Dearest supporters of heavy music,

Here we are! I hope you discovered some great music throughout 2025. Luckily, we had plenty of incredible records to guide us through times of unbridled joy, and debilitating pain. Yours truly celebrated three years this year writing for Metal Insider, and I can’t thank you enough for all of your support and everything that you do for our kind of music.

The end of the year is creeping ever closer, so it’s about time we highlighted a year of releases. Maybe your top-whatever lists is already posted, or maybe you’re still debating, however – taking a look back can be beneficial regardless of lists. Maybe you missed something during the cluster seasons of spring and autumn, or maybe this is the list you need to revisit a record.

This year was all about quality over quantity – and exciting new music is a constant that I am most certainly grateful for. As ever, just about all of the bands on my list have made their music available for purchase, and if you have any questions, comments or just want to recommend something I might have snoozed on checking out – you know where to find me | Instagram: izzysabbath, X: izzysabbath.

Let’s move forward with Ian’s Best Heffy Metal of 2025!

11) Necronemesis / Gangrenesia, Putrid Sanctity (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions)

First up on the chopping block is a split delivery via two generations of Puerto Rican death metal and the music is crushing indeed, featuring two chaotic tracks each from both bands. Brutal, disgusting, and straight to the point, yet just under the surface there’s a rotting gore soaked mess of relentless aggression.
Standout cuts: 1. Seed (Necronemesis), 4. Gargling Womb Infested Puss and Maggots (Gangrenesia)

10) Morbikon, Lost Within the Astral Crypts (Tankcrimes)

More than a studio project, who no doubt crafted their style around nineties Scandinavian black and death metal, Morbikon is mainly Phil “Land Phll” Hall (Municipal Waste) and Mathias “Vreth” Lillmåns (Finntroll, …And Oceans) sharing vocals with Quotidius alongside the twin axe-attack of Blake Hibberd and Adam Guilliams with Pierce Williams on the drums for this album. There’s a strong case for Lost Within the Astral Crypts being the embodiment of heavy metal in 2025 – driven by ambiance and blazing riffs alone – the latest effort from this Richmond-bred band is a perfectly executed collection Dissection-influenced blackened steel.
Standout cuts: 2. Unending Legions of Bael, 8. Lost Within the Astral Crypts

09) Karate Steve, Time Under Tension (Self-released)

The thunderous crack of the songs and the chaotic riff-based sensibilities combine to create a feverish trip through arcane sludge, by way of doom metal from guitarist/vocalist Ben Davis. Fans of Arsis, High on Fire and Mastodon will have plenty of repeat listens to enjoy with Time Under Tension.
Standout cuts: 1. Martyr, 9. Sleepwalker

08) Vittra, Intense Indifference (Self-released)

An nine track journey with the bonus cut of Slayer’s “Piece by Piece” fuses melodic death, thrash metal into a blasphemous aural assault. Intense Indifference is a hefty tribute to some of the forefathers of Swedish metal, with enough current violence to satisfy listeners of At the Gates and Megadeth.
Standout cuts: 2. Reign Supreme, 7. Bound by Blood

07) Chamber Mage, By Light of Emerald Gods (Nameless Grave Records)

During a year of one power metal album sounding similiar to another, Chamber Mage set about reimagining a otherwise rich subgenre from their 2025 debut album, By Light of Emerald Gods… and simplified the epic heaviness from few familiar influences from the likes of Cirith Ungol and Manowar. The result is a eight adventures in song fueled by traditional riffing and sweeping melodies.
Standout cuts: 1. In Battle, 7. The Emerald Tower Revealed

Ian Weber

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