To anyone who actually found 2025 to be a solid-to-great year, I envy you. For me, 2025 was one of the absolute worst years of my life. And that counts divorce and suicidal years. With many of you, it began with working my ass off to keep my job in these trying times of financial uncertainty—especially with AI rearing its ugly fucking head. Well, that’s before that bubble bursts and causes more issues than it did before. Then, after returning from a NYC work trip, my 19-year-old black devil, King, collapsed from liver failure, resulting in having to put down a feline friend I’ve raised since a kitten and who I had as my companion for nearly half my life. Jump ahead a few months and, out of the fucking blue, my father collapses in the yard, never to regain consciousness again. With months of heartbreak and stress coming down on my heart like a rain shower of titanium dildos, some professionals were convinced I suffered a literal heart attack. After months of tests and medications, it’s clear that age and stress have crept up on me. The result of all this shit led to one of the worst years of productivity in the sacred halls of Angry Metal Guy. So, I apologize to everyone for the lack of output, especially when 2025 was a solid-to-great year of metal releases. Hopefully, this list will suffice and provide a few killer records that the rest of the crew idiotically withheld.
I’d be lying if I said listening to music and writing reviews came easily to me this year. Hell, writing in general has been difficult to do, and I do it for a living. But the fun, creative elements of AMG have been lost to me for months, which is sad as hell because I know I have way more curse-word combinations flowing through my veins. Thankfully, the support of this group and my family has been fundamental to getting me back on a path to mental and physical health so I can feel somewhat like a normal person. Thankfully, keeping busy with editing/deleting other writers’ lists1 and putting together my elite one has brought back a touch of spark. While I will always be the grumpy Grier that everyone knows and loves hates, I do appreciate the support from the entire gang—being a part of this monster that AMG built, being belittled by Steel, being filthy with Kenny and Grymm, trolling Dolph, hating on Doom, annoying the Shark, and getting provocative gifts from Ferox—because it’s a surprisingly therapeutic experience. Which is kinda fucked up, now that I think about it…2
So, let’s raise a glass to this coming year and let’s hope it’s a 3.5/5.0 compared to this 0.5/5.0 one. And enjoy these awesome picks you ignored because some of these idiots colluded for analytics.
#ish. The Haunted // Songs of Last Resort – This selection surprised even me. Though I fucked up and ran out of time to review The Haunted’s newest opus, Songs of Last Resort, it regularly surfaced on my playlists and, in classic Grier fashion, secured my “ish” selection. If you’re new to a Grier list, I reserve my “ish” pick for those records I can’t put down. Though in most cases, these selections can legitimately be considered my eleventh pick. Regardless, Songs of Last Resort is a welcoming return to form that reminds me a lot of the band’s output during the period of One Kill Wonder and RevolveR. Sure, it helps that One Kill Wonder’s Marco Aro is back in the band, but this album’s flow is similar to those others. The longest track on the record clocks in at four-plus minutes, while the others come and go like a phantom sucker punching each time you arrive at a new landing on a creepy-ass staircase. After being set up perfectly with the addictive opening track, “Warhead,” the short, punchy “Death to the Crown” swings a left hook before the chonky bass-kicking “Bleeding Out” has you belting the chorus at the sky. Then, the whole thing drops into the mid-paced back-to-backers, “Labyrinth of Lies” and “Letters of Last Resort.” Come all The Haunted enthusiasts and let us rejoice.
#10. Sexmag // Sexorcyzm – SEXXXXXXXMAG!!!!! You all knew this was going to happen. But really, it makes perfect sense when you consider the influences these crazy Poles incorporate into their music. Bands like Bathory, Darkthrone, Slayer, and Mercyful Fate, to name a few. After years of demos and EPs, Sexmag finally released their first full-length under the ever-sexy name, Sexorcyzm. Even sexier are track names like “Inkubus,” “Sex z diabłem,” and “Psalm I – Intronizacja Szatana.” I don’t know what any of them mean, but they either have “sex” in the title or just sound sexy. But, in all seriousness, the band’s wild blend of black, death, and thrash influences makes this one of the funnest records of the year. The skill is impressive, the vocals are outlandishly ugly, and the album’s dynamics bring everything to life in the most pleasing and gross way. If you skipped on this album because you thought Grier was doing one of his assinine trolling fests, you are wrong, and you need to correct your sexiness.
#9. Vintersorg // Vattenkrafternas spel – While not the band’s best output in a long line of great albums, Vattenkrafternas spel is still one of the best Viking/folk metal records of 2025. Infusing the Vintersorg of old with the new, Vattenkrafternas spel sets out to capture the hearts of its entire fanbase in this meaty, hour-long journey through the band’s signature Viking, folk, and progressive landscapes. The production does wonders for the album when compared to past offerings that are as compressed as hard tack. Be it the blackened beauty of “Efter dis kommer dimma,” incorporating gorgeous, male and female clean vocals, or the folky “Malströmsbrus” with its Vintersorg yodeling and addictiveness, Vattenkrafternas spel pushes and pulls on those strings of yore to bring you something comfortable yet refreshing. That said, no Vintersorg record is complete without the outrageous key atmospheres so prevalent and unique to their sound. Songs like “Ur älv och å” and “Ödsliga salar” fulfill that urge, ensuring erections for this kind of key play remain hard and girthy.
#8. Bear Mace // Slaves of the Wolf – As many of you know, I am not a big death metal guy. I was at one point, but the predictability of the style, as it became trapped on endless repeat as old masters tried to remain relevant into the 00s, began to turn me off. That’s not uncommon for any other genre that had a heyday at one point in metal’s existence. The acceptance that lovers of the genre might surface and borrow shamelessly from previous groundbreakers has allowed me to enjoy what I once did. Bear Mace is just such a band that, every time I spin one of their releases, I’m transported back in time when Massacre, Bolt Thrower, and the like were fresh to my pubescent self. And this year’s Slaves of the Wolf sees Bear Mace punching it up to a new level and delivering crushing riff after crushing riff. I cannot deny that the nasty, relentless attacks of “Slaves of the Wolf,” “The Iceman Cometh,” and the back-to-back “Prophecy” and “Cancerous Winds” keep me coming back time and again. While all Bear Mace is macy, Slaves of the Wolf stands above the others and delivers big bear slaps. Or something like that.
#7. Gaahls Wyrd // Braiding the Stories – Regardless of whether you interpret “wyrd” as “weird” or “word,” both can be applied to Gaahls Wyrd’s sophomore outing, Braiding the Stories. Whether Gaahl’s words hit you harder than the band’s weird approach to atmospheres and influences is completely up to you. Be it captivating, moody numbers like the title track or the balls-to-the-walls “Time and Timeless Timeline,” Braiding the Stories has all a Gaahl fan could ever want. From low whispers to Gaahl’s terrifying shrieks, the moods captured on this record are stronger and far superior to anything the band has ever put together. It’s an unsettling disc that fucks around with track lengths, moods, and everything in between. At one point, you are cruising through a nearly nine-minute-long, atmoblack piece before being pummeled to death for three new minutes. Then, you’re chilling in two minutes of an ethereal nightmare before the hammering of drums comes down on your head like that of Mephorash. It’s a bewildering, disorienting experience that is so pleasing it should be illegal. Gaahl’s days atop the mighty Gorgoroth might be over, but Gaahl ain’t going anywhere yet.
#6. Mors Principium Est // Darkness Invisible – This one might be a surprise to many because Mors Principium Est’s last record, Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity, was not good. This was probably in part because Andy Gillion, the staple of the band since 2011, and the wizard that brought us the impressive guitar work of …And Death Said Live and Dawn of the 5th Era, left the fold. To make matters worse, Gillion dropped one hell of a killer record last year in the form of Exilium. Regardless of whether anyone agrees that Darkness Invisible is a return to form for MPE, it’s indeed far superior to its predecessor, and a record that has been haunting me since its release. Perhaps it’s the mood I’ve been in for the last few months that dragged Darkness Invisible, scratching and screaming, into my year-end list. Or maybe it’s because no matter what MPE releases, I’ll find something to love. For those who skipped it, check out the gorgeous female vocals of “All Life Is Evil” and the heart-wrenching melodeath of tracks like “Of Death” and “Summoning the Dark.”
#5. In the Woods… // Otra – In the Woods… have been around a long time in a lot of different iterations. Be it the coming and going of founders and bandmates, or the careless attitude of genre and sub-genre fuckery, this Norwegian outfit has worked tirelessly to cement both the lineup and the direction the band wants to be identified as in this new era. While 2022’s Diversum began the exploration of blending styles, this year’s Otra did far more to ensure the concrete begins to settle and cure. Tapping into their wide variation of influences, you can capture everything from Borknagar-esque progressions to the black ‘n’ roll character of Carpathian Forest and the low, doomy patterns of Type O Negative and A Vision Bleak. And, somehow, it all works—each song biting on the ass-end of its successor, forcing the music to flow in a pleasing, yet unlikely recordpede. It’s been a while since I felt that In the Woods… might have something worth getting excited about, but this new direction creates palpitations in my olde, black heart.
#4. Green Carnation // A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia – Green Carnation has been a literal staple in my life for fuck knows how long. And each record has a place, mood, and time that work—regardless if it’s the wild choirs and orchestrations of Journey to the End of the Night, the one-track Light of Day, Day of Darkness, the goth-rock of A Blessing in Disguise, or the acoustic bliss of The Acoustic Verses. This Norwegian outfit has damn-near tried it all, and it works each time. But 2020’s Leaves of Yesteryear was a goddamn epic, and it’s hard to consider anything would be anywhere as strong. Sadly, A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia is not as strong. Does that make it a bad album? Fuck no. That’s why it’s on my list. Like its predecessor, it’s engulfed in moods and textures that only Green Carnation can do. And with two more parts in sight for what can clearly be described as the beginning of something new, there’s a good chance these gents will be on even more Grier lists.
#3. Ars Moriendi // Leur esprit marche dans les ténèbres – No Grier list is complete without mention of the mighty Ars Moriendi. Though I dropped the ball when it came around for review, that didn’t stop me from spinning this record since its release in June. As with all Ars Moriendi releases, Arsonist continues to push his limits in everything from performances to songwriting and production. And Leur esprit marche dans les ténèbres is no different. Be it the engulfing atmospheres of the two-part “L’abbé de Monte-à-Regret,” the impressive bass work of the powerful “Trouver la fontaine,” or the heart-wrenching piano and clean vocals of “Puisqu’elle est éternelle,” this new record is a captivating display of progressive black metal prowess. Sprinkled throughout with electronic effects and hypnotizing sound bytes, Leur esprit marche dans les ténèbres is a full experience that cannot be disconnected or Spotified. To truly understand it, you must get lost in it.
#2. Abigail Williams // A Void Within Existence – I’ve been an Abigail Williams fan for a long time, but never has one of their albums hit me as hard as A Void Within Existence does. Combining elements of second-wave assaults, atmospheric black metal, and crushing sadness, this new record is perhaps the band’s best. While a couple of songs reach the heights of Song o’ the Year, not a single one is out of place. After the black metal pummeling that is “Life, Disconnected” and “Void Within,” “Talk to Your Sleep” stomps your ass straight into the ground, developing a nice interlude from the norm, and a headbangability that is unique to the band’s songwriting. When the album closes with “No Less than Death,” a clean-vocal performance sends me in a depressive spiral that I still haven’t recovered from. Ken Sorceron and co. have done it again, alternating between peaks and valleys of emotion that disrupt basic brain functions and leave me in an absolute pit of despair.
#1. Havukruunu // Tavastland – I don’t think there’s much more that I can say about Havukruunu that hasn’t been said before. For years, these fantastic Finns have been scratching that itch for old-school Bathory-core that is almost as good as the real fucking thing. And, for years, they’ve nestled gently into my year-end lists but never quite climbed over other incredible albums at the time. This year, things have changed. Tavastland is not only the best album of the year but arguably Havukruunu’s masterpiece. Incorporating every element of their sound into this near-perfect track list, you’ll experience everything from bludgeoning Bathory-meets-Immortal riffs, feel-good Viking plods, melodic passages, and seamless transitions that make repeat listens oh-so soothing. Not to mention, the tight performances and open production will have you gushing over Humö’s fantastic bass work. It’s a monstrous, lively, and energetic album that’s difficult to put down and never disappoints, regardless of whether you’re in the mood for pillaging unsuspecting villages or sitting on the beach with a daquery.
Honorable Mentions
Lychgate // Precipice – I wish I had given this record more time. Instead, it had to be released in fucking December. Stop doing that! Regardless, this is a weird fucking record with a lot of balls and a lot of aggression that you plebs should listen to.
Hazzerd // The 3rd Dimension – OK, hear me out. The 3rd Dimension is one of the best thrash records of the year, and you’re a poser if you disagree. With Death Angel-like vocals and Exodus-meets-Slayer riffage, all wrapped up in some impressive technicality, ya can’t go wrong with Hazzerd’s newest outing.
Cradle of Filth // The Screaming of the Valkyries – I can’t deny it, The Screaming of the Valkyries is fucking good. So good that I can’t stop spinning it. With the help of new female vocal support, a new guitarist, and some killer, punchy tunes, this new record is an embedded thorn in my ass that I can’t locate or remove, no matter how I try.
Them // Psychedelic Enigma – The story goes on, even when we all thought it was over after the NYC debacle known as Fear City. Looking to milk their characters and lyrical directions to death, Them is back with a new chapter in Psychedelic Enigma. Though it’s not as good as recent releases, it still helps my longing heart continue to beat in hopes of a new King Diamond record.
Blood Red Throne // Siltskin – This was yet another release I fooked and never wrote up. If you’re a fan, Siltskin is more than worth it, but don’t get your hopes up if it doesn’t meet all your expectations.
Disappointments o’ the Year
Machine Head – UnatØNed – I dØN’t really knØW what to say abØUt UnatØNed that I haven’t said already. It’s a directiØNless collectiØN ØF “best hits”—that dØN’t hit at all—instead ØF a full-length release. Even if mØSt people have issues with the band’s entire discØG, yØU can’t deny that, at ØNe point, there was passion in Machine Head’s music. NØW, it’s all abØUt thØSe hit pieces that make it ØN year-end lists pulled by iTunes, SpØTify, and yØUr lØCal rØCk radiØ. Which makes me sad because I ØNce held sØMe respect for Flynn, but there are ØNly sØ many disappØIntments ØNe can take befØRe they have nØ chØIce but tØ mØVe ØN.
Songs o’ the Year
Abigail Williams – “Talk to Your Sleep”
A Void Within Existence by Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams – “No Less than Death”
A Void Within Existence by Abigail Williams
In the Woods… – “Let Me Sing”
Gaahls Wyrd – “Time and Timeless Timeline”
Braiding The Stories by Gaahls WYRD
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