Tales from the Jugular

Staff Year End Awards for 2025!
Our Annual Year End Edition of Metal that Hit Our Radar!

We've gathered up our thoughts on the hard rock/metal releases of 2025! There are so many releases put out in this age of do-it-yourself creation that you may see names you missed, older bands you forgot existed or unknowns to look up and sample. It's all about getting the word out and supporting the music!

Top Albums in No Particular Order
Machine Head - Unatoned
Volbeat - God of Angels Trust
Helloween - Giants & Monsters
Vicious Rumors - The Devil's Asylum
Paradise Lost - Ascension
Amorphis - Borderland
Rage - A New World Rising
Testament - Para Bellum
Grave Digger - Bone Collector
Warbringer - Wrath and Ruin

Best Find in the Archives
Survivor's discography

Most Anticipated Albums and Bands for Next Year
Anthrax, Megadeth, Deceased, Tailgunner, Bloody Hammers, Unleash the Archers, something Jon Schaffer related.

Most Anticipated Shows
Iron Maiden/Megadeth
Helloween/Elvenking
Megadeth Documentary

E f'n C

Top Hard Rock/Metal Releases
Crimson Shadows - Whispers of War
Helms Deep - Chasing the Dragon
Vicious Rumors - The Devil's Asylum
Volbeat - God of Angels Trust

Looking Forward To New Stuff From: Savatage

Discovered/Rediscovered Bands: Flotsam and Jetsam, Iotunn, Traveller, Jenner

Spent the most time with: Metal stations on internet radio

Top Picks for 2025
Blackbraid - Blackbraid III
Castle Rat - The Bestiary
Coroner - Dissonance Theory
The Halo Effect - March of the Unheard
The Haunted - Songs Of Last Resort
Helloween - Giants & Monsters
Helms Deep - Chasing the Dragon
Hooded Menace - Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
Katatonia - Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State
Orbit Culture - Death Above Life
Paradise Lost - Ascension
Revocation - New Gods, New Masters
Rivers of Nihil - Rivers of Nihil
Testament - Para Bellum
Unleashed - Fire Upon Your Lands
Vicious Rumors - The Devil's Asylum
Void - Fobidden Morals
Warbringer - Wrath And Ruin

Grim's Metal AOTY 2025
Sanguisugabogg - Hideous Aftermath
Author & Punisher - Nocturnal Birding
Blut Aus Nord - Ethereal Horizons
Deafheaven - Lonely People With Power
Coroner - Dissonance Theory
Amenra - De Toorn/With Fang And Claw
Cryptopsy - An Insatiable Violence
Deftones - Private Music
Thornhill - Bodies
Som - Let The Light In
Testament - Para Bellum
Acacia Strain - You Are Safe From God Here
Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea
Architects - The Sky, The Earth & All Between
Evoken - Mendacium

Honorable Mentions:
Cradle Of Filth - Screaming Of The Valkyries
Paradise Lost -Ascension
Igorrr - Amen
Werewolves - The Ugliest Of All

Rock/Metal Albums of the Year 2025
1 Dream Theater - Parasomnia
2 Volbeat - God of Angels Trust
3 Ghost - Skeleta
4 Architects - The Sky, The Earth & All Between
5 Amorphis - Borderland
6 Sabaton - Legends
7 Fit For A King - Lonely God
8 Annisokay - Abyss The Final Chapter
9 Of Mice & Men - Another Miracle
10 The Devil Wears Prada - Flowers
11 Mammoth - The End
12 Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea
13 Yungblud - Idols
14 I Prevail - Voilent Nature
15 Sammy Hagar - The Residency (Live)
16 Killswitch Engage - The Consequence
17 Arch Enemy - Blood Dynasty
18 Dayseeker - Creature In The Black Night
19 Orbit Culture - Death Above Life
20 Solence - Angels Calling
21 Starset - Silos
22 Avatar - Don't Go In The Forest
23 Dorothy - The Way
24 Avantasia - Here Be Dragons
25 Turnstile - Turnstile

2025 was another great year for new hard rock and metal albums. My biggest regret was not getting out to see more live music.

Best Live Show: Best Live Show - While not on my albums list, the show I enjoyed most this year was Devin Townsend's tour!!

Discovery: It was a tie this year. While I Prevail are not new, their new album really clicked with me in a way their past albums did not. And I know that Yungblud is pop/rock, but his new album is very good.

Best New Artist:Turnstile. Also, not actually a new band, but were a breakthrough artist for me at least. Their live shows look amazing.

Surprise of the Year: I was surprised that Ozzy was able to make it to his farewell show in England. I was also surprised when he passed away 2-3 weeks later. Much has been said about Ozzy this year, but he is the foundation of all metal and hard rock that I have ever enjoyed.

Guilty Pleasure: Luke Spiller's (The Struts) solo album. It is basically all ballads and I love it. He is a great vocalist, and he wrote some great tunes for his first solo effort.

Non-Metal Album of the Year: Amy Macdonald - Is This What You Have Been Waiting For? I love all of her albums, and she continued her career streak with this new album.

One Song for 2025:I know I said one song, but I have two songs. According to my Spotify Wrapped, I listed to "By A Monster's Hand" by Volbeat the most. But I could not get enough of the live version of "5150" from Sammy Hagar's live Vegas album. It was so good to hear his amazing band perform all those hits. So good.

Dream Come True in 2025: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson (RUSH) decided it was time to announce a tour for 2026 (and I was able to get tickets!).

Bands I want to see new music in 2026: Bad Omens; Devin Townsend; Dimmu Borgir; Foo Fighters; Gojira; Korn; Alter Bridge!

Best EP/Albums of 2025
Coroner - Dissonance Theory
Helloween - Giants & Monsters
Tower - Let There Be Dark
Quadvium - Tetradom
Nite - Cult of the Serpent Sun
Savage Master - Dark&Dangerous
Raven - Can't Take Away the Fire
Helms Deep - Chasing the Dragon
Castle Rat - The Bestiary
Testament - Para Bellum

Best Live Album:
Cirith Ungol-Live at the Roxie

Best Reissue:
Black Sabbath-The Eternal Idol
Ramones-Loco Live

Biggest Concert:
Metallica-VA Tech/Blacksburg, VA.

Best use of yard inflatables on stage and acts of senseless violence against a snowman in the crowd:
Green Jelly(o)-Super Rad Arcade/Lynchburg, VA.

Best use of sweaty underboob, chainmail and epic butt cheek riffing on a stage:
Castle Rat-The Southern/Charlottesville, VA.

Queensryche VS. Geoff Tate live:
Both acts performed incredibly. Grateful for them both. Geoff has the charisma while the 'ryche still focus on the classics!

Best Performance in platform shoes with the picking hand knuckles facing the floor:
Marty Friedman-Tally Ho Theater/Leesburg, VA.

Best Overall live band:
Castle Rat

Best Book:
Always Moving-The Strange Multiverse of Voivod by Jeff Wagner

Most Inspiring:
Michael Schenker 50th anniversary UFO concert.

Biggest disappointment:
Uli Jon Roth postponing his tour until 2026.

Looking Forward to in 2026:
Final Megadeth album
Iron Maiden live

Best of '25 Metal and Rock Albums (order based on mood)
Deftones - Private Music
Dream Theater - Parasomnia
Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea
Lorna Shore - I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me
Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia
Whitechapel - Hymns in Dissonance
Jinjer - Duel
La Dispute - No One Was Driving the Car
Architects - The Sky, The Earth & All Between
Thornhill - Bodies

Honorable Mention
Ghost - Skeleta
Testament - Para Bellum
Alice Cooper - The Revenge of Alice Cooper
Orbit Culture - Death Above Life
Bleed From Within - Zenith

Best Metal Albums of 2025:
1. Messa - The Spin
2. Coroner - Dissonance Theory
3. Doom - Apocalypse
4. Ellereve - Umbra
5. Grandma's Ashes - Bruxism
6. Cold In Berlin - Wounds
7. Testament - Para Bellum
8. Castle Rat - The Bestiary
9. Stoned Jesus - Songs To Sun
10. Nite - Cult Of The Serpent Sun
11. Mares Of Thrace - The Loss
12. Lynch Mob - Dancing With The Devil
13. Moths - Septem
14. Ningen Isu - Mahoroba
15. Species - Changelings

Best Metal EP's:
Shireen - The Chariot
Gaupa - Fyr
Lady Alice - Save Me

Best Not-So-Metal Albums:
Hagneya - Heartspace
Kuunatic - Wheels of Omon
Hiromi - Out There
Vernon Reid - Hoodoo Telemetry
Wucan - Axioms
And pretty much everything released by Psychedelic Source Records in 2025

Great Live Shows Seen:
Lynch Mob, Paralandra @ Tupelo Music Hall, Derry, NH
Boris, Uniform @ Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
Die Spitz, Babe Haven @ The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
Crypta, Lich King @ Sonia, Cambridge, MA
Chokecherry, The Sewing Club @ Sonia, Cambridge, MA
Robin Trower @ Wilbur Theatere, Boston, MA
The Keening, Body Void, Vudu Sister, TFAGH, Lepra @ Somergloom, Somverville, MA
Conan, Midnight, Royal Thunder, Duel, Witching, Mares Of Thrace, etc. @ RPM Fest, Montague, MA

New Talent To Watch: Gaupa, Lurch, Chokecherry, Die Spitz

---

Deaths in 2025 (from Wikipedia):
January 2 - Russ North, former vocalist of Cloven Hoof, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 59.
January 5 - Fredrik "Freddie Eugene" Lindgren, former guitarist of Unleashed and Terra Firma, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 53.
January 7 - Ragne Wahlquist, vocalist and guitarist of Heavy Load, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 69.
January 13 - Peter "P. Fluid" Forrest, former vocalist of 24-7 Spyz, was beaten to death at the age of 64.
January 15 - Wayne Gerard Fabra, former drummer of Necrophagia, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 58.
January 16 - Cristiano Fusco, former guitarist of Torture Squad, died from bone marrow cancer at the age of 53.
January 20 - John Sykes, former guitarist of Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Tygers of Pan Tang, and Blue Murder, died from cancer at the age of 65.
January 27 - Aaron Rossi, former drummer of Ministry and Prong, died from a heart attack at the age of 44.
February 15 - Pal Mozart Bjorke, former bassist of Madder Mortem, died from undisclosed reasons.
February 19 - Karl Cochran, former guitarist of Ace Frehley and Joe Lynn Turner, died in a car accident at the age of 61.
February 25 - Coburn Pharr, former vocalist of Annihilator, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 62.
February 26 - Graham "Gra" Scoresby, former drummer of Witchfynde, died in a car accident at the age of 68.
March 2 - Sindre Nedland, vocalist and keyboardist of In Vain and former vocalist of Funeral, died from cancer at the age of 40.
March 6 - Sergio Cisneros "Kiskilla" Anguita, former keyboardist and accordionist of Mago de Oz, died from COPD complications at the age of 58.
March 15 - Les Binks, former drummer of Judas Priest, Lionheart and Tytan, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 73.
March 28 - Dirk Schroder, former vocalist of Iron Angel, died from undisclosed reasons.
April 19 - Ricky Siahaan, guitarist of Seringai, died from a heart attack at the age of 48.
April 29 - Brian Montana, former guitarist of Possessed, was shot to death by police at the age of 60.
April 30 - Piotr Radecki, former guitarist of Kat & Roman Kostrzewski, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 49.
May 1 - Igor Molchanov, former drummer of Aria and Master, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 63.
May 4 - Lars Linden, bassist of Carnal Forge, died from colon cancer at the age of 54.
May 6 - Tony J. Liddle, former guitarist of Blitzkrieg, died from undisclosed reasons.
May 13 - Dale Henderson, vocalist and guitarist of Beowulf, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 59.
May 19 - Chris Hager, former guitarist of Mickey Ratt and Rough Cutt, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 67.
May 19 - Adam Ramey, vocalist of Dropout Kings, died from suicide at the age of 31.
May 22 - Daniel Williams, former drummer of The Devil Wears Prada, died in the 2025 San Diego Cessna Citation II crash at the age of 39.
June 6 - Charles "Chuck" Profus, former drummer of Agent Steel, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 61.
July 4 - Kevin Riddles, bassist of Tytan and former bassist of Angel Witch, died from cancer at the age of 68.
July 5 - Peter Brabbs, former guitarist of Tank, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 68.
July 8 - Tim Cronin, former vocalist, bassist and drummer of Monster Magnet, died from ALS at the age of 63.
July 11 - David Kaff (better known as Viv Savage), former keyboardist of Spinal Tap, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 79.
July 22 - Ozzy Osbourne, solo artist and former vocalist of Black Sabbath, died from a heart attack at the age of 76.
July 29 - Paul Mario Day, former vocalist of Iron Maiden and More, died from cancer at the age of 69.
July 31 - Erik Wunder, multi-instrumentalist of Cobalt, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 42.
August 4 - Larry Gillstrom, guitarist of Kick Axe, died from cancer at the age of 69.
August 6 - Harry Hill, former drummer of Fist, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 69.
August 8 - Jill Lisson, former vocalist and bassist of Funerus, died from heart failure related to complications from diabetes at the age of 54.
August 20 - Brent Hinds, former vocalist and guitarist of Mastodon, died in a traffic collision at the age of 51.
August 25 - Nisse Karlen, vocalist and former guitarist and bassist of Sacramentum, died by suicide at the age of 50.
August 27 - Jurgen Bartsch, bassist of Bethlehem, died from an undisclosed illness.
September 6 - Guido "Atomic Steif" Richter, former drummer of Sodom, Living Death, Assassin and Holy Moses, died from undisclosed reasons.
September 7 - Allen Blickle, former drummer of Baroness, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 42.
September 16 - Tomas Lindberg, vocalist of At the Gates and Lock Up, and former vocalist of Grotesque and Nightrage, died from adenoid cystic carcinoma complications at the age of 52.
October 7 - Edward Reekers, former long-term vocal contributor of Ayreon, died from cancer at the age of 68.
October 8 - Ace Finchum, former drummer of Tigertailz, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 62.
October 11 - Ian Watkins, former vocalist of Lostprophets, was murdered in prison at the age of 48.
October 12 - John Waterhouse, former guitarist of Demon, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 75.
October 12 - Jody Henry, former bassist of Omen, died from an intracerebral hemorrhage.
October 16 - Ace Frehley, solo artist and former guitarist and vocalist of Kiss and Frehley's Comet, died from complications from a fall at the age of 74.
October 18 - Sam Rivers, bassist of Limp Bizkit, died from cardiac arrest at the age of 48.
October 23 - Marcie Free, former vocalist of King Kobra, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 71.
October 26 - Rasmus "Haekke" Henriksen, former guitarist of Illdisposed and Panzerchrist, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 47.
October 27 - Bryan Johnston, former guitarist of Morpheus Descends, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 50.
November 2 - Thomas Klein, former guitarist of Warrant, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 59.
November 6 - Chris Bradley, vocalist and bassist of Savage, died after a long illness.
December 21 - John Thomas "Jontho" Bratland, vocalist and former drummer of Ragnarok, died from undisclosed reasons at the age of 48.





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