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The Top Albums of 2025 – Part 5!

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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 LOVE Mr 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 2023 masterpiece, 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 us upon 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 Tekkno or 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. That 9.5/10 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 as Decent. 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 9.5/10 from us upon 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 10/10 from 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 9.5/10 from 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 it 9/10 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!

<-   Part 4

Features

The Top Albums of 2025 – Part 4!

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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!

Check out our reaction here!

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 8/10 back 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!

Check out our interview with them here!

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 9/10 from 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 9/10 from us last 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 gave a 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!

Check out our interview with Dr Dead here!

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 8.5/10 back 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 loved Vaxis 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 got 9.5/10 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 9.5/10 from 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!

Check out our interview with them here!

Listen to: Interceptor, On the Town, and DTR

24 – Kip Moore: Solitary Tracks

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 9/10 we 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…

Listen to: Texas, Hangin’ On, and Cold Can

<-   Part 3.                          Part 5   ->

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Lord of the Lost, Zero 9:36 and More!

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Week two of the Overtone year is a heavy one, with plenty of awesome metal (and one electro) to check out. Let’s dive in!

Lord of the Lost: OPVS NOIR Vol. 2

The follow-up to August’s part 1, this release follows that up pretty perfectly. They very much feel like the same project, having a similar tone and vibe, and once again it’s one hell of a LotR record! The heaviness and epicness continues, especially with the Lena Scissorhands-featuring ‘Would you Walk with Me Through Hell?’. Between Lena, Käärijä, IAMX and League of Distortion, there are a good few features on the album, all as good as the last! However, the other songs are just as good too, with ‘The Last Star’ and ‘Scarlight’ also being massive highlights. The whole album is great though, and doesn’t feel like 45-minutes at all, going by in a flash. I never quite got into the band aside for a few songs here and there, but this release has really won me over to them, and proved that actually, taking some time to write some good music instead of feeling the need to pump out an original studio work yearly has upped the quality of their output. Who’d have thought it, ey? It’s a very easy 8.5/10 from us, and my plan after this weekend is to listen to both volumes one after another, I have a feeling it’ll be a great time!

Zero 9:36: They Were Always Here

This is a really interesting release! Alt-metal in the broadest sense, this covers all manor of bases under that sphere. The closest thing I’ve managed to compare it to is ‘Animals’-era Architects, with some occasional Hyro the Hero or even Eminem thrown in for good measure! It makes for an incredibly interesting listen and, at only 22-minutes, it’s hard-to-stop ride from start to finish. Whether it’s heavy riffing and aggressive vocals or more of a slower, radio-friendly sound, it really has a bit of everything, packed right into a concise release. ‘System’ is a huge early highlight, as are tracks like ‘Here to Bleed’ and the Ekoh-featuring ‘Withdrawals’. It’s not going to be for everyone as it is a very modern sound, but I loved it! Continuing to blend hip-hop and electronic elements into metal and hard rock is making things so interesting and unique, and Zero has that here in spades. He’s already created a big name for himself across his back catalogue, and adds to it perfectly with this addition. It’s another very easy 8.5/10, check this out if you are at all interested!

Zkeletonz: Marmalade

The first album from the disco-style electro artist isn’t normally the sort of stuff we cover, but this was a damn fun listen and has me a little obsessed with them! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and surprisingly gave me big Basement Jaxx vibes throughout, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! And, at less than half-an-hour, it’s another incredibly easy listen. From the opener to ‘Out!’ to ‘Wild for the Weekend’, there are plenty of highlights here. My only issue is that it does get a touch samey after a while, though with this sort of music I’m not sure how to solve that. And still, I didn’t have a bad time listening to any of it! A damn solid 7/10 from us, and certainly an album I’ll be revisiting in the future.

Volumes: Mirror Touch

The first new album from the metalcore quartet in over four years, and this thing goes hard. The band very much didn’t lose their heaviness or technical prowess in the time between releases, this thing being dialled up to 11 on both! Right from the offset, ‘Sidewinder’ is awesome, and is followed up perfectly by ‘Bottom Dollar’. The crazy low guitar riffs and solid drumming is an awesome combo, especially with the synth in the back too, the great screams just adding to them even more! Then you have tracks like ‘S.O.A.P.’ and ‘em’ that are definite highlights too. Sadly, it does drop off a touch in the middle, going down more of a slower, lighter modern metalcore route, but very much brings itself back on track towards the end! It’s still a damn solid album overall, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone into a modern metal sound. A very easy 8/10 from me!

Dragon Throne: Tale of the Two: Dawn

The power metallers didn’t hesitate to drop part two of their collection, did they? This dropped barely a month after Dusk, and continues on perfectly from said release! And you’ve already seen how much I enjoyed that album, so to have this continue on that great path is awesome. ‘Dragon Empire’ is one of the best opening tracks of the year, while the rest of the album follows it with a similar level of energy and quality. There truly isn’t a bad track on this album and, combined with the other part, makes for practically the perfect power-infused heavy metal release! Somehow I only gave the last one 7.5/10, but this one and as a whole piece between the two, I can’t give it any less than 9/10! If you are at all a metal fan, check this out ASAP, you’ll surely love it as much as I do!

Black Pig Meat: Symbiotic Dream

This is an absolutely incredible instrumental release! It’s always harder to shoehorn instrumental stuff into a specific genre, but it definitely feels prog/djenty for the most part, the odd bit of shoegaze thrown in for good measure. It’s chaotic but somehow all fits perfectly, ebbing and flowing incredibly well. Much is the case it seems this week, it will be a divisive release, with a lot understandably not getting into instrumental stuff. Heck, I struggle at times, but found this one so packed full of talented playing and composition I couldn’t stop listening! ‘Sizo’ was a big highlight, as was ‘Sóbole’. And while the closer, as great as it is, does go on a fair bit, it’s still a fun listen. It’s a great album to get high and listen to on your own in the dark, or if you’re a musician (interchangeable, clearly). Not something I’d revisit often but a damn good release, and a solid 7/10!

Features

The Top Albums of 2025 – Part 2!

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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!

Check out our reaction to them here!

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 9/10 from 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…

Check out our interview with Ben here!

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 adamant it 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 8.5/10 back 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 8.5/10 when 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!

Check out our reaction to them here!

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 9/10 from 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!

Check out our reaction to them here!

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

<- Part 1

Part 3 ->

Features

The Top Albums of 2025!

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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 9/10 from 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 9/10 from 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 it 8.5/10 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 it a 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 it a 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 Reverse or 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

Part 2 ->

Reviews

New Music Mondays: Brandi Carlisle, Soulfly and More!

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Another stacked week new albums for us to check out, from metal to country! Let’s dive right in!

Brandi Carlisle: Returning to Myself

The folk-Americana singer-songwriter seems to be on a bit of a resurgence recently, returning with her first new album in four years (aside the Elton collab). However, I’m glad she’s back, as this is an awesome release! There’s just something about Brandie, her lyrics and vocals are captivating, weather it’s slower, stripped-back vocals and guitar or the more rocky stuff that it builds to. It’s impossible not to love! The release is packed full of highlights, too, from single ‘Human’ to the gospel, Cam-like ‘A Woman Oversees to the rocky ‘Church & State’ and ‘No One Knows Us’. It’s a real early 2000s sound, but still feels fresh and fitting in 2025, especially with the emotion that Brandie puts into every single track. It does get a touch samey at times, don’t get me wrong, but if you are into her or the style of music, you will surely love this even more than I do! Her and her band are so insanely talented, and it’s impossible to get this any less than an 8/10!

Soulfly: Chama

The first new album from Max and co in three years, and it almost feels like they have something to prove with this release. This thing goes hard for just over half an hour, really taking no prisoners! His last couple of years reuniting Nailbomb has clearly renewed his heaviness, because this is wonderful, chaotic brutality. It also makes it very hard to pick highlight tracks, as it’s all pretty awesome, similar industrial/nu/groove metal, and doesn’t at all overstay it’s welcome. If you are into the band, any of Cavaleras other projects or just a more world-style of metal music in general, this is definitely one to check out! I’m just glad Soulfly, and by extension the Cavalera brothers, are still making awesome music after everything that’s gone on. The fact that it’s this good is really a bonus! A very easy 8/10 from us!

Alexandra Kay: Second Wind

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review of it here.

The Acacia Strain: You Are Safe from God Here

Their first new music since 2023’s double album, the metalcore quintet are another band that go hard from the very first note to the last. I do like this old-school approach of metalcore that focuses on much more of the actual metal as opposed to more pop elements, like a good few modern bands have turned to. It also very much leans into the hardcore heavily at times, it making me want to throw people around pit in the best way. This is just brutal riffing and screams throughout, almost boarding on deathcore for a lot of it. Tracks like ‘A CALL BEYOND’, ‘MOURNING STAR’ and ‘HOLY MOONLIGHT’ are all personal highlights, though there really isn’t a bad song throughout! I’ve sadly never gotten round to checking them out too much in the past but I’m a rather big fan immediately after this release! I cannot recommend it enough to anyone into the heavier side of metal, and it gets a very solid 9/10

Just Mustard: WE WERE JUST HERE

The third album from the Irish alt/experimental rock band is… well… it certainly exists. This very much isn’t my thing, and while I don’t really get how they got 200k+ monthly listeners, at least plenty of people do ‘get’ and enjoy it! It’s 40-minutes of samey, droning art rock, and was very much a slog for me to get through. The band members are clearly talented individuals, but their songwriting did absolutely nothing for me. The best of the bunch was probably ‘SILVER’. If this is your sort of thing that’s awesome, but I definitely won’t be revisiting it again. I sadly can’t give it any more than 3.5/10

Sumo Cyco: NEON VOID

A band we here at Overtone are very familiar with up next! Not only did we review their last album, but we’ve also reacted to four of these tracks already! So, to say my hype for this album is high would be an understatement!

Well, safe to say it lives up to the hype! Of course the singles are great, but the album tracks we haven’t yet heard are also excellent! ‘FLIES’, ‘VOICES’ and the closer are up there with any other track on the album, and probably up there with some of the bands best! As much as I enjoyed that album, this feels a bit more focused and refined, everything sounding awesome and fitting together perfectly. It is a little similar throughout, but ‘STRONGER NOW’ also does a good job at breaking things up in the middle. Skye’s vocals throughout are perfect and, despite me wishing for maybe another scream or two, they fit the awesome nu-metal riffing amazingly. It’s honestly insane that the band aren’t a massive name in the industry by now, but after a seemingly complicated release through COVID, they seem back and more motivated than ever! This is an awesome album, one I’ll revisit a lot, and an easy 8.5/10!

Conjurer: Unself

Album number four from the British post metal band has a LOT of hype to live up to after their stellar 2022 output. However, I would put this about on par with Páthos, honestly! It’s just as dark and heavy and epic, and the contrast between the lighter and crushingly heavy moments are incredible. It goes from black metal to djent to death all with ease, and is an album that really begs to be listened to in full instead of individual tracks. Having said that, both ‘All Apart’ and the epic ‘Foreclosure’ are both personal highlight tracks, though the whole album is great! It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but if you like a more epic sounding heaviness, this is certainly one that you need to check out immediately! It’s great to see the band slowly getting more and more praise and hype around them, and this is certainly an album I’ll be revisiting again soon. 8.5/10

Shiraz Lane: In Vertigo

Another band we are very familiar with, and another release that feels like it has been a long time coming and has finally arrived! The Finish heavy glam/AORers’ fourth studio album is fantastic from start to finish, giving off big early Santa Cruz vibes, which is never a bad thing. It boarders on metal perfectly, but still has plenty of soaring melody, designed to be played to huge arena crowds. It almost gives an air of Coheed and Cambria, which is really awesome! However, it still has plenty of Reckless Love, Bon Jovi and H.E.A.T to keep it firmly rooted in its genre. It’s another release packed full of awesome tracks, but between the two opening tracks, ‘Babylon’, ‘Sayonara Love’ and ‘Bullshit’ there are plenty of huge highlights for me personally! The band have always been talented songwriters and musicians, but this feels like somehow even a step up from their stellar last release. If you are at all into rock, this is an absolute must for you. The whole album is so easy to listen to, and goes by in a flash. An incredibly easy 9.5/10 from me, an album I’m going to be revisiting a lot!

Dayseeker: Creature in the Black Night

When I complained earlier about metalcore bands focusing heavily on pop, these were one of the main ones I had in mind. I passed on their last album to Max as he’s a fan, but instead you can suffer my review of this sixth album from them. It’s fine. But it is essentially pop-rock music with the very occasional metal sprinkled over the top. And it’s a shame too, as when they go heavy it’s great. Rory has a great scream to him, and while the riffing is pretty generic, it’s at least good. But the rest of it between, and it’s most of it, is such boring, slow, synth-pop that it makes it more than a slog to get to anything good. It’s baby’s first metal band, the new gateway band, and it’s probably the reason they have 2.5M monthly listeners. Much like with Just Mustard, if you like it, awesome. However, this honestly bored the fuck out of me. The only real saving grace was ‘Cemetery Blues’, and even that’s a bit of a stretch. 3/10, sorry not sorry.

Galactic Empire: Cinemetal

The Star Wars-themed metal band are back with album number four; producing another epic, heavy 43-minutes of cinematic metal. However, this time they have branched away from the solely Star Wars theme, this time including plenty of massive, blockbuster hits metal-fied by the masters. While not technically original music so I wouldn’t normally cover it here, it’s so damn impressive from not only a playing standpoint, but from a composition one, that there is no way I’m not highlighting it. Plus, it’s a fucking awesome release with some of my favourite movie themes transposed into my favourite genre, so how can I not gush over it? Of course, it’s some of the greatest non-Star Wars scores ever produced, so they are all incredible, but a special shoutout to ‘Avengers’, ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’, which I feel transposed the best. The band are all insanely talented individuals, and I’d recommend absolutely anyone checking this out, as you’re bound to have listened to at least one of the tracks before now! It’s awesome, and gets a solid 8.5/10 from us (high for instrumental and/or covers!). Now I NEED Jurassic Park!

Brainwave: Ill Intent

This is every thrash/death-heads dream album. A 28-minute all-out assault of heavy, fast, evil riffs, some of the best drumming in the game and some truly awesome screamed vocals to back it all up. I’d never heard of the band before but DAMN, I’m so glad I managed to dive in here with their debut album. Every time I thought I’d heard it all, they just slapped me in the face with another fantastic riff or moment, keeping me constantly interested and almost constantly headbanging. Tracks like ‘The Truth’, ‘Another Foe’ and the title one are massive personal highlights. Then you have the almost more hardcore/crossover ‘Sad Man’s Parade’ due to a fantastic feature from Martial Law. There really isn’t a bad song on the album though, with each being just as good as the last. I feel like I haven’t had a huge amount of straight-forward thrashy albums this year, so this of this high quality is a huge, awesome breath of fresh air. If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, this is very much a must for you! A very easy 9/10 from us!

Mammoth: The End

Album number three from Master Van Halen is honestly a banger! It’s no secret that I’ve never quite got his solo stuff so far, but this album very much feels like a step out of whatever shadow he was still under, feeling like he’s finally comfortable with his own sound and writing. It feels a little darker and heavier than his previous stuff, more like Alter Bridge as opposed to the hard rock of his previous two releases. I was hooked in front the opener, and tracks like ‘Same Old Song’, ‘I Really Wanna’ and ‘Something New’ kept me fully on the line! His talented as a player or really songwriter has never been in question, but this rougher sound is definitely more up my street, and I finally ‘get’ it. If you are into his previous stuff, please let me know if you like this too, I’m genuinely curious if I’m just the weird one. But yep, another album I’ll be spinning a lot in the coming weeks and months, and a very solid 8.5/10 from us!

Jet Jaguar: Severance

The second album from the Mexican classic metal four-piece is a long awaited, yet excellent, follow up to their 2020 debut. It almost boarders on power metal in its level of epicness, and clearly draws inspiration from everything from Maiden to Priest to Helloween. The band also go hard from start to finish on this album, ripping through eight tracks (and two bonus ones) in heavy, grandiose fashion, it going by in a flash. Tracks like single ‘Mach 10’, the title one and ‘Disposable Minds’ are all personal highlights. However, there really isn’t a bad song on here, with even the bonus tracks being awesome! It’s a sound that has come back in a big way in recent years, and Jaguar are up there as doing it as good as almost any other! A very solid 8/10 from us, and they have a new fan in me!

Vanguardian: III: Inhumanity

I had no idea about the band heading into this, but from their name, font and artwork, I expected a folky black metal thing. I wasn’t expecting this crazy mix of Burning Red-era Machine Head and Cradle of Filth, with a prog dash added in for good measure, at all! I have to admit it took a slight bit of growing, but the more I listened the more I enjoyed it. I think the biggest hurdle for me was the mix; it’s a little abrasive when I think a bigger, fuller sound would have enhanced the album even more. However, some of the riffing and drumming is phenomenal, as is the bass, and some of the screams are perfectly timed for the track, sounding awesome! Tracks line ‘Peripherals’, ‘Dead Space’ and ‘Electric Sorrow’ are personal favourite, but there isn’t really a bad song on it. It’s an interesting listen for sure, and one that I’d certainly recommend checking out if you’re interested. I enjoyed it and do think it’ll grow on me more with another listen or two. For a debut album it’s great and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them going forward, that’s for sure! 7.5/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: All Time Low, Chris Young and More!

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Another awesome week packed full of some awesome albums, from metal to rock to country. Let’s check them out!

All Time Low: Everyone’s Talking!

A singular single from this album convinced me and my wife to get tickets to their tour next year. Just to put into perspective the quality I’m expecting here…

The 10th studio album from the Maryland modern pop-punk legends lives up to my hype, that’s for sure! The band have matured like a fine wine; gradually evolving from their more rougher, punkier beginnings to this uber-polished, perfectly mixed arena-rock-infused awesomeness. It very much feels like the band have added elements of everything from Bryan Adams, Owl City and even Kip Moore and more pop-rock artists to their core sound, and it makes for an incredible listen. I remember loving their last release, but this very much takes everything that was great about it and refines/perfects it.

‘SUCKERPUNCH’ is of course already one of my favourite tracks by the band now, but it is far from the only highlight. From singles like ‘The Weather’ to tracks like ‘Falling for Strangers’, the heavier punk ‘Little Bit’ and the Ruston Kelly-featuring ‘Tread Water’, there is so much to love. However, there really isn’t a bad track on the album, all 15 songs being awesome and the 40+ minutes going by in a flash. They were a band I never minded as a kid but never quite got into much, but these last couple of albums have made me fully in on the band. If you are at all a fan of them, or of a more punk-pop sound, I would highly recommend checking this out as soon as you can. I’ll certainly be spinning it a fair bit in the coming months, that’s for sure! 9/10

Chris Young: I Didn’t Come Here to Leave

No pressure here, but this album has a LOT to live up to. I LOVED his last album last year, and the fact that he’s followed up on it barely a year later is definitely a bold move. Thankfully, Chris’ 10th album is yet another banger of a release from the country star! He has an incredible songwriting ability (I assume alongside others), be it country ballads or more southern rock-style boot-stompers. And honestly he has one of the best studio vocals in the whole genre currently. Don’t get me wrong, it’s another pretty long country release (thankfully not to Wallen levels), but there is so much awesomeness that the 14 tracks still go by in a flash! From the opener to ‘I Feel a Cold One Coming On’, ‘Pour Some Whiskey on it’ to single ‘Boots on the Ground’ to beautiful, bittersweet ballad ‘Just Keep Living’, there is so much to love. I have to say it’s not quite as good as Young Love & Saturday Nights, but it’s a damn solid followup and as I said, with barely a years turnaround between the two it’s an incredibly impressive release. Country has had one hell of a year again, and this is certainly going to be up there with one of my favourite releases in the genre in that time. And heck, it still feels like it’s growing on me with more listens! But for now, it gets a damn solid 8.5/10

The Last Dinner Party: From the Pyre

I have made no secret over the last year or two about not ‘getting’ this band. Though people throw around the term ‘industry plant’ maybe a little too easily these days, it definitely reeks of ‘throwing enough family money at it until it takes off’. You know, the GVF/Taylor Swift approach. We missed their debut album last year just before they exploded, but I remember checking it out due to the massive hype on socials and wasn’t too into it. Hopefully this sophomore release changes my mind…

It didn’t. This is music for early 20s, rich white girls that want to be hippies. It gives ‘music to listen to while spending daddy’s money on Vinted’ vibes. Don’t get me wrong, if that’s your thing, great, but it isn’t mine, sadly. And it is sadly too, because I did actively want to like this album. The Midsomer-like theming is an interesting concept, but never feels fully realised. There are flashes of its potential brilliance, especially in the one-two-punch of ‘Rifle’ and ‘Woman is a Tree’. However, then the pop edge comes in and reigns it all back in. And, honestly, because of that, this is a damn boring album. It feels a lot longer than 42 minutes, the album dragging and being a real struggle to get through in one sitting.

I know that some will probably be pissed at this review, but it’s just my opinion; there will be plenty who love this and I’m so glad they will get something out of it that I don’t. I know I am very much not the target audience, but at least I tried, right? Heck, at least the women are talented players and vocalists; I just find them painfully dull songwriters. And for that, it gets a 3/10 from me.

Sabaton: Legends

Fuck yeah, this is more like it! We’re big power metal fans here at Overtone and of course there are few modern bands doing it better than Sabaton. I loved their last album, but I really feel like this may be even better! ‘Templars’ opens the album perfectly, while tracks like ‘Crossing the Rubicon’, ‘Maid of Steel’ and ‘The Cycle of Songs’ are also big highlights for me. Of course, I have the same issue with this as I have with a fair few power metal albums in that it does all sound pretty samey. It’s 45 minutes of pretty similarly paced and sounding music, and even if it’s all great, it does get a touch old by the end. Still, if you are a power metal fan, of course you’re gonna love this! It’s a damn solid album from some of the best songwriters in the genre, even if they do stick to their standard formula a little too safely. The new metal history teachers show here why they are still one of the best around, and it’s an easy 8.5/10 from us!

Broadie Christ: Big feelings

The sophomore album from the Toronto singer-songwriter is a damn chilled-out, easy listen. Though described as indie rock, I’d argue there’s a lot more to this than that! It’s as much alt and soft rock, as well as just a genuinely quirkier edge. The easiest way I can find to describe it is a combination of Pinegrove and early Randy Newman, and I mean that as the uttermost of compliments! The more I listened, the more I fell in love with the album. The opener didn’t hook me, but ‘IDWTBfriends’ is great, and by the time I reached ‘Pretty City’, ‘Sea Legs’ and ‘Now I Can’t Dance’ I was hooked. As I said, it’s a very easy listen, and 40-minutes went by in a flash. He’s a fantastic lyricist and storyteller, and the instrumentation written around it fits the tone perfectly, as well as being a lot of fun. It’s the perfect album to sit back and relax to, but also really dive in deep to if you get the chance. I’d highly recommend checking it out if you are at all curious, and it gets an incredibly solid 8/10 from me!

Preacher Stone: By the Horns

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review of it here.

Tol Morwen: At the Gates of Valhalla

I love folky power metal, and this sophomore release is no exception! However, this does generally feel a little more technical than a lot of their contemporaries, some of the riffing and drumming being incredible. However, it still has the same level of epicness. It’s also heavy, having elements of black/death/extreme metal, especially with the screams. The atmosphere created throughout is phenomenal though, and instantly had me captivated. ‘Fate of the Gods’ is a more atmospheric black metal track, while ‘Ragnar’ is a straight up Amon Amarth style viking death metal song. Both are massive early highlights, while songs like epic single ‘The Shieldmaiden’ and ‘Rise of the Ancient Gods’ are also excellent. However, there really a bad track on this! It’s not for everyone, and at over an hour spread across just 10 tracks, it’s a big undertaking. However, I loved it, and if you are into the heavier, more grandiose side of metal, I would definitely recommend you check this out immediately! The band are so incredibly talented, and it’s yet another easy 8.5/10!

Biohazard: Divided We Fall

The hardcore punk legends returned with their first new album in 13 years this last Friday. Yeah, it’s a big deal. Especially when they returned at arguably the perfect time, given the state of the world, and clearly have plenty to talk about! Oh, and the album also slaps from start to finish! It’s angry, aggressive, slamming hardcore for a full nearly 40 minutes, and I love it. It just makes me want to throw people around in a pit and dance around through the whole thing. The riffing, the drums, the vocals, the lyrics, even the soloing, all of it is perfection for the genre, and I honestly can’t get enough. It’s so hard to pick highlights too, as each track is as good as the other. Most of it ended up on my personal playlist! It’s the perfect combination of Bodycount, Hed(PE) and Pro-Pain, so if you are into any of those bands, or just hardcore in general, I cannot recommend this album enough! Heck, even if you aren’t, check this out immediately, you might find one of your new favourite albums. I can’t give this any less than 9.5/10, and I’ll definitely be rocking this a lot in the coming months!

Of Monsters and Men: All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade

13 years after the Icelandic folk-rocky quintet’s massive breakout debut, they are back with their fourth studio album, and first of the post-pandemic era. Honestly, outside of their big hits I haven’t listened to much. In the nicest way possible, I can kinda see why. This is a boring release, dude. Much like with Last Dinner Party, this will most likely have plenty of fans, but I sadly found myself losing interest fairly quickly and often when listening to this from front to back. Don’t get me wrong, tracks like ‘The Actor’ and ‘Styrofoam Cathedral’ are good in isolation, but in the context of the album it dragged sooooo much. Please don’t kill me, OM&M fans (I also don’t like the other OM&M much, sorry), but yeah, I can’t give this much more than 4.5/10. They’re all talented players, but it really isn’t my thing.

Daedric: As the Light Left

The sophomore release from Kristyn Hope is yet another modern-alt metal/metalcore masterclass. We absolutely loved her last album back a couple of years ago, but honestly she may have gotten even better in the time since! ‘The Other Terror’ opens things up perfectly heavily, while ‘Sand Tiger’ shows off a bit more of her more alt side (though still has some great screams). The rest of the album continues to skirt that line perfectly, too. Heck, ‘Dark Legacy’ gives big Skynd vibes in the best ways. It’s hard to pick highlights, but ‘Night Mother’ and ‘Dreamweaver’ are tracks that I have already revisited multiple times over the weekend. Honestly, this is everything I wished Spiritbox was, and it’s insane to me that Kristyn isn’t on the same level as them at this point. I’mma throw it out there, this is better than Tsunami Sea, @ me. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone into more of a modern metal sound, and I’m honestly shocked she managed to top her explosive debut! She’s an utterly fantastic vocalist, both cleans and screams, and her songwriting has really gone to yet another level with this album. It’s one of the easiest 9/10s I’ve ever given!

William Prince: Further From the Country

Album number five for the Canadian folk/country singer-songwriter is a damn fun listen. I love that he very much does his own thing and has his own sound, not following the current trends in the genre. It makes it stand out a lot from his contemporaries, and is a fantastic, more folk-based sound in its own right! From the writing to the arrangement to the mix, it all almost has an epic air to it. From the opener to ‘Flowers on the Dash’ to the beautifully dark-folk ‘Thousand Miles of Chain’ to the awesome closer, the whole thing is packed full of amazing songs! And, at under 40 minutes, it makes for an incredibly easy listen! It’s definitely one to throw on and relax to. William is a criminally underrated vocalist and songwriter in the genre, and he has an instant new fan in me from this! I’m definitely going to have to go back and check out his previous work, but for now this gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10

Shadows of a Silhouette: For Those That Know

Time for some indie now, as the local boys and good friends of ours put out their highly anticipated debut album this last week! What an album it is, too! It’s definitely on the heavier side of the genre, with the riffs taking center stage in a big way throughout. It gives off big QOTSA or early Royal Blood or early Black Keys vibes in the best ways. It’s also packed full of highlights, too. Between the opener, ‘No Matter Where I Go’, ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘Hostages’, there are plenty of highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the release! The band are incredibly talented and it’s easy to see why they are gaining so much momentum already. The genre isn’t typically my sort of thing but I really loved this from start to finish, and would recommend it to anyone even slightly curious! It’s been a while since I’ve seen them live so must do that again, as I have a feeling all of this would sound incredible in a live setting. But, for now, I shall happily settle for having the album, and it gets a very solid 8.5/10!

Wretched: Decay

The first album from the melodic deathcore quintet in over a decade feels like it has something to prove, and they more than do this with this release! This is over an hour of brutality, technical riffs, great screams and some HEAVY breakdowns. It’s another album that’s almost impossible to pick highlights from, as it’s all so good, as well as all being a similar style, sound and aggression. However, ‘The Crimson Sky’ probably has the most of a bit of everything this album has to offer! If you are into the heavier end of metal, this is definitely one for you. It has everything from Machine Head to In Flames to The Zenith Passage in here, and it’s awesome. It’s not for the faint of heart as, like I said, it’s 65 minutes in length, but it’s well worth a listen through in full if you’re interested! I’m so damn glad this band is back to studio work, and they have put out honestly one their best releases to date after all this time off. A very solid 9/10 from us!

Reviews

President, Wells Ferrari and More: EPs Galore!

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A stacked week of EPs for us to check out, from metal to indie to rock. Lets check it all out!

PRESIDENT: King of Terrors

The new mystery masked band (definitely not fronted by Charlie Simpson) have dropped their debut EP this weekend. Does it live up to the insane hype around them? Personally, no, but I’m certainly not the target audience for this sort of music. It’s very Sleep Token, and y’all know how I feel about them. It’s a touch more interesting and heavy than them, but still incorporates a lot of the same pop and electronic elements around the big riffs and occasional screams. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think it’s quite worth all the hype. ‘Fearless’ was a fun, almost Skillet-esque track, while the riffing in ‘Dionysus’ was good too. However, the good moments were few and far between, and there are only so many trap and hip-hop beats I can hear in metal before I immediately get bored of them. If you are into this sort of thing awesome, you’ll surely get a lot out of it, but it wasn’t for me at all. I can’t give it any more than 5/10, sorry lads!

Wells Ferrari: Wasted Time

The sophomore EP from the indie-Americana duo is just as good as their last, drawing together their last string of single releases into the perfect 23-minute release. The band’s sound is excellent, being a slightly more chilled out version of the likes of Mumford & Sons or even Evan Honer. The lyrics throughout are fantastic and packed full of emotion, while the pairs vocal harmonies are a solid highlight time and time again. From the excellent title track to ‘Bending’ to the epic ‘Cloud of Rain’, there are so many fantastic songs. However, there really isn’t a bad song on here; all of them are excellent. It’s the perfect release to throw on and sit back and chill-out to. The band are on track to become massive in the scene sooner rather than later, and this release will surely push them closer to that. If you are at all into the genres I’ve mentioned check this out as soon as you can! 8.5/10

Delilah Bon: PRINCELESS PRINCESS

Delilah follows up her phenomenal 2024 album with this four-track collection released between all her heavy touring schedule. It honestly feels like it acts as an extention of EHFF, bridging the gap between that and whatever is next. I do have to say it’s not quite as memorable as the album, but is still a damn good release! The opener/title track is awesome and been stuck in my head since I first checked it out. ‘CINDERELLA’ is a fantastic track too that I’m sure will go down a storm live. Meanwhile ‘BUSH’ is tongue in cheek and got a chuckle out of me, though I’m sure she makes some good points for women.

It’s impossible for Delilah to put out something I don’t love though, as her vocal ability is so insanely underrated. From her rapping to screaming, it’s all so good, and she’s very much kept it all turned up to 11. And she is PISSED throughout this, it making the delivery of her fantastic lyric writing even better. The instrumentation is great too, the electronic and heavy punk guitars fitting together perfectly, making an amazing backdrop for the vocals.

It’s a short release that has immediately made me come away wanting more, but for now I am more than glad to settle with this. A great addition to her already stellar discography! 8.5/10

Last Hyena: Suspect Your Elders

The first live gig we covered here at Overtone, this band have a special place in my heart for that. Add to that the fact that they are insane instrumentalists and songwriters, and I was damn hyped for this release. They didn’t disappoint at all, this is awesome! The mainly instrumental 16 minutes is a solidly awesome listen of proggy, mathy stoner rock, and blew my mind in multiple places. We even got some gang vocals on the opening track, a big highlight and made the track somehow even better. There isn’t a bad one on here, though. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you are at all curious I cannot recommend checking it out enough! The riffing throughout is top notch, and everyone is working their asses off from start to finish. A very easy 8/10!

House of Hosts: Reckoning

The debut EP from the hard rock/alt metallers is a home run right out of the gate! This is a fantastic release from start to finish, packed full of a big riffs, arena-filling melodies and some great screams here and there. I love this new generation of bands that are inspired by the likes of Godsmack, Nonpoint and Breaking Benjamin, and I would argue this release is up there with a lot of what those bands have put out! There’s even a slight hint of Tool at times, which I love! All four tracks are amazing and highlights in their own right, picking just one or two is impossible. If you are at all into hard rock or metal, stop reading this right now and check this release out immediately, it really is that good! I’m going to be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10. If it was a full release, it may have even gotten top marks!

Eirra: Instructions Unclear

The indie-pop songwriter put out her debut EP this weekend, and it makes for a fun, chilled-out release! It’s not typically the sort of thing I listen to, but I honestly had a blast listening to this! From the quirky electro-pop of ‘Mona Lisa’ to the more acoustic indie-folk of ‘Soho’ and ‘Somehow, Someday’, there’s a hell of a lot to love. It’s easy to see why she’s a rising star pegged for big things in the future, and as a first non-single release, this is a fantastic start! If you are into the lighter stuff, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! Throw it on and just sit back and relax and get lost in it, I know I did! A surprisingly (for me) solid 8/10 from us!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Glenn Hughes, Blessthefall and More!

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A typically stacked week of New Music Mondays for us to dive into, with everything from metal to country. Let’s dive right in!

Glenn Hughes: Chosen

The former Deep Purple frontman (amongst plenty else) released his first studio solo album in nearly a decade last week. I’m always a little hit and miss when it comes to Glenn’s music, but I actually rather enjoyed this! I went in with no expectations and came out liking the album! ‘Voice in my Head’ is a great opener, while tracks like ‘Heal’, the Sabbath-y ‘The Lost Parade’ and ‘Black Cat Moon’. The riffing is the real highlight of the album but Glenn’s vocals fit perfectly over the top of it, making me not even mind them for once. It’s a really solid heavy blues album by a real legend in the genre. If you are at all into his previous stuff, or more sludgy rock in general, this is well worth checking out! I probably won’t listen to the album in full much, but the odd track will definitely be in heavy rotation moving forward! 8/10

Blessthefall: GALLOWS

Returning after a four year hiatus, the US metalcore quartet are taking no prisoners with their seventh album. It goes HARD and heavy, but also has plenty of big, melodic choruses and moments. The opener sets the pace for the album perfectly, but tracks like ‘Wake the Dead’ and ‘Y.S.A.B.’ that perfect the formula. Then there’s the three awesome guest-feature tracks. Caskets, Alpha Wolf and Story of the Year all bring different sounds to their collabs, and really help break up the album perfectly. My favourite is the insanely aggressive Alpha Wolf one, but that’s not a surprise given how much I liked their last album! Then there’s the metalcore ballad ‘Light the Flame’ that somehow fits exceptionally well around the rest of the heavier stuff. And for once we don’t have a modern US metalcore album close on a slow soppy track, ‘This Ends with Us’ going just as hard as everything else!

The whole album is just sick, honestly! I have to admit I was familiar with the bands name and style, but not particularly with their music. With their last release coming seven years ago, it was before I majorly got into the modern metal sound. So, as a first real jumping off point, this is incredible, and definitely makes me want to check out more of their older stuff! Whether you’re a newb like me or a long-time fan, this album is worth checking out if you are at all into the heavier end of metal! 8.5/10

Lanie Gardner: Faded Polaroids

The sophomore EP from the pop country/Americana singer-songwriter has been a rather anticipated release for us here at Overtone! We checked out her debut album less than a year ago and had a great time with it. She also put out an EP back in only June that somehow topped it again. While said EP is integrated into this release, they are far from the only highlights of the release. Don’t get me wrong, ‘Takin’ The Slow Ride’ is still my favourite track she’s put out, but there are tonnes of highlights on this. Whether it’s other EP highlights like ‘Boys like You’ or ‘Buzzkill’ to new songs like ‘Boot Down’ or ‘Rattle and the Devil’s Whip’, there’s plenty to fall in love with here! It’s a modern sound, drawing comparisons to everything from Megan Moroney to Alana Springsteen to Lindsay Ell. Hell, the girls in country are killing it right now, and Lanie is quickly working her way up to join those other names! Her vocals are fantastic, and it’s clear she has a big hand in writing it as you can heat her emotion throughout!

Shockingly, the length barely bothered me here, too. Every song is excellent, and there wasn’t one I’d think of cutting, damn impressive on an 18-track album! It does loose a bit of momentum somewhere in the middle, but is broken up rather well with a couple of higher energy tracks. In yet another year jam-packed with awesome country releases, this is a definite standout. She is somehow getting better and better with each release, and I can’t give this any less than 9/10!

Tallah: Primeval: Obsession // Detatchment

The third studio album from the new-nu-metalers has a lot of hype to live up to! I loved their last release, as well as their debut, and feel they are one of the most underrated bands in metal today.

It’s certainly another interesting release! They seem to have gone even more quirky and proggy than their previous stuff, lean more into Mr Bungle Tool or (unsurprisingly) Dream Theater at times. Heck, there’s even just a touch of Alien Ant Farm at times, though that may be more Justin’s vocal delivery. Speaking of Justin, another INCREDIBLE vocal performance from front to back, being easily one of the best vocalists in the business today. However, that shouldn’t take away from the rest of the band, as they are working their asses off throughout. From some awesome riffing to expectedly excellent drumming to some awesome extra bits in record scratching and strings, it’s all incredible and fits so well.

As for the songs themselves, they’re fucking awesome. Whether it’s the opener, the Tooly ‘A primeval obsession’ into the perfect double-up of ‘_la|cuna_’ into ‘A primeval detatchment’, and then the final three full tracks being amazing heaviness, there is so much to love. And heck, any of the tracks I haven’t mentioned are also fantastic. 42 minutes goes by in a flash, and the release is a surprisingly easy listen throughout. I honestly thought at the start this would be a bit of a grower, and it still may be, but by the end of the first listen I already love it. None do it quite like Tallah, blending together so many different late 90s/early 2000s sounds but making them wholly unique to them, and it’s an album I’d recommend any metalhead out there listen to! Another 9/10

Fury: Interceptor

The fifth studio album from the hard rock/heavy metal Brits finally dropped to much hype on Friday, and honestly it deserved every bit of it! It feels a little lighter and blusier overall than their other stuff, but I think it may work in their favour. The band are all such talented musicians and their songwriting prowess is on full display throughout this release to match it. It’s also almost impossible to pick highlights, as the whole thing is awesome! It’s like the perfect combination of Metallica, Iron Maiden, H.E.A.T. and even a healthy hint of Battle Beast. Heck, then you have the almost country/Southern metal ‘Walk Away’, and there is plenty of variety throughout! The band have been building momentum for years now, yet still remain somehow one of the most underrated acts around. I have already spun this a couple of times through this weekend, and have no intention of slowing down any time soon! If you are at all into rock or metal, I cannot recommend this enough! 9.5/10

La Dispute: No One Was Driving the Car

The first album from the emo/post-hardcore band in six years, it’s clear they haven’t lost that special something that brought them to the dance. From the fantastic lyrics to Jordan Dreyer’s emotion-filled delivery to some awesome guitar work and proggy arrangements, this is definitely a La Dispute album. And hell, it’s a good one, at that! Anyone who’s checked them out prior knows that they are an acquired taste and certainly not for everyone, but their fans will surely love this just like I do. Don’t get me wrong, it’s long, even I was tapping out at times during its 75-minute runtime, especially when a lot of it is similar. However, the poetry of the lyrics and the constant shift in focus between the different vocal styles and big riffs kept me hooked over and over again. Tracks like the opener, ‘The Field’, the title track to the wonderfully prog epic ‘Environmental Catastrophe Film’, there are plenty of highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track on this thing! Don’t get me wrong, I do sometimes get the odd hint of a Kyle Gordon vibe at times, but if anything it just adds to the enjoyment!

If you are at all curious, check this out, you may like it as much as I did! While I wouldn’t recommend maybe if you’re full-on depressed/struggling, just turning this on in a dark room with some headphones on and really getting lost in it and feel it is quite the experience. A very solid 8.5/10 from us!

Liam St. John: Man of the North

The debut studio album from the blues-rock/Americana man and his band dropped last Friday, and is utterly fantastic! I somehow wasn’t familiar with him until I checked him out ahead of Long Road this year, and after seeing him I was pretty hyped for this album. It lives up to said hype in a great way, being a bourbon-and-sex drenched nearly-hour of blues-Americana. It’s a style that is already right up my street, and St. John performs it to near perfection! Taking clear inspiration from the modern titans in the genre like Gary Clark Jr, Jack White or even early Highly Suspect, while giving it his own twist and sound thanks to his Nashville roots. From the likes of ‘forefathers’ and ‘Off the Rails’ to ‘Everything I Had’ and ‘Landslide Over the Highway’, there are so many massive highlights. But, once again, there really isn’t a bad track on here! It’s a big collection, but definitely worth a full listen at least once if you get the chance!

My only ever so slight note is that ‘If I Were my Father’ was a rather subdued opener and a bit of an odd choice; something more up-beat may have made it even better! Still, hardly a big complaint, as the album is still incredible! If you’re into any of the styles or bands mentioned above, I cannot recommend this alvum enough! I’ll definitely be spinning this a fair bit in the weeks and months to come, and it gets a very easy 9/10 from us!

Leonie Jakobi: What Are the People Gonna Say?

The debut album from the German singer-songwriter rocker is honestly a fantastic release! It’s got a great up-beat, old-school punk-pop vibe that is sure to get you up and dancing! From the opener to the beautiful ‘What Happened to Us’, the rockin’ ‘Don’t Mind Me’ and ‘I Deserve to Shine’, there are plenty of massive highlights throughout. However, there isn’t bad track throughout! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and it went by in a flash. She’s building a solid hype around her with her touring the last couple of years, and this album will surely help that to push her to new heights! Her vocals are incredible, emphasised perfectly by the great mix throughout, and it all adds even more weight to the already fantastic lyric writing. If you like the lighter side of rock, this is definitely one for you! 8/10

FM: Brotherhood

The British hard/AOR rockers returned with their fifteenth album this last Friday. Honestly, I’ve never been hugely into the band in the past, but I did enjoy listening to them! Maybe it’s more live that I’m not hugely into them, because I had a blast with this from front to back! How I missed their last two albums is beyond me too, will definitely have to revisit Old Habits and Thirteen if they sound close to this. The first four tracks are AOR perfection, while songs like ‘Don’t Call it Love’ and ‘Because of You’ are also massive highlights. Yes, it is all a little samey, so 52-minutes is maybe a little overkill, but it’d be hard to cut any of the tracks as they’re all damn good! I’ve definitely become more of a fan of the band, and will be listening to this again pretty regularly for the rest of the year. It’s another feel-good release, and if you’re into more softer rock, check this out ASAP. Another very solid 9/10 in a great week!

Syncolima: Move Mountains

The third album from the British stoner metal band is maybe the best they’ve ever released! The band’s talent was never in question, but is once again on full display throughout this whole 40-minutes. They feel like they’ve really come into their own here, confidently blasting out amazing riffs and some great vocal hooks over and over. Tracks like ‘Mistakes Were Made’, the title track and the perfectly titled ‘Kill All the Billionares’ are all personal highlights, but the whole album is awesome! Plus, the production is top notch, definitely a step up from their other stuff. It’s not wonder the band are gathering some serious momentum, and this release will surely only add to that! 8/10

Swollen Teeth: Ask Nothing

The debut album from the masked metal collective is dark, heavy and quirky, all in equal measure. It’s definitely got the nu metal and brutality of early Slipknot, but a bit more of hardcore punk edge to it too, almost Turnstille-esque. Tracks like ‘Money and Greed’, the ‘Purity’-like ‘Foster’ and the hardcore ‘Ask’ are all personal highlights, but every track on here is a bit of a banger! They’re just so interesting, fitting right in alongside Tallah above as an exciting new twist on nu-ish metal. It’s an incredible release from a band that are already making waves, and it immediately makes me want to hear more of what is to come. Check this out if you are at all into this side of metal. 8.5/10, good stuff!

Jonah Kagen: Sunflowers and Leather

Somehow a massive name in country/folk that I hadn’t heard of until this weekend, Jonah has instantly made me a new fan of his work! Straight off the bat, yes, it’s another nearly hour-long, 16-track release, and it certainly has times where it drags. However, his vocals are captivating, especially when the harmonies come in behind, and his lyric writing is truly phenomenal. It’s like a combination of Evan Honer, James Bay and Mumford and Sons, it’s awesome! The one-two-punch of the opener into the title track is incredible, as are tracks like ‘Black Lung’, ‘The Reeper’ and ‘Burn Me’. He’s done a fantastic job of picking the albums singles and, while there are some slight lulls, these six tracks and others more than make up for that.

He fits in rather perfectly in with the currently indie-Americana rising scene alongside the likes of Wyatt Flores or Crowe Boys, but also very much does things his own way. This is fucking amazing, and well worth checking out regardless of what you are into. He has a huge new fan in me, and it’s yet another big 9/10! Heck, it may even get higher with more listens, too!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Alice Cooper, Cody Jinks and More!

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Another stacked week of New Music Mondays for us to check out, with massive, great albums in the rock, metal and country scenes. Let’s dive in!

Alice Cooper: The Revenge of Alice Cooper

This is the first Alice Cooper band, not solo release, in over half a century. An absolutely WILD thought that I also never thought would happen, so it certainly has a fair bit of hype around it! Four of the original members getting back together is an exciting prospect, and this marks Alice’s 30th studio album, with 22 of them being his solo work. I have now run out of insane facts, so let’s get into the album…

It certainly feels like old-school Alice Cooper, and in the best way possible! It’s dark, gritty, swaggering blues with a horror edge, and is fucking awesome! I’ve loved his previous solo albums, but this just has something about it that I love; the cheesiness of the horror-aura adds so much to his music that does feel relatively lacking in some of his newer stuff. Songs like single ‘Wild Ones’, ‘One Night Stand’, the more light-hearted ‘Crap that Gets in the Way of your Dreams’ and ‘Intergalactic Vagabond Blues’ are all personal highlights. And, even with this thing being 14 tracks and nearly an hour long, it goes by in a flash and is a very easy, fun listen! I’d argue it’s honestly up there with some of their best work, and it’s so nice to hear the quartet working together again after all these years. It’s insane that pushing 60 years into their careers, they are still putting out music this good! I’d recommend to anyone who’s a fan of Alice’s work, and it’s a solid 8.5/10!

Cody Jinks: In My Blood

The fastest turnover Cody has had for studio albums in a while now, it comes just over a year removed from Change the Game. It’s very clear that I’m a big fan of the guy, and have been excitedly anticipating this since he first announced it. It didn’t disappoint either, as this is nearly 50 minutes of awesome emotion-filled, neo-traditional country music. Crazily, my favourite tracks seemed to be the alternate ones, too. Don’t get me wrong, every track is great, but from literally ‘Lost Highway’ onwards, every alternate song stood out to me and hooked me in. That’s a lot of huge highlights on an 11-track album! His vocals are just as good as ever, and his lyric writing at times is up there with some of the best modern artists; the amount of emotion and vulnerability is insane. While I don’t think there is a single song on this as strong as ‘Change the Game’, I do believe as an album as a whole, I do prefer it, and it’s growing on me more still with each listen! A must for any country or even blues-infused rock fan reading this, and another incredibly easy 8.5/10 from us!

Tim Minchin: Time Machine

One of my favourite comedians of all time put out his second solo studio album this last Friday, following up 2020’s Apart Together. It begins as another release on the more serious side, as he has been gravitating towards in recent years. It’s very much on the soft rock side, a lot of acoustic guitar and piano, but is full of emotion, typically fantastic lyrics and some really epic arrangements. And what’s nice was that we got some older songs finally recorded in the studio, like personal favourites ‘Darkside’ and ‘Rock n Roll Nerd’.

That was when I looked into the album and realised the whole thing is songs Tim wrote just before he broke out two decades ago. That explains the mixed bag of emotions, as well as some slightly dated ideas. The classic comedy-set tracks are amazing as ever, and awesome to hear studio versions of. ‘Song of the Masochist’ is also a great addition which makes you wonder why it was never released before now. Plus, slower stuff like the opener and the jazzy ‘Moment of Bliss’ (mainly for the soloing) are also amazing songs in their own right, and fit well on this release. However, others, ‘Ruby’ and ‘Pop Song’ spring to mind, that feel off; like they’re performed so straight-faced and seriously, not letting his keen wit and huge personality shine through them.

And that’s where my issues with this release lie. It’s not a bad album, by any stretch, but Tim is so adamant on not being labeled as a ‘comedian’ any more (I get it, it can get to novelty act teritory) that it has resulted in this whole release feeling overly serious and neutered, even in its more light-hearty moments. There is no denying the sheer force or nature that is Tim’s talent, but the songs we’ve heard before pale in comparison to their more fun live counterparts, and for a large part the new stuff is forgettable, aside for ‘…Masochist’. As I said, not a bad album, and it may grow on me more with another listen or two, but not what I’d hoped for after five years of no new releases. 7/10

Tyler Childers: Snipe Hunter

The seventh studio album from the modern country megastar is a fun, rock-infused nearly hour of awesomeness. There’s a slight 2000s indie rock edge to it too which was a nice addition; Tyler having a pretty unique sound for sure. It’s like Neo-traditional mixed with Hootie and the Blowfish, which is awesome! I was somehow not too familiar with him, having missed his last album or two that released since we started Overtone, but I enjoyed a lot of this! From the opener to ‘Bitin’ List’ to ‘Down Under’ to the title track, there are plenty of high points! Yeah, it’s a little on the long side and there were probably a couple of tracks that I would have cut personally, but Tyler’s vocals have so much weight and emotion to every type of song he delivers, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in it all. It’s very traditional, but definitely in a good way. If you’re into your old-school country, this is well worth a listen, and I’ll certainly be spinning it again over the summer! 8/10

Shadecrown: 0

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.

The Dirty Nil: The Lash

The Canadian alt rockers follow up Free Rein to Passions with yet another amazing studio release! ‘Gallop of the Hounds’ is a phenomenal, perfect opening track, setting the tone for other bangers like ‘Do You Still Want Me?’ and ‘Hero Narrative’. The bands unique blend of alt rock, punk and Midwest emo is amazing, and this album makes me remember why I fell in love with their previous album after not listening to it in so long. It’s a short, sweet album that doesn’t overstay its welcome and certainly leaves me wanting more. It’s a lot of fun to listen to but is still packed full of emotion, as well as some killer riffs. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I love this sort of thing and it gets another very easy 8/10 from me!

Roulette: GO!

The Swedish AOR legends put out their highly anticipated follow-up to 2019’s Now! the other day, and added another awesome chapter to their legacy. As a big fan of this style of music, of course I loved this, and Roulette do it better than almost anyone in 2025. From the incredible opener to ‘Strangers’ to ‘Don’t Be Sorry’, there is plenty to love here, and there really isn’t a bad song on the release. It’s 35 minutes of old-school, melodic rock goodness, and should be checked out by any rock fan out there! The band have been going a while but didn’t release much studio stuff until recently, but are quickly gaining a global following and it’s easy to see why! They’re hugely talented songwriters and players, and the album is produced perfectly. They have a huge new fan in me, and this gets a very easy 8.5/10

Patty Griffin: Crown of Roses

The folk/Americana legend put out her 12th studio album this last Friday, and once again gave us a fantastic, chilled release. It’s slow, for sure, but is another short release at only eight songs, and each is great in its own right. The strings swelling on ‘The End’ in particular gave me goosebumps, especially with the emotional lyrics on top of that. Patty has always been an acquired taste and, while it’s not an album I’d revisit all too often, I completely get the appeal and the talent on display. It’s exactly what her fans would expect from a release, and is another great addition to her discography. A very solid 7/10!

Enuff Z’Nuff: Xtra Cherries

The whopping 18th studio album from the glammy hard rockers is about what you’d expect from this at this point in their careers. Firstly, massive props for being so insanely hard working; very few bands have this consistent an output across five different decades. Having said that, you’d think a band having been going so long would think a piano ballad to open one of their albums is a bad idea. ‘Heartbeat’ starts things off on an odd note here, but ‘No Cold Feelings’ gets everything on track again pretty quick! Songs like ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Take it or Leave It’ and ‘Star Star’ are all big personal highlights, too. It’s a fun, light, sleazy hard rock album. I also enjoyed it far more than their previous album, clearly the time off between releases helped! If you’re into anything from Quireboys to Oasis, check this out, it’s a fun listen! A pretty solid 7.5/10 from us!

Paul Weller: Find El Dorado

The legendary Jam guitarist is back with yet another solo album, following up last year’s 66. I really thought I’d reviewed said album as I remember the artwork and listening to it, but clearly I didn’t type it up. I wasn’t hugely into his last release, but for whatever reason I got into this one more. It’s yet another slow acoustic folk/soft rock release this week, but it’s well written and performed, and was nice and chilled to throw on in the background! It’s definitely too long at 55 minutes, but tracks like ‘El Dorado’ and ‘Pinball’ are still great. It could have easily been a pretty great EP for me, but like with Patty Grffin, I fully appreciate why this will have a lot of love as a whole as it’s very well written and played. It all just blurred into one for me pretty quickly. Not something I’ll be revisiting personally, but it isn’t bad by any stretch and I didn’t have a bad time listening. 6.5/10

No Shelter: Remission/Resolve

This is a pretty interesting release! The third album from the German band combines hardcore with death/black metal in a way I haven’t actually heard before. It’s dark but still has that edge of anger and dangerousness that comes with hardcore. It results in some truly awesome riffing and breakdowns throughout, and the screams fit it all perfectly. It’s another short and sweet release, being the perfect 30-minute assault to the senses, and while there isn’t a bad song on it, personal highlights for me included ‘Voice of Madness’ and ‘Doomed’. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it heading in as the production and mixing felt a little grating, but by the end it felt like even that was a fitting design choice that only added to the album. While it won’t even be for all fans of heavy out there, if you’re at all curious I’d highly recommend checking this out, you might love it as much as I do! One of the most surprising 8.5/10’s I’ve ever given, good stuff!

Julia DiGrazia: All In

The debut album from the young and fast-rising country star is honestly amazing. Opener ‘Rollercoaster’ sets the tone and pace of the album perfectly, and is a huge highlight in its own right. It’s a rock-infused banger, just like ‘With You’ is. Then you have more bluegrass stuff like ‘Leave You Behind’ and the Americana duet of ‘Two Truths and a Liar’. Heck, ‘Life’s Been Good Lately’ is almost a 2000s, early Taylor Swift country-pop banger. It’s all centered around the country sound at her core, but Julia keeps it consistently interesting and fun. It’s a true testament to Julia’s fantastic songwriting ability, even at such a young age and newness to the scene. Heck, I’ve named a solid half of this album by name and they are by far the only good tracks on the release; every song is incredible. I went into this album completely blind and was absolutely blown away from start to finish. An absolute must for anyone into country or its adjacent genres. Julia has a huge new fan in me and I’m definitely going to be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months. A very easy 9.5/10, she’s going to be a HUGE name sooner rather than later!