Best of 2025

 8) Dormant Ordeal - Tooth and Nail

Polish death metal and I go way back. Vader was in my ways my father when my father was 6 Coors deep throwing things during tantrums about the news. Vader and Behemoth and Decapitated are still around though they look different now, some older, some swapped out musicians to capture the vitality of fresh blood. But, since that original movement there hasn't been a continuous influx of new thrashy polish death metal. Polish extreme music culture has largely been taken over by black metal, some of the best black metal in the world mind you.

Dormant Ordeal is here to remind us that Polish death metal isn't dead yet. This album was my workout album this year due to its churning, blasting momentum. When I felt myself flagging I could lock into a blast beat and struggle through for a bit longer before submitting to the fragility of my mortal flesh.

The only judgment I can squeeze out of any critical assessment of this album is just that it wasn't a surprise when I discovered this is a two man project. It punches above its weight for a collection of ideas from two men, but it does sounds a little lean at times, a little stretched at others. More human push and pull likely would've provided more texture and nuance to this raging fire.

Best of 2025

 9) Vauruvã - Mar da Deriva

Brazilian atmospheric black metal. It was the artwork on this album that managed to pull me in closer. And when that happens I give the album a taste, a few seconds to determine if a full spin is necessary. My time is a rare commodity or at least that's what I tell people. The tastes of this album failed to get my attention so it went into a dust pile in the back of my brain along with the other stray thoughts.

But, on occasion I allow particular albums to express themselves in full without being initially compelled. I'll think, "I have to wash the dishes and either I do it with something in the background or in silence." Nothing to lose if the album is mediocre. In this case, Vauruvã proved to be worth my time indeed. Is it the MOST interesting atmospheric black metal album to cross my path? Certainly not, but it does have a warm texture, a pension for memorable melodies, enough quiet folky passages to give a dynamic quality. There's enough here to be a welcome accompaniment to a long quiet highway drive at night, and that'll get you number 9.

Best of 2025

 10) Astronoid - Stargod

Third shot is the most sticky sweet song released in 2025. It is a classic heavy metal ballad that would be at home in a crowded arena provoking closed eye lip syncing from a crowd enthralled by a nostalgic sense of teenage love and long summers under a golden sun.

BUT! the album as a whole struggles to maintain this high water mark of churning heavy metal exhilaration. And when it fails it washes together into one homogenous glob of viscous artificial sweetener. There are many great ideas on this album, but the songs don't quite capitalize in a way that would make this album great. Astronoid got my attention this year in a way they failed to previously, so I'll be looking forward to the next one.