Tag: metal

2025 Best of Metal: #1 Coroner-Dissonance Theory

Release date: October 17, 2025
Origin: Zurich, Switzerland
Personnel: Ron Broder-vox/bass, Tommy Vetterli-guitar, Diego Rapacchietti-drums

This year’s winner of the Golden Flip Flop goes to Coroner. Absent from the scene for over 20 years and they come out of nowhere with this absolute beast of an album. This album might be an argument that bands should just let their shit gestate and solidify for a good chunk of time before releasing them into the world. I mean, 20 years is a bit much. But there isn’t a weak link on this album. Just song after song of blistering thrash. I’d like to say the race for album of the year was close, but this one is just heads and tails above everything else.

So, that’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed the blog over the years. I enjoyed writing it, but it’s just time to say our goodbyes. Have a lovely New Year and keep rocking the fuck out! See you in the pit! \m/

5 flip flops out of 5

The final list:
1. Coroner-Dissonance Theory
2. Psychonaut-World Maker
3. Pelican-Flickering Resonance
4. Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil
5. Paradise Lost-Ascension
6. Baest-Colossal
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #2 Psychonaut-World Maker

Release date: October 24, 2025
Origin: Antwerp, Belgium
Personnel: Stefan de Graef-guitar/vox, Thomas Michiels-bass/vox, Harm Peters-drums

Psychonaut are another relatively new band that is really producing some inspired metal. I guess you would throw these guys in the post-metal camp musically. Strong instrumentals and creative song structures. Nice balance of harsh and harmonized clean vocals. This is another one of these little bands that I can’t champion enough. I feel the ceiling is very high for them.

The list so far:
2. Psychonaut-World Maker
3. Pelican-Flickering Resonance
4. Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil
5. Paradise Lost-Ascension
6. Baest-Colossal
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #3 Pelican-Flickering Resonance

Release date: May 16, 2025
Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Personnel: Trevor de Brauw-guitar, Laurent Schroeder-Lebec-guitar, Bryan Herweg-bass, Larry Herweg-drums

We don’t need to stinkin’ singer! Pelican tells their stories through the music, man. Can you dig it? Damn right you can. Pelican just grooves and moves. They never put out anything sub-par and Flickering Resonance is no exception. Never flashy or over-the-top. They find that sweet spot and just let it ride.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
3. Pelican-Flickering Resonance
4. Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil
5. Paradise Lost-Ascension
6. Baest-Colossal
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #4 Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil

Release date: May 30, 2025
Origin: Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
Personnel: Adam Biggs-vox/bass, Brody Uttley-guitar, Andy Thomas-guitar/vox, Jared Klein-drums/vox

If you’ve followed this blog at all during its run, you probably know I’m a big fan of these guys. They are at the very tippy top of the progressive death metal game. Even though I was really sad to see the demise of fellow Reading, PA band Black Crown Initiate, it has been a boon having Andy Thomas move into a permanent role in Rivers of Nihil. I’ve said it many times: dude simply has the voice of an angel; albeit one with some serious facial hair and a nose ring. Their songcraft just continues to grow on each album and this one is no exception. Just layers of sounds and emotions on this one. Also, you probably know I love a band with multiple singers and ones that incorporate serious harmonizing. It all goes back to the fucking Beatles, people! Special album, this one.

The list so far:
4. Rivers of Nihil-Rivers of Nihil
5. Paradise Lost-Ascension
6. Baest-Colossal
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decau
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens



2025 Best of Metal: #5 Paradise Lost-Ascension

Release date: September 19, 2025
Origin: Halifax, England
Personnel: Nick Holmes-vox, Greg Mackintosh-guitar, Aaron Aedy-guitar, Steve Edmondson-bass, Guido Montanarini-drums

One of the kings of English gothic doom. I sometimes wonder if I’m the only one that enjoys Paradise Lost’s latter output much more than their earlier material. Even though some of the earlier albums are seen as being their classic sound, some of it was a little too gothic and emo-ish for me to fully embrace. In my opinion, their albums from the past 10+ years or so are my favorite. Ascension continues the stellar run the band has been in of late and may be my favorite of theirs yet. Just a solid slab of haunting doom.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
5. Paradise Lost-Ascension
6. Baest-Colossal
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravages of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #6 Baest-Colossal

Release date: August 15, 2025
Origin: Aarhus, Denmark
Personnel: Simon Olsen-vox, Lasse Revsbech-guitar, Svend Karlsson-guitar, Mattias Melchiorsen-bass, Sebastia Abildsten-drums

These guys are fast becoming one of my favorite death metal bands. Their sound is just a fantastic combo of New Wave of British Heavy Metal and classic Bay Area thrash. It’s kind of death metal with a mischievous bent, as evidenced by the attached video. Colossal is simply their best album to date.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
6. Baest-Colossal
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #7 Messa-The Spin

Release date: April 11, 2025
Origin: Cavaso del Tomba, Italy
Personnel: Sara Bianchin-vox, Alberto Piccolo-guitar/keys, Marco Zanin-bass, Rocco Toaldo-drums

Haunting doom metal out of Italy. These guys made it on the list a few years back and their latest album is another step forward. Solid songs all the way through and vocalist, Sara Bianchin, is a very distinctive voice. Their brand of doom metal feels different than the stuff coming out of England and Scandinavia. I always find it refreshing when non-traditional metal countries put a unique spin on a traditional metal genre.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
7. Messa-The Spin
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #8 Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound

Release date: 1/24/2025
Origin: Berlin, Germany
Personnel: Christoph Lindemann-vox/guitar, Jascha Kreft-guitar/keys, Simon Bouteloup-bass, Christoph Bartelt-drums

Kadavar had a fairly significant change in their sound and look in 2025. Gone are the hairy heshers worshipping at the altar of Sabbath. New look Kadavar is fully embracing a 60’s psychedelic sound and a look right out of the Mod Squad. And, dammit, it just works. This was one of the refreshing surprises of 2025. It’s always courageous when a band switches gears and completely revamps their sound. Kudos to Kadavar for swinging for the fences and knocking it out of the park.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
8. Kadavar-I Just Want To Be A Sound
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For the Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #9 Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth

Release date: January 24, 2025
Origin: Vienna, Austria
Personnel: J.J.-vox, M.S.-all instruments

This Austrian duo find their way back onto the list with Scorched Earth. These guys have the emotionally driven melodic death metal down pat. I think this latest slab of tunes might be one of their strongest. I was lucky enough to see them tour on this album earlier in the year and highly recommend checking them out if they make it to your town.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
9. Harakiri For The Sky-Scorched Earth
10. 16-Guides For The Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw The End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens

2025 Best of Metal: #10 16-Guides For the Misguided

Release date: February 7, 2025
Origin: Los Angeles, California, USA
Personnel: Bobby Ferry-vox/guitar, Alex Shuster-guitar, Barney Firks-bass, Dion Thurman-drums

Yet another band that I will never understand why they aren’t a household name in metal circles. Maybe the name 16 doesn’t distinguish themselves enough or helps keep them in the rabble of so many other bands. At any rate, you should take note of these guys if you like sludgy and crunchy riffs. Like an upbeat Crowbar or a heavier version of Corrosion of Conformity, these guys simply blow down doors with their guitars. This one is a banger.

4.5 flip flops out of 5

The list so far:
10. 16-Guides For the Misguided
11. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon
12. Hooded Menace-Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
13. Byzantine-Harbingers
14. Wretched-Decay
15. Green Carnation-A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
16. Scorpion Child-I Saw the End As It Passed Right Through Me
17. Benediction-Ravage of Empires
18. Testament-Para Bellum
19. In Mourning-The Immortal
20. Allegaeon-The Ossuary Lens