22) Phrenelith, Ashen Womb (Dark Descent)
Denmark death metal act Phrenelith have pushed boundaries with their third album, Ashen Womb. From old-school death metal to slow-tempo moments that feel as though you’re about to enter the gates of hell to realizing you’ve been there all along with the sudden blistering insanity, the album’s ever-changing pacing keeps you engaged without feeling it’s overdone or overplayed.
Key Track(s): “Astral Larvae,” “Nebulae”
21) Battle Beast, Steelbound (Nuclear Blast)
Give me cheese, ’80s vibes, and Noora Louhimo’s incredible and irreplaceable vocals. When processing the sudden, at least to us, departure of Louhimo, with Marina La Torraca stepping in as her replacement, I remember saying that Noora could sing about filing taxes, and I would enjoy the track. While she wasn’t the original singer or part of the band’s initial structure, it was Noora who made my eyes glued to them. Her work with the group gave Battle Beast a new life and identity, and it worked incredibly well.
There have been criticisms over the years that Battle Beast has become “too poppy,” but none of that ever affected me. Their live energy and Noora’s powerful vocals have always swept me in. It was unique, magical, and now, learning that Steelbound has essentially become a parting gift, an end of an era, the chapter with Louhimo feels officially closed. I’m curious to see what La Torraca will bring and where the band will go next, but this departure stings, and I’m grateful they gave us one more album before bidding Noora adieu. Steelbound has energy, power, and cheese, and I enjoyed it. You can read more of my thoughts about it here.
Key Track(s): “Last Goodbye,” “Blood of Heroes”
20) Cradle of Filth, The Screaming Of The Valkyries (Napalm)
Not getting into the ongoing drama that exploded between current and former Cradle of Filth members, this is about the music. UK extreme gothic metal giants Cradle of Filth have gone through revolving doors and experienced musical ups and downs, but their music has resonated with me since I was exposed to them at a much younger age. Whether it adds nostalgic value or their music sticks for me, Cradle of Filth continues to deliver relatively strong records. While we may never get a chance to return to Midian or lose our minds to Dusk and Her Embrace, slight hints and elements remind us of those days, mixed with something new, standard, or safe at times, but overall, enjoyable, where, in a live setting, would be executed quite well for new and veteran fans alike. The Screaming Of The Valkyries came out strong at the time, a new lineup that seemed promising and was a great collective unit. While that ship has since sailed, a strength that once was remains, and you can’t discredit or ignore the fact that this is an exhilarating album, even “Ex Sanguine Draculae” welcomes an earlier Dani Filth, with such coarse screams throughout (read my review here).
Key Track(s): “White Hellebore,” “Malignant Perfection”
19) Gaahls Wyrd, Braiding The Stories (Season Of Mist)
Gaahls Wyrd’s Braiding the Stories plays out like a stream of abstract paintings, dark colors mixed with poetic symbols. It moves with a sense of prose, disarray, and turmoil, exploring the deeper shadings hidden within forty-two minutes of musical execution. It’s a brilliance you need to hear more than once to fully grasp. The sophomore record leans more toward exploration than their 2019 debut, GastiR – Ghosts Invited.
Key Track(s): “Braiding the Stories,” “Time and Timeless Timeline”
18) Scour, Gold (Housecore)
The long-awaited album from the extreme metal supergroup Scour, featuring Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down, etc), John Jarvis (Agoraphobic Nosebleed), Derek Engemann (ex-Cattle Decapitation), Adam Jarvis, and Mark Kloeppel, has arrived with Gold. A powerful release that highlights all the best extremities within the subgenre.
Key Track(s): “Infusorium,” “Coin”
17) Sodom, The Arsonist (Steamhammer)
German Teutonic thrash legends Sodom have more or less left a parting gift in 2025, as the group will cut back on touring for the foreseeable future, with their new album, The Arsonist. While the record doesn’t necessarily add anything new to the table, you basically know what you’re going to get with a Sodom record. It’s ruthless, blistering, and full of nonstop intensity; they are true masters at their craft and a reason why they’ve been a significant influence on death and extreme metal subgenres for over forty years.
Key Track(s): “Trigger Discipline,” “Sane Insanity”
16) Wardruna, Birna (By Norse)
Heavily on the atmospheric end, Wardruna once again transport listeners to the Scandinavian mountains through Nordic folk medleys, haunting, beautiful, and executed with pure excellence in Birna. There’s no room for disappointment as they weave silence, tradition, and ritual into remarkable, meditative soundscapes that feel both timeless and transcendent.
Key Track(s): “Himinndotter,” “Skuggehesten”
15) Arjen Anthony Lucassen,
Songs No One Will Hear (InsideOut)
15) Arjen Anthony Lucassen, While pushed a little further down the list than usual, the legend, genius, mastermind that is Arjen Lucassen has returned with a very different record under his solo name with Songs No One Will Hear. While there are some Ayreon elements hinted throughout the record, the album is uniquely constructed around slower, rock-infused progressive elements that define what the end of the world will look like.
Key Track(s): “The Clock Ticks Down,” “Our Final Song”
14) Amorphis, Borderland (Reigning Phoenix)
It’s no secret I love Amorphis, but I didn’t fully love Borderland. 2025 has been complicated; a mix of incredible albums and plenty of “decent but could be better” releases, which is why this year’s ranking is extended (eventually cut shorter due to time constraints). Amorphis are leaning more progressive, with soaring melodies; still enjoyable overall, but definitely shifting closer to rock than metal. It’s fine for bands to evolve, but it’s a different flavor to fully get on board with. The album still carries some classic Amorphis-esque strengths, yet it’s clear they’re moving further into this new rock-centric direction.
Key Track(s): “Bones,” “Fog To Fog”
13) In The Woods…, Otra (Prophecy)
Norway’s In The Woods… have undeniably shifted their musical direction. With Anders Kobro now the sole remaining original member, the project has been long reignited since 2014 and has continued evolving. The general feedback on their latest creation, Otra, are mixed; you either love it, hate it, or simply “meh” about it. Personally, I think the production quality and the distinct split between black, progressive, and atmospheric elements work well.
Key Track(s): “The Things You Shouldn’t Know,” “A Misrepresentation of I”
12) Green Carnation, A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia (Season Of Mist)
In 2020, Green Carnation gave us their first record in well over a decade with Leaves of Yesteryear, but that was just the appetizer for what they had hidden inside their Norwegian progressive metal sleeves. Five years later, the band unveils the first installment of a full trilogy, a nod to Shakespeare’s Ophelia. The opening chapter, A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia, delivers poetic, progressive precision. It’s slow, soft, heavy, and richly arranged, creating a mesmerizing experience that stays engaging from start to finish.
Key Track(s): “Me, My Enemy,” “The Slave That You Are”
