Selecting the albums of the year for SonicAbuse is never an easy task and 2025 proved to be particularly challenging. At one point, it felt like we were being inundated with great albums on a weekly basis and, with everything from new supergroups to welcome returns from long-lost artists gracing our desks, the shortlist started to become very long indeed. Still, it’s a great problem to have, as they say, and we finally managed to whittle it down to a top 30, which you can find below. It’s in no kind of order – the albums are diverse enough that any sort of ranking would be entirely arbitrary – but, if there are things here that passed you by, we hope it encourages you to take a listen.
As always, there are many more albums we could have included. Ultimately, however, we had to be guided by those albums that stayed closest to the player over the year. WIth that in mind, we’d love to hear about your albums of the year – drop us a line and let us know what we missed!
Young Gods – Appear Disappear
Honestly, we knew this album would make this list from the moment we first heard it.
From its enigmatic artwork to the beautifully rendered music within, Appear Disappear is a wonderfully dynamic album that melds irresistibly catchy melodies with wiry post punk and seething electronica. With cues taken from numerous disparate sources, ranging from NIN and Girls Vs Boys to The Chemical Brothers and everything in between, this effortlessly cool, instantly engaging, and deeply immersive set bursts with innovation.
Behemoth – The Shit Ov God
Vaguely ludicrous title notwithstanding, The Shit Ov God finds Behemoth continuing an impressive run of albums that began when Evangelion marked a shift towards ever more progressive forms of blackened death metal.
Brutal yet catchy and, as we have come to expect from Nergal, expertly produced, The Shit Ov God is best heard as a complete work, with the band showcasing an increasingly deft grasp of dynamic over the course of the album’s eight tracks. Defiant to the last, The Shit Ov God is another strong entry in Behemoth’s canon.
Katatonia – Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State
Following a line-up shuffle, Katatonia returned with the intensely atmospheric Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State. Boasting strong performances from all concerned, the album offers a number of stand-out moments, although Wind Of Change, with its wonderfully understated “hail Satan” mantra, is a strong contender.
While still cleaving to the sense of dark melancholy for which the band is well known, the album finds Katatonia quietly exploring new sonic territory and, aided by the stunning production work of Adam Noble, the end result is one of their best albums in years. Sublime.
Paradise Lost – Ascension
Ascension is a masterpiece of death-infused doom, with Paradise Lost nailing every aspect from the song writing and production to the artwork. Such is the vitality on display that it’s genuinely hard to believe this is a band veering close to their fourth decade, and Ascension sits among the best records Paradise Lost have ever crafted as a result.
Want a highlight? Look at the track listing. However, if you really have to have something, opening number Serpent On The Cross is unbelievably weighty, which may explain why the band chose it as their set opener on the tour. Above all, Ascension underscores the fact that Paradise Lost have rarely made the same album twice and, while their work is instantly recognisable, their passion for crafting new spaces within the death/doom paradigm (and, on occasion, beyond) remains undimmed.
Drink The Sea – Self-Titled Volumes I & II
The very existence of this double album is a minor miracle. Loosely gathered by the wonderfully prolific Barrett Martin, this remarkable ensemble includes Peter Buck. Alain Johannes, Lisette Garcia, Abbey Blackwell (live bass), and Duke Garwood, with each musician playing an equal part in the dense, hypnotic sounds the band produce.
Combining elements of world music, jazz, post rock, progressive and lord-knows-what-else into something entirely unique, the music found in these two volumes is something to feel rather than to analyse and, like a number of other albums on this list, it’s best heard free from the distractions of modernity. One of those records that you hear differently every time you pop it in the player, this self-titled double release is a work of art that restates the power of music to touch something deep inside the listener.
Novembre – Words Of Indigo
A darkly melancholic work, Words Of Indigo finds the Italian doom masters returning after a nine-year absence with a new line up and eleven stunning new songs. A slow burning, intense experience, the album does not reveal its secrets all at once but rather eases the listener in, ramping up the sense of unease until finally unleashing harder edged fare.
With Dan Swano behind the desk, it sounds amazing, of course, and stands as one of Novembre’s most impressive efforts to date.
Ashes And Diamonds – Are Forever
A surprise supergroup featuring Daniel Ash (Bauhaus), Bruce Smith (PiL), and Paul Spencer (Sade), Ashes And Diamonds exist in a world where Depeche Mode take influence from the likes of The Pixies, and Nine Inch Nails rub shoulders with Sisters of Mercy. The result? Darkly spirited post punk that exceeds whatever expectations the various members’ previous acts may have elicited.
With tracks like Hollywood showcasing the band’s dynamic skill, and ferocious anthems like Teenage Robots threatening to shred the dancefloor, Are Forever has it all. Don’t sleep on this one, bands like Ashes and Diamonds don’t come along too often.
Dinosaur Pile Up – I’ve Felt Better
One of the year’s most fun releases, I’ve Felt Better finds the irrepressible Dinosaur Pile Up returning after a 6-year absence with a new label (Mascot) and a new album, the latter more than justifying the faith of the band’s myriad fans.
Combining elements of Pavement, Weezer, the Deftones, Green Day, and more, I’ve Felt Better fizzes with energy – something to which anyone who attended the live shows can attest. Picking highlights is a tough shout, but My Way and Big Dog narrowly lead the pack, both proving to be insanely catchy; but then the same could be said of the entire album.
Deftones – Private Music
Trailed at a this year’s intense Crystal Palace gig, Private Music marks the first new music from Deftones in five years, and it was more than worth the wait.
Nominated for a Grammy and the recipient of universal (and well-deserved) acclaim, the album hits hard with opening cut My Mind Is A Mountain, before taking the listener on a tour of the band’s sonic history, even nodding to their early years with the likes of Metal Dream and Locked Club. Equal parts beauty and brutality, Private Music is a powerful entry in an impressive catalogue.
Walter Trout – Sign Of The Times
“We sat there and Teddy, the keyboard man, he said “well Walter, you’ll not be winning any blues awards with this record!” It’s the least bluesy record I’ve done, you know. And that’s OK” joked Walter during an interview in support of the album, and he was at least half right. However, while Sign Of The Times might be the least bluesy album in a remarkable discography, it finds Walter operating at the peak of his phenomenal powers, driven by that same mixture of personal belief and artistic integrity that has made him so beloved.
A frantic, at times ferocious, portrait of a fractured era, Sign Of The Times is also a remarkably compassionate work, seeking the humanity at the heart of the maelstrom. There’s humour, of course, the likes of Artificial being gruffly comic; and gentle nostalgia on the beautiful I Remember; but overall, it’s a brilliantly cathartic outpouring that gives hope to those who find themselves troubled by the turbulent world around them.
Bob Mould – Here We Go Crazy
While the latter half of the year has been all about the return of Sugar, the beginning of the year belonged to Bob Mould and his wonderful solo effort, Here We Go Crazy.
His fifteenth solo effort, it’s a sparky, splenetic album, that perfectly encapsulates Mould’s ability to weave razor sharp guitars and pop melodies together. A necessary precursor to Sugar’s return? Possibly, but it’s also one of the finest solo works of a lengthy career.
Mclusky – The World Is Still Here And So Are We
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
The return of mclusky to the stage was already an unalloyed joy and the fact that Falkous and his merry gang of madmen felt able to put pen to paper is the icing on the cake. Blistering from start to finish, the album hits its peak with Chekhov’s Guns, a song so addictive it’s amazing the government haven’t banned it. With the band even finding time to make a series of awesome videos, the return of mclusky was one of the highlights of the year, fuck yeah!
Pulp – More
Pulp may have predicted the future with Disco 2000, but who would have thought that this quirky, tenacious outfit would vanish for the vast majority of the millennium? A brief reunion in 2011 notwithstanding, Pulp seemed unlikely to release any new material and, indeed, it would be 24 years before they would finally return to follow up 2001’s We Love Life.
Always somewhat smarter than their peers, rather than attempt to rekindle their youth, Pulp allow their age and experience to creep into the soundscapes of More, albeit with a defiant enthusiasm that cleaves closer to Different Class than the world-weary This Is Hardcore. As such, while Spike Island finds Jarvis ruminating on lost fame, it’s to an irresistibly upbeat soundtrack; the robo-funk of My Sex offers a touch of musical Viagra; and the brilliant Got To Have Love reminds us that “without love you’re just jerking off inside someone else”, as John Barry-esque strings soar in the background.
Senser – Sonic Dissidence
It’s been a while since Heitham Al-Seyed and Kirstin Heigh teamed up to spit venom over the industrial strength backing of Senser but, if ever this most socially conscious of acts were needed, this is it. With tracks like Full Body Rebellion and Ryot Pump leading the charge, Senser temper their rebellious instincts with a rare empathy, ensuring that the album never loses that all-important sense of hope.
Febrile music for febrile times – Sonic Dissidence is melodic, cathartic, and endlessly exciting.
Biohazard – Divided We Fall
The reunited band’s first album in thirteen years, Divided We Fall finds a reinvigorated Biohazard doing what they do best, and the results are blistering.
From the moment that Fuck The System detonates, all of the elements that have come to define Biohazard fall effortlessly into place, and the album hardly lets up, reaching a bloodied peak with the skull-crushing Death Of Me. With the chemistry that made Urban Discipline such a timeless work fully evident, Divided We Fall is exactly the album for which Biohazard fans have been waiting.
Whipping Boy – Dysillusion
Oh my god, how, how, how did I miss out on Whipping Boy the first-time round? This absolutely brilliant remix of the band’s ill-fated Muru Muru is a masterpiece on every level and the attention to detail for the vinyl release is second to none. I was hooked from the moment I first heard it and I’ve been doing my best to bore everyone to tears with it ever since.
A genuine example of a band ahead of their time, Whipping Boy had a better idea than most of how limiting hardcore could become if treated as a blueprint rather than a guide, and Muru Muru saw them breaking out of the mould with aplomb. Stymied by a dodgy production and fanbase indifference, this remaster is an opportunity to change all that – don’t miss out.
Eric Gales – A Tribute To LJK
A heartfelt tribute from Eric Gales to his late brother, A Tribute To LJK is a life affirming body of work that celebrates Little Jimmy King’s life and music. As befitting such a celebration, a whole heap of Eric Gales’ friends drop in to lend a hand, including Joe Bonamassa, Josh Smith, Buddy Guy, and Kingfish but, while the guests add their own touch, it’s Eric’s guitar work that makes this record shine.
With his brother in his heart and the blues in his soul, Eric plays his ass off here, instilling each moment with a sense of heart, love, and warmth. The ensuing album is a moving, glorious, tribute to much-loved brother and a much-admired artist, making A Tribute To LJK a very special work indeed.
Joe Bonamassa – Breakthrough
No end of year list would be complete without an entry from the redoubtable Joe Bonamassa and, once again, the hardest working musician in the blues turned up trumps with Breakthrough. Evidently not satisfied with his tireless work promoting the genre (via his Keeping The Blues Alive foundation) and touring every country that has electricity on this, his seventeenth album, Joe once again shifted the goal posts.
With hellhounds on his trail, Joe unleashes an energetic set on Breakthrough and, from the gospel stomp of the title track to the slinky blues of closing number Pain’s On Me – all via the hard rocking Trigger Finger and the progressive-tinged Broken Record – he is on fire. The devil is in the detail – look past the top-notch production and pitch perfect delivery and you’ll find an artist who has lived and breathed the blues since his formative years, with Breakthrough showcasing the breadth and depth of Joe’s experience.
Melvins – Thunderball
It’s the Melvins. It hits like the titular object and it fucking rocks. What more do you need to know?
[Sigh]
Well, OK. Thunderball is the twenty-eighth album from Melvins or the third to be released under the Melvins 1983 banner (alluding to the fact that it features core members King Buzzo and Mike Dillard). With creepy noise from Void Manes and Ni Maitres, this unique five-song set (which still clocks in at a respectable 35-minutes in length) is unbelievably brilliant and will rock you to your very core. Melvins rule – that really is all there is to say on the subject.
Cancer – Inverted World
Led by vocalist / guitarist John Walker, and boasting a new line up, Cancer waste little time in attempting to reinvent the wheel on Inverted World . Instead, the album takes Walker’s enduring passion for the form as its starting point and, with V. Santura (Tryptikon, Pestilence) at the helm, sets about reducing the listener to so much dust and bone.
From opening number Enter The Gates the album hardly lets up, throwing old-school death, doom, and thrash into the mix with deft skill. It reaches a twin peak with When Killing Isn’t Murder and Covert Operations, two tracks that leave the listener battered, bruised, and broken under the sheer weight of this reinvigorated band’s delivery. A testament to Walker’s artistic vision, Inverted World stands as one of the year’s most potent death metal albums.
Benmont Tench – The Melancholy Season
The Melancholy Season is an understated gem that finds Benmont Tench digging deep to deliver a heartfelt album that resonates long after the disc has spun to a halt. Referencing the likes of Tom Petty (with whom Benmont founded The Heartbreakers), Johnny Cash, Iggy Pop, Neil Young, and more, The Melancholy Season is a remarkable work that takes the listener on an intimate journey through the highways and byways of Americana.
To dip into the original review, Melancholy Season is “one of those rare pieces of work that genuinely feels like it is communicating something uniquely personal to the listener – something that comes not only from the song writing, but also the performances, the interplay between the band members, and the disarmingly naturalistic production”. Little more needs to be said. It’s a genuine treasure.
Sunday Driver – Silk And Filth
It’s been some months since Sunday Driver dropped Silk And Filth and I’m honestly still not sure how it should be categorised, if at all. Released via the ever-reliable Trapped Animal Records, the album immediately attracts attention with its gorgeous artwork and, for those who collect physical formats, the blue vinyl edition is a thing of beauty.
As for the music, it’s almost impossible to pin down. Jazz, trip hop, alternative rock, and Indian folk music all combine as the band transport the listener to the world of the East India Trading Company, guided by the mellifluous vocals of lead singer Chandy. You can read the full review here but, honestly, this is music to experience rather than read about. Track down a copy while you can, Sunday Driver are a truly unique band operating entirely within a realm of one.
Venamoris – To Cross Or To Burn
A beautiful passion project from husband-and-wife team Paula and Dave Lombardo, To Cross Or To Burn not only highlights a rare sensitivity in Dave’s playing but it also introduced the wider world to Paula Lombardo’s stunning vocals.
Released via Mike Patton’s eclectic Ipecac label, the album takes in a mix of influences, from Massive Attack and Nine Inch Nails to Beth Hart and Portishead, the duo drawing the listener into a darkly beautiful world entirely of their own making. Picking a highlight, frankly, is impossible. It’s an album to play in its entirety, preferably with the lights dimmed low, and it only increases its hold with repeat plays. A genuine masterpiece, To Cross Or To Burn has never been far from the turntable since its release.
Raging Speedhorn – Night Wolf
Packaged in the gaudy colours of a schlocky horror movie from the 80s, delivered with immense glee by a band whose dedication to chaos at least equals that of the lycanthrope on the cover, and produced by studio legend Russ Russell, Night Wolf is immense fun from start to finish.
To be honest, ever since Speedhorn reformed in 2014, they’ve been on an absolute roll. From 2016’s blazing Lost Ritual through 2020’s Hard To Kill, this none-more-brutal six-piece have refined their song-writing skills and delivery to a razor’s edge, and Night Wolf is the dizzyingly heavy, insanely catchy result.
Wildhearts – Satanic Rites…
One of the year’s more unlikely success stories, the dissolution and reformation of The Wildhearts under Ginger’s watchful eye may have been somewhat dramatic, but the results have been spectacular. Anyone who caught the Wildhearts on tour this year will have noticed that this line up can (and will) play anything – a far cry from the somewhat burnt-out iteration that would default to Earth Vs. wherever possible.
That same adventurous spirit is clear in Satanic Rites… A brilliant album filled with catharsis, empathy, and a sense of triumph, it simply obliterates any sense of lingering negativity from the preceding years. With opening number Eventually landing on the listener with both feet and the stunning lead single Failure Is The Mother Of Success rounding things out, it’s a hope-filled, super-catchy, endlessly replayable blast from start to finish.
Suede: Antidepressants
When Suede went on hiatus in the wake of the ill-fated A New Morning, it looked like they were destined to fade away somewhat ignominiously. Their return in 2013 with Bloodsports righted the ship, reigniting the band’s creative spark, but few could have imagined how brightly it would then burn.
Since Bloodsports, Suede have crafted a further four albums, with each building upon the last to explore a different facet of the band’s influences. Hence, The Blue Hour was a stunning, progressive opus, Autofiction was unreconstituted punk rock, and Antidepressants, the most recent effort, a post-punk / alt rock blast that offers up massive anthems (Dancing With The Europeans), harder-edged moments (Disintegrate), and jagged post-punk (Antidepressants). With eleven tracks crammed into just under forty minutes, it’s a ruthlessly pared back set that finds Suede on the form of their lives.
Spock’s Beard – The Archaeoptimist
The return of Spock’s Beard is surely cause to celebrate, not least because it was not entirely clear if the band would return at all. With new boy Nick Potter stepping in behind the kit (and slotting in like he has always been there) and the band happily exploring their roots, the album brings together all the threads that make Spock’s Beard so beloved – rich vocal harmonies, eccentric guitar lines and, of course, swathes of keyboard. It all builds to the astonishing twenty-minute title track, a soaring work that seems to evolve right in front of the listener, highlighting the immense skill the band have at their command.
A most welcome return from a much-loved band, Spock’s Beard rose from the ashes to deliver an instant classic.
Alice Cooper – The Revenge of Alice Cooper
So, who had the reunion of the classic Alice Cooper band on their 2025 bingo card? Not only did Alice reunite with Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith for the first full-length outing since 1973’s Muscle of Love, but he bought legendary producer Bob Ezrin back on board for a back-to-basics album of rock ‘n’ roll that is every bit as much fun as the gloriously ghoulish artwork would have you believe.
Opening gambit Black Mamba sets the tone, even salvaging recordings from the late, great Glen Buxton (who passed away in 1997), with Alice taking the listener on a guided tour of his career over the course of fourteen varied tracks. Across it all, the band seem to be having a blast, with standout moments including Kill The Flies and a fun cover of The Yardbirds’ I Ain’t Done Wrong. Great fun from start to finish, The Revenge Of Alice Cooper is a surprising and really rather wonderful late career highlight for this most enduring of rockers.
Revocation – New Gods, New Masters
A near-flawless death metal assault, New Gods, New Masters is an incisive album that absolutely lays waste to everything before it. With guest spots from Jonny Davy (JFAC), Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation), Gilad Hekselman, and Luc Lemay (Gorguts), and a new line-up in tow, guitarist / vocalist Dave Davidson tackles the thorny subject of AI over a suitably apocalyptic backing.
However, as ferocious as the album is, this masterclass in extremity offers more than mere brutality. An album of remarkable depth and dynamic, with progressive and even jazz flourishes emerging to keep things fresh and interesting, it is a stand-out release from the band and an absolute highlight of the year.
Live album:
Cypress Hill – Live At The Royal Albert Hall
A sumptuous time capsule that captures at least some of the magic of this unique, once-in-a-lifetime event. For sure, it doesn’t quite reflect the sheer volume of the crowd, but this well-filmed presentation does place the viewer on stage with Cypress Hill and the London Symphony Orchestra as they work their way through the entirety of Black Sunday, as well as a handful of extras, including a stunning Rock Superstar, which takes on Kashmir proportions at the hands of the LSO.
The perfect souvenir for those lucky enough to attend, this release is also a worthy addition to any fan’s collection for the unique arrangements developed exclusively for this collaboration. Top marks to the LSO and conductor Troy Miller, whose boyish enthusiasm shows through in his sympathetic efforts at reworking the songs. He jokingly mentions the Grammys in the short introduction to the film… frankly, everyone involved deserves one.
