good songs and even elevates some mediocre ones, like “Despair Church,” where his soaring croons deliver a gut punch. This isn’t to say anything against Adam Biggs, whose growls are punchy and effective. Rivers of Nihil are most effective when songs highlight the contrast between Biggs and Thomas. Also brilliant was giving Corona’s sax more play time. With the poor production values, the sax stands out in the mix better than the guitars and it adds layers and depth to the music. “House of Light” mixes the vocal and sax elements perfectly, with Biggs and Thomas taking turns demonstrating their strengths, and the sax adding melody over the guitars. Unfortunately, the inconsistent songwriting often lets Rivers of Nihil down.

While the front half is more mixed, the back half of Rivers of Nihil (except “House of Light”) takes a nosedive. Here, the band’s worst instincts rear their ugly head. With the slow tempo, uninspired guitar play, and anemic choruses, these songs could effectively replace your soporific of choice. The worst offender of this bunch is “American Death.” Its combination of blast beats and chug-a-chug riffs is the audio equivalent of a strobe light. Demonstrating a lack of imagination is the awkward chorus, whose lyric, “I can’t believe anything you say,” is word-for-word the same as the chorus on Mushroomhead’s “Eternal,” and the delivery is also uncannily similar. Even the album’s strongest elements fail to overcome the tedium of these final tracks. For example, the sax solo in “The Logical End” is an attempt to jazz up a dull song, but this has the same effect as trying to cover up a smelly poo with air freshener—it still stinks.

As a fan of Rivers of Nihil’s previous work, I had higher hopes when I plucked this from the promo bin. Rivers of Nihil likely won’t deter the band’s loyalest fans, nor will it sway its detractors. Those hoping for them to continue in the interesting direction of The Work will be largely disappointed, however. With one album under their belt, this new version of Rivers of Nihil is now at a crossroads. They can build upon the progressive foundations of “Water & Time,” or develop the energetic fun of “The Sub-Orbital Blues,” or continue the unimaginative performances of “The Logical End.” One can hope they can strike a balance between the first two options and leave the last one behind.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: riversofnihil.bandcamp.com | riversofnihil.com
Releases Worldwide: May 30th, 2025

#20 #2025 #AmericanMetal #BlackCrownInitiate #CyborgOctopus #DeathMetal #May25 #MetalBladeRecords #Mushroomhead #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #RiversOfNihil

Introduce yourself with your top 5 #Music (Band) picks! #Metal edition.

- #RiversofNihil
- #Obscura
- #NeObliviscaris
- #Gojira
- #Synestia
.
.
.
#concertphotography #musicphotography #metalband #metalmusic #concert #photography #sonyalpha #band

🤘✌️

Introduce yourself with your top 5 #Music (Band) picks! #Metal edition.

- #RiversofNihil
- #Obscura
- #NeObliviscaris
- #Gojira
- #Synestia
.
.
.
#concertphotography #musicphotography #metalband #metalmusic #concert #photography #sonyalpha #band

🤘✌️

Introduce yourself with your top 5 #Music (Band) picks! #Metal edition.

- #RiversofNihil
- #Obscura
- #NeObliviscaris
- #Gojira
- #Synestia
.
.
.
#concertphotography #musicphotography #metalband #metalmusic #concert #photography #sonyalpha #band

🤘✌️

Introduce yourself with your top 5 #Music (Band) picks! #Metal edition.

- #RiversofNihil
- #Obscura
- #NeObliviscaris
- #Gojira
- #Synestia
.
.
.
#concertphotography #musicphotography #metalband #metalmusic #concert #photography #sonyalpha #band

🤘✌️

Introduce yourself with your top 5 #Music (Band) picks! #Metal edition.

- #RiversofNihil
- #Obscura
- #NeObliviscaris
- #Gojira
- #Synestia
.
.
.
#concertphotography #musicphotography #metalband #metalmusic #concert #photography #sonyalpha #band

🤘✌️

Already hyped to photograph this one next year!

📍#Patronaat
🔥 #RiversofNihil
#Cynic #BeyondCreation
#Dååth
.
.
.
#concert #tour #concerts #metalconcert #concertphotographer #concertphotography #metalband #deathmetal #technicalmetal #photographer #loudnoise

🤘✌️

Already hyped to photograph this one next year!

📍#Patronaat
🔥 #RiversofNihil
#Cynic #BeyondCreation
#Dååth
.
.
.
#concert #tour #concerts #metalconcert #concertphotographer #concertphotography #metalband #deathmetal #technicalmetal #photographer #loudnoise

🤘✌️

Already hyped to photograph this one next year!

📍#Patronaat
🔥 #RiversofNihil
#Cynic #BeyondCreation
#Dååth
.
.
.
#concert #tour #concerts #metalconcert #concertphotographer #concertphotography #metalband #deathmetal #technicalmetal #photographer #loudnoise

🤘✌️