The first gig for us of 2026 and it was a huge one! 15k+ people packing out the biggest arena in the UK for three amazing pop punk bands! And, while it wasn’t quite the lineup intended (shoutout to both Four Years Strong and The Paradox for sadly having to drop out), it was still an absolutely stellar lineup that we have been excited for for months. And it was somehow our first time at the new arena, so we get to check out that too. Surprisingly, it was nice and easy and stress-free to get in, an even bigger bonus! Read on to find out what we thought of the night!
First up was a slightly last-minute addition to the bill, the fast-rising star Taylor Acorn. Honestly, she was a great choice to open the show! Her energy was infectious and she sounded great, definitely winning over plenty of new fans in the crowd, including us! And her voice live was incredible; packed with power, emotion and some soaring notes. Whether it was slower stuff or faster punk numbers, it all sounded great. It gave off slight country vibes even at times, like punk-country, which I loved. The two guy in her band worked their asses off too, although the absence of a bassist and second guitar was felt a touch, as both were on track. Still, as a slightly rushed last-minute addition, they smashed it out of the park, and she definitely has a new fan in me!
Mayday Parade were the band my wife was there to see. I never quite got into them on track, no matter how hard I tried. Well, I can now officially say: I get it! Hearing the songs in a live setting finally got me into them, and I have been listening a fair bit the last couple of days since. It helps that they heavied stuff up in that setting, even their older stuff, but it meant that the set had a great energy throughout! From opening on a new one, ‘Under my Sweater’ to a crash course in their biggest album with the likes of ‘Jersey’ and ‘Black Cat’ and, of course, closing on ‘Jamie All Over’, it was all so damn good! The band played their asses off too, putting on one hell of a performance to a crowd that were going nuts from start to finish. Derek is one hell of a frontman too, bouncing around the stage like it was still 2007 and keeping the crowd on their toes throughout. They have very much won a new fan in me, and I would definitely see them live again!
After another break (and I assume a slight delay with us getting three intro songs in the dark before they came on) the headliners triumphantly took the stage. A fun opening vignette concludes with Alex appearing at the front of the walkway, acoustic in hand to play ‘[cold open]’. Having a packed out crowd singing it immediately back to him clearly took him back, getting slightly overwhelmed but clearly happy. After the brief intro track, the whole band explode into newer single ‘SUCKERPUNCH’. It was easily one of my favourite songs of last year, and it sounded so good live!
From there, we got two full hours of incredible live rock music, from five absolute masters. Following the opener with two massive classics in ‘Weightless’ and ‘Poppin’ Champagne’, we are taken through a tour of the bands incredible two plus decade discography. Older stuff like ‘Backstreat Serenade’ and ‘Time Bomb’ to newer stuff like ‘Monsters’ and ‘Sleepwalking’ to collab songs in ‘PMA’ and ‘Hate This Song’. Heck, the latter in particular was amazing, the crowd loved it, I’m a big I Prevail fan and Alex surprisingly pulled off Eric’s screams damn well! Then you have the latest album, which we loved here at Overtone, which sounded just as good as anything else they played! ‘Little Bit’ and ‘Sugar’ were big live highlights. And the encore run of ‘The Weather’ into ‘Lost In Stereo’ into ‘Dear Maria’ was one of the best I’ve ever seen.
As for the show itself, it was excellent. The video effects on the side-screens were fun, and the big screen at the back flicked between live footage and some great graphics and video bits. Meanwhile, all the different block-colour platforms added some great depth to the stage and fit the theme well. Heck, the band even colour coordinated, each of the four wearing a different one. And of course, we got plenty of great pyro throughout, too. And the band, of course, played their asses off. They are known to be a good live band anyway, but they really brought it here. They all bounced around that stage from start to finish, and clearly all were having a blast. Alex had the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout, people barely even talking through the slow songs or during him interacting between songs, which says a lot. They all seemed so appreciative to be up on stage doing what they do, and it made the crowd enjoy it even more. An absolutely amazing set that I won’t be forgetting any time soon!
Overall, it was a really amazing night of live music! All three acts brought it, and All Time Low are honestly one of the best live bands I’ve seen in years. I cannot recommend seeing any of them enough, and I truly think ATL have finally found that final gear out here to push them into the upper echelon of bands. I am already desperate to see them again, and would certainly see Mayday and Taylor again too. If they are anywhere near you any time soon, go along and see them, you certainly won’t be disappointed. Heck, I’d even recommend Co-op Live, it’s a good venue for an arena. A truly fantastic night!
2025 was a stacked year for new music, not just with new albumsbut EPs too! Let’s take a look back at some of our favourite releases in the medium, from rock to country to metal! We reviewed easily 100 last year, so if we missed any off you think deserved it, let us know!
15 – Redferrin: Some City, Somewhere
Starting the list off strong with our friendRed and his second EP! This is every bit as good as his debut, being 21 minutes of chilled-out country-pop. It’s packed full of awesome songs; his incredible vocals and powerful lyrics over some basic-yet-fitting instrumentation. And, it’s grown on me more and more with each listen, something I surprisingly don’t find much for me with EPs. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I loved it and have listened to it a lot since February when it dropped. It got an 8.5/10 when it dropped, but I’d say it’s crept a little higher than that by now. A fitting start to the list!
Listen to: Ruin My Night, and Mornin’ Montana
14 – Sypha: Borderland
At just three songs and 10 minutes, this is the shortest release on this list, but that doesn’t take away from how great it is! An awesome slice of modern metal in the vein of Spiritbox or Bad Omens, though very much doing things their own way too, I’d honestly put it up there alongside any release from either band. The screams in particular are fantastic, especially when they are around the awesome breakdowns. However, the cleans also lead to some incredibly catchy choruses and verses, and it all fits over the top of the massive instrumentation perfectly. I’ve been jamming this since way back nearly a year ago, and haven’t gotten sick of it since! It got a solid 9/10 from us back then, and slips comfortably onto our list!
Listen to:Dirty Floor, and The Afterparty
13 – Revenant: Best Medicine
A band that put out two new EPs in 2025 and honestly, either could have made this list. However, I do think Medicine does ever so slightly edge out over Black Dogs, personally. However, both are excellent NWOCR releases, and could easily be combined together into an excellent album! Still, this is an amazing collection of five stompin’ rock tracks, and it’s impossible not to have a good time listening to it! Even the slower tracks are excellent, showing off the bands damn impressive range. I cannot wait to finally see them live in February and see these tracks, as I’ve been jamming them regularly for months now! Another solid 9/10 from us sees this easily make our list!
Listen to: Public Service Announcement, and Least I can Do
12 – Miss Vain: Sempiternal Drive
The follow-up to their incredible 2023 release, this had a lot of personal hype to live up to, and managed to do exactly that! This is melodic hard rock at its absolute finest. Five songs packed with huge, heavy riffs and choruses designed to be played to massive festival crowds. We even get some awesome screams too, adding a metalcore element to it which I love. Their sound is evolving more and more, and they deserve to be a growing name. It fills a great Santa Cruz-shaped hole in my soul, and I haven’t been able to get enough of it since April. A very easy 9/10 from us solidly secures this release a spot on our list! Check it out if you like the more melodic side of music!
Listen to: Now or Neverland, and Demon Spawn
11 – Blake Whiten: Six Mile
That voice. Need I say more? The sheer emotion in that rasp and low delivery is somehow both devastating and beautiful in equal measure, and makes all six of these tracks a must-listen. It hooks you in immediately, and doesn’t let you free until the very last note. And honestly, the instrumentation compliments Blake’s voice and lyrics perfectly. It’s a slower, steady, neotraditional country album, but delivered with an almost murder-folk darkness to it and times, as well as a modern edge. If all of that gushing hasn’t done enough to win you over, just take a listen, it really is that good. And hell, the 9.5/10 we gave it might convince you, too! It definitely deserves a slot on this list, and if it wasn’t for it being such a strong year in 2025, it may have gotten even higher!
Listen to: Reckless, and Rollin’ Stone
10 – Craig Morgan: American Soundtrack
A real throwback to the early-mid 2000s country sound in the very best of ways. From ballads to more rockier numbers, this release takes you on one hell of a journey across 20 short minutes, and is one I’ve listened to a fair bit the last nine months or so! It’s all catchy as anything and, while a little cliche lyrically, is still damn enjoyable. And, while I wait for another full-length to follow up 2020’s God, Family, Country, these EPs that he’s been putting out are more than enough to keep me going! It got top marks from us back in February, and honestly listening back, it’s hard to argue with it! The cheesiness may have dropped it down a couple of places on this list but honestly, it’s still one of the best EPs of the year, hence why it makes this list!
Listen to: American Soundtrack, and Roots
9 – Circle of Origin: Guilty Till Proven Innocent
An awesome melodic metal EP up next, and a massively high-calibre one for a debut! It’s a style that’s right up my street, and the band do it phenomenally. It’s massive, the perfect blend of heavy and melodic, and takes plenty of inspiration from the massively overlooked groove-metal genre, incorporating plenty of bounce into their hard-rock sound. I have listened through this 20-minute release multiple times since it dropped in early last year, and don’t see myself stopping any time soon! Hopefully we are getting more from them soon, and I also need to see them live ASAP too, as I have to hear these tracks live! An insanely solid 9.5/10 from us easily lands them this spot on our list.
Listen to: Time Waits for No One, and Broken
8 – Everette: Simple as That
It’s no secret that I am a massive fan of this project. So, the fact that we are four releases in and it has turned more into a solo project and we are still getting quality this high is a true testament to Brent’s talents. All four of these track are amazing, feeling a bit more like their earlier stuff than Keys to Kentuckywas, which was pretty awesome. It’s another artist that should be far bigger than they are currently; just listen to this and tell me otherwise. I feel like it took a slight hit when Anthony left, but Brent seems to be gathering some steam again and, if he keeps putting out banger after banger like he has been, it surely will be bigger sooner rather than later! It got a 9.5/10 from us when it dropped but honestly, it feels like I only didn’t give it more because it just wasn’t long enough! If you like country even a little, give this a spin ASAP!
Listen to: Glad to Be Here, and Freight Train
7 – Jawfane: Me and All my Demons
A non-country Nashville band is always nice to see, and even more-so when it’s a fantastic, emo-adjacent heavy post-hardcore one! The debut EP from the quartet is a fantastic 17-minutes of anger, ch0nky riffs and brutal screams. It’s definitely on the darker side of releases on this list, but it also stands out a lot to me as shockingly not that many people seem to be doing stuff like this currently. And the fact that it’s done to this high a quality is truly awesome! All five tracks here are awesome, and it all fits together perfectly to make something truly special. If you like the genre, check this out immediately, you’ll surely love it! There’s a very good reason it got a 9.5/10 from us and makes it onto this list!
Listen to: Damaged Goods, and Friends and Enemies
6 – Tealdear: menace
This chaotic, proggy near-20-minutes is an absolute thrill ride of heavy music. It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but six months on from its release I still love it! It’s heavy, catchy and incredibly creative in its songwriting, it all flowing surprisingly well together. The band are all such insane musicians and songwriters, and again shoutout to their producer Audiomage, who’s done a fantastic job here too! They haven’t gotten nearly enough love and recognition from this release, but I adore it and would recommend anyone into the quirkier side of music. It got an incredibly easy 9.5/10 from us back in June, and if you listen it’s very easy to hear why. I cannot wait to hear more from them already, but for now I am happy to keep spinning this!
Listen to: the devil’s toybox, and don’t be a cult
5 – Gareth: Steal Your Thunder
2025 very much felt like Gareth’s year. Not only putting out not one but two awesome EPs, touring with Kip Moore, main stage at Long Road, it’s hard to argue what a huge, breakthrough year he had. And this felt like this release really set everything into motion here. Fifteen minutes spread across five incredible radio-country songs, all as good as each other. His vocals are beautiful and powerful, and his songwriting ability is really off the charts! And, while I did enjoy Bluebird a lot too, this one stood out a little more for me, and was a bit more solid throughout. This release has set him up for absolutely MASSIVE things, and it’s easy to hear why we gave it a 9/10, though honestly I think it deserves even more than that now. If you are a country fan, this release is an absolute must!
Listen to: Steal Your Thunder, and Last Thing I Do
4 – Bleed the Fifth: Mortal Heart
The first new release from the band in three years and it certainly didn’t disappoint! This is an incredible slab of modern metalcore from the Welsh quartet that almost teeters on melodeath at times, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! All five tracks are amazing, and this whole release has been a regular in my listening still all these months If you are at all a fan of the heavier side of metal, this is very much one for you! It very easily got top marks back in March, and it’s hard to disagree with that some ten months later. There was no way this wasn’t making the list, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here!
Listen to: First Flame, and We Belong
3 – Rattlesnakes: Deeper Shades of Tourment
The debut EP from the young, Derbyshire NWOBHM revival band is incredible, and has been in regular rotation for me since its April release. It goes hard throughout, from the incredible riffing to the solid drumming to Rowena’s powerful vocals. And for a debut release to produce this level of quality songs throughout is damn impressive! It’s a sound that, while never quite going away, is seeing an awesome resurgence in the UK underground scene as of late, and Rattlesnakes very much positioned themselves near the forefront of that with this release. If you are a fan of old-school metal, give this a spin, you’ll surely love it as much as I do. A very solid 9.5/10 back when it dropped, and it more than lives up to that now. A deserving addition to this list!
Listen to: Firestarter, and Burn for You
2 – Evan Bartels: To Make you Cry
As if I wasn’t already obsessed with this release when it dropped, seeing it live made me fall in love with it even more. It’s such a simple release, being pretty stripped back to Evan’s vocals and guitar with liminal other instrumentation, but it draws all the focus on the lyrics and vocal delivery, packing such a deep, emotional punch. It’s made me cry before, live and when revisiting it here. Heck, ‘The Highway’ still gives me goosebumps to this day. Plus, talking to Evan about how it was made just makes me appreciate it even more! It won’t be for everyone, but music at its most base form is supposed to make you feel something, and this does just that every single time. Every track is amazing, and this is an absolute must check out, regardless of what type of music you’re into! It’s very easy to hear why I gave it a 10/10, and it definitely deserves this slot on the list!
Listen to: Death of a Good Man, and The Highway
1 – Fangslinger: We Are the Night
There was no way this wasn’t topping our list. I’ve been obsessed with this band since they started, and this EP brought together everything I loved about the undead redneck rock’n’rollers! Big riffs, massive harmonies, arena-filling choruses and plenty of southern rock swagger to boot. All five tracks are as good as the last, it being 20-minutes of hard rock greatness. They are already teasing the next step, but until then, I am more than happy to keep spinning this release. It’s a fantastic combination of their early singles, and it’s another release I cannot recommend enough to anyone even slightly interested. It was another very easy 10/10 back in July, and I fully stand by that now. These guys are gonna be massive!
While a little later than previously planned, we wanted to sit down and take a look at our most anticipated albums set to release this year, either announced or rumoured. And, for the first time in Overtone history, not one album/artist that featured on last years list returned for this one! Out of all of them, only one didn’t release, and… well… that all got a bit messy. This year is already looking stacked for new releases, so let’s look at the ones we’re looking forward to the most, shall we?
Zach Bryan: With Heaven on Top – January 9th
The soonest to drop, merely a few days from now, one of countries biggest stars returns after taking some time away. Being a big fan of the guy, I’d be excited for this release. However, with the controversyhearing some of the snippets out there has already caused, it has made me more curious and excited than ever! Zach’s beauty is in his lyrics, and he’s certainly gotten plenty to write about since 2024’s The Great American Bar Scene. If it’s anywhere near the quality of his last couple of albums, he’ll certainly be onto another winner with this. I for one cannot wait, and am at least glad it’s coming so early in the year! Do we think it will be the third to make it onto our top album of the year list?
Megadeth: Self-Titled – January 23rd
The final studio album from the thrash legends is of course a massive deal. I have to admit I’ve not been a huge fan of their recent output, but they were a massive band in my teenage years for me and definitely inspired me in my playing, so to have them calling it quits in a year or two is bittersweet. And, having heard the singles already, the band are definitely firing on all cylinders again! They feel like the perfect blend of old and new Megadeth, and hopefully the whole album can channel the same vibes. Hell, if we get a good 80s thrash album, I’ll be happy, anything else is a bonus! Heck, as long as it’s better than their last album, it’ll be a fitting sendoff to one of the most underrated bands of all time.
The Karma Effect: Cruel Intentions – May 15th
One of the most exciting releases coming to the NWOCR scene this year is none other than London’s hard rockers. A follow up to 2024’s stellarPromised Land (which also made that year’s list), it’s impossible not to be hyped for this! ‘Waiting in a Miracle’ is a good a single as the band have ever produced, and they are already teasing more in the coming months. They are the perfect blend of old and new school, and growing more by the day, so it seems! This could very much be their biggest release yet and push them to new heights, and I am very much along for the ride. This album cannot come out soon enough, and expect it to end up on ouralbums of the yearlist come December!
Trivium: TBA
The first rumoured/unconfirmed album of the list this year, but there was no way one of my favourite bands are in the studio and that wasn’t making it on here. I know they not long put out an EP, but have said they are still in the studio working on new music as we speak. What’s more exciting is they are saying it’s being inspired by the energy from their Ascendancy anniversary tour. If their upcoming album is some sort of blend of that release and their recent output, I may become a little obsessed! They have put out some of the best music of the last decade with their last three albums, and I find it hard to believe they won’t continue on that run of form with their next one. The only issue is that they’ve said it will be ‘late 2026 or early 2027’, so this may end up back on the same list next year! Still, I can’t wait for this, and whenever it drops, it will surely be awesome!
Megan Moroney: Cloud 9 – February 20th
Megan’s other two albums got a 9/10 and an 8.5/10, respectively. Clearly I am a big fan of her work, and she has set the bar high with her albums so far! So, of course I am excited for this third album! And, if the two singles out so far are anything to go by, it will be more of the excellent same. Ones an emotional ballad, while the others a bit more up-tempo and rocky, at least for Megan, showing off both sides of her great writing. There’s a reason why she’s becoming one of the biggest modern names in the genre, and it has almost put quite a bit of pressure on this upcoming album. I fully expect her to live up to the hype around the release though, and cannot wait to hear the full thing!
Rob Zombie: The Great Satan – February 27th
The first release in half a decade for the industrial metal legend, and it’s surely set to be another awesome one. Heck, we’re still spinning his last onepretty regularly now! And, if the singles so far are anything to reflection of the album as a whole, we are going old-school Zombie with this one, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! ‘Punks and Demons’ is a fun, chaotic release that harkens back to his White Zombie days or Sinister Urge era a lot. It makes sense too, as the amazing Mike Riggs is back on guitar duty for the first time since 2003. I love John 5 and have loved what he’s done with Zombie, but if we’re getting a return to the sound of his first two solo albums with this release, I am all for it! Either way, it will good to have the master of horror back to releasing music again, it’s been too long!
Mallavora: What if Better Never Comes? – March 27th
A debut album being on this list is pretty special, but Mallavora are no ordinary band. They have been steadily on the rise now since COVID, growing more and more and getting a true cult following behind them. Now, two massive EPs under their belts, they are set to take their biggest step up since, with a massively anticipated debut album! Their unique brand of alt metal is amazing and a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to hear it in a longer format. And, like with a lot of this list, the singles we’ve heard so far are BANGIN’. The band have an incredible future ahead of them and an already stacked 2026, and this album will surely push them to higher heights still!
Fangslinger: TBA
Another that’s been teased but not officially announced, they at least have an album launch show set for April, so you’ve gotta imagine the album will be out around then. I’m a big fan of the metal/country/hard rock crossover band and have been since the start, so I’ll take any new music I can get. If that’s a full-length album, that’s even better! I’d assume ‘As the Crow Flies’ is the first song from the release, and that track is incredible, so I am already eager to hear more. I know they are dropping another single in the next week or two, so hopefully we get some more news around then. However, until then, we here at Overtone are impatiently waiting to hear what’s next for the band. 2026 is very much going to be their year!
Skindred: You Got This – April 16th
The Welsh Reggae-metal band took their time reaching 2023’s Smile, but are already returning early this year with another album that is no doubt going to be awesome. We’ve only had one single so far, but the title track is AWESOME, and hints to great things for the album as a whole. It’s impossible not to have fun with Skindred, and they only seem to be getting even better with age. Nine albums in at this point and they are hotter than ever, and seem to be putting out better and better music. Their last like four albums now have been stellar, and I have high expectations that You Got This will be more of the same!
Tailgunner: Midnight Blitz – February 6th
One of the fastest rising stars in all of metal, the recent Napalm Records signing as wasting no time putting out their sophomore album! The bands debut back in 2023 was fantastic enough, but I truly believe these guys could surpass that with this release, and prove that they are certainly ones to watch moving forward. The perfect blend of old-school NWOBHM and modern production and energy, they have all the tools to become the next big thing, and I truly believe this album will set them on that path. I’m also interested to hear what they do with a bigger budget, and if the singles are anything to go off, it’s going to be awesome!
Social Distortion: TBA/May?
Another album teased by the band but not officially announced. Frontman Mike Ness has given a rough May release date, alongside a potential single later this month. Man do I hope so, as it’s been 15 long years since their last studio release. Another massive influence in my early years, having them return after so long, as well as Mike’s tonsil cancer, is truly awesome to see. And, across their long, storied career, they really haven’t lost a step, not putting out an even remotely bad album, so I can’t see this breaking that trend now! They’re just so easy to listen to while still having plenty of great lyrics and themes, and are such an inspirational band, they can almost do no wrong. Either way, I’m just damn excited to hear this, and even more excited to finally see them live this year, too!
Ice Nine Kills: TBA
Another one for the maybe pile. INK have been rather secretive in terms of what their plan is, aside for casually hinting at capping off their Siver Scream trilogy with another album. The story through their videos has continued on perfectly, though it remains to be seen if any are standalone or if the last three will all make it onto III. I’m in two minds about it, as ‘The Laugh Track’ is one of the best songs they’ve ever done, but I rather selfishly would love as much new stuff as possible on a new release! No matter which way it goes, I’m sure it’ll be a banger when it finally comes out. They are my favourite current band, and Horrorwood is a masterpiece. While the pressure may be on after that album and their bigger tours the last couple of years, if anyone can rise to the challenge, it’s Ice Nine Kills. I’ve been impatiently waiting for this for a solid few months already!
Tyketto: Closer to the Sun – March 20th
Somehow it has been a full decade since the second wave of glam/AOR legends blew me away with Reach. That’s far too long without new Tyketto! That is all set to change at the end of March, when we get their highly anticipated return! Having seen them multiple times in the last few years, they are still very much on top form, so it’s hard not to be excited for new studio work by them. ‘Higher Than High’ is an awesome track, so you’ve gotta imagine the rest of the album will be more of the same! I’m sure this thing will kick ass, and I can’t wait!
Muse: TBA
How is it that the band are allowed to show up in June, drop one of their heaviest tracks in years, and then disappear again? I still spin ‘Unravelling’ a fair bit now, and it still has me hyped for the band to return with a new studio album. They can do no wrong in my eyes (aside 2nd Law), and even their last album had some bangers! There is no one quite like Muse, and it has been too long since we’ve had a full-length release already! No matter what sort of sound they return with, whether the Djent-ness was just a one-off or not, I’m sure it will still be excellent, and I for one cannot wait to hear whatever the Devonshire trio have come up with!
Symphony X: TBA
Okay, this one might just be be. However, I LOVE the band, and the fact that we’ve not had an album from them in a decade is insane. I’m a big fan of Russell Allen, and have already missed his work in Adrenaline Mob, so at least with this I get some of his incredible vocals again. However, the band as a whole are such incredibly talented musicians that it’s hard to imagine this isn’t going to be insane all round. We haven’t even had a single drop for this one yet, but LePond has stated that they have finished writing it in the late stages of last year, so fingers crossed it’s being recorded as we speak! It’s another that may very well get pushed back to ’27, but a guy can hope, right?!
Here we are guys, the top 20! Who do you thinks gonna be in here? Read below and find out!
20 – Brass Camel: Camel
Honestly, this is a prog masterpiece. I’ve gushed about it plenty already, but the sheer talent on display throughout this entire 40 minutes is incredible. Right from the 10-minute epic of an opener giving some of the best instrumentation I’ve heard in years, to the more radio-friendly ‘Pick of the Litter’ and ‘Borrowed Time’ to the equally grandiose closer, it’s a tour de force throughout. It’s like the perfect blend of ELO, Queen and Wolfmother, and is impossible not to have a good time when listening to. It dropped all the way back in April and I haven’t stopped raving about it since! It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but I’m insanely jealous of the bands talents, and would recommend it to anyone interested! There’s a reason it got 10/10, and it lands a very deserving spot on our list!
Listen to: Zealot, Chain Reaction, and
19 – Drake Milligan: Tumbleweed
It’s no secret how much we fucking LOVEMr Milligan here at Overtone, and once again he knocked it out of the park back last month with his sophomore album. The neo-traditional sound has made a big impact in recent years, and Drake is as good at it as anyone else. It’s 42-minutes full of boot stompin’ numbers or slower, beautiful ballads or old-school stuff, and all of it is done to perfection. And, after sitting with it for a couple of months, it just keeps getting better! While I do think it’s not quite as good as his monumental debut, it’s still an utterly fantastic country album, and one of the best of the year. We gave it 9/10 back when it dropped, but I do think it’s a bit higher than that now! There isn’t a bad track on the album, and while there’s maybe one too many slower songs in the middle, it’s still incredibly easy to listen to. A damn worthy addition to the list!
Listen to: Tumbleweed, Slow Dancing to a Fast Song, and How Much Beer
18 – Neon Union: Good Years
An absolutely phenomenal album that I’ve been obsessed with the last 11 months, and it’s absolutely criminal that they haven’t exploded from its release. There isn’t a bad track across the 12 on this, and most have been stuck in my head at various points of the last year! It’s southern-rock-infused country in all the best ways, and even the slower songs have a bit of an edge and distortion to them. If you are at all into country or southern rock at all, I cannot recommend this enough, it’s an absolutely phenomenal, damn fun album! It’s very easy to hear why it got top marks from us, and it very much deserves this high a slot on the list! I cannot wait to hear where they go from here, but for now am happy to keep sitting with this awesome album!
Listen to: Golden Rules, Bout Damn Time, and Made in Mexico
17 – Creeper: Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death
The sequel to their 2023masterpiece, this had a lot of hype to live up to. And, like with Drake, I don’t think it’s quite as good as that. However, this is still an absolutely incredible gothic, throwback hard rock album, and more than deserves its slot on this list! The release as a whole isn’t quite as strong overall, but ‘Headstones’ is maybe the best song the band have ever put out, with ‘Blood Magick’ not being far behind! If you are a fan of their recent output, this is an absolute must-listen, and has been regularly in my rotation since its Halloween release. It’s packed full of massive, cheesy choruses and key changes, but also plenty of heaviness throughout to offset it. They’re a great old-school sound while still feeling plenty modern; no one is quite doing it like Creeper currently. It’s easy to hear why it got 9/10 from usupon its release, but I do think it’s crept (punk very much intended) higher than that after a couple more listens! I think hearing it live also helped me appreciate it a lot. It more than deserves its slot on this list, and I would recommend everyone check it out at least once!
Listen to: Blood Magick, Headstones, and Parasite
16 – Malevolence: Where Only the Truth is Spoken
The UK beatdown hard/metalcore titans returned with their latest album back in June, and honestly somehow blew me away even more than Malicious Intent did! They take everything great from that release and amplify it, even down to the epic, dark ballad. The anger throughout is fantastic, from the vocals to the riffing, and makes you just want to throw people around a pit constantly. It’s 42-minutes of perfect heaviness, without a bad song throughout. And I love the band steadily incorporating more melodic and groove metal elements into their sound, adding some mainstreamness to the brutality. I can see them continuing to grow and becoming a huge band in the scene in just a few years. It got a 9/10 when it dropped, but after a few more spins I definitely think it deserves higher now. An easy addition this high up on the list!
Listen to: If It’s All the Same to You, Salt the Wound, and In Spite
15 – First Time Flyers: Bound to Break
The debut album from the rising UK country stars is an absolutely incredible release. I’ve known them a few years now, so was a little worried I’d feel a bit like Tekknoor Popular Monster; feeling burnt out by the steady drip of singles and it watering down the album. However, that certainly didn’t happen here! Despite being familiar with a lot of it, I still love each and every single when I revisit the release, and the album tracks are right up there alongside them! The bands harmonies are maybe second to none currently, and they make every single track memorable, catchy and massive. Between that and the exploration of just about every sound currently around the top of the country world, and it makes for an incredible easy listen, even at its 15-track length! It got a very easy 9.5/10 from us back when it released, and I fully stand by that still today. I can’t wait to hear where they go from here, but I still cannot get enough of spinning this for now, and it more than deserves its spot on our list!
Listen to: Primadonna, Happier, and Gold
14 – Between the Buried and Me: The Blue Nowhere
The US prog metallers’ 13th studio album may somehow be their best yet, which is honestly saying a lot! The band really made the use of their gap between releases, producing something that transcends any genre they include, the result being something distinctly BTBAM. It’s 71-minutes of beautiful, heavy chaos written and produced perfectly by the band. From jazz to death metal, 80s synth to djent to to alt to blues/country, there are so many elements blended together amazingly. I think I mentioned it in my review, but this very much feels like the modern evolution of Mr Bungle. I’ve been obsessed with this release since September when it dropped, and have raved about it to anyone that would listen! One of the easiest 10/10’s I’ve given all year, and it very much deserves this high a spot on this list. Once again, it could be even higher on any given day, it’s just an incredible year for music!
Listen to: Things we Tell Ourselves in the Dark, Absent Thereafter, and Slow Paranoia
13 – Avatar: Don’t Go in the Forest
This honestly felt like such a return to form for the cinematic metallers. And that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy their previous release, but more that this is so good, I’d put it up there among their best! It’s quirky, catchy and heavy in a way that really only Avatar can do. From power/folk to more metalcore to hard rock, everything the band do so great is very much turned up to 11 throughout this whole release. I loved it when it came out on Halloween, and have had it in steady rotation ever since. They’re just so interesting and fun, and it’s an incredibly easy nearly 5-minute listen. It flows together perfectly and all feels suitably epic. From the riffing to Johannes’ insane vocal range, it’s all so good. The 9/10 from us feels a touch low after a few listens, and it has definitely earned its high slot on here! Check it out if you’re at all curious!
Listen to: Tonight we Must be Warriors, Don’t Go in the Forest, and Death and Glitz
12 – Lady Gaga: MAYHEM
Believe me, I’m as shocked as you are! I’ve always been a Gaga fan, she got big while I was in secondary school, those first two albums are still incredible. Since then I had fallen off, but there has been no ignoring this release this year, and why should you? It’s awesome! From the three pre-release singles to so many amazing album tracks to the addition of ‘The Dead Dance’ on the deluxe thanks to her involvement in Wednesday, it is jam packed full of banger after banger. It’s also a welcome return to Gaga’s more rock-infused pop sound, clearly taking influence from everyone from Prince to Nine Inch Nails to Bowie. For a publication that is so usually everything-but-pop to put a generally pop album on this list at all, let alone this high, goes to show just how phenomenal this release is. If you doubt me at all, at least give it a listen first and try to tell me that you aren’t at least impressed by her vocals and songwriting. I wanted to see this tour so bad, but sadly couldn’t afford it, as the videos also look INCREDIBLE. We didn’t review it when it released, but after many listens since March, it can’t get any less than 9.5/10, and more than deserves its slot on this list!
Listen to: Abracadabra, Killah, and The Dead Dance
11 – Evan Honer: Everything I Wanted
Evan very much did it again in 2025. As if last year’s release wasn’t good enough already, just 15 months later he dropped another collection of incredible tracks. Heck, the title track may as well be my song of the year given how much myself and my wife have played it around the house. However, it is far from the only good song on the record; it’s packed full of them! Also, the more I’ve listened to it, the more I’ve somehow fallen in love with it. While not quite as emotionally soul-destroying as some of Fighting For, it very much still packs a punch, Evan being a phenomenal storyteller and chronicling what he’s gone through between releases. From his lyrics to his delivery, it’s perfect, powerful and beautiful. And instrumentally, while pretty simple for the most part, it’s a little on the rockier side this time, which was a great touch. Every song is as good as the last, and I’d recommend this album to absolutely anyone, though especially those into more of the country/Americana side of things. That9.5/10 has easily turned into a 10/10 at this point!
Listen to: Everything I Wanted, Better off Lonely, and Lose a Friend
10 – Orbit Culture: Death Above Life
The melodeath Swedes have done it once again, putting out an album everything as good asDecent. They have quickly become the torchbearers for the genre, and I am all for it! It’s packed to the brim with amazing songs, being nearly an hour of perfect heaviness. I have had it on a lot in the last three months, and would recommend it to anyone at all into metal. They really are masters of their craft, and have been on an excellent roll as of late. It got top marks from me, and I fully stand by that still now! The band are incredibly talented, and are surely going to be a massive name in the metal scene incredibly soon!
Listen to: Inferna, Inside the Waves, and
9 – Ghost: Skélta
I want to preface this by saying that I don’t particularly think Ghost are an ‘album band’. They are utterly fantastic at producing insane singles, but Meteora was probably the closest they’ve come to making an A tier album… until now. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a perfect album front to back. However, the five/six tracks that are good are up there with some of the best songs of the last few years. I do think it wasn’t the best idea to front-load the thing with the four best track on it, three of them being the singles. However yet again, DAMN are they fantastic songs. And the other few aren’t bad by any stretch, just a step below then others and more like Ghost album tracks.
The band have really come into their own here somehow, though most (me included) thought they’d already done that with their previous two releases. It feels bigger, more epic and ambitious, and the scope is realised in a massive way. It’s like stadium-glam mixed with their usual sound, it’s awesome! Forge is honestly a musical mastermind, creating this true modern legend, and I feel they now have another album to rival their huge size. Even if you aren’t typically a Ghost fan, this is well worth checking out, as it’s that good it may just change your mind! It got a perfect score from us and it’s hard to argue with that, despite a slight breather track or two in the middle.
Listen to: Lachryma, Satanised, and Marks of the Evil One
8 – The Pretty Wild: zero.point.genesis
WHAT A DEBUT. From the fantastic scream that opens through 40-minutes of amazing modern metalcore to the epic, dark closing ballad, it takes the listener on an awesome journey. The dynamic between the two front-women is amazing, but the rest of the band also kill it throughout. Every song is amazing, be it more of a Bad Omens or Ice Nine Kills sound, and it’s easy to see why they have gotten so big so fast. I’m glad it’s getting the love it deserves from other publications, though, and it was definitely going to end up high on this list from the first time I heard it. From the massive choruses to the heavy riffing, it’s packed to the brim of awesome moments. If you haven’t already listened, do yourself a favour and do so immediately! It more than deserves its slot on this list, and the 9.5/10 I gave it, though it might even get a solid 10 after a few more listens!
Listen to: PARADOX, living ded, and AFTERLIFE
7 – Kyle McKeanery: To the River
Yet another artist I discovered just this year that I am now completely obsessed with because of their output this year! I remember interviewing him back in January and didn’t at all expect him to put out this absolute country/Americana masterpiece just a few short months later. At nearly an hour long, it’s insanely impressive that there isn’t a bad track on it, and it’s packed full of major highlights to boot. His vocals are powerful and packed full of soul and emotion, and the harmonies add even more of both. However, his songwriting is the real kicker here, some of the lyrics and choruses are my favourite of the year, no matter the genre! Whether it’s country, Americana, blues or rock, he does it all to absolute perfection. I’ve gone back since and checked out his previous stuff and, while I like that a lot too, Kyle really hit his stride here in a massive way! I have spun this in full a LOT over the last eight months since its release, and it is yet to get old. It got a 9.5/10from usupon its release and it’s hard to argue that now! If you are at all even a passing country fan, check this out!
Listen to: Skeletons, Broken Hearts Hide, and Hold On Goodbye
6 – Chevelle: Bright as Blasphemy
This one was a long time coming! After being a mainstay on our most anticipated albums list the last two years now, the alt rock/metal duo finally graced us with their highly anticipated next release. And damn, what a release it was! I always thought it was going to be hard to top 2021’s NIRATIAS, but they followed it up with an album that is up there alongside it, that’s for sure. The riffs and drumming are still massive, and the lyrics are still full of depth, anger and emotion. It feels like there is more variety than ever in their sound though, especially with the slower, more reflective and beautiful ‘Blood out in the Fields’. They are still one of the most underrated band to maybe ever exist, and I’m so hoping that we finally get a UK or even European show from them off this album cycle. It got such an incredibly easy 10/10from us at the time and I certainly haven’t changed my opinion of it since then! It was #4, on our list last time around, so the band are once again consistently high up for list. It could easily have been at the top if it wasn’t for this being such an insanely solid list this year, but it is very deserving of it’s #6 slot, that’s for sure!
Listen to: Pale Horse, Jimmy Jones – Cowards, Pt. 2, and Blood Out in the Fields
5 – Crowe Boys: Made to Wander
The highest rated debut album this year, and it’s easy to hear why! I checked this out on a whim as they’d been announced for The Long Road this year, and immediately fell in love. It’s nearly 40-minutes of incredible, emotional indie-Americana music, and in a year full of amazing releases in said genre, this tops them all. Sonically it is phenomenal, the instrumentation simple but the harmonies from the two brothers being so very beautiful. However, what really shines through are the lyrics and emotion. The vulnerability of their breakout hit. The beautiful optimism of ‘Bonfire in my Soul’. And I cannot listen to ‘Brother Song’ on track or live without shedding a tear still to this day. There truly isn’t a bad track on this release, and it is one I haven’t grown tired of in the countless listens I’ve done since its release back in June. For a debut album this is absolutely phenomenal, and is not only a testament to the boys’ insane talent, but the start of what is surely going to be an absolutely massive career as a band. Take a listen and tell me it doesn’t deserve even more than the 9/10 I gave it at the time!
Listen to: Bootstraps, Bonfire in my Soul, and Brother Song
4 – Paleface Swiss: CURSED
This slab of pure anger from the deathcore Swiss was somehow my first introduction to them, outside of Marc’s feature on last year’s Left to Suffer album. So, for me to become utterly obsessed with this band since this, that really says a lot. It certainly helped me get some anger out over the last year, that’s for sure! Marc has one of the most interesting, versatile vocals in the game right now, and really helps this album shine and stand out. Having said that though, that shouldn’t take away from the rest of the band working their asses off with some incredible riffing and drumming. Heck, we even get some awesome rapping/trap stuff, integrated into metal far better than most other bands and artists do it.
This thing came out in the very first few days of the year and I’ve been spinning it pretty regularly since then; it hasn’t gotten old yet. Sure, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are into the heavy stuff I can’t recommend this enough. The band have been going for a few years now but this very much felt like an arrival for them in a massive way. Plus, shoutout to the deluxe edition, that added even more awesome carnage! They deserve so much more recognition and deserve to be massive thanks to this release, as well as their others, but hey, at least they got high on this list, right..? It got a 9.5/10from us back in January, but I do feel like it’s jumped up to top marks now, and more than justifies being this high on our list!
Listen to: Hatred, Enough?, and Love Burns
3 – Those Damn Crows: God Shaped Hole
Our 2023 album of the year winners returned back in April and once again knocked it out of the park. Heck, this was a UK #1 album, an absolutely HUGE feat for a band of their size and style, and it should say enough about how fantastic this release is. It truly couldn’t have happened to nicer, more deserving guys, either. Yes, they were pipped to the post this time round, but that isn’t a reflection of this albums quality in any way, more just the insane quality of music released this year.
The NWOCR leaders’ fourth offering is yet another one without a single bad song on it. It’s radio-friendly hard rock at its very best, and is something that absolutely everyone should listen to as I truly believe they’d make a fan out of anyone. Whether it’s the riffing, solid drumming or Shane’s impressive vocals and captivating charisma that comes through his delivery, it’s all excellent for a full 40-minutes. And, while I gave it 10/10, I feel like it’s grown on me even more with subsequent listens, being certainly up there with Inhale/Exhale for me now. The band have gone from strength to strength in recent years and this feels like the icing on the cake of everything they’ve achieved so far! One hell of an album, and more than deserving of this spot on our list!
We have PLENTY of Crows content on our site, just search it up!
Listen to: Glass Heart, Lets Go Psycho!, and Spit & Choke
2 – ONE OK ROCK: DETOX
This may be the most slept-on album of the year. Hell, for a sadly hefty chunk of the year, I did just that. I loved it when it came out, but got so wrapped up in other music that it wasn’t until I revisited it before seeing them that I realised DAMN, THIS IS A FUCKING GOOD ALBUM! This thing is all killer, no filler; 37 minutes of pop-rock perfection. Whether it’s heavier stuff like the opener, ‘Party’s Over’ or the Paledusk-featuring ‘C.U.R.I.O.S.I.T.Y.’ to slower ballads like ‘Tropical Therapy’, ‘Tiny Pieces’ and ‘+Matter’, it’s all incredible. I honestly cannot express enough how much I love each and every song on this album. I discovered them off their previous album and liked it, but goddamn has this one made me fall in love with the band. How they aren’t one of the biggest bands on the planet is beyond me. Still, with their Western tours over the last couple of years, on top of this excellent release, they are certainly getting there! We gave it9/10 when it was released but after many spins since February it definitely deserves more than that, maybe even top marks! Yep, 10/10 for this masterclass. I’d recommend it to anyone!
Listen to: NASTY, Delusion:All, and +Matter
1 – Architects: Sky Earth and Everything Between
There was nothing else it could have been. The return to form to end all return to forms. One of the biggest bands in modern metalcore took some risks in the early 2020s which, while definitely aided their popularity, it certainly alienated a fair few of their fans. Well, those fans are certainly back after this release. A UK #2 album, damn respectable, even if they were screwed out of the top spot by another week of Short n Sweet.
However, that shouldn’t take away from the majesty of this album. It’s the best thing they’ve done since Lost Forever, and you can quote me on that. It combines the bands aggressive early sound with their more recent lighter, pop-infused stuff, and it works perfectly. It’s arguably what everyone wanted their evolution to be, and it only took the world really pissing off Sam to make it happen. The fact that the slower songs are even bangers shows the quality of this album.
I gave it a more than deserved 10/10 from us, and if you want even more gushing about it, I’d recommend checking out the review linked. Every song is incredible and I’ve listened to it so much in the last eight months. A very deserving top album for 2025, and one that is a must-listen for anyone out there.
Listen to: Elegy, Blackhole, and Seeing Red
And there you have it, folks! Another year, another set of absolutely incredible albums from the rock, country, metal and even pop world! Are there any we missed or you think were misplaced? Let us know! Until 2026!
As I’m sure you can tell, we saw a lot of bands and artists this year! While just about every one of them blew our socks off, we wanted to mention a few of our absolute favourites!
Ice Nine Kills – Nottingham Arena, December 2025
The most recent entry on this list, there was no way this wasn’t making it onto here! I’ve loved this band for a while, and they somehow keep getting better and better! They’ve somehow perfectly turned their brand of chaotic horror-metalcore into an arena spectacle, and now I don’t think it can be anything less. This was one of the best stage shows I’ve ever seen, there being something for practically every track. From extras dressed as various horror villains to enough knives, chainsaws and pyro to make customs surely incredibly difficult, they had it all. And, on top of that of course, the band also played their asses off throughout! Spencer is one of the most effortlessly charismatic frontmen around today, having the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout despite the limited interaction. Meanwhile the rest of the players are some of the most talented bunch of instrumentalist and screamers he could have gathered. Heck, we get the horn section of BBF for most of it, too! I could gush about this band all day, but I’ll let you read our review of thisif you want that!
P.S. shoutout to Creeper supporting, who would have surely made the list if they’d have had longer!
Drake Milligan – The Long Road 2025
For the second year in a row, Mr Milligan storms onto this list. And how could he not? He and his band are one of the most entertaining live acts around today. The sheer show they put on and sheer talent on display between all of them will always be incredible. And, for saying this was apparently his first ever open-air festival headline slot, it made it even more special! And, setlist-wise, it was pretty close to perfect! From old classics to plenty of new stuff that has since been released on album two, I couldn’t get enough from start to finish. It’s another set that I gushed over in the review plenty, so won’t go over it too much. However, I loved this from start to finish, and he somehow cemented me as an even bigger fan moving forward than I had been before! He’s going to be around for years and years to come, so I urge you to see him and his band live as soon as you possibly can!
Green Day – Download 2025
Somehow it’s taken me 28+ years to see one of my favourite childhood bands live, but to say they didn’t disappoint would be an understatement! This was a non-stop tour de force of huge songs from my childhood, and I loved every minute. From the best of American Idiot (seeing ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ live was a bucket list item) to old classics like ‘Welcome to Paradise’, ‘When I Come Around’ and even ‘Minority’, to the very best of the last few albums, there was a little something for everyone! And, some nearly four decades into their career, they still very much have it, sounding as fantastic as ever and performing their asses off for a solid 90+ minutes. It was one of the best headline sets I’ve seen in the 12 years that I’ve gone to the festival, and that’s saying a lot! They well and truly blew me away, and proved any and all doubters wrong on the night, I’m sure!
ONE OK ROCK – Manchester Apollo, October 2025
THIS is how you do a headline set! Reducing the venue from the AO arena was a blessing in disguise for this show, because I have never been in a crowd quite like this one. The whole building hung on every note, knew every word and went nuts the entire time. And, as such, the famously great live band played their asses off throughout. And it helps that we got one of my favourite albums of the year, DETOX, played almost in full, every track being an absolute banger. And, of course, we got all their hits sprinkled in for good measure. If you want more gushing just check out our full review, you’ll get to see just how much I loved it! They should be one of the biggest bands on the planet, and they seem to be almost everywhere but the UK. But, somewhat selfishly, I’m hardly gonna complain, because seeing them in such an intimate setting was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to!
Blacktop Mojo – Manchester Rebellion & The Hairy Dog, Derby, March 2025
A slight cheat one as not only is this two separate sets, but my band also supported on both of them! However, I did have tickets to the Derby show anyway, so regardless this would have made it onto this list! The first ever shows over here for Blacktop Mojo and Shaman’s Harvest (huge shoutout to them too, as they were also excellent on both shows) and they came to show out, as both bands blew the roofs off both venues! However, Blacktop just edged out both shows for me, putting on easily two of my favourite sets of the year. They played a setlist packed with some of my favourite tracks from them, from their older stuff to the fantastic latest album. And they played their asses off throughout, with Matt being an excellent frontman! Check out our review of one of the shows if you want to hear me talk even more about both bands, but there was no way they weren’t making it onto this list!
Evan Honer – The Long Road 2025
Honestly, this was a bit of a religious experience for me. It is no secret I have become a massive fan of Evan off his last couple of albums. His lyrics and songwriting are phenomenal and speak to me on another level to most other artists. So, hearing some of these tracks live, I’m enough of a man to admit that I cried. Every song was amazing, and some really hit home. The full band was a nice touch too, and the harmonies they were hitting were awesome and added so much to the sound. And, speaking of the band, they are all insanely talented, even switching instruments casually for a song! And Evan is such a great performer, being a great frontman and his vocals are just as good live as on track. Even with a shorter festival set in a tent, I was still blown away, and already am desperate to see him again!
Stray From the Path – Slam Dunk 2025
Once again with them, the energy was absolutely off the charts. I loved themthe first time I saw them, and it was somehow even better this time around! From their awesome previous albumtracks to the singles from their latest release, it was packed full of incredible tracks, performed to perfection. And it helped that the crowd were fully onboard throughout, going nuts and filling the place with crowd surfers. Every bit of energy the crowd gave the band, they gave it right back, too. Andrew is an insane frontman who really kept the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout the set. We were right down the front and it was crazy, and so much fun! It’s so sad that they have called it quits as they are such a good band, but they have very much gone out on top this year, with this set showing just that!
On top of absolutely loving his latest album, I adored my first time seeing the country legend live! He played a stacked, 25-odd song setlist packed full of the very best from Solitary Tracks, alongside all of his classic hits, to boot. And the show he and his band put on was nothing short of spectacular. It was simple, them playing and a fantastic lighting rig backing them, and there wasn’t even a huge amount of crowd interaction throughout. But, the sheer stage presence and vibes going on through it all were amazing. I couldn’t look away for the entire set, and neither could the rest of the packed out crowd. Easily one of the best acts of the year, especially so early on!
A band that I have loved for years now, and another that only seem to be getting better and better! Finally ascending to the rank of headliner among the Planet Rock crowd was nothing to be scoffed at, and the trio more than rose to the occasion. Blasting through the very best of their two studio albums, as well as their energetic cover of ‘Breadfan’, it was a setlist jam-packed full of awesome songs. And, the crowd were packed out and hanging on every single note, all being huge fans of the band. Heck, they even got a pit going, I’m pretty sure the only one of the weekend, impressive for a crowd that are not known for their energy usually. If you want to hear me gush more over it, check out our review of the weekend, but there was no way it wasn’t making this list!
Electric Callboy – Slam Dunk 2025
Seeing this band this year practically guaranteed them a spot on this list, didn’t it? They are the best live metal band around today, without question, and put on as good a show as any to close out their stage at Slam Dunk! It’s impossible not to have a blast watching them. The show they put on; fire and multiple confetti moments, the camaraderie between Kevin and Niko on stage, the campfire-acoustic break in the middle, all incredible. And, what’s more, they have the songs to back up their impressive show, too. Opening on the amazing ‘Elevator Operator’ and rattling through all the hits off Tekkno, to standalone singles like their BABYMETAL collab ‘RATATATA’ or recently (at the time) released ‘Revery’, to plenty of fun, amazing covers too, it was honestly the perfect setlist. And, of course, the band play everything to perfection, being one of the most polished, well-oiled machines around today. I love this band and am so impatiently awaiting the next album!
Brothers Osborne – O2 Academy Birmingham, January 2025
Another awesome country gig in Birmingham, this time from one of the bands that got me into the genre to begin with! My only complaint, and I’m sure I mentioned this in my review too, is that we only got two tracks off their awesome latest album, and they opened the show with them. It was a little odd. However, when you have a back catalogue as solid as Brothers Osborne, it’s hard to miss any of the other hits out! ‘Stay a Little Longer’ is still one of my favourite songs of the last decade, and the solo live gave me goosebumps. Meanwhile tracks like ‘Skeletons’, their Dierks Bentley collab ‘Burning Man’, and ‘Dead Man’s Curve’ all still stand out in my mind as great live memories, almost a full year later! The brothers have such a fantastic chemistry together, and the crowd loved every second!
LN – Winters End & Scruffy Murphy’s, June 2025
My discovery of the year, that’s for sure! I know technically it’s another two-show entry, but after seeing them at Winters End, there was no way I wasn’t also going to one of their own shows, too! The fact that a dark, heavy pagan metal band won over the Planet Rock crowd is a feat in of its own, but is a true testament to the bands talents as a live band. The eponymous LN is the most captivating front-person I’ve seen all year, being equal parts endearing and intimidating throughout both sets. And the rest of the band played their asses off at both shows; one to a huge festival crowd and the other to a tiny, packed out room, putting in the same level of energy to both. Their music is also sick, me being hooked on their songs for weeks after each show. They’re playing a lot in the UK and are quickly gaining a following, so see them ASAP, as they’re going to be big sooner rather than later!
Another from Long Road and another that absolutely blew me away. As I said both in my review and to Evan himself, the fact that he can get such a fantastic sound and pack such a huge punch when it’s just him up there with one guitar is mind-blowing. The emotion and vulnerability on display throughout was insane, and has really stuck with me all these months later. Between that and the songs themselves being amazing, it’s hard to argue his inclusion on this list. I was already a fan, but this has cemented that feeling even more so in the few months since. I already cannot wait to see him live again, and hopefully once the album he teased drops, he’ll make it back across the pond again!
Bad Touch – Rescue Rooms, October 2025
A band that I go way back with but hadn’t seen in a good while, it’s incredible to see them still firing on all cylinders. While keeping up on their recent studio output, songs from that translated incredibly over to a live setting, while I got plenty of nostalgia seeing some of my favourites from my youth alongside them! Stevie is yet another frontman on this list who’s effortlessly captivating, holding the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout, but the rest of the band played their asses off around him as well. And, to see a venue like Rescue Rooms packed out for old friends was so heartwarming, as was getting to play alongside them once again. They really have gone from strength to strength in the NWOCR scene, becoming one of its prominent members, and it’s very much because of live shows like this!
Crowe Boys – The Long Road 2025
The final entry and last Long Road one, once again, I’m not scared to admit this brought me to tears. It’s not been the easiest year mentally for me and the wife, and ‘Brother Song’ had us both crying. That’s the true power of not only the Boys’ songwriting, but their incredible delivery as a duo. They weren’t able to bring their full band over for the shows, but they arguably didn’t need to, the pair did a phenomenal job on their own! The harmonies were off the charts throughout, and both delivered such emotion and impact with every track. They had the small stage packed out, and everyone clung to every note. I sadly missed them on the Front Porch the next day, but I am so very glad I got to see this incredible set!
As we approach the final few, our list heats up, but there are still so many incredible releases for us to be checking out! See who’s 40-20!
40 – Volbeat: God of Angels Trust
The return of the Danish metal titans after a few years off has been a more than welcome one, as their ninth album is pretty incredible! You always know exactly what to get from the band, but rarely do they misstep, this being another great, similar release in their catalogue. Whether it’s chuggy almost thrash or their slower, more anthemic, stadium-filling stuff, they do it all as well as they ever have here. It’s 44-minutes of awesome hard rock/metal music in a style that’s only Volbeat can seem to pull off. When I first reviewed it, I wasn’t quite as sold on it as their previous album. However, after a good few spins since, it has grown on me a lot and is definitely up there with that release! It’s packed full of high points, from huge choruses to awesome riffs, and is a must check out for anyone who’s even a passing fan of the band! It still got a 9/10 from us then, but may even be a touch higher now. It very much deserves its slot on the list, and would have been higher had it not been such a good year!
Listen to: By a Monster’s Hand, Acid Rain, and Better Be Fueled than Tamed
39 – Ian Munsick: Eagle Feather
This is an absolutely INCREDIBLE country-Americana album that has somehow grown on me even more since first hearing it back in April. This thing is packed full of excellent track after excellent track, even at over an hour in length, and it goes by in a flash! His voice is so interesting for a country artist, and packed full of emotion throughout, just like his lyrics. From beauty to heartbreak, it’s all covered perfectly throughout, and by one of the best storytellers around in country today. And, whether you’re into a more neo-traditional country sound or not, this is well worth checking out, as I truly think it has a little bit of something for everyone. Want country rock? Check out ‘Stampede’. More of a pop sound? ‘God Bless the West’. Straight yo Americana? The opening two tracks. There’s a reason we gave it a massive 9.5/10 when we reviewed it, with the length being the only thing that still may keep it from top marks. However, it still more than deserves its slot on this list, and may get even higher on another day!
Listen to: Horses Not Hearts, God Bless the West, and Fixin’ Me
38 – Whitechapel: Hymns in Dissonance
Absolute brutality for 43-straight minutes, and an album I’ve seen talked about a lot in lists like this, and for very good reason! As much as I enjoyed Kin, I know there are those in the bands fanbase who didn’t, and see this as a return to their former sound, as well as a return to form. Honestly, it’s hard to argue! From the riffing to the drums to the screams, it’s all crushingly heavy and so well written and performed. And, every song is incredible, it all flowing together so well. It’s certainly not a release for everyone, but if you are into the heavier side of metal, I’m sure you’ve already checked out this masterpiece already! We only gave it an 8/10back in March, but it has definitely grown on me a lot with more listens. An incredibly worthy entry to the list!
Listen to: Prisoner 666, A Visceral Retch, and Mammoth God
37 – Whiskey Myers: Whomp Whack Thunder
Somehow an album I missed until a couple of days too late, this is another excellent release from one of my favourite country artists. The band can really do no wrong at this point, as we loved their last album too! This release follows that one up perfectly, packed with awesome southern rock instrumentation and some incredible vocals, lyrics and melodies from Cody. And, from boot-stompin’ rockers to slower, emotional ballads, this album once again has a little bit of everything! If you are at all into country, southern stuff or hard rock, this is an absolute must of an album for you! There isn’t a bad track on the album and it goes by in a flash! It more than deserves its slot on this list, and it gets an incredibly easy 9/10 from us!
Listen to: Time Bomb, Rowdy Days, and Midnight Woman
36 – Biohazard: Divided We Fall
The return album from the hardcore thrash legends was everything as good as it was expected to be. It’s the perfect encapsulation of the anger in the world currently; from the lyrics to the riffing to the breakdowns, it’s all so great and fitting to the recent climate. It’s also an incredibly fun listen, and all 11 tracks on it are awesome and highlights in their own right. It’s impossible not to have a good time and actually feel something listening to this, and I’d recommend it to anyone to try at least once, regardless of what sort of music you like. It got a massive and very easy 9.5/10 from us when it dropped, but it may get even higher than that after a few more listens. It’s the perfect hardcore album of this style, and is very close to being the best album in the style this year… more on that later…
Listen to: Fuck the System, Eyes on Six, and Fight to be Free
35 – Ward XVI: Id3ntity
Overtone’s most anticipated album ever at this point I think finally dropped back in summer, and honestly lived up to the hype, insanely! Part three of the Psychoberry trilogy ends things in fitting, grandiose and dark fashion, the band doing their usual genre-blending just as perfectly as ever. From hard-rock to folk to gothic to heavy to modern metals to flashes of everything from Reggaeton to electronic, there is a bit of just about everything, and a hell of a lot of different instruments. And, in typical concept fashion, it all flows perfectly and seamlessly together. There really isn’t a bad track on this thing.
The band are not only known for putting on one of the best live shows, underground or otherwise, but their studio work really speaks for itself too at this point. It’s a fun, epic listen from start to finish, and one that I’d recommend to anyone! I am desperate to see it live so hope we get another tour or some festival slots in 2026, but I am more than happy to keep spinning this in the meantime. A solid 9.5/10 from us and a worthy addition to the list!
Listen to: Regeneration, Macabaret, and Blood is the New Black
34 – Jon Pardi: Honkytonk Hollywood
The neo-traditional country legend returned back in April to follow up his 2022 release. I loved this when it came out, but for some reason then didn’t revisit it much for a while. However, when coming back to it when getting this release going, I remembered just how fucking excellent it truly is! From front to back this album is packed full of banger after banger. Be it a catchy country-rock radio hit or slower, emotion-filled ballad, it’s all so good. It’s almost an hour long but doesn’t feel it at all, going by in no time at all. I did enjoy Mr Saturday Night, but this definitely tops it, honestly up there alongside California Sunrise for me! There’s a reason he’s still one of the biggest names in the genre some ten years after he broke out, and output like this is a fantastic example of it. It got a massive 9/10from us back then, and I am very inclined to agree with that still now, if not a 9.5! Much like with previous entries, if it was a smidge shorter it may have gotten even higher up, but it still earns a damn good place on our list!
Listen to: Boots Off, Rush, and Love the Lights Out
33 – Shiraz Lane: In Vertigo
Album number four from the AOR/sleazy hard rock quintet blew me away a couple of months ago when it released, and still does so whenever I go back to check it out now! It’s packed full of massive riffing, arena-filling choruses and absolutely stellar production. The band have really stepped up with this release, and this is coming from someone who was a big fan of their last couple of albums! Each of these 10 tracks are truly as good as the last, and the album is worth a listen if you are at all into rock music. It’s insane that they aren’t a bigger name worldwide, but this release is certainly set to push them to that level, I’m sure! It’s an incredibly fun release, as well as having moments of heartfeltness and some great ballads. It was a very easy 9.5/10 upon release, and after a few more listens it’s hard to say any differently. Another well-earned entry into our list!
Listen to: Stone Cold Lover, Dangerous, and Sayonara Love
32 – The Smith Street Band: Once I Was Wild
For anyone who hasn’t guessed by now, this isn’t typically my sort of music. However, the phenomenal writing and emotion bleeding from every single song drew me in and made me a massive new fan of this band last month. It’s on the heavier side of indie rock, definitely giving off Frank Turner vibes in the best ways. And yeah, this is a beautiful, bittersweet release that you cannot stop once you start, 41-minutes going by in a flash. Maybe it’s more of a reflection of my questionable mental health currently, but hey, this is my list, I can do what I want! This is an incredible, powerful, grandiose release that everyone needs to listen to at least once. It’s given me goosebumps, made me laugh and cry, and it’s only been out for a month! Instrumentally or vocally it’s nothing special, but it all works so well with the powerful lyrics that I really can’t get enough of it. 9/10 doesn’t seem to do it justice after a few more listens, so it would definitely get higher than I gave it before.
Listen to: Once I Was Wild, Constellation, and The Morning After
31 – Finger Eleven: Last Night on Earth
The Canadian alt-rockers’ return to the studio after a decade didn’t disappoint, and very much lived up to the hype! From the absolutely MASSIVE riffing to the catchy as anything choruses to, once again, some of the best production around today, everything about this release works so well together. And it’s also paced perfectly; the slower and faster tracks complimenting each other excellently and making for an incredibly easy 40-minute listen! It’s very much a throwback to the early 2000s radio rock sound that I grew up, so there is a touch of nostalgia here too, but give this a listen and try to tell me it isn’t excellent, it’s impossible. It’s equal parts beautiful and rocking, and it’s easy to see why they’re such a big name across the pond. A surprisingly slightly low 9/10from uslast month, it’s a truly amazing album and another I’d wholly recommend to anyone even slightly interested!
Listen to: Adrenaline, Lock Me Up, and Perfect Effigy
30 – Dominum: The Dead Don’t Die
The second album on this list to be dropped in December of 2024, I have been obsessed with it ever since! They’re my favourite modern power metal band, and they knocked it out of the park once again with their second release. I loved their debut, but this builds on everything from that record and very much turns it up to 11. Every chorus is stadium-fillingly catchy, and the album as a whole sounds MASSIVE, from the instrumentation to the perfect production. Dr Dead is honestly a genius when it comes to power metal, and has crafted something truly special with this release, just like he did with Hey Living People. It’s another album I’d recommend to absolutely anyone, and don’t be surprised if you come out of it having found one of your favourite new bands like I have these last two years! It was another album we gavea huge 9.5/10 to when it dropped, and it’s hard to argue against that still all these months later. Yet another worthy addition to the list!
Listen to: One of Us, The Dead Don’t Die, and Happy Deadly Ending
29 – Chris Young: I Didn’t Come Here to Leave
Just because this is a little lower on the list than his last one, it doesn’t mean that this isn’t still a phenomenal country album, and album overall for that matter! Chris is one of my favourite artists full stop, and I think he’s found the perfect formula for his particular brand of noise. This thing is packed to the brim with awesome songs, from more up-beat numbers to ballads, and smartly alternates between the two for most of the release. It’s the perfect mid 2000s radio-country album, with just enough rock to keep it interesting, and there really isn’t a bad song on it. It hasn’t gotten nearly enough love as it deserves, even though we gave it an 8.5/10back in October. However, after a few listens it has grown on me even more, it being an incredibly well-rounded release, and is easily 9+ now! From a drinkin’, party mood to a more emotional track or two, Chris does it all so well, and I can’t recommend this album to anyone even slightly curious. It more than deserves its slot on this list, and is another that could be higher on any given day!
Listen to: Some Around Here, I Feel a Cold One Coming On, and Pour Some Whiskey on It
28 – Coheed and Cambria: The Father of Make Believe
Some more proggy alt hard rock, this time from the American legends and their tenth album. I’m going to put it straight out there; as beautiful as the opener is, it’s a terrible way to kick off the album. Especially when after that it’s a tour de force of everything Claudio and co. do so damn well. I get how much of a storyteller and concept artist he is and ‘Yesterday’s Gone’ probably fit the narrative better, but ‘Goodbye, Sunshine’ is a banger and would have been an excellent opener. That being said, the album as a whole is phenomenal. It’s the best flow an album has on this entire list, every song following on perfectly from one to the best, and an hour (1:15 for the New Entities edition) is so easy to sit and rock through. As much as I lovedVaxis II, this is something else dude. I’d put it up there alongside their best releases, for sure. From prog to slower ballads to heavier, hardcore-punk infused stuff, there is so much variety to keep you going, too. I wish I was even a fraction as creative as these guys, and I can never get enough when they put out new music. It got9.5/10 and for damn good reason!
Listen to: The Father of Make Believe, Meri of Mercy, and Blind Side Sonny
27 – Rivers of Nihil: Self-Titled
I’m going to make a potentially wild claim here, but I stand by it: technical death metal may have never sounded so good as it does on this album. This has absolutely everything, from heaviness to scream, huge clean melodies to technical riffing and soloing and even some sexy sax, and the band pull it all off perfectly. The talent throughout is off the charts, and I’ve listened through all 10 tracks of this a fair bit since it dropped back in May. If you are at all into the heavy stuff, I truly cannot recommend this release enough! It got one of the easiest 10/10s I’ve ever given, and very easily made it this high up the list! If it wasn’t for some insanely strong albums later on, it’d have gotten even higher!
Listen to: The Sub-Orbital Blues, Despair Church, and Evidence
26 – Stray From the Path: Clockworked
Dropping the same week as the previous entry, it just edged it out for a higher spot due to how incredible the lyrics and overall vibe is. I told you hardcore was back in a big way this year, and no one does it better than the Long Island metalcore/hardcore punkers. The bounce, the heaviness, the attitude, it’s all fantastic from start to finish. It’s angry, and perfectly fitting for the current state of the world. It feels like an absolutely wild time for a band like this to be calling it quits, but they’re very much going out with a bang! We adored their last album but this one may be even better, honestly! 9/10 sounds far too low in retrospect, another album that could potentially get top marks now I’ve listened to it a few times! Check it out if you are at all curious!
Listen to: Fuck Them All to Hell, Shot Caller, and Can I Have your Autograph?
25 – Fury: Interceptor
Talk about an entire album being stuck in my head for nearly four months now! This is a hard rock/AOR masterclass from one of the very best in the NWOCR scene! From the riffing to the solid drumming to the stadium-filling choruses and harmonies, it’s all perfectly written and performed. The band have been going for a little while now and really have aged like a fine wine, this maybe being my favourite release from them! Every song is as good as the last, and it’s an incredibly easy 40+ minute listen. There’s a reason this got an impressive 9.5/10from us, and just give it a listen if you don’t believe me and try to tell me it’s any less! It’s an incredible album, and one that is more than deserving its place here!
This is how you do a long release well! The modern country/Americana legend blew me away at the start of the year, and produced an album that I have revisited plenty of times throughout the last 10 months. How is that someone can do a 22-track, 85-minute album, and it’s still all THIS GOOD? And, from up-tempo country bangers to more soft-rock inspired stuff to ballads, it’s got it all, and done perfectly. If any of that catches your fancy, check out this album immediately! It’s not going to be an album for everyone, but goddamn do I love this to pieces. It’s another that has grown on me more and more, and once again the 9/10we gave it doesn’t feel enough any more! Certainly Kip’s most complete work to date!
Listen to: High Hopes, Like Ya Stole It, and Live Here to Work
23 – Sarayasign: Shadows of the Dying Light
Oh look, even more incredible AOR music! It’s like a heavier, groove-metal infused Bon Jovi, and I still can’t get enough two months later. And it’s somehow another album over an hour in length that is packed full of bangers, making for an incredibly easy listen. It’s all pretty epic stuff, and relatively cheesy (if done so well it’s only boarderline) so it certainly won’t be for everyone. I love it though, and it’s honestly a crime that they aren’t bigger than they are currently. They deserve to be playing this to huge festival crowds, as it would fit so well. They’re all insanely talented players and songwriters, and have crafted something special here! If you are into rock in any capacity, give this a spin, you’ll surely get as lost in it as I do. An incredibly easy 9.5/10 from us easily cemented this it’s high position on our list!
Listen to: Worlds Apart, Shades of Black, and Throne of Gold Part III
22 – LessDMV: Epitaph II
Y’all should know by now how much I adore Julian’s work. It’s been all over Overtone’s various avenues for a few years now, and this somehow feels like the culmination of all of it. 53-minutes of incredible, gothic hard rock/metal, all of it being excellent. Julian and his brother are amazing at writing heavy stuff or emotional ballads, and he has one of the best vocals across any genre today. And while its main aspect is gothic, it feels fresh; there isn’t really anyone sounding like this around currently. It’s packed full of memorable moments and some of the best tracks across all his projects, as well as being a release I have revisited again and again since its release in May. Some of it still gives me goosebumps or blows me away all these months later. I know he’s already teasing new music, but I can’t get enough of this still to be able to focus on anything else he’d put out! It was an incredibly easy 10/10 in our review, and I still fully stand by this now!
Listen to: Hysteria, The One, and In the Dark
21 – Blake Shelton: For Recreational Use Only
The big man himself put out his highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s Body Language, and somehow topped that already stellar album! Right from the excellent opening track through the other three excellent singles and every amazing album track around them, it’s 40 minutes of perfect 2000s country music. The fact that he’s been putting out music for nearly two and a half decades now and is still releasing stuff of this calibre is amazing, especially in country! ‘Texas’ has been a frequent ear-worm for a solid year at this point, but there is plenty more to love alongside that on this album. It’s another album that still puts a lump in my throat all these listens later, and got an incredibly deserving 9.5/10 in its review!
An excellent way to cap off part 4, now… let’s get to the last few…
Part three of our list and things are really starting to heat up! We’ve already had some excellent albums across genres, and here are 20 more! Are there any missing that you think will be in the top 40?
60 – Cory Marks: Sorry for Nothing Vol. 1 & 2
Yep, we’re starting off this part with a cheeky wildcard/twofer. Sorry. And yes, it’s even cheekier that Vol. 1 came out in December ‘24. However, it was the very first week for it, as the cut-off for this is end of November. And, with both being from the same collection, it counts, alright? So yes, technically it’s the top 101 albums of 2025…
Cory is the perfect blend of modern country music and early 2000s radio rock (dad rock as it’s now known *shiver*). And the fact that he cannot only pull off both styles perfectly, but combine them at times effortlessly too, across a full nearly 90 minutes is incredible and a true testament to his talents! There is somehow very little filler across both releases, too. If you are into country or rock at all (why are you reading this website if you aren’t into either?) then I cannot recommend these albums enough. From the chunky riffing to the arena-filling choruses, he’s an amazing songwriter, and he and his band perform it incredibly. He fits perfectly alongside people from both sides of his sound, and it’s easy to hear why we gave both parts a solid 9/10. It’s very much like all the best parts of Nickelback, and more than deserves its spot on our list!
Listen to: (Make My) Country Rock, Change the Game, and Wild Ride
59 – Arch Enemy: Blood Dynasty
This is a slightly odd release now, with Alissa rather abruptly leaving the band just a few weeks back. However, their last album with her at the front is maybe my favourite one since their earlier days, and it has somehow grown on me more and more! Its basis is the bands usual melodeath style that they do so far, but they build it into much more than that here. From clean vocals to thrasher bits to even a more epic power ballad, this release pulls so much from other metal facets, yet still feels distinctly Arch Enemy. And it’s a perfectly solid 42-minutes, with each of the 11 songs being excellent. As excited as I am for where Alissa goes solo, I’ll definitely miss her being in the band. However, not only have they managed to prove that they can make a banging album without Loomis involved, but really went out on a high with the Alissa-era. We gave itan incredibly solid 9/10, and there was no way it wasn’t making it this high on this list!
Listen to: The Dream Stealer, Don’t Look Down, and Vivre Libre
58 – DOROTHY: THE WAY
Another album, another year-ending listfor the LA hard rocker. Yet again she smashes it out of the park with her studio release, this being up there with anything she’s put out prior. This thing is a solid blues-infused hard rock release, and the deluxe edition is somehow even better! From the awesome riffing to her powerful vocals and arena-filling choruses, it’s all so damn good, and there really isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s a shame that she seems to have no interest in touring the UK or Europe, as I’d love to see all of this live! This got a massive9.5/10 back in March, and it’so hard to argue with that all these months later. It more than deserves its place on this list, and would have been higher if it wasn’t for so much awesome music dropping in 2025!
Listen to: MUD, TOMBSTONE TOWN, and UNHOLY WATER
57 – Testament: Para Bellum
After five long years off, the thrash legends returned back in October and really took no prisoners with this release! This thing is a masterclass of heavy thrash metal, and proves that they are still one of the top bands to ever do it. There are a number of bands from the 70s and 80s that have been putting out great new music in recent years, but I would argue none have done it as well or consistently as Testament. And nearly four decades into their music-releasing career, they went heavier than ever, which is fucking awesome! And yet they still squeeze a rare-heard ballad in here for good measure too, it being an incredibly well-rounded and easy to listen to album, even at nearly an hour!I gave it a 9/10 when it dropped, but I may even rank it a touch higher at this point, it really is that good! If you are at all into the band or the genre in general, I can’t recommend this enough, it’s up there with some of their best.
Listen to: For the Love of Pain, Infanticide A.I., and Meant to Be
56 – The Darkness: Dreams on Toast
The British light-hearted rockers returned with their first album since 2021 way back in March, and may have released their strongest album since their debut. It also marked the longest gap between albums the band had aside for their hiatus, which could potentially explain things. It’s a varied 33-minutes of rock music that is constantly interesting and a lot of fun throughout. Whether a foot-stomper, a stadium anthem or a ballad, this album has it all, and has just enough tongue-in-cheek to still feel so distinctly Darkness. Heck, there’s plenty of quirkier influence too, from ELO to Queen and even some country! I know the band are somewhat controversial lately due to the Hawkins’ comments about Yungblud, but that doesn’t stop this from being a damn good album written and performed by four incredibly talented musicians. If you are at all into rock music, this is a must check out for you! Heck, we gave ittop marks when we reviewed it, so that should really speak for itself, right?
Listen to: I Hate Myself, The Longest Kiss, and Walking Through Fire
55 – Liam St John: Man of the North
Despite me still feeling like it doesn’t open well, this is an absolutely incredible blues/soul/Americana album. It’s packed full of emotion but also effortlessly swaggering and cool throughout. It also somehow feels like the perfect combination of old-school blues and a more modern twist. Liam has tapped into something truly special here, channelling his influences in a way to create a sound that we really don’t have a lot of these days, and it fits in across most rock and country scenes. And for such a new artist to be putting something out of this high quality is truly incredible. I discovered him at Long Road this year and was immediately obsessed, so the fact that this album came out just a couple of weeks later and cemented me as a firm big fan of his is a true testament to the man’s songwriting and talents. The only thing that’s dropped it a couple of places on this list is it’s length, though even then I’ve happily listened to it through a good few times since September, even if it does slow down in its last third. Another incredibly easy 9/10from us, and another that is more than deserving of his slot on this list!
Listen to: Believer, forefathers, and Dipped in Bleach
54 – Daedric: As the Light Left
The modern metal powerhouse’s second album storms onto this list, just like her debut did back in 2023. This is the perfect mix of heavy and beautifully ethereal, and is impossible to stop listening to until it’s all finished. Her scream is incredible, and fits amazingly over the top of the heavy riffs, but her powerful cleans are just as good, and utilised perfectly throughout. I’ve said it before (in our review, no less) and I’ll say it again, Daedric is everything I wish Spiritbox was. They are somehow getting better and better every time they put out new music, and I am so excited to see the heights they can reach, as with output like this they more than deserve it! If you are at all into the aforementioned band, or anything from Poppy to THE DEFECT to Bad Omens, I cannot recommend this enough. It’s an excellent metal album that got a very easy 9/10 back in October, and was a very easy addition to this list!
Listen to: The Other Terror, Night Mother, and Dark Legacy
53 – Igorrr: Amen
There was no way this wild slice of experimentation wasn’t making this list. The Frenchman blew me away with his last release back in 2020, and this continues on from that album pretty perfectly. And, whether it’s epic blackened death metal, more orchestral, cinematic arrangements or straight up dubstep, everything he touches here turns to gold. Don’t get me wrong, this is certainly not an album for everyone, but I loved it and have revisited it multiple times since it dropped back in September. Gautier just does things completely different to everyone else out there, and honestly feels like a creative evil genius on par with Danny Elfman at this point. And somehow, this three-quarters-of-an-hour release that genre-blends and hops constantly goes by in a flash, reflecting on its quality. If you are at all curious or like his other work, do check this out! While I still maintain the opinion that it’s not quite as good as Spirituality and Distortion, it’s still a damn good album, and certainly deserving of the 9/10 we gave it, as well as it’s slot on our list.
Listen to: Headbutt, Blastbeat Falafel, and Pure Disproportionate Black and White Nihilism
52 – Vincent Mason: There I Go
For someone who I somehow hadn’t heard any of until the start of November, I have become pretty heavily obsessed with this album since! Having the energy, vibe and lyrical content of the more indie-Americana sound I love currently, but with more of a country twang to it, he’s got an amazing style. And, while this is another country release on the longer side, it’s packed full of incredible highs and doesn’t have a bad song throughout! It’s also packed full of emotion and catchy choruses, and what more can you ask for from country music? A good half of this album is on my personal playlist, and certain tracks still give me goosebumps over a month later. If you’re a country, Americana, indie etc fan, this is certainly an album you need to check out immediately! And the fact that it’s a debut album, DAMN. It was yet another album I gave 9/10 to in my review, and it more that deserves it!
Listen to: Little Miss, Damned if I Do, and Wish you Well
51 – Sumo Cyco: NEON VOID
Album four from the former Canadian teen pop-punker and her band seemed to have come out of nowhere this year. After not seeing much of them after their 2021 release, they exploded back onto my radar with a host of awesome singlesleading up to this release. And the singles are hardly the lot of it either, as this whole album slaps from front to back! 41-minutes of fun pop-metal; equal parts heavy riffing and mainstream hooks. She’s such an interesting vocalist, powerful, catchy melodies and still the odd scream thrown in for good measure. After sitting with it for a couple of months, I honestly think it’s the most well-rounded album they’ve put out, every track being awesome and there being some interesting pace changes throughout. It got a solid 8.5/10 when we reviewed it, but I’d definitely say it’s closer to a 9 after a few listens. If you’re at all into stuff like Tonight Alive, Skindred or Butcher Babies, check this out ASAP!
Listen to: SHIVERS, VILLAINS, and CLOCKWORK
50 – H.E.A.T.: Welcome to the Future
There isn’t nearly enough cheesy AOR on this list this year, but arguably the modern kings of it gave us one of their best albums to date back in April. The second album since original vocalist Kenny’s return goes hard for a full 45-minutes, and is packed full of MASSIVE riffs and stadium-filling choruses. It’s impossible not to love this band and album, and every track is as good as the last, all of them being stuck in my head for days at a time at various parts of the year. It’s insane to me that they aren’t one of the biggest bands currently around, but this style of music doesn’t get nearly as much love as it should! It got a 9/10 from mewhen it dropped, but honestly after so many listens it may be even higher than that now. Check this out if you are at all into big, cheesy choruses, and I only wish I could have put it higher!
Listen to: Disaster, Running to You, and Tear it Down
49 – Muscadine Bloodline: …And What was Left Behind & Longleaf Lo-Fi
Oops, it’s another twofer… oh well, it’s my list, I can do what I want!
The first of this releases has been floating around high on my list since it dropped back in April. And, while it was left-over tracks from their 2024 release, Their follow-up back in Novemberfelt like it also fit the same vibe so well that In struggled to separate them. Both are fantastic country-Americana releases from the duo, packed with great harmonies, emotion-filled lyrics and some great instrumentation. And, at barely an hour across both albums, it’s not even that massive an undertaking, especially for country! It’s simple, chilled-out modern country music, and if you’re a fan of that at all these albums are a must! Somehow I missed reviewing Lo-Fi, but gave Left Behind an incredible solid 9.5/10, and it’s easy to hear why if you listen! Though I have found other albums and releases in this style I’ve enjoyed more through the year, both of these together easily still get that score, and are solidly entered into this list!
Listen to: Ain’t For Sale, Deer in the Headlights, My Meridian, and You Will be Loved
48 – Dinosaur Pile-Up: I’ve Felt Better
There’s just something about Dinosaur Pile-Up, man. There is no one out there doing what they do, and their brand of punk-hard rock-indie fusion is a hell of a lot of fun. This album thankfully picks right up where Celebrity Mansions left off six years prior, with Matt barely showing any signs of his life-threatening health issues over the last few years, aside for in his lyrics. Back when ‘Back Foot’ dropped they seemed like the next big thing, and while their momentum dipped a little, this has done a fantastic job of bringing them back on track! It’s yet another album packed full of awesome songs, with most of it ending up on my personal playlist after just a couple of listens. It’s also an incredibly varied album, with plenty of emotion and vulnerability on display at times, while they still show their fun, light-hearted side on the likes of ‘My Way’ and ‘Big Dogs’. From the big riffs, solid drums and anthemic choruses, it’s honestly the perfect Dinosaur Pile-up album, and I’d put it up there with their last couple of releases easily.
I’ve been obsessed with it since August, and would urge absolutely everyone reading this to give it a try. It was another big 9/10 from us back in August, but it may be even higher than that for me now!
Listen to: ‘Bout to Lose It, My Way, and Quasimodo Melonheart
47 – XIII Doors: Into the Unknown
The debut album from the Irish melodic hard rock band is just as good now as it was when I first checked it outback in February! The mixture of early 2000s radio-rock/arena-filling choruses and plenty of Tremonti-style riffs is perfect, and performed to perfection here. It’s another short and sweet album, just eight tracks packed into an excellent 33 minute package. There truly isn’t a bad track on this album, and there is so much to love throughout. The band have a massive future ahead of them, and this album will be looked back on as the launching pad for that in years to come! There’s a reason I gave it top marks in my review, and I’d recommend this album to absolutely anyone. There is no way it wasn’t making this list, and it more than deserves as high as it’s got! I look forward to hearing where they go in the future!
Listen to: Unleash the Beast, Face the Truth, and Into the Unknown
46 – Frankie Ballard: The Messanger
This is where I really wish I could have put albums higher up. Not to say that everyone above isn’t incredible and could have gotten higher up without the next lot, but this is where the list became almost impossible for me to order!
This is an absolute masterclass in blues, Americana and country. His first album in nearly a decade and it was more than worth the wait, in this writers humble opinion! To put it into perspective, two thirds of this release made it onto my playlist, and the other four tracks aren’t particularly worse than the rest! It’s packed full of great guitaring, emotional and fantastic vocal delivery and some infectiously catchy melodies and choruses. It dropped back in March and honestly I’ve lost track of how much I’ve spun it since then, even the album in full or its many, many highlight tracks. How I haven’t seen much love for it when it dropped or around this time of year is beyond me! If you are into any sort of facet of blues, check this out immediately, you’re bound to love it as much as I do! It was another release with top marks in its review, and it’s practically impossible to argue with that all these months later!
Listen to: Dirty Church Clothes, Shine, and Fenceless Freedom
45 – The Heavy Souls: Have you Got Soul
Our good friends put out their debut album back at the start of the year, and absolutely blew me away with it! An absolute powerhouse of hard rock/blues riffing from front to back, channelling the likes of Rival Sons and Wolfmother perfectly. And, on top of that, plenty of soaring, powerful vocals that fit perfectly over the top! Whether it’s a plodding blues pace or a more uptempo hard rock one, the band pull both styles off so well and it flows perfectly throughout. There is no wonder they have received such praise over the last year or so, and have really built themselves up to a force to be reckoned with already in the UK underground scene. An incredibly solid 9/10 back in February that still stands now, and a worthy addition to the list!
Listen to: Have you Got Soul, Sleepwalking, and She Said
44 – Wretched Path: Sea of Death
Somehow an album I missed when it dropped back in March, I’ve become a little obsessed with it since! The Finnish modern death metal band’s release has somehow slipped under the radar of a lot of people, 121 monthly listens for this is criminal, but I am very proudly one of them! This is barely half-an-hour of perfect brutality, not letting up from start to finish. It’s certainly not an album for everyone reading this, but if you are into your metal on the heavier side, this is an absolute must! From the riffing to the arrangement, drums to the screams, it’s all excellent, and a true masterclass of what death metal is in 2025. It prompted me to also listen back to their 2022 debut, which is also good, but this builds on everything on that perfectly. I can’t give it any less than 9/10, and it more than earns its spot on our list!
Listen to: Release of Violence, Apophis, and
43 – Kelsy Karter & the Heroines: Love Made me Do it
Nearly 11 full months on, this is still an absolutely excellent pop-rock album! I’m so glad Kelsy is getting the love her and the Heroines so sorely deserve, with them recently touring Europe supporting Halestorm, and this album surely went a good way into making that happen! This is packed full of so many incredible radio hooks, backed up perfectly by the excellent instrumentation. Whether it’s slower power ballads or straight up rock tracks, it has a bit of everything, and 50-minutes goes by in a flash! I gush about it even more in my review, and it was yet another 10/10 album, a score I fully stand by after god knows how many listens all these months later. As I said earlier in the Frankie entry, I really wish I could put this higher, and honestly on any given day it could jump up a good few places. It’s an absolutely stellar album and one that I’d recommend everyone check out at least once!
Listen to: Daughter of the Night, Laser to the Heart, and Painkiller
42 – Foreign Affairs: Brothers
Oh look, another phenomenal debut album! The sheer quality of this for a first release is absolutely insane, too. It explores so many different styles too, whether it’s indie, country, Americana or rock, all of them pulled off to perfection! It’s a powerful album too, emotion being a thread throughout and it still giving me goosebumps at times some three months later. The pair are so damn talented, both as players and songwriters, and have crafted something truly special with this release. It was a very easy 9.5/10 back in September, and I very much stand by that now still. It’s an excellent album and another artist that I can see being a massive name sooner rather than later!
Listen to: Killer Spell, I’m on Fire, and One Minute
41 – All Time Low: Everyone’s Talking
The modern pop punk legends returned with an absolute stormer of an album this year, topping the already great Tell me I’m Alive from 2023. It’s the closest they’ve sounded to their old-school sound in years, yet still have a modern edge and production to it. And it’s also packed full of incredible tracks and huge choruses, just like the band have become so well known for. On top of that, Alex proves that he is one of the most underrated storytellers in the business, weaving a tale of how he’s feeling the last couple of years. I was eagerly anticipating this since I first heard ‘SUCKERPUNCH’, and since the album dropped I’ve been a little obsessed! It got a 9/10 from us, but honestly after a few listens I may put it even higher than that now! It’s a fun, surprisingly deep album and is a great way to close out this part of the list!
Listen to: SUCKERPUNCH, The Weather, and Little Bit
Part two of our list, and things are already starting to heat up! I thought I’d take this quick time to highlight some honourable mentions, as there were so many albums that sadly didn’t quite make the cut that are well worth checking out: Badflower. Dropkick Murphys. Russel Dickerson. Bleed From Within. Cam. Ron Pope. Heaven Shall Burn. William Prince. Jordan Davis. And, knock her all you like, but the new Sabrina Carpenter album slaps!
80 – Star Circus: From the Wreckage
We kick off part two of this years list with a long-anticipated sophomore album, and one hell of a sleazy, AOR/hard rock release! I’ve been a fan of the band for a few years now, and was pretty hyped when this was announced and we got sent it, and for anyone who’s read our review, I was certainly not disappointed! Nearly 50-minutes of awesome riffing and instrumentation, and packed full of choruses big enough to fill stadiums! Feeling like a modern version of Glenn Hughes or Night Ranger, it’s a lot of fun, and an incredibly easily listen that I’d recommend any rock fan check out! If/when you do, you’ll easily hear why we gave it a whopping 9.5/10, and why it easily made it onto our list!
Listen to: Chained to You, One Hit Wonder, and Last Dance
79 – Paradise Lost: Ascension
The godfathers of death-doom returned this last September with their first new studio stuff in half a decade, and proved that they are still one of the best in their genre. This is an hour of moody, gothic heaviness, and I love every bit of it. The riffs are the main highlight, as expected in this music, but some of the vocal lines are surprisingly catchy too, even when screamed! And the whole thing is just epic, flowing perfectly one track into the next. It’s certainly not for everyone, and is no small undertaking, but if you are at all into doom music, this is very much the album for you! It was, you guessed it, another massive 9/10from us when it dropped, and a few listens later it still very easily sits at that. A welcome, easy addition to this spot on the list!
Listen to: Tyrents Serenade, Salvation, and Sirens
78 – Rival Pack: BURN
As I’ve said before, 2025 was the year of the hardcore return, and few did it better this year than this Netherlands-based collective. Frankly, the fact that they sit on barely 100 monthly listeners at this point is nothing short of criminal! This isn’t even half an hour of absolute aggression and fury that would put plenty of other artists to shame. It’s a great way to get out some anger, as it makes me just want to throw people around a pit, and at the same time is a great fun listen. It’s a typical sound for the genre and doesn’t do a lot out of the ordinary, but what it does do, it does to perfection. I’ve spun this a lot since June and haven’t yet gotten bored of it, sure to keep spinning it plenty in the new year, too! From the riffing to the screams to the breakdowns, it’s all so good. Somehow it was one we hadn’t checked out for NMM, but give this a listen and try to tell me it is anything less than a 9/10! An amazing heavy album, and well worth its placement on here. On a weaker year, it could have gotten far higher!
Listen to: Closing In, Killer in the Pool, and Don’t Waste My Time
77 – Luna Marble: Self-Titled
The debut album from the bluesy hard rockers only came out last month, but has quickly established itself as a force in this list! This is a powerhouse of 70s riffs and psychedelia from start to finish, as well as being packed full of some awesome, arena-filling choruses to boot! It’s honestly refreshing to hear a band inspired by Led Zeppelin but not sound like a clone of them. It’s a more modern sound, reminding me a lot more of something like Brave Rival. These guys have truly mastered their craft and sound already, insanely impressive for a band so young and not having been going all that long. Everyone is exceptionally talented; from the riffing to the drumming, synth to the actually-focused-on bass to the soaring, powerful vocals it’s all incredible. I’ve fallen in love with the band since this early November release, and if you are at all into more of a classic rock style it is an absolute must-listen! It’s very easy to hear why it got a massive 9/10 from me, and it more than earned its slot here!
Listen to: All of my Love, So Long, and Redemption
76 – The War & Treaty: Plus One
Firstly, I don’t remember this album being this damn LONG. As much as I love the band, 66 minutes is a lot to sit through, and I think it’s a big reason as to why I’ve stuck to the tracks I like and very rarely revisited the release as a whole. It’s most likely the reason that it’s a touch lower than their previous release was on these lists. The highs are in the sky, but there is a fair bit of needless filler too, in this writers opinion, which stopped it from being quite as excellent an album as Lover’s Game. However, it’s still a damn good album, and produced some of my favourite country-adjacent tracks of the year. The duo lean even harder into their Southern Soul style than ever, putting out a truly unique release different to anything else on this list. And, honestly, it’s the more country/Americana stuff that I find myself going back to the least. They have really found their niche and bounce off of each other somehow better than ever, crafting something honestly special here, despite the length. It’s crazy to look back on our review of it and see my opinion has changed a bit on the slower stuff. Honestly, I’d stick with the 9.5/10 over top marks. However it’s still awesome, and very deserving of a slot of this list, that’s for sure! Check this out, especially the opening half!
Listen to: Call You By Your Name, Stealing a Kiss, and Love is on Fire
75 – Feuerschwanz: Knightclub
Power metal ‘Gangnam Style’… do I need to say anything else?! The band put the fun in power metal like few other bands can, and it makes this a fantastic listen! Don’t get me wrong, they can also get serious and ‘proper power metally’ when they want to, but the slightly more light-hearted nature is a lot of fun, and has kept me coming back to a lot of this album again and again. And even though the release may appear front-loaded (aside the massive closer), there are some truly incredible folk metal songs throughout, and I couldn’t name you a bad song. I have fully gotten on-board the power metal train the last couple of years or so, and this is honestly one of my favourite releases in the genre since then! It is a resounding YES in answer to the question posed in my review, and I fully stand by the 9/10 I gave it back then. It more than deserves this slot on the list, and would have gotten higher if it weren’t for a couple other power metal albums further on…
Listen to: Knightclub, Valhalla, and Sam the Brave
74 – Carter Faith: Cherry Valley
Another debut album, this one for a sure-fire future country megastar. Her Dolly-esque vocals and her fantastic lyric/songwriting are a winning combination, that’s for sure! Her quick wit lyrically is second to very few currently. She definitely adds some modernness to the neo-traditional sound though, and even some epicness with songs like the opener. It’s simple and rather chilled-out as a whole, but packed full of both fun and emotion. And, even at its pretty stacked length, it’s full of amazing songs and it an incredibly easy listen. A lot of it came out as singles beforehand, but despite being a marketing/income tactic, it’s also easy to see why, as there are so many standouts. It gives off Sabrina Carpenter vibes at times, and I mean that as the uttermost of compliments! It’s very easy to hear why I gave this a 9/10, and it’s stayed firmly in my rotation since the start of October when it was released. If you are at all into country music check this out, especially given how MASSIVE a name she’s going to be sooner rather than later. Heck, ‘If I Had Never Lost my Mind…’ still gives me goosebumps now, that alone should encourage you to listen!
Listen to: Sex, Drugs, & Country Music, Grudge, and Burn my Memory
73 – Old Dominion: Barbara
Just two years after their amazing Memory Lane, the country megastars returned with yet another barn-burner! It’s a really interesting release for me, too. When it first released, I was adamantit wasn’t up there with their last album. However, the more I listen to it, the more I find myself enjoying almost every song a lot. While the singles aren’t as massive and memorable, it’s a shorter, more concise album, with less filler and far more killer than Memory Lane. It’s a chilled-out country album that feels like it leans more into their influences than trying to score another radio hit. The band really cut loose and wrote what they wanted to, and it results in a beautiful album that is packed full of heart and emotion. It combines a more traditional country/soul sound with their more modern elements, so if that sounds at all like something you’d be interested in, I can’t recommend this enough! It’s another one that definitely gets bumped up, as I only gave it 8/10 in our review, while it’s another easy 9 now, if not higher!
Listen to: Making Good Time, Man or the Song, and Talk Country
72 – Fit for a King: Lonely God
The Texan metalcore collective returned back in August with their eighth album, and it’s an epic, varied release! Whether it’s the more modern BMTH-inspired arena metalcore, or the brutally heavy riffing and breakdowns that brought them to the dance, or even a couple of slower ballads, this thing is packed full of a bit of everything from the genre! And the band do it all so well! From crushing breakdowns to epic soundscapes, I’m obsessed with all of it. I do typcially prefer the heavier tracks, but something about this band and this album had me loving every song. They’re perfectly spread out through the album too, the moments of levity incredibly offsetting the brutal times. I loved The Hell We Create, but this is up there alongside it, for sure! If you are at all into modern metalcore, this is certainly an album for you. A very solid 9/10 from us easily landed it it’s spot on our list!
Listen to: Extinction, Monolith, and Blue Venom
71 – Eld Varg: Destroyer
The Scottish melodic hard rock/metallers returned with a vengeance with this album last month. The riff-masters clearly borrow from plenty of old-school metal influences, but still somehow sound modern, maybe due to the album’s excellent production! I gushed over this album plenty in my review, but it is so very deserved. It genre-blends in all the best way, and really has a little something for everyone even slightly into metal. 41-minutes of epicness; from power and folk metal to more thrash to melodic hard rock at times. And, as said before, the whole thing goes by in a flash, and is well worth listening to in one sitting! The band are all so incredibly talented at playing and writing, and I can foresee this pushing them up a few notches in the scene by this time next year. It very much deserves its place on our list!
Listen to: Achamán, The Hell of Mirrors, and Crestfallen
70 – HARDY: Country! Country!
Album number four from one of Nashville’s biggest modern songwriters certainly washed out some of the bad taste in the mouth that Quit!! left behind. Leaning more into the country-hard rock fusion that made mockingbird so successful was definitely a step in the right direction, and lead to an album I have revisited a fair bit the last three months. Is it as good as mockingbird? Given that it’s here on this list and not at number 2, no. But hell, it made the list this year, and above a lot of other country albums, so that should say a lot!
Despite being long and certainly having some filler without a cool concept to explain it away, there are still some excellent country tracks across a lot of this, and it’s very much a return to form for THE CROW. There is far more great than not too, with most of this ending up on my personal playlist by now! There’s a lot of fun, but there’s also plenty of emotion shown at times, HARDY’s vocals and talent handling both styles masterfully. The length has most probably dropped it a few places on this list, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a surprisingly easy listen for over an hour. In fact, it may be the longest album on the list this year, which is an achievement in of itself, I guess! I gave it an 8.5/10back in September, but as predicted in that review, this has grown on me more since! It’s a solid, easy 9/10 now, and very easily makes it this high on the list. Hopefully he rearranges his UK tour next year, as I’d love to hear some of this live!
Listen to: Country Country, Girl With a Gun, and Y’all Need Jesus
69 – Solence: ANGELS CALLING
After sitting with this album for a couple of months now, I’ve finally gotten on-board with serious Solence, and I really love this release! This thing is an incredible pop/alt-metal album packed to the brim with amazing, catchy-as-anything tracks. Honestly, every track is as good as the last, and the album has such a fantastic flow to it, 27-minutes going by in a flash. It has hints of early 2000s US radio-rock, but with a distinctly modern European twist on top of that, especially with the Callboy-like electronic elements and screams. Oh, and then we just get some insanely technical solos thrown in for good measure too; this album really having a bit of everything!
I’ve had most of this album stuck in my head at various points over the last two plus months, and it has grown on me more and more. They fully deserve the fast rise they are having, and I can really see 2026 being their year with the sheer amount of touring they have planned! We gave it 8.5/10when it released, but it’s definitely higher than that for me now. A good album that’s grown on me even more with subsequent listens, it more than deserves to be rocking this list!
Listen to: Monsters in my Head, Where Were You..?, and All of the Pain Must Go
68 – Locash: Bet the Farm
The first album from the country duo in six years was more than worth the wait! This is a masterclass in bro-ish country, and is a release I’ve been jamming a lot from April all the way to now. It’s a lot of fun throughout, but also packed full of emotion, as well as some stadium-sized choruses and harmonies from the pair. And from the more Southern rock infused to the country ballads, they do it all perfectly. It’s a sound that’s definitely taken a step back in recent years but I’m so glad hasn’t died off completely. If you are into country at all, I’d definitely recommend giving this a chance, it’s impossible not to love it! And at under 40-minutes, it’s pretty short for a country release these days. We gave this a whopping 9.5/10 when it released, and if you take a listen it’s very easy to see why! If it wasn’t for country booming once again this year, it would have ended up higher, but it is still at a damn respectable point of the list!
Listen to: Hometown Home, Bring Em Back, and Shipwrecked
67 – Tetrarch: The Ugly Side of Me
The nu-metal revival continued to be in full swing in 2025, and this album was a large focal point of that! The bands third album followed up 2021’s amazing Unstable perfectly, building on everything that album laid out and coming out with an incredibly strong release overall. Every song slaps, and it makes for a fantastic, heavy, catchy just over half-an-hour! The duo of Josh Fore and Diamond Rowe is a real powerhouse, and will inspire this band continues to grow into a juggernaut in years to come. Especially if they keep continuing to grow and build on their sound, and put out better and better albums! From the crushing riffing to the massive choruses to the occasional awesome solo, it’s all amazing. It got a huge 9/10from us when it dropped, and has been in regular rotation for me since May, easily earning its spot on this list! For anyone who’s into nu or industrial metal, or just anything around that early 2000s sound, listen to this immediately!
Listen to: Never Again (Parasite), Live Not Fantasize, and Cold
66 – The Damn Shames: Trailers on Bricks
A release recommended to me by a good friend of the company, Kyle Daniel, and I’m so glad that he did! This is an incredible Southern rock album! From the instrumentation to the incredible harmonies to the arena-filling choruses, it’s all so damn good, from start to finish. Honestly, each of these 10 tracks are as good as the last, and it makes for a super easy listen from start-to-finish! The band are all insanely talented players and songwriters, and the fact that this is their debut album and it’s of this high quality is truly amazing. This somehow only got an 8.5/10 from us upon release, but after multiple revisits over the last six months, this is easily closer to a 9 for me! If you are at all into the country or Southern rock scene, this is very much the album for you. Hopefully either scene in the UK picks them up, as I’d love to see this stuff live! I look forward to hearing where they go from here, but for now I am content to keep spinning this record, hence why it ends up pretty high on this list!
Listen to: Who Killed Rock n’ Roll?, Another Spoke in the Wheel, and Quittin’ Time
65 – Epica: Aspiral
I mean, we finally got three new parts of A New Age Dawns on this release, that alone gets it onto this list! However, the other eight songs are also just as good, too! The whole thing is an epic, cinematic masterpiece that somehow feels like it goes by far too quickly despite it being an hour. I always felt like they were one of the more underrated symphonic metal bands, but they put out one of the best albums in the genre in recent years with this. From Simone’s incredible vocals and choruses to the insane instrumentation throughout, it’s easy to hear why it’s had me hooked since April. It got a huge 9.5/10 from us, and if you give it a listen you’ll easily be able to tell why! I’m always a touch hit and miss with the genre, but when it’s done as well as this it’s hard not to fall in love, hence why it’s here and in a pretty favourable position. It’s a big undertaking, but I’d highly recommend a full listen through of the album for anyone even slightly interested!
Listen to: Cross the Divide, Arcana, and Eye of the Storm
64 – Humming Whale: Chasing Rabbits
Another debut album, and this time a fantastic blend of so many different metal styles! Somewhere between hardcore and prog metal, it’s a blend that shouldn’t work anywhere near as well as these guys make it! I already gushed over this album in my review not long ago, so I feel like cliff notes are probably more preferred, right? Incredible instrumentation, catchy, powerful vocals, great cleans and harshes, and some epic songwriting. Like it somehow combines Tool, Godsmack and Turnstile. If that sounds at all like your sort of thing, go check it out ASAP! Their creativity and uniqueness is off the charts, and I can see a huge future for them if they keep on putting out stuff of this quality. For now, I’m more than happy to keep spinning this release, an easy 9/10, and it easily made it onto this spot on the list!
Listen to: Chasing Rabbits, Waves, and Black Waters
63 – Born of Osiris: Through Shadows
This brutal slice of technical metalcore from back in July is somehow something I haven’t revisited too much since its release, but upon doing so am blown away all over again. Instrumentally this is absolutely phenomenal from the very first note; the riffing to the solos, drumming to the electronics and synth, it’s all mind-blowingly good. And the vocals too, be it screams or the odd clean, all fit it so well. I’ve really gotten into the heavier side of metalcore since the mainstream side of it has lightened up, and adding a tech and electronic edge to it is like a match made in heaven. And heck, some of it is catchy, as well as being heavy and djenty, it’s really awesome! I knew I had this album in my list for a reason, but I can’t believe I even slept on it for a few months again, even after giving it 9/10 back in July. If you are even slightly into metal, but especially modern Machine Head, Periphery or Shadow of Intent, this is one to put on immediately!
Listen to: Seppuka, Through Shadows, and Activated
62 – Lanie Gardner: Faded Polaroids
The second album from the rising country star, somehow she keeps just getting better and better! She’s incorporated a little more rock elements since her debut, and it’s made for an incredible, fun country album. And even on her slower tracks, they’re also radio-country ballads, and just as good as the rest of the songs. And even at its length, it’s still an easy listen without a bad song throughout. Her vocals are incredible, as are her lyrics, and they all fit perfectly over the instrumentation, whether it’s country, southern rock, Americana or more of a pop leaning. It got an incredibly easy 9/10 from us, and there was no way it wasn’t getting a strong spot on this list. She has such an insanely bright future ahead of her, and I don’t suspect this is the last time she’ll be on a list like this!
Listen to: Boys Like You, Boot Down, and Buzzkill
61 – Once Awake: Far Out and Beyond
I have such a weak spot for old-school melodeath this year, and the fifth album from the Norwegian quartet delivered that in spades back in April. This thing is an epic nine tracks crushing brutality, riffs, breakdowns and some huge, catchy moments to break them up. There is not a track to skip, and I’ve done it in full numerous occasions since its release. Heck, it’s so good it even prompted me to go to Derby of all places to see them live, that should be the biggest endorsement there is! For those into the heyday of In Flames or Bodom, this is an album you need to spin, you’ll surely be as obsessed as I’ve been. And it actually has our first 10/10 review of our list so far, and it more than deserves that rating! It’s a phenomenal album, and only reason it’s not even higher up is because of the sheer amount of awesome releases from 2025, and the wide variety of styles we cover. I challenge you to find me a better straight-up melodeath album over the last year or two, I think you’d be hard pressed to find much!
Listen to: Where’s All the Silence Gone, Injustice, and Kill the Concern
It is no secret that two of these bands are very close to my heart. So, to be able to see INK get to headline arenas in the UK was already something special, but to do so alongside one of the best modern bands in Creeper was truly something else. I had tickets for this show from the moment they went on sale, and have been super hyped for it ever since. There was no way I wasn’t writing this review, so let’s dive right in!
TX2… the old adage is if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all…
I really wanted to enjoy The Devil Wears Prada. I’ve definitely enjoyed them in the past on track, even if not as much recently. The band are very clearly a talented bunch of musicians, playing well and crafting some good sounding stuff. However, for the most part their music isn’t really my sort of bag when it comes to modern metal/metalcore, especially when most of their short setlist was made up of newer material. Plus, the band felt just a little bit like they were more going through the motions here. I get that they were second of four bands on that night, but the place had packed out fairly considerably for their set, and I was left a little bored and distracted while they were on. It was probably more just me, as the pit looked pretty good, but I sadly wouldn’t rush to see them again live.
Creeper will never not be good live. The only time I’ve seen them recently was back at 2000 Trees where they blew me away, and they did that here once again! The band were on top form, blasting through the top hits of both parts of Sanguivore without barely pausing for breath. And how could they, when they barely had 30 minutes to work with? That is my only complaint about the show, is that in stacking the lineup, the openers didn’t get a whole lot of time to show what they’re about. Still, Creeper made the most of it, and even despite some early technical issues, put on a blinder of a show! From new bangers like ‘Blood Magik’ and ‘Headstones’ to previous album classics ‘The Ballad of Spook and Mercy’ and ‘Cry to Heaven’, there wasn’t a dull moment!
The band performed masterfully, too. Will has become an effortlessly charismatic frontman in recent years, taking what could be a cheesy gimmick and making it actually cool. Meanwhile, the renewed focus on Hannah with Mistress of Death has added a great dynamic as she is a born stage performer, too. And not to take away from the rest of the band either, who all played their asses off and had such fantastic stage presence, fitting the theme perfectly. They are about ready to take on venues like this on their own, and more than deserve it after their recent studio output and solid live shows. But for now, this was an amazing set, and I already look forward to seeing them again soon!
This was my third time seeing Ice Nine Kills. First back in a smaller club, then main stage at a major festival. Both times were awesome, and both times they upped the ante in terms of stage show. This, however, was on another level. They were made to play these huge arena stages, and they brought enough props and fire to prove just that. From the usual mask changes and prop axes and knives to new stuff like plenty of pyro, smoke and their backing screens. Everything was so perfectly and meticulously planned out, every track having a story and a show to it in its own right. Speaking of the screens, using them to play a little vignette to introduce every song was masterful, and fully on brand for the band. It’s a show that can only be put on at this sort of size of venue, and now I never want to see them on a smaller one again!
As for the set itself, it was pretty damn perfect. It was fairly similar to what I’ve seen before, but given that they are still on the Silver Scream duos’ album cycle, that was to be expected. However, the three new tracks they’ve released since I last saw them were all phenomenal, even the middling ‘Great Unknown’. Heck, both ‘The Laugh Track’ and closer ‘A Work of Art’ were incredible and so chaotic in the best ways, being easy set highlights. And, not only did we get their incredible ‘Walking on Sunshine’ cover live (the bass of RBF were there for the whole show, making it sound even more awesome!) but we also got a fantastic cover of The Mighty Mighty Bostones’ big hit. And, all the classics were just as good too, and performed to perfection by the band. Everyone on the stage was so damn talented, the songs being pretty technical throughout, and played them all amazingly well. And, for the first time watching them, it honestly felt like a more cohesive band, and less of just Spencer and backing. It was nice, and made the show even better! It was somehow the best set I’ve seen from them, and easily one of the best I’ve seen all year!
So there you have it, folks! Two of my favourite current bands playing blinding sets to a packed out arena crowd, what more could you want? Yes, while I wasn’t a huge fan of the opening two, I am just one guy with my own opinion, and I’ve seen plenty of love for both online too. But honestly, I cannot recommend Creeper and INK enough, both are INCREDIBLE live and are going to be the future of heavy music for years to come, mark my words! The next possible chance you have to check either out, do it!
Here we are, that time of the year again! The month where I go insane and try to rank 100 out of the over 500 albums I’ve listened to this year into the order in which I enjoyed them the most. It’s equal parts subjective and objective, and I’m convinced I’ve left off so many excellent albums, so if your favourites aren’t here, I’m sorry and they are most likely awesome! Without further ado, let’s dive into the chaos, shall we?
100 – Eli Young Band: Strange Hours
Yep, that’s how strong we’re starting. I told you it’s been a tough year! The Texan country band put out their seventh studio album back at the start of August, and it’s been a mainstay in my rotation since then. It was the perfect summer album, combining catchy vocals and harmonies with their brand of country which perfectly combines pop, rock and Americana. I’ve been a fan of the band a few years now, and this is easily my favourite release from them in that timeframe. It’s a strong album from start to finish, being an incredibly easy 43-minutes of chilled-out, catchy country to listen to! It’s so well written and put together, the perfect inoffensive release into the genre that covers pretty much all bases. So, if you even have a passing interest in the genre, I’d definitely recommend checking it out! We gave it a solid 9/10 upon release, and I very much stand by that now!
Listen to: Nothing on the Wild, All Good with Me, and Everybody Else
99 – Circus 66: Elements
Album #2 from the UK hard rockers blew me away back in March, and upon revisiting it for this list, I was blown away once again! It’s nearly 50 minutes of awesome, foot-stompin’, sleazy guitar riffing and soaring vocals, and I love it! The band are all insanely talented, everyone getting their time to shine plenty throughout, and have crafted an excellent collection of NWOCR tracks here. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and I cannot recommend it enough to any rock fans out there. It’s insane to me that they aren’t a massive band already, but they have killed it with this release and are very much looking like 2026 will be a breakout year for them! It’s very easy to hear why we gave it 9/10, and why it makes it onto our list!
Listen to: Replace the Pain, We All Need Saving, and Love on the Other Side
98 – An Evening With Knives: End of Time
This proggy alt metal release from towards the start of the year came five years after their previous studio album, and showed just how much the band had grown and matured. It’s heavy, groovy and melodic in all the best ways, and somehow combines together elements of everything from stoner and desert rock to prog to heavy metal to plenty in between! The trio are insanely talented, all playing their asses off from front to back, and have produced something truly special with this release, managing to sound pretty unique at a time when that is almost impossible! If you are into anything from QOTSA to Tool to even Machine Head and Devildriver, do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP! It got a very easy 9/10 from us when it dropped, and I fully stand by that rating now, showing just why it made the cut for this list!
Listen to: Pride of Lions, Death and The Mistake
97 – Trick or Treat: Ghosted
This epic slab of old-school heavy metal mixed with more old-school power metal is just as fantastic now as it was in April when it first dropped. Combining sounds like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Hammerfall and their spooky, horror theming works perfectly, and makes for a solid album as it is. Then you take into account just how phenomenally talented every band member is, from the vocals to the drumming to the soloing and riffing, it’s all so good, and it’s so very easy to fall in love with this release. It’s stacked to the brim with awesome tracks, and even some awesome guest appearances from Adrienne Cowen and Christopher Bowes. 45-minutes still now goes by in a flash even after a few listens. If you’re into power metal you’re probably already checking it out from reading this, but if not I’d definitely recommend it to just about any music fan. It’s got someone of the biggest choruses of the year. Yet another very solid 9/10from us, and incredibly deserving of its spot on our list!
Listen to: Craven Road, Bloodmoon, and Evil Dead Never Sleeps
96 – The Rasmus: Weirdo
The 11th studio album from the pop/alt metal band goes far harder than I feel almost anyone expected before it released! From genuinely heaving riffing to being packed full of their typically arena-filling choruses, it very much felt like a return to the top after a few years of honestly a little middling releases. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a touch cringy at times lyrically, but that is almost part of the charm with this sort of music! It’s barely half an hour and an incredibly easy listen, and a release I’d recommend to anyone into more of a poppy hook! It’s a sound I feel nostalgic for despite never really getting into it much in my teen years, so for anyone who was more into the band or stuff like Him, it would probably get even higher. It got another incredibly solid 9/10 from us and is more than deserving it’s spot on this list!
Listen to: Creatures of Chaos, Dead Ringer, and You Want it All
95 – Lacuna Coil: Sleepless Empire
The symphonic/industrial metal powerhouses very much returned to form in 2025, and this album is a huge indicator of that! This thing is catchy, heavy and packed with banger after banger. From the soaring operatic vocals to the harsh screams, both fit so well over the awesome, almost nu-metal infused instrumentation. It’s another album that goes hard from start to finish too, every song being as good as the last. They were a band I somehow didn’t get into much in my youth, so as a first full album by them I’ve check out, I’m a little obsessed! The only reason it is this low down is because it is so an insanely high quality year for new music! It still got another incredibly solid 9/10from us, and if you’re even passingly into metal, I’d highly recommend giving this one a try!
Listen to: Oxygen, Scarecrow, and Hosting the Shadow
94 – Sleep Theory: Afterglow
Very much the breakout stars of 2025, the debut album from the metalcore upstarts has already set them up to be a huge name sooner rather than later. They channel massive early ADTR vibes in the best ways, especially since said band have taken a nosedive in recent years. It’s full of ch0nky riffs, huge choruses and some great screams, and is a fantastic 40-minute listen. I actually hadn’t revisited it too much since it’s May release, but having checked it out again while writing this list, I fell in love with it all over again. It’s incredibly radio/mainstream friendly, but that isn’t at all a bad thing. The band have worked their asses off on socials the last couple of years to make this a big release, and it has paid off in spades. However, the quality of the music is also high, certainly contributing to their fast success. If it was slightly more adventurous and innovative, it would have ended up even higher on the list but still, making it on here shows how high quality it is! I gave it8.5/10 when it dropped, and I still agree with that now, but it may even sneak up to more like a 9 on some listens!
Listen to: Hourglass, Fallout, and Just a Mistake
93 – Cardinal Black: Midnight at the Valencia
This is a modern soft rock masterpiece. End of discussion. It gives off massive Genesis or Seal vibes, but definitely with a current day edge to it. Over half a year later and Tom’s vocals still give me goosebumps at times throughout. However, the arrangement of every song compliments his voice perfectly, everyone being incredible musicians and songwriters. While the band have certainly been on a lot of tongues the last couple of years, this truly felt like the year that Cardinal Black really broke out. And, this album is definitely a big reason for that! It’s fucking beautiful, and it’s an album that still makes me feel the same as I did the first time every time I spin it. The only reason it’s a little lower than maybe expected is because it does get a little samey after a while. However, when that similar stuff is all banging, it’s impossible not to love it, still! This got a whopping 9.5/10 from us and it’s hard not to still agree with that sentiment now!
Listen to: Ride Home, Breathe, and Morning Light
92 – Tanner Usrey: These Days
The first of a healthy handful of bands in this vaguely indie country-Americana sound that has gotten so big the last couple of years on this list. The fact that it is at this point in it certainly doesn’t diminish its quality either, as this is a fanatic release! It’s incredibly varied too, from blusy Southern rock to more of an indie flavour to even a more traditional country style. And, no matter the sound, it’s performed brilliantly and packed full of emotion from start to finish. My only slight complaint is that the pacing and arraignment of it is a little slow at times. However, every song is excellent, and it honestly has some of my favourite tracks of the year on it, the exceptional very much outweighing anything slightly less-so. I’d easily put this up there with his debut album, even if it hasn’t had quite as much love! We gave ita solid 9/10, and it more than earned its spot here!
Listen to: If you Call me Again, Bad Love, and With You
91 – Zach Top: Ain’t in it for my Health
Yes, I know, people are going to be BIG MAD for this being so low down on this list. He’s an absolutely massive artist for sure, and this is one hell of an album. My main bug to bare is that, as much as I love a classical country vibe typically, a lot of this is a touch on the slower side. That’s inherently not an issue at all, but it does get a touch old through the 50-minute length. However, there is no denying the HUGE talent on display throughout, from a songwriting, vocal and playing standpoint, and it’s easy to hear why he’s one of the biggest names in the genre currently. If you are at all a fan of traditional country music, this is well worth checking out. If it wasn’t for the genre having such a strong year again, this would certainly be higher up. We gave ita very solid 8.5/10, and it may have crept even higher than that since its release!
Listen to: Guitar, Splitsville, and Flip—Flop
90 – Pridian: Venetian Dark
The first debut album to make it onto our list this year, and it’s an awesome slab of modern metal from the Estonian four-piece. It’s the perfect blend of heavy, chuggy riffing, crushing drums and some awesome screams. Yet, it also still has moments of levity and cleanness throughout, the band clearly hugely talented to be able to put it all together! This thing came out all the way back in May and has spent the rest of the year pretty firmly in my rotation, blowing me away each time. It’s heavy, melodic and also rather menacing and gothic throughout, being an awesome combo! This is somehow one of the albums that we missed the week of its release, but it gets an incredibly deserving 9/10 now, and easily earned its spot on this list! Check it out if you are at all into melodic metal.
Listen to: Cyanide Dreams, Ruin, and Void Resonance
89 – Slaughter to Prevail: GRIZZLY
One of the most hyped albums of the year, at least in the deathcore scene, and to my shock it was a bit more of a grower on me than an immediate hit. Don’t get me wrong, it hits hard right from the first listen, but something about it didn’t hook me in immediately. Maybe it was because, much like my issues with Falling in Reverseor Electric Callboy in recent years, we’d heard a good chunk of the album before its release, and had sat with it for a while. So, while none of it is at all bad, it did feel ever so slightly underwhelming.
However, coming back to this album a couple of times since, I’ve definitely grown to appreciate it more! Alex is one of the best vocalists and frontmen in the game today, and the band behind him have crafted nearly an hour of crushingly heavy (but still fun) deathcore. If you are a fan of the heavier side of metal, I cannot recommend this enough. They deserve all the praise they get and the size they have climbed to, and this album very much cements them at the top of their style. As you could probably guess by this point, it got a 9/10 from us when it released, but it may be even slightly higher than that now!
Listen to: Russian Grizzly in America, Viking, and Lift That Shit
88 – Julia DiGrazia: All In
Another massive debut album, this time from a woman who’s already becoming a powerhouse in country. Having gotten her first big break on her and Evan Honer’s (more on him later) cover of Tyler Childers’ ‘Jersey Giant’ back in 2022, her rise has already been meteoric, and capped off perfectly by this collection. Whether it’s blues/southern tinged country rock, classic country or more of an Americana sound, it has a bit of everything across it’s just 30-minute runtime. Every track is as good as the last, and makes for such an incredibly easy listen. She’s already becoming a massive name in the scene, and it’s incredibly easy to hear why. If you haven’t already, give this a spin, you’ll surely love it as much as I do! It got a massive, and rightly deserved, 9.5/10 in our review, and if it wasn’t such a strong year, it would have gotten even higher on our list!
Listen to: Rollercoaster, Two Truths and a Liar, and Life’s Been Good Lately
87 – Kyle Gordon: Kyle Gordon is Wonderful
This was maybe the hardest album to place on this list. It nearly didn’t make it at all, as comedy music seems to be such a controversial topic these days. However, Kyle has crafted something truly special here, and it’s an enjoyable release with or without the fantastic comedy wit, so there was no way it wasn’t sneaking on here. I was already a fan of his, but the concept and creativity of this release really blew me away. 10 different genres from 10 different ‘artists’, detailing the most “Wonderfully Ridiculous Songs of All Time”. Whether it’s Europop, nu metal, indie or traditional country/bluegrass, Kyle is an INCREDIBLE songwriter, and does each style so well. I challenge you to check this out and try to tell me you don’t love it, I honestly think it’s impossible! It was another one I missed out on reviewing when it dropped, but I can’t give it any less than 9/10! I’ve spun it a lot in the last eight months since its release, and I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon!
Listen to: We Will Never Die, Crawl to Me, and My Husband’s Ghost
86 – Lorna Shore: I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me
The other kings of modern deathcore very much do their own thing, and sound fantastic doing so! This thing is over an hour spread across just 10 songs, and is much symphonic/power metal as it is anything else. It’s epic, grandiose and wildly ambitious, and the band pull it off like only Lorna could. From the crazy heaviness of the blastbeats and breakdowns to Wills now iconic vocals, the band followed up on Pain Remains pretty perfectly! If you are into the band or genre at all and somehow haven’t checked this out already, do so as soon as you can! It won’t be for everyone, but I loved this, and the genre has very much grown on me over the last year or two thanks to bands like Lorna and Slaughter. It got a very easy 9/10 back in September, and it’s hard to argue against that after another few listens! It more than earns its spot on this list, and could have been higher if there weren’t so many excellent heavier albums alongside it!
Listen to: Prison of Flesh, In Darkness and Forevermore
85 – Dillon Carmichael: Keepin’ Country Alive
Four years after Dillon’s breakout success with Son of a, he returned in a major way with this album back in June. It’s Southern rock tinged modern country music, and a lot of fun across its 14 songs! It feels like it would have fit perfectly into the mainstream scene a decade ago, somehow combining the bro-country style of FGL with more of a Blackberry Smoke or TC3 flavour. Then again, he has plenty of Jon Pardi vibes to him too, it making sense that he supported him the other year. Yes, it’s a touch cringy and stereotypical when it comes to lyrics and theming at times, but that almost adds to the charm when it’s this good. From the powerful vocals to the catchy melodies and choruses to some awesome riffing and instrumentation throughout, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this! There really isn’t a bad track on the album, and three-quarters-of-an-hour really goes by in a flash. If you have even a passing interest in country music, this is a must to be checking out! It got a massive 9.5/10 from us, and you only have to listen to see why! It more than deserves this slot on our list!
Listen to: Raised Up Wrong, When She’s Drinkin’, and No Matter How Hard I Try
84 – Ghost Hounds: Almost Home
Perfectly combining old-school rock’n’roll, soul and country music, the fifth album from the Pennsylvanian natives has honestly been a little underrated this year. I’m not sure if it’s due to it being the first release since their change in vocalist, with Tre Nation personally scouting out SAVNT to replace him, but this is an incredible release that just hasn’t got the love I feel it should have. There are some genuinely excellent blues rock tracks, be it boot-stompin’ or more slower, emotional ballads. However, to address the elephant in the room, it’s not quite as high as I expected it to be because it does drop off a fair bit by the end. The first half of it is excellent, but the second half is maybe one too many slower tracks in a row. Still, just think how good those opening six songs are that it makes it this high on our list! And still, the latter tracks aren’t bad, I just wish the album was a little better arranged! If you are into blues or southern rock, or more of a slower country style, this is well worth checking out. It was another easy 9/10 from us, and well worth its spot here!
Listen to: She Runs Hot, Past the Point of Rescue, and You’ll Never Find Me
83 – Phear: Save Our Souls
This powerful explosion of melodic metal is somehow the third album from the Canadian band, and they have a big new fan in me this year because of it! It’s the perfect mix of heavy riffing and drumming and catchy, melodic leads and vocals. It vaguely reminds me of Fozzy back when they were good, around Sin and Bones. I was a little late to this, not checking it out until the start of summer, but it blew me away and I have since gone back to check out both their other releases. That’s how good this is, and it’s honestly their best release to date. The band are so talented, both as songwriters and players, and they have crafted something brilliant here. We don’t get enough of this sort of sound any more, though it is making a comeback in the last couple of years, and these guys are continuing it on perfectly! If you are at all into a more melodic side of metal, think Metallica meets Alter Bridge, I cannot recommend this enough. It’s another easy 9/10 from us, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. Hopefully it’s not another five years, next time!
Listen to: Aftershock, Narcosynthesis, and Bleed
82 – Jonah Kagen: Sunflowers and Leather
Another entry into the ‘emotional indie-Americana’ category for this list already! This whole thing is bittersweetly beautiful from start to finish, the perfect blend of Zach Bryan and Evan Honer. And somehow and nearly an hour and 16-tracks long, it still goes by in a flash and is an incredibly easy listen! The lyrics throughout are a massive highlight, but the instrumentation fits them all so very perfectly. I’d somehow never heard of him before this release, but he’s another that’s won me over massively and has a big new fan in me because of his 2025 release! And, anyone who is into any of the sounds that I’ve mentioned previously, check this release out ASAP. There are still a couple better releases in this style, in my opinion, but it still more than deserves this spot on the list, and got an easy 9/10 back in September!
Listen to: Sunflowers and Leather, Black Lung, and The Reaper
81 – Mark Morton: Without the Pain
This was not the album I expected from the Lamb of God guitarist this year. His last solo album back in 2019 was a groove metal romp featuring some of the biggest names in hard rock and metal. Switching gears, his second solo release does the same but with country, and honestly it’s just as good! From Jaren Johnston to Matt James, Cody Jinks to Charlie Starr, there are some massif names attached to this, and all do a great job of bringing Mark’s tracks to life, vocally. It’s an incredibly fun album that is definitely heavy on the rock and southern elements, but still is distinctively country. Mark could certainly have a career in the genre if he ever chose to leave LoG, not that I ever hope he does! I’m pretty sure it appeals to both country fans and those into a more heavier sound, so just about everyone reading this should check it out! Despite talking to Matt James about it when I played with him, I still missed this release when it dropped. However, it’s one of the easiest 9/10’a I’ve ever given, and a fitting end to part one of our list!
Listen to: Hell & Back, Without the Pain, and Dust
