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Riley Pinkerton as The Rat Queen of Castle Rat

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Albums the Fediverse Loved in 2025

And here we have it: a list of 151 albums (plus a few artists/labels in general) that kept 64 of us going in 2025, nearly 75% of those 2025 releases and the rest earlier gems! Given our collective eclectic tastes, voting/ranking was not attempted, but bolded titles and post tags indicate albums that were submitted by multiple Fedizens. Genre tags are included as tasting notes (apologies if I got any wrong), each title is linked to its Bandcamp/Songlink when possible, and footnotes list who submitted each album along with extra comments they included (warning: comments may include MOAR ALBUMS; also note: footnotes look way better on the blog). So, click and listen away – perhaps you’ll find a new-to-you album that gets you through 2026!

Thanks so much to the Fedizens who joined in, it’s so nice to see familiar faces from the 1001 Other Albums project as well as some new ones! And, as always, it’s lovely to get a glimpse of how diverse our tastes in music are, and to see people trying something new solely based on a random Fedi recommendation. The Fedi music community truly is a bright spot, and I personally am immensely grateful for it. 🙏🏻

Band – Title (year released, place of origin; genre)footnote

Action/Adventure – Ever After (2025, US; pop-punk)1

AFI – Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… (2025, US; post-punk, gothic rock)2

Against Me! – White Crosses (2010, US; punk rock)3

Alkaline Trio – Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs (2024, US; punk rock)4

Am I in Trouble? – Spectrum (2025, US; avant-garde black metal)5

Ami Taf Ra – The Prophet and the Madman (2025, US/Morocco; Moroccan gnawa, gospel, jazz)6

An Abstract Illusion – Woe (2022, Sweden; atmospheric black/death/prog metal)7

Analog Africa (label, in general) (1960s-80s, Africa; reissues)8

Anna Tivel – Animal Poem (2025, US; indie folk)9

Archon Satani – The Righteous Way to Completion (1997, Sweden; death ambient/black industrial)10

Ashbreather – La Grande Bouffe (2025, Canada; progressive sludge/death metal)11

Au4 – …And Down Goes The Sky (2013, Canada; prog rock)12

aya – hexed! (2025, UK; electronic, noise)13

Bad Cop/Bad Cop – Lighten Up (2025, US; punk rock)14

Baghed – Smear Campaign (2025, US; punk rock)15

Bank Myna – Eimuria (2025, France; post-rock/metal, doom gaze, slow core)16

Belle and Sebastian – Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (2005, Scotland; indie pop)17

Benedicte Maurseth – Mirra (2025, Norway; folk, jazz)18

Bill Frisell – Harmony (2019, US; folk-jazz)19

Black Flower – Kinetic (2025, Belgium; Ethio-jazz, Afrobeat, dub)20

Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE (2025, US; indie folk/pop)21

Brittany Davis – Black Thunder (2025, US; cosmic jazz, r&b/soul, singer-songwriter)22

CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso – Papota (2025, Argentina; experimental trap, hip-hop, EDM, jazz, Latin pop)23

Caroline Shaw / Attacca Quartet – Orange (2019, US; classical, ambient, folk)24

Castle Rat – The Bestiary (2025, US; fantasy heavy metal)25

Causa Sui – Pewt’r Sessions 1 (2011, Denmark; psych/stoner rock)26

Celeste – Woman of Faces (2025, UK; neo-soul, jazz, singer-songwriter)27

Charlie Hunter, Carter McLean featuring Silvana Estrada – s/t (2018, US/Mexico; jazz)28

Circuit des Yeux – Halo on the Inside (2025, US; singer-songwriter, experimental)29

Civic – Chrome Dipped (2025, Australia; punk)30

clipping – Dead Channel Sky (2025, US; hip-hop)31

Dan Mangan – Natural Light (2025, Canada; indie rock/folk)32

Daniela Pas – Spira (2023, Italy; singer-songwriter, electronic, experimental)33

Data Rebel – Single Cell (2025, UK; electronic, IDM, ambient)34

Dax Riggs – 7 Songs for Spiders (2025, US; blues metal/shoegaze blues)35

Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power (2025, US; blackgaze, metal)36

Degraved – Spectral Realm of Ruin (2025, US; death metal)37

Delobos – Cabal (2025, Spain; post-alt rock, post-rock, psychedelia)38

Devil ANTHEM. – Profound Rebuild (2025, Japan; J-pop)39

Die Spitz – Something to Consume (2025, US; punk, alt rock)40

Divide and Dissolve – Insatiable (2025, Australia; doom, drone, neo classical)41

Dödsrit – Mortal Coil (2021, Sweden; atmospheric/melodic black metal, blackened crust)42

Dool – The Shape of Fluidity (2024, Netherlands; rock, alternative)43

downy – 8th Album/Untitled (2025, Japan; math rock/post-rock)44

Drab Majesty – Completely Careless (2012-2015) (2016, US; darkwave, shoegaze, dream pop)45

Dropkick Murphy – For The People (2025, US; Celtic punk)46

Eikichi Yazawa – I believe (2025, Japan; rock)47

El Pino & The Volunteers – The Long-lost Art of Becoming Invisible (2009, Netherlands; alt country/folk)48

Elli De Mon – Raìse (2025, Italy; blues, dialect, garage, psychedelic)49

Eric Church – Evangeline vs. The Machine (2025, US; country)50

Ethmebb – Allo Babar et les Caramboleurs (2025, France; progressive melodic blackened death power metal)51

Ex-Vöid – In Love Again (2025, UK; indie pop/rock)52

EYES – Spinner(2025, Denmark; hardcore, noise rock)53

FACS – Wish Defense (2025, US; noise rock, neo-post-punk)54

Faetooth – Labrynthine (2025, US; fairy doom/stoner metal)55

False Aralia (label) – ALL the new 12-inch singles (2025, US; abstract electronic)56

Fever Ray – The Year of the Radical Romantics (2025, Sweden; experimental, electronic, pop)57

FOKALITE – Fokas, Lite & Four Shooting Riddles (2025, Japan; J-pop)58

Françoise Hardy – La question (1971, France; French pop, Brazilian saudade/bossa nova)59

Fust – Big Ugly (2025, US; rock)60

Geese – Getting Killed (2025, US; art/experimental rock)61

Gnome – King (2022, Belgium; stoner/prog/hard rock)62

Habak – Mil orquídeas en medio del desierto (2025, Mexico; melodic crust)63

Hallelujah the Hills – DECK (2025, US; indie rock)64

HANABIE – Bucchigiri Tokyo (2024, Japan; metalcore)65

Hatchie – Liquorice (2025, Australia; indie/dream pop)66

Hole – Live Through This (1994, US; alt rock)67

IAN – Come On Everybody, Let’s Do Nothing! (2025, UK; experimental, post-rock/metal)68

Igorrr – Amen (2025, France; experimental/avant-garde metal)69

Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar (2025, US; experimental metal)70

In the Womb of the Universe – Searching for Sunrise (2024, US; electronic, synthpop)71

In the Woods… – Otra (2025, Norway; avant-garde metal)72

Insomnium – Shadows of the Dying Sun (2014, Finland; melodic death metal)73

Jade Bird – Who Wants to Talk About Love (2025, UK; folk rock, singer-songwriter)74

JER – Death of the Heart (2025, US; ska punk)75

Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick (1972, UK; prog rock)76

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (2024, UK; heavy metal)77

Just Mustard – We Were Just Here (2025, Ireland; post-punk, noise, shoegaze, trip hop)78

Kaku P-Model – unZIP (2025, Japan; experimental, electronic)79

Kieran Hebden and William Tyler – 41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s (2025, UK; electronic)80

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Float Along – Fill Your Lungs (2013, Australia; psychedelic pop)81

Kostnatění – Přílišnost (2025, US; avant-garde black metal)82

Küenring – In Search of Paradise (2025, Austria; heavy metal/hard rock)83

L.A. Salami (artist, in general) (UK; folk, post-modern blues, acoustic, rock)84

Labyrinthus Stellarum – Rift in Reality (2025, Ukraine; atmospheric/cosmic black metal)85

Lorien Testard – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Original Soundtrack) (2025, France; soundtrack)86

Lorna Shore – I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me (2025, US; death metal/deathcore)87

Lucy Dacus – Forever is a Feeling (2025, US; indie rock, folk-pop, singer-songwriter)88

Maeror Tri – Multiple Personality Disorder (1993, Germany; ambient, noise, drone)89

Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force – Khadim (2025, Germany/Senegal; mbalax, experimental, dub techno)90

Marshall Allen – New Dawn (2025, US; avant-garde jazz)91

Max Cooper – On Being (2025, UK; electronic, ambient, avant-garde)92

Messa – The Spin (2025, Italy; doom metal)93

Michel Legrand – The Essential Michel Legrand Film Music Collection (2005, France; soundtrack, compilation)94

MIKE – Showbiz! (2025, US; hip-hop/rap)95

Miynt – Rain Money Dogs (2025, Sweden; indie/bedroom rock)96

Modern English – Mesh & Lace (1981, UK; post-punk)97

Momma – Welcome to My Blue Sky (2025, US; alt/indie rock)98

more eaze & claire rousay – no floor (2025, US; experimental, ambient, avant-pop, sound collage)99

Moron Police – Pachinko (2025, Norway; concept album)100

Morris Kolontyrsky – Origination (2025, US; ambient, drone, experimental)101

Nærværet – Når Man Ser Inn I En Annens Hjerte (2024, Sweden/Norway; experimental, field recording, tape manipulation/loops)102

Nailed to Obscurity – Generation of The Void (2025, Germany; melodic/prog death/doom metal)103

Nicolas Gombert & James Weeks / Apartment House – G O M B E R T (2025, Flanders/UK; contemporary classical)104

Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman – Lady of the Lake (2023, US; folk)105

Nout – Live Album (2024, France; alternative, punk, rock, jazz, noise)106

Olga Anna Markowska – Iskra (2025, Poland; modern classical, ambient)107

Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzmosis (1995, UK; heavy metal)108

Pino Palladino & Blake Mills – That Wasn’t a Dream (2025, Wales/US; experimental jazz)109

Point Mort – Le Point de Non-retour (2025, France; blackened crust postcore)110

Plague of Carcosa – In The Dreamless Deep (2025, US; doomnoise, experimental metal)111

Population II – Maintenant Jamais (2025, Canada; art/prog/psychedelic rock)112

Primal Scream – XTRMNTR (2000, Scotland; experimental electro-rock)113

Priscilla Block – Things You Didn’t See (2025, US; country, singer-songwriter)114

Psychonaut – World Maker (2025, Belgium; post-metal)115

Queens of the Stone Age – Alive in the Catacombs (2025, US; rock)116

Radiopuhelimet – Kosminen Tiedottomuus (2020, Finland; alt rock)117

Rebecca Foon & Aliayta Foon-Dancoes – Reverie (2025, Canada; modern classical)118

Rivers of Nihil – s/t (2025, US; death/prog metal)119

Rogue Jones – Dos Bebés (2023, Wales; folk, indie pop)120

Shayfer James – Summoning (2025, US; noir-pop, dark cabaret)121

Shedfromthebody – Whisper and Wane (2025, Finland; doomgaze, [post-]metal)122

Shepherds of Cassini – In Thrall to Heresy (2025, New Zealand; prog metal)123

Silvana Estrada – Vendrán Suaves Lluvias (2025, Mexico; singer-songwriter)124

Silvana Estrada (with Charlie Hunter) – Lo Sagrado (2017, Mexico/US; singer-songwriter)125

Širom – In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper (2025, Slovenia; instrumental avant-garde imaginary folk)126

SKC & The Poem – s/t (2025, Belgium; alt/folk rock)127

SKLOSS – The Pattern Speaks (2025, US/Scotland; space gaze, post-metal)128

Soulwax – All Systems Are Lying (2025, Belgium; electronic alt rock)129

Spiritbox – Tsunami Sea (2025, Canada; metalcore)130

State Azure – The Light That Remains (2025, UK; electronica, ambient, downtempo)131

Stereolab – Switched On Volumes 1-5 (2024, UK/France; avant-pop)132

Steve Tibbetts – Close (2025, US; jazz fusion)133

Stick To Your Guns – Keep Planting Flowers (2025, US; hardcore)134

Suede – Antidepressants (2025, UK; post-punk, gothic rock)135

Summer Walker – Finally Over It (2025, US; R&B, singer-songwriter)136

Susan Bear – Algorithmic Mood Music (2024, Scotland; electronic, alt-pop)137

Swansea Sound – Twentieth Century (2023, Wales; indie pop)138

TDJ (artist, in general) (Canada; electronic)139

Terveet Kädet – Lapin Helvetti (2015, Finland; hardcore punk)140

Tool – Lateralus (2001, US; prog rock/metal, art rock)141

The Bug Club – “Have U Ever Been 2 Wales” (2025, Wales; indie rock)142

The New Eves – The New Eve Is Rising (2025, UK; avant-garde/art rock)143

Trio del Mango – Cómelo (2025, US/Puerto Rico; experimental, noise)144

Turnstile – Never Enough (2025, US; alt rock)145

UNIVERSITY – McCartney, It’ll Be OK (2025, UK; punk, noise rock)146

Water Damage – Instruments (2025, US; experimental psych/drone-rock)147

Weakened Friends – Feels Like Hell (2025, US; indie rock)148

Weirs – Diamond Grove (2025, US; trad folk, experimental noise)149

Wet Leg – moisturizer (2025, UK; indie rock)150

White Lies – Five V2 (2019, UK; post-punk)151

X-Cetra – Summer 2000 (Y2K 25th Anniversary Edition) (2025, US; sleepover core, dance-pop)152

Yara Asmar – everyone I love is sleeping and I love them so so much (2025, Lebanon; modern classical/ambient)153

Yugen Blakrok – Anima Mysterium (2019, South Africa; hip-hop)154

Yws Gwynedd – Codi/ \Cysgu (2014, Wales; indie rock)155

Footnote Number. Fediverse username(s): Comments

poisonous ↩︎

buffyleigh: My emotional support album of the year. I’ve been a fan of AFI since 2000 but haven’t liked an album since 2006. The second I heard the first single “Behind The Clock”, my expectations for this album skyrocketed, and they were absolutely exceeded. It sounds nothing like anything they’ve ever done, and yet it feels like this was the album they’ve always been moving towards. Song of the year goes to the entirety of side A, and Davey Havok’s unexpectedly different sound on this album is my overall favourite vocal performance of year. ↩︎

Braininabowl ↩︎

umrk: top album requested by my kids in the car this year ↩︎

brh ↩︎

RolloTreadway: The most gloriously unhinged album I’ve heard this year. Twists together ideas from everywhere without the slightest consideration of whether doing so might be normal or accepted. The kind of album where a classic French chanson or some deep filthy funk just appears out of nowhere and then is never referred to again. It shouldn’t work but it absolutely does. ↩︎

gavin57: That last one is an all-timer. It’s astonishing. ↩︎

platenworm ↩︎

rachelcholst ↩︎

3rik: This has been a year for nighttime music and music for trying to sleep. ↩︎

swampgas: definitely my most played this year. A sludgy, deathdoom concept album about greed and gluttony and corruption thats riffy and groovy af. These are driving rhythms that chug hard! ↩︎

MichaelMcWilliams: The one album that tops my list this year also appears in the 1001 Other Albums list. Band website offering free download of the album: https://au4.ca ↩︎

brh ↩︎

poisonous ↩︎

jake4480 ↩︎

mbr ↩︎

riff: Most “Wait why did i never listen to this band before ?” of the year. ↩︎

keefeglise ↩︎

eamonn ↩︎

_slotek_ ↩︎

onuryasar: My kind of, very balanced Indie Pop: just the right amount of Indie but not too much and just the right amount of Pop but not too much :) ↩︎

icastico ↩︎

santialone ↩︎

eamonn ↩︎

burnitdown || MetalheadDana ↩︎

cloudtripper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_e5kKzlFqU&list=RD8_e5kKzlFqU&start_radio=1 ↩︎

nevar23 ↩︎

debonaire: Recency bias is pushing me to three Silvana Estrada albums. I love her voice, I love the music, I love her with Charlie Hunter. ↩︎

otherdog ↩︎

fistfulofdave: Aussie punk in the vein of The Saints and Radio Birdman. ↩︎

rothko ↩︎

Chigaze: what happens when four guys to go a cottage in Ontario, find a flow state, and record an album over a few days. I got to see them play the album through at the Winspear in Edmonton and it’s way up there on my concert experience list. ↩︎

evilchili: The Italian singer and composer’s debut is a hypnotic journey of loops, bloops, and dramatic and impassioned vocalizations. ↩︎

nellie_m ↩︎

fistfulofdave: Blues metal? Shoegaze blues? I don’t know or care, I like it. ↩︎

tym || niels ↩︎

jake4480 ↩︎

santialone ↩︎

Kingu ↩︎

tym || demon6 ↩︎

otherdog ↩︎

MetalheadDana: I listened to this album when it first came out in 2021 but for some reason it didn’t click with me. But apparently 2021 Dana had horrible taste in music, because in early 2025 I randomly tried Dodsrit – Mortal Coil again and fell in love and have been obsessed with it all year, it’s the perfect blend of crust punk and black metal and I love it. ↩︎

TG_Esq ↩︎

rustynail ↩︎

alicemcalicepants ↩︎

Chigaze: nails it just as a solid Dropkick’s album but goes farther with songs made for the times. “Who’ll Stand With Us” and “School Days Over” are amazing workers songs while “Chesterfields and Aftershave” takes me back to my own grandfather. ↩︎

thesinkingbelle ↩︎

Braininabowl ↩︎

riff: Most listened this year. ↩︎

Mark52 ↩︎

Moss ↩︎

e (eva) ↩︎

steveroyle: Leaving out Never Enough by Turnstile as I’m sure that’ll get plenty of votes. ↩︎

fistfulofdave: Angular, noise rock, neo-post punk. Unsettling, laid-back, yet aggressive. And yes it was the last album Steve Albini recorded. ↩︎

MetalheadDana || demon6 ↩︎

soundclamp: Runner-ups – https://lineimprint.bandcamp.com/album/muzak-for-the-encouragement-of-unproductivity; https://myheartaninvertedflame.bandcamp.com/album/my-heart-an-inverted-flame-apparitions-split; https://timbarnes.bandcamp.com/album/lost-words-1 ↩︎

buffyleigh: I’ve known of Fever Ray since first seeing the TV show Vikings, but I for some reason didn’t check them out further until this year, when their s/t album came up for a blog post. I was floored. As it happens, their kinda sorta live album was set to come out soon after my first listen of the s/t, so I got caught up on the full Karin Dreijer discography, got super duper obsessed with their spectacular ARTE concert (which is essentially the same versions performed on the new album), and proceeded to be immensely inspired – nay, awakened – by this artist. ↩︎

Kingu ↩︎

onuryasar: I’ve first discovered the song Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex (I know, late comer), which brought me to Greg Gonzalez’s Wikipedia page, that says “Gonzalez was heavily inspired by French singer Françoise Hardy and her album La question”. I remember this album being mentioned in my Fedi timeline recently, so I gave it a spin and it turned on and on for the remainder of the year. [Editor’s note: Also see the 1001 OA spotlight on this album from earlier this year!] ↩︎

rachelcholst ↩︎

mynameistillian ↩︎

burnitdown ↩︎

demon6 ↩︎

donutage: I was a bit skeptical of this, and sure, in a 52-song project there’s some unevenness, but between the sheer audacity of the attempt & the frequent successes it scores, definitely one of the more remarkable records of the year. ↩︎

Tak ↩︎

e (eva) ↩︎

Lizahadiz ↩︎

mbr ↩︎

brh ↩︎

umrk: my fav album released in 2025 ↩︎

superflippy ↩︎

raisedfist ↩︎

gavin57 ↩︎

Mark52: Jade Bird has been by far my most listened to album this year. ↩︎

poisonous ↩︎

derthomas: I kept coming back to this album because it just fits every mood. It’s peak Jethro Tull if you ask me, it’s perfect in any way. Also the Steven Wilson Remaster sounds incredible. ↩︎

burnitdown ↩︎

jebeyer: a longer list is here – https://www.buymusic.club/list/whistlingkitty-some-of-my-favorite-2025-releases ↩︎

thesinkingbelle: honorable mentions – Scare – In The End, Was It Worth It; Creatvre – Toujours Humain ; Guck – Gucked Up ; AVTT/PTTN – AVTT/PTTN; Saor – Amidst the Ruins ; Jessica93 – 666 tours de periph’ ; Deadguy – Near-Death Travel Services;  LS Dunes – Violet;  Aesop Rock – I Heard It’s A Mess There Too ; Fishbone – Stockholm Syndrome ; Dead Pioneers – Po$t American ; Ethereal Wound – Defile | Demise;  Sci Fi Industries – Initial States ↩︎

soundclamp ↩︎

cloudtripper ↩︎

rustynail ↩︎

derthomas: My AOTY from a very underground Heavy Metal band from Austria. ↩︎

platenworm ↩︎

raisedfist ↩︎

thesinkingbelle ↩︎

t4s: Honorable mentions – The Halo Effect, Machine Head, Heaven Shall Burn, Spiritbox, Jinjer, Allegaeon ↩︎

rachelcholst ↩︎

3rik ↩︎

Wintergr33n: Percussion-driven music from Senegal on a self-released album: https://ra.co/news/82509. ↩︎

platenworm: 5 things that ruled my world musically this year:
– The Analog Africa Label
– The Artist L.A. Salami
– The knowledge that you can have too much music
– The knowledge that you can make your solo debut album when you are 100 years old……Hail Hail Marshall Allen
– And that everybody loved Ozzy ↩︎

nellie_m: The music project that somehow touched me most deeply was the result of two years of work by Max Cooper. „Powerful works of art have traditionally sprung from some source deep within an artist and, if they strike the right tone, resonate with an audience to leave a lasting mark. But what if that equation were reversed: what if an artist were to draw their inspiration from deep within their audience, and use that to reflect those ideas, emotions, hopes, fears, pains and aspirations back to us?…“ ↩︎

niels || TG_Esq || sentynel || otherdog || umrk ↩︎

eamonn ↩︎

jake4480 ↩︎

steveroyle ↩︎

alicemcalicepants ↩︎

BramMeehan ↩︎

avi_miller: All three fall into the more ambient realm, and they all are absolutely phenomenal. I love music that is based more around textures and creating a mood than creating a melody, and this year had some really good ones. ↩︎

niels ↩︎

TG_Esq ↩︎

3rik ↩︎

raisedfist ↩︎

keefeglise: Compositions by Nicholas Gombert and James Weeks. Performed by Apartment House. Flanders/UK. Contemporary Classical (Debatable! Gombert died in 1560.) ↩︎

evilchili: Two hipster kids from Brooklyn play 100 year old Appalachian folk tunes and make them come alive. Honest, reverential, and true. ↩︎

riff: “Instantly burned in my brain” this year (well, it was actually their KEXP session from april that blew my mind, but since i have to submit an album, it’ll do nicely :) ). ↩︎

avi_miller ↩︎

derthomas: I discovered this album this year on a metal journey (yeah, late to the party) and I loved it. It’s my favourite Ozzy album. ↩︎

_slotek_ ↩︎

mbr ↩︎

tym: Oh and not a brand new release, but the remaster and new tracks for the 20th anniversary reissue of ‘Takk…’ by Sigur Rós are pretty great. That and ( ) are still what I listen to the most, this year and apparently every year. ↩︎

Kingu ↩︎

epu: I had all but forgotten party drug enthusiasm tracks like ‘higher than the sun’ from 1991, and it turns out they made so many albums since I last tuned in. This one really resonates with my reaction to USpol this year. It rekindled my love for this band; I bought Evil Heat import on CD, my first physical purchase since last year. ↩︎

Mark52 ↩︎

sentynel ↩︎

Braininabowl ↩︎

jiiruu ↩︎

avi_miller ↩︎

jiiruu || t4s || gavin57 ↩︎

Steffi ↩︎

superflippy ↩︎

rustynail: most played ↩︎

sentynel ↩︎

debonaire ↩︎

TwoClownsEating: I discovered this band in 2025. Absolutely incredible, I’ve bought their entire catalogue and had the privilege to see them live a few months ago. Unbelievably good musicians. Magical music. ↩︎

jomel: 2025 was a great year for Belgian music. Stef Kamil Carlens, co-founder of dEUS has released a gem with his new band The Poem. I have seen SKC twice this year, once in a solo gig, and the second time (in less then 2 weeks) for the “worst Case scenario” rewind from (and so with) dEUS, those two concerts were fabulous, and at the time, I wasn’t expecting this release.
Bonus Albums: The live album from Depeche Mode – Memento Mori: Mexico City; Arvo Pârt – Credo (released Alpha Classics label) which includes his “hits”  – Credo , Fratres , Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten (my favourite one)  https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/arvo-part-credo; 2025 Bryan Ferry release, with Amelia Barrat as female lead singer/speaker. Some of his material came from the 70’s and were updated, it’s a timeless album, and elegant as always https://soundcloud.com/bryanferry/sets/loose-talk-4 ↩︎

jebeyer ↩︎

jomel: (AKA 2manydj’s) Yep, those guys will make you dance, and rock, I guess they’ve listened to Kraftwerk & Front242. ↩︎

Tak ↩︎

nellie_m ↩︎

cloudtripper ↩︎

_slotek_ ↩︎

t4s ↩︎

Lizahadiz ↩︎

slamma ↩︎

e (eva): algorithmic mood music was my fav last year! but i’m still listening to it and i didn’t submit anything then. ↩︎

Steffi ↩︎

BramMeehan: I’ve listened to so much TDJ, though no one release in particular. ↩︎

jiiruu ↩︎

buffyleigh: There’s so many other albums I’d love to list here for exposure, but it feels more honest to list this masterpiece, my first obsession of the year, courtesy of catching their amazing set at the big Black Sabbath/Ozzy send-off concert. I mean, I even titled my AOTY list “Forty Six & 2”, since that was the first song Tool played there and got my attention. Said list is here. ↩︎

epu: Ok, this one’s kind of a cheat, it’s an EP.
2024, my friend turned me on to Bug Club for its lo-fi production aesthetic, humor and infectious fun/dark undertones. Marriage from 2023 album ‘Rare Birds: Hour of Song’ was the hook.
You can get this band straight into your heart and mind with this EP. And it takes me back to that one time I did go to Wales. ↩︎

jomel: This newcomer British female band has written the ultimate feminist anthem as opening track. || RolloTreadway: I don’t tend to be very much of a rock person, so for a big brash rock record to have such an impact on me must say something. It’s noisy and it’s loud and it has guitars and drums and punkiness. And, er, flutes. Harmonicas. Cellos. Weird interpretations of bible stories. All chaos and absurdity and celebration and being absolutely done with the patriarchy and above all else fun. So much fun. ↩︎

soundclamp ↩︎

santialone ↩︎

steveroyle ↩︎

jebeyer ↩︎

donutage: far & away my number 1; an angry & desperate neo-grunge banger. Sonia Sturino is a force of nature. ↩︎

RolloTreadway: In parts weird and experimental, in others traditional. Here there’s strange droney noise, and then there’s some light, old-fashioned fiddle playing. Electronic distortion, a choir recorded live outdoors singing a simple hymn. It’s an astonishingly creative and unique folk record. ↩︎

donutage: not as jaw-dropping as their debut (my runaway 2022 fave), but with a lot of the same qualities. It’s dancy, smart, & sexy, without ever once being submissive. || slamma ↩︎

alicemcalicepants ↩︎

slamma ↩︎

keefeglise ↩︎

evilchili: Afro-futurist South African Hip-Hop Mysticism. Blakrok instantly became my favourite female MC. ↩︎

Steffi ↩︎

#AOTY #AOTY2025 #CastleRat #Deafheaven #DieSpitz #Faetooth #ListenToThis #Messa #music #musicDiscovery #RiversOfNihil #TheNewEves #WetLeg

1001 Other Albums

Or, The 1001 Albums John Mastodon Says You Must Hear Before You Die (Or Like, Don’t, But Trust Them, The Albums Are All Actually Really Good)

1001 Other Albums

Noticias Rock CL Dec 29

Castle Rat: Bajo el hechizo de guitarras encantadas | vía #NaciónRock

https://www.nacionrock.com/castle-rat-bajo-el-hechizo-de-guitarras-encantadas/

#castlerat #doommetal #heavymetal

Bryan (he/him) 🇺🇸 🏳️‍🌈Dec 18

I will sign off tonight with this. Enjoy!

Castle Rat - “WIZARD” (Official Music Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWKmiTwjjHA

#CastleRat #Wizard #music #video #musicvideo #YouTube #doommetal #doom #metal

Castle Rat - “WIZARD” (Official Music Video)

YouTube

Show thread

Thomas Dec 17

6️⃣ #TomsAOTY2025

Winners of "Best costumes on an album cover even though there was a Ghost album this year" and my number 6 go to:

Castle Rat - The Bestiary 🏰 🐀 ⚔️

All hail the Rat Queen!

They might also deserve the MIP award, what a gigantic step up from their first album.

https://castlerat.bandcamp.com/album/the-bestiary

#AOTY #CastleRat

The Bestiary, by Castle Rat

13 track album

Castle Rat

The Nwothm Dec 13

Live roundup #41

The Nwothm

We are back with another live roundup showing you some of the best gigs and festivals coming up in the near future! Buying in advance both supports bands and festivals helping to make sure shows go ahead! So what are you waiting for, go and grabs some tickets!

What your gig featured?

If you would like to have your gig featured here please drop us a message on our socials or email thenwothm@gmail.com!

#1 Blizzard Hunter

More info: https://www.facebook.com/BlizzardHunter

#2 Mechanic Tyrants

More info:https://www.facebook.com/mechanictyrants

#3 Force Of The A-Team

More info: https://fb.me/e/6b4mfzSkK

#4 Acero Letal

More info: https://www.facebook.com/AceroLetal

#5 Castle Rat

More info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/castle-rat-holy-mountain-brewing-11-year-anniversary-tickets-1968890677016

#6 Vendel

More info: https://www.instagram.com/vendel_epic_metal/

#7 Midnight

More info:https://www.facebook.com/midnightviolators

#8 Enforcer / Time To Rock Festival

More info:https://www.facebook.com/timetorockfestival

#9 Kryptos/ Skulls Of Metal

More info:https://www.instagram.com/skullsofmetal/

#10 2 Minutes To Tulsa

More info: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091898229431

#1 #10 #2 #2MinutesToTulsa #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #aceroletal #acidBlade #aquilla #blizzardHunter #castleRat #enforcer #heavyMetal #kryptos #liveRoundup #mechanicTryants #midnight #newWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #nwothm #skullsOfMetal #thenwothm #thenwothmCom #timToRock #vendel

Tom Roberts Dec 13

Giving Castle Rat another shot.

My previous criticism was that while I liked the style, they reminded me too much of other bands. And Castle Rat maybe felt not as good in comparison.

But I keep seeing the album pop up on AOTY lists and apparently they are really good live.

#CastleRat

KEXP 🎶 #NowPlaying Bot Dec 3

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #Early

Castle Rat:
🎵 Dragon

#CastleRat

https://castlerat.bandcamp.com/track/dragon

https://open.spotify.com/track/1VaktLwP5M9mUjC5pzWQul

DRAGON, by Castle Rat

from the album The Bestiary

Castle Rat

Jonathan Dec 1

Into the Realm | @castle.rat - Live Drawing A2 at @areanwien Open Air Concert | Crayons, Some Spilled Blood, Red Wine, Beer, Cigarette Ash, Dirt from the Stage, and Pencil on A2 Cardboard | Full @ www.vonSeiten.com

When there was still a sun in the sky, Castle Rat defended the Realm at the Arena, Vienna, and in the front row there was me as a rodent minion of the Rat Queen, nibbling down on every moment of that intercosmic journey. With the stakes getting higher and higher, it was time to chant and draw the pencil, holding it like a wand and doing my share to fight back against Lady Rat Death to end all suffering. And also @bum_shelter . And @heavylezzers The Cult of Heavy Metal Lesbians/DJ Team. What could a rat want more?

Show by: Roadtrip To Outta Space
About Castle Rat: "Castle Rat is led by the Rat Queen, who was anointed her powers after aiding the beast known as the Castle Rat. The Rat Queen is joined by the Count who, just inches from death, was brought back to life by the Plague Doctor whose exact origins are not quite known. The Plague Doctor has significant ties with the all-seeing Druid, who led these beings away from the darkness of the plague. By powers unbeknownst to mere mortals, these four characters were brought together for one purpose – to put an end to Death herself as they venture forth into the realm. All while delivering hard-hitting, enigmatic Doom Metal, of course." - @ghostcultmag (Ghostcult Magazine)

#CastleRat #Concert #LiveDrawing #Blood #RedWine #Crayons #ArenaWien #Vienna #Wien #Kunst #Art #Music #DoomMetal #Doom #Metal #RatQueen #Band #Konzert #ContemporaryArt #Painting #Drawing #Zeichnung #LiveArt #Artist #vonSeiten #igArt #igersvienna

The Nwothm Nov 22

Live roundup #38

The Nwothm

We are back with another live roundup showing you some of the best gigs and festivals coming up in the near future! Buying in advance both supports bands and festivals helping to make sure shows go ahead! So what are you waiting for, go and grabs some tickets!

What your gig featured?

If you would like to have your gig featured here please drop us a message on our socials or email thenwothm@gmail.com!

#1 Castle Rat at Dynamo Metalfest

More info:https://www.facebook.com/dynamometalfest

#2 Oathbringer

More info: https://www.facebook.com/oathbringerkg

#3 Power Surge

More info:https://www.facebook.com/powersurgeheavymetal

#4 Ice War

More info:https://www.instagram.com/icewarmetal/

#5 Runner At Phenomenal Local IV

More info:https://www.instagram.com/p/DQZ62p3jM0e/?img_index=1