This style of pst is 100% copied over from Thrice’ drummer Riley Breckenridge. He fucks. Amazing band, amazing drummer.

So were almost halfway December. Advent of Code is basically over. It’s almost Christmas. 2026 is drawing ever closer. You know what that means… Karnivool’s new record is near.

But before 2026 comes, we gotta talk about good music from 2025. Boy did we have some amazing stuff come out the past twelve months.

This list is not in order. Mostly because I used my Spotify Library to see which albums came out in 2025. Nevertheless, I love all these releases.

---

1. Northlane - Node: Reloaded

Northlane’s first record with their current singer Marcus Bridge, released in 2015. Production was a bit… thin. The songs themselves are absolutely phenomenal, but the was always missing something. Well, it seems I wasn’t the only one thinking that, cause the lads dropped a full remade version of two Node songs in October, and promptly announced a full remake for the whole album.

The original — yes, with its production — will always have a special place, but boy is this version FAT. In such an impeccable way. If you’re skepticle: listen to the bass tone in rot.exe. You’ll be over the moon.

Marcus was always an incredible vocalist, but he’s improved over the last ten years, and he delivered for this version.

2. Unprocessed - Angel

Now I’ve seen this dudes live twice — one as an opener for TesseracT in 2024, then as a headliner in Patronaat in Haarlem later that year. Because of some personal issues I really couldn’t enjoy that last show fully, which does suck balls, but they were still fantastic.

With this new album, they did too, lemme tell ya.

Straight outta the gate, 111 starts off brutal. It does not back down. Want a breather? Fuck you. Sleeping With Ghosts is as brutal as the opener.

Easily my favourite Unprocessed record. Lot longer than their previous, and no skips.

3. Thrice - Horizons/West

The record which made me fall in love with this band again.

I love Thrice. I loved Thrice. Saw em live in Tilburg in February 2024, but the show left a bittersweet taste. Their playing was fuckin tight, but the showmanship wasn’t really there. Apart from that, this show was basically not promoted at all on socials. I couldn’t really listen to them anymore. I wish I didn’t care as much, but I guess I did ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Because I loved this band so much over a year, I kept following them. I’m glad I did — when Gnash dropped, I felt it’ll all return to the way it was.

Then Albatross came. For some reason, it feels very nostalgic. And that outro as well… I preordered Horizons/West on cd, and intended on doing the same thing I did for Even in Arcadia, back in May.

I never ended up doing that though; my first listen for this record was behind the kit. Excellent decision. I wasn’t lying when I said Breckenridge fucks at the start of this post. The drumming is amazing, as expected. And the vibes on this album! Holy shit.

5. Deftones - private music

Deftones. I must say, it doesn’t top White Pony, 🍒 or Diamond Eyes for me, but I might need to put it on a few more times.

For admittedly, I’ve not spun it all that many times. The day it came out, I actively listened to it in full, but after that… well I wasn’t quite blown away.

I’ll see them live in February though, which’ll be fucking awesome.

6. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (Deluxe Edition)

This one was a surprise. But a welcome one at that. This album is great. It may be a bit over the top. It is. But I love it. And this mix feels better that the original.

As with Northlane’s remade record, the original still has a place. It might be even more the case here, because it’s emo punk rock. Lots of noise. And the wall of sound of the original, hitting you like a truck, does fit that idea.

Still, I’ve always thought the drums could’ve been wayy louder on the original. And there I was… having not given Three Cheers a good listen for many moons, discovering this edition, and promptly screaming along to it in its entirety in the car.

7. Sleep Token - Even In Arcadia

As Riley suggested, yes, here it is. Masterpiece. Incredible. All the adjectives. From start to finish, one brilliant set of songs that does not let you go till it’s over.

I actually had my journal in front of me when I had my first listen. When the second “Have you been waitin’ long?” in Even In Arcadia hit, I was blown away. Then the strings hit. I wrote the following.

Ohh viool ik smelt

Sleep Token obviously came out on top in my Wrapped this year. Rightfully so.

8. Black Foxxes - The Haar

Black Foxxes’ finest record. It took a loong time for it to click, but now that it has, I cannot get enough of it.

The hauntingly beautiful piano intro in the opener I Can't Be Left Alone With It feels like a Radiohead song. Then Ha Ha Ha comes, which feels oh so different from the first song. Still, so damn good.

Then the gentle Where Have You Been — which is easily the band’s best-ever song — starts off so… close, but builds up to a heavenly beautiful climax, before coming back down wonderfully and closing.

Now that I think of it, this album does bear some resemblance to Radiohead.

I also adore the production on this one. Drums sound so clean.

You have to slow down to appreciate this album well. Black Foxxes’ first record was more of the “what you see hear is what you get”-type. In my experience, it’s an easier listen. Fantastic album, especially River. But it came out in 2016, so I can’t talk about it here :p

I’ve bought tickets to their show in Arnhem next year. I’m stoked.

9. Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea

I had the pleasure of seeing Spiritbox live last February. Even though the mix was pretty shitty, and with Periphery opening without Spencer (which made it kinda tiring). Stray From The Path was brilliant though.

Now this album is amazing. Again, from start to finish, it doesn’t let you go. It strikes a perfect balance between melodic hooks and filthy metalcore.

This record also has some phenomenal drumming too.

10. Pendulum - Inertia

Four years after the first songs off this release were dropped, it’s finally here in full.

I’ve known and loved this band for well over a decade. And that’s a long fucking time if you’re only nineteen yourself.

I have such vivid memories of jamming The Island on family holidays, or drumming along to Propane Nightmares when I was only seven or eight years old.

Seeing them live, getting to jump and scream along to this gems… was so special. I ended up buying a shirt and Inertia on cd when I was there.

This album itself is really, really good, unadulterated drum’n’bass, with. My favourite from this one’s gotta be Silent Spinner, even though it doesn’t have those dnb elements.

11. The Messenger Birds - GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ALBUM BUT IT’S ALL A BLUR

An EP for once. Four songs. Four incredibe songs.

I’ve known this band for a while, but only recently discovered this EP. Black Hole Love is an incredible song. I don’t know what to say. It’s only an EP, just give it a listen. It’s really good rock.

12 Last Train - III

This album is like With Teeth-era Nine Inch Nails and early Black Foxxes had a child. Very tasteful rock, noisy at times, gorgeous at times. Their use of the piano is beautiful.

The record’s closer, I Hate You progresses in such a satisfying manner.

After only a couple listens, I bought their cd. This album is soo good.

13. Jinjer - Duél

Probably the record I least listened to this year. Amazing groove metal record though. I’ve got tickets for their show in January. This band is stupid good. Their drummer is stupid good. Their vocalist is stupid good.

Also — dat bass tone. Just listen to Tumbleweed. It’s also got some brilliant lyrics. The war in Ukraine obviously plays a huge role, and it shows.

Have you heard of the storm; that uprooted my home? A shower crushed down on my beautiful town; Then the lighting bolt struck; Incinerated my shack; I barely survived the flame

War’s atrocious.

14. EDEN - Dark

Ahh, EDEN. One of the first artists I discovered on my own, all those years back. Repeatedly in the top 3 in Spotify Wrapped. Experimental electronic indie singer-songwriter with hip hop influences and a metric fucktonne of emotions. This album encapsulates that, just as the last few did.

As with EDEN’s 2023 record ICYMI, it took a while to settle. It released on the same day as private music, so it was a busy day. Dark was second, and there were a couple of skips.

I still can’t really get into Zzz. Bit much for me. girl too. Or however the hell you spell it.

Apart from those — this album is great. It can’t quite dethrone no future, cause it’ll take a miracle to ever top isohel, but it’s a really good album nonetheless. And I mean, come on, the bridge on Light Sleeper is EDEN in his typical EDEN form.

15. Thornhill - BODIES

Then last but not least, one of the most prominent bands in modern metal(core). From Revolver to TONGUES (Hey Diamond Eyes, so fucking good) to under the knife, to the Deluxe’ version Mercia, this band makes such amazing music.

Love the fat production on this one. And that snare too! Holy hell. It’s got pretty clear bass, which more bands should do.

---

Honourable mentions

• Queens of the Stone Age - Alive in the Catacombs → probably one of my all-time favourite bands, and they’re amazing live
• Stray From The Path - Clockworked → really good. Just haven’t taken the time to properly listen to it
• I Prevail - Violent Nature → really good. Didn’t listen to it that much though