It seems that every year is more chaotic than the last. So many crazy things happened in 2025 that I have no hope of adequately summarizing them all. On a more personal note, Gawr Gura's graduation left me heartbroken, but my joy was restored when she returned as Sameko Saba. (Yes, I watch vtubers. You got a problem with that?) I do not wish to dwell on recent events, however. I just want to focus on all the notable metal albums that came out this year. To be honest, I have not been keeping track of the latest releases all that closely, which is why all the albums I will talk about in this issue are from bands I'm already familiar with.
As the Sea Parts - Psychosis
Trilogy of Sorrow by As the Sea Parts is one of my favorite metal demos. It's short and simple, but its melodies are passionate and captivating. Over a decade after their initial dissolution in the late-'90s, this little demo became a cult classic in the online metal world. Imagine everyone's surprise when the band got back together in 2019. They began work on new material, but progress was slow. Then, on July 11, 2025, they released Psychosis. Long have I waited for this album, and I'm glad to say that it does not disappoint.
The band has not remained stagnant. They have been closely watching the developments in the metal scene and honing their craft. The production has been immaculately polished. The sound is clean and every single element can be heard with utmost clarity. Erik Sayenga puts on an excellent drum performance. All of his different patterns, from the slow and simple beats to the more energetic rhythms stuffed full of double bass, have a tremendous amount of impact and are delivered with impeccable precision. Sometimes he'll pick up the pace and play some skank beats. There are even a few moments when he delivers some killer blast beats. He also makes sure to throw in plenty of great fills. Paul Vanderslice's growls have gotten slightly deeper over the years. They sound amazing, and there are many moments when he is joined by Erik Sayenga's raspy vocals.
Both the bass and guitars are played by Paul Vanderslice and Scott Loose. Because the production is so clean, the bass can be heard extremely well. There are even moments on songs like "Loss and Remembrance" and "Finality" when their finely crafted riffs are made even more prominent. The guitars are what truly steal the show. The chord progressions they play throughout the album possess powerful melodies that are sometimes somber and other times graceful. My personal favorites are the ones on "The Search Within." On occasion they are backed up by vigorous palm-muted riffs. Some of those riffs, like the ones on the title track, can sound quite menacing. The same can also be said of the slow chord progressions on songs like "Lunacy Calling." They also play some fantastic solos, the best of which can be found on the final track.
This is one of the best metal albums I've heard in a long time. Every single element has been meticulously crafted. Every moment is incredible. The performance expresses skill and passion that few others can match. Now I understand why it took so long to complete: this was a work of art, and you cannot rush art.
Austere - The Stillness of Dissolution
It seems that Austere is making up for their long absence by putting out a large amount of material in a short time span. Their latest full-length album, The Stillness of Dissolution, was released a little over a year after their previous. Because of how quickly it was produced, the formula and lineup (consisting of Tim Yatras and Mitchell Keepin) have remained the same. The drums still play simple yet strong mid-paced rhythms and slow beats that are frequently broken up by nice fills. The bass gives the music an extra sense of depth. The vocals still consist of anguished rasps and morose clean singing. The guitars still play cold and melodic chord progressions and tremolo riffs with a few majestic solos scattered in between. It's a great experience overall. I doubt we'll ever get a repeat of To Lay Like Old Ashes, but at least they have settled upon an effective formula.
Axis of Light - To the Great Unbearing North
I have been familiar with Axis of Light since the release of their first demo back in 2012. Their harsh, raw, and slightly atmospheric black metal was a marvel to behold. As the years passed, they placed a greater emphasis on the atmosphere. This evolution has resulted in the creation of their latest full-length album To the Great Unbearing North. To say I enjoyed it would be putting it lightly.
When I heard those first few seconds, I was immediately reminded of the Blazebirth Hall. The production has a cloudy quality that conjures up images of harsh frozen landscapes. The drums play almost constant blast beats that are occasionally broken up by slower patterns and fills. The raspy vocals sound like they're being made by an angry spirit from the barren tundra. The guitars are the best part. Their many tremolo riffs sound frigid and menacing, but their structures and occasional melodies also create an incredible enthralling atmosphere. The repetitive nature of the songwriting further reinforces this hypnotic quality.
To the Great Unbearing North is a fantastic atmospheric black metal album. Kaldrad Branislav would be proud.
Hate Forest - Against All Odds
Despite his homeland being ravaged by war, Roman Saenko is still able to record music. He put out a new Drudkh album this year. I'll need to go through their discography one of these days, but he also put out a new Hate Forest album, so I'll focus on that instead. It's called Against All Odds. What does it have to offer?
Well, it's a Hate Forest album, It has everything we have come to expect from them. The drums play almost constant blast beats that conjure up images of rampaging steppe hordes. Roman Saenko still performs some of the best beastly growls and strangled rasps in all of metal. The guitars still play cold and vicious tremolo riffs, menacing palm-muted riffs, and frantic chord progressions. They're not doing anything new, but the album as a whole is still great, so I can't really complain.
Cenotaphe - Chimeres
I remember immensely enjoying Cenotaphe's 2020 full-length Monte Verita. It was a fantastic display of triumphant melodic black metal. Five years passed between that album and Chimeres, their latest offering. They have only gotten better since then.
The production is bold but still atmospheric. The many blast beats are extremely powerful, and in between these sections they play upbeat rhythms full of rumbling double bass. The bass mostly follows the guitars, but they are given extra attention on songs like "Titans." The raspy vocals continue to express a mixture of anguish and anger. They also take the time to perform some of those amazing low-pitched clean vocals I loved so much on their previous offering. The guitar's many tremolo riffs are infused with grand melodies that, aided by the production quality, give the music a gripping, invigorating quality. On occasion they play slower chord progressions that are sometimes folkish and other times somber. They even play a solo on "Titans."
Chimeres was a fantastic album. It's proof that Cenotaphe is one of the best black metal bands currently active. May they continue to make more amazing music like this.
Imperial Crystalline Entombment - Abominable Astral Summoning
It was not that long ago when Imperial Crystalline Entombment came back from the dead and released a new full-length. Now they have put out a new album called Abominable Astral Summoning. The formula has not changed in the slightest. They still play fast and cold black metal. The furious blast beats are almost omnipresent. Only on select occasions like "Phantoms of Ice" do they slow things down and play some double-bass-stuffed mid-paced rhythms. The harsh raspy vocals still radiate hatred and malice. The plentiful tremolo riffs are still as frigid as the depths of winter. The mid-paced chord progression that show up on occasion are also menacing. They even play some frantic arpeggios on songs like "White Behemoths of Woe." Imperial Crystalline Entombment have once again unleashed frozen fury, and they show no signs of growing tame.
Arkhaaik - Uihtis
Arkhaaik is one of the most unique metal bands I know. They are a Swiss blackened doom/death band whose central theme is the Proto-Indo-European people, their language, and their culture. Their first album was 2019's *dhghmtos, which I enjoyed a great deal. Six years later, they released another full-length called Uihtis. I tried looking up what that word means, but all the results are for this album, so I'm out of luck there.
This album is a continuation of what they had recorded six years ago. The production still has that dark, cavernous quality that radiates the fury of the ancients. The drums still play a large number of slow, creeping beats that occasionally feature thumping double bass. These are sometimes broken up by more upbeat passages. They even throw in a few blast beats to keep things engaging. Most interesting of all are the ritualistic rhythms played on songs like "Kerhos Mehnsos." The intricate bass riffs hit hard and sound delightfully gruesome. Because they're put so high in the mix, they end up sounding even more primordial. The best of these riffs can be found on "Hagrah Gurres."
The vocals primarily consist of a raspy shout, but there are a few moments when they perform deep, beastly growls. More interesting are the chanted clean vocals that give off the impression that the band is performing long forgotten religious ceremonies from the antediluvian past. The guitar work is quite diverse. The slow chord progressions conjure up images of the hulking megafauna that prehistoric man used to hunt. Sometimes they play tremolo riffs as deathly frigid as the winters our ancestors faced. Though the riffs they play are simple for the most part, the atmosphere they create is enthralling.
Arkhaaik has amazed me once again. This album could best be described as atavistic. With its stomping rhythms, heavy riffs, and harsh vocals, it channels the spirits of a mysterious yet wondrous age.
Brutal Sphincter - Sphinct-Earth Society
Brutal Sphincter's 2018 full-length, Analhu Akbar, is one of the best goregrind albums ever made. It had some of the most infectious songwriting imaginable. It then took them seven years to release another full-length called Sphinct-Earth Society. I am pleased to say that it does not disappoint.
The production still has that wonderfully grotesque quality. The guitars are chunky, the drums pack a lot of punch, and the bass is extremely prominent. Speaking of which, the bass plays a lot of heavy, pulverizing riffs. They are most prominent on "The Juice Did It." The drums play plenty of raging blast beats, and in between these sections they play simple yet lively mid-paced rhythms. They also include some galloping rhythms filled with rapid double bass.
The vocal work continues to be incredible. The pitch-shifted growls still sound like a foul, twisted creature, they still perform excellent guttural growls, and they even throw in some pig-like snorts on songs like "Crusta-Colada (Crack'n Kofola)." The guitars are once again amazing. Their many mid-paced chord progressions and chugging riffs are crushing and catchy. I especially enjoyed the ones on "Unvaxxed Lives Matter." They also play some frantic palm-muted riffs on songs like "Name Three Songs," and they also include some pinch harmonics at certain moments.
With this album, Brutal Sphincter proved that they're still the best goregrind band currently active. You may not agree with all of their opinions, but you can't deny their amazing songwriting skills.