Favourite Releases of 2025

1. Dimscûa - Dust Eater

This EP was a revelation. An immediate entry into my favourite records of all time. It was the announcement that Dimscûa would be a last minute addition to the line up of  Damnation Festival that actually tipped me over into buying a ticket.

From the outset this EP tears it up. Visceral, brooding, and articulate. The EP itself is about the worst kind of loss - the loss of one band member's daughter, specifically. I wouldn't know how to begin to put something of that magnitude into music, at least in part through fear that I wouldn't be able to do it justice. No danger here. The record is an emotional bomb that continues to detonate every time I hear it again.

It soars, but never preens; it mourns, but never wallows; it imposes, but doesn't outstay its welcome.

Absolutely masterful from the sparse opening through to the brutal riffing, passing through introspective interludes, only to return to remind you that whilst it might be beautiful, it's meant to hurt. 

I did my best, it's all I have

I'm not crying. You're crying.

2. Deafheaven - Lonely People With Power

I've been waiting for this record because I saw this as my redemption record for my relationship with Deafheaven. As I've previously written, I had these guys pigeon-holed as "ok metal", which I lamented. This was a new release upon which I could jump and go full fanboy.

And that I did with this record being my most played record of 2025 according to Apple Music (and that's not taking into account the fact that I have it on vinyl too, which gets a decent number of spins).

Having spent some time with their back catalogue this year too, this record feels like it pulls together all of the best ideas from a career, learns from them, and delivers a whole greater than the sum of its parts. This has the tenderness of Infinite Granite, the ruthless energy of Sunbather, mixed with the aggression and vision of New Bermuda and Ordinary Corrupt Human Love.

If I had to pick a single stand-out track it would have to Amethyst. Just wow.

3. Harifa - As The Pale Suns Fades

I think I found Harifa when doom-scrolling social media. So not everything that comes from social media is bad (although most of it is, to be fair). 

I love this record. 

It's what I think of when I think of Black Metal. I know there's a world of different sounds and styles within this genre but this feels like the perfect intersection of beautiful clean passages with the contrasting heaviness, and the stunning vocals.

4. Cwfen - Sorrows

Another social media find, this time slightly different. More towards a goth-tinged doom record. It's got riffs, it's got growls, it's got brooding, and it's got gorgeous clean vocals. It feels like a siren call into a scene I've never really embraced, save for a few fringe skirmishes into the likes of Type O Negative, and maybe some ealier Lacuna Coil.

I don't know. Different, but engrossing. Simple on its face, but hiding a depth that rewards scratching the surface time and again.

I also have a signed vinyl of it which makes me very happy.

5. Lacuna Coil - Sleepless Empire

I've written about this one earlier in the year. I still love this record. There's still hints of pop-sensibility in here, but they're somehow working to compliment the overall sound and direction rather than scratching like nails down a blackboard as they fight for prominence. 

The first time I've really had any real level of replayability in a Lacuna Coil record since the magnificent Comalies. A long time coming then, and grateful it's here. Looking forward to more from them with this renewed energy and vision.

Favourite Gigs of 2025

1. Damnation Festival

I was half-in and half-out on this festival. Firstly Deafheaven were playing and they were a bucketlist band, so I really wanted to go. But it was also a 2 day festival with mostly bands I didn't know a great deal about so it seemed a big (time) investment to just see Deafheaven, particularly since they're seemingly touring a lot anyway and I could see them in their own right another time.

This all changed when Dimscûa were announced as a last minute replacement. Their inaugural record, Dust Eater, had so overwhelmed me with its majesty that within a few minutes of hearing from a mate that they were playing Damnation too, I had tickets.

And I'm glad I did.

Dimscûa was a monumental performance, every bit as powerful and accomplished as the record. Massively emotional set with a well-deserved warm welcome.

Deafheaven were amazing. Absoutely crushed it. The crowd lapping up an energetic set list that touched on all the right parts of their discography.

Beyond my main reasons to be there, the other standouts were Oryx, who made a phenomenal racket, Amenra who lived up to all the hype around them, Author and Punisher who managed to deliver a sonically indescribable masterpiece of a set the likes of which I've never seen or heard, and Afsky who put on a flawless black metal set that was transcendent. They're going to feature heavily in my 2026 rotation I think.

2. Opeth

I wrote about this one already, so just to call out: the band were tight and on-point and the Albert Hall in Manchester is acoustically beautiful.

This was a great gig setlist too: something from everywhere with some new material thrown in. Not indulgent, not trying for full marks on a purity test. Just a great selection of tracks, played with energy and pride. Awesome.

3. Lacuna Coil

Also written about this one. Stands out for me as shockingly the first time I ever saw a band who've had an album (Comalies) in heavy rotation for what feels like forever. Tight, fun, powerful, inspirational. 

4. Paradise Lost

I went to see Paradise Lost on their opening night of their tour which was in New Century House in Manchester. Turns out that's a great venue as well with very well-balanced sound. I'm too old for the pit so I stood at a respectable distance and got to see a band who looked like they were loving taking us on a walk down memory lane, touching on all of their styles and sounds. 

I was particularly happy to hear some tracks from One Second - a long-standing favourite record of mine - as well as getting to hear some of the new material at proper volume.

Excited for next year when Paradise Lost and Katatonia play with Opeth at the Piece Hall in Halifax. What a line-up that one is!