Another year of sick tunes! There were some really great punk and metal albums released this year, especially from Canada, which led me to having a lot of honorable mentions. I intended to keep my list to just 10 releases, but I had to add one late year release (which I’m waiting for in the mail, currently) to make it a top 11. On a personal note, I had two releases of my own music this year – the Begrime Exemious “Festering in the Void” EP, and Anthrodynia’s debut LP, “Unspeakable Horrors Emanating from Within.” I am immensely proud of both releases!
Full Lengths
Caustic Wound – Grinding Mechanism of Torment
Formed by members of death/doomers Mortiferum, Caustic Wound in contrast plays grindcore (with a good amount of death metal influence). “Death Posture” was a great album, and its followup is equally as satisfying to listen to. This definitely isn’t as punky as a lot of grindcore, but it’s just as relentless as you’d expect from the genre. The death metal influenced riffs work really well along with a solid production job, as Caustic Wound have certainly forged their own tormenting sound within grindcore.
Death Gasp – s/t
Earlier this year, Pittsburgh’s Death Gasp played a show in Edmonton, and I ended up checking out the album before they came to town. They play a killer style of crust/stenchcore soaked in HM2 tone. With plenty of early Bolt Thrower and Sacrilege style riffs, I had to buy the LP at the show. They pack a ton of hooks into the 25 minute run time, and I’ve spun it countless times this year.
Dispossessed – Dêmocide
After releasing a full length in 2019, Dispossessed finally has revealed their sophomore effort. Combing elements of death metal, doom, and sludge, they’ve forged an immeasurably heavy sound. There’s only four tracks on this record, but each have their own identity that is created through thoughtful ebb and flow, dismal lead lines, and massive riffs. The result is one of the heaviest and most crushing records of the year.
Grave Infestation – Carnage Gathers
Every record the folks in this band put out are all executed so well, and the sophomore Grave Infestation album is yet another crushing piece of death metal mastery. This Vancouver based quartet plays some of the most sinister and down right evil sounding death metal out there right now. Some members previously realized this death metal sound in their previous band, AHNA, and they’ve fully embraced it with this band.
Hedonist – Scapulimancy
Another Canadian band from the west coast, Hedonist’s debut LP is also a brilliant slab of festering death metal that demolishes everything in its path. Their demo LP was already a top notch hybrid of Bolt Thrower and Entombed, and they’ve some how managed pack in even more savagery into “Scapulimancy.” Death metal is alive and well in Canada, and Hedonist are one of the bands at the forefront (as are Grave Infestation).
Innumerable Forms – Pain Effulgence
This is the third album from Boston’s Innumerable Forms, which sees this death/doom outfit as a quartet. Initially a solo project of Justin DeTore (who has played in an innumerable amount of punk and metal bands over the years), it became a full fledged band with the help of other seasoned musicians, and they’ve put out some punishing records since doing so. These guys are definitely on the more brutal and faster end of death/doom, but know when to bust out the haunting guitar leads and slower temples tastefully.
Languid – Shove Their System Up Their Ass
Edmonton’s finest? Canada’s best punk band? I’d say so, but there’s no arguing that they are society’s pieces of shit, and they certainly let you know on their third full length. I am extremely bias in putting this record on this list, as I recorded this album, and like all their previous recordings, I still want to listen to it. As usual, they’ve packed 12 songs into 23 minutes of perfectly executed d-beat, with obvious nods to Swedish bands like Meanwhile/Dischange. We are certainly lucky having these guys in Edmonton, and I am very happy to have been involved working on such a great punk record.
Negative Charge – s/t
Nothing pisses me off more than shitty hardcore that’s laden with uninspired breakdowns and tough guy nonsense. Thankfully, there’s none of that to be found on Negative Charge’s self titled debut. No time is wasted, as they blast through 11 songs in a mere 17 minutes. The riffs and drums create a frantic pace, and a perfect canvas for an energetic vocal performance. Between the theme of frustration in the lyrics, there’s some hooks that shine through, further showcasing why this is what hardcore punk should strive to sound like.
Sijjin – Helljjin Combat
Sijjin is such a breath of fresh air. “Helljjin Combat” is their second full length, and there’s no shortage of early Morbid Angel death/thrash influence here. Members of Sijjin were formerly in Necros Christos, a band I love very much, but I couldn’t stand how long their albums were getting, and how bloated with world music interludes they were getting. Sijjin is so much more focused and enjoyable, and they apparently recorded this album live in the studio. If there’s anything on this list that deserves to be called “old school,” this is it.
Teitanblood – From the Visceral Abyss
During the late aughts, black/death metal felt like it was getting a revival, and Teitanblood were one of the bands at the forefront of the movement, as they released their debut in 2009. Fast forward to 2025, and they’ve dropped their fourth full length, and it’s as monstrous and powerful as ever. The production is cleaner than their older material, but their signature savagery remains intact. The album ends with the same sample that begins their debut, leading some to speculate this is their last album.
Terror Corpse – Ash Eclipses Flesh
Downtuned death metal from Houston, Terror Corpse formed out of the ashes of Malignant Altar. The vocals sound even more demonic with this band, and there’s less (but still present!) mid-paced Morbid Angel parts, as Terror Corpse pushes the tempo instead. They close this record out with a Celtic Frost cover that sounds just absolutely vile. This was a late year release, and I’m currently waiting for the LP to arrive in the mail.
Honorable Mentions
As previously stated, there were some other great records that dropped this year, and I would feel foolish if I didn’t mention them.
Bleed – s/t [20 Buck Spin]
Deathwinds – …Towards Doom… [Headsplit/Sentient Ruin]
Demise – Butchered [Independent]
Exploatör – Apokollaps [Phobia Records]
Hacked Apart – s/t [Mechanized Apparatus Revolt]
Home Front – Watch It Die [La Vida Es Un Mus]
Malefaction – Rebirth [Independent]
Psych-War – Psychotic Warmonger [Agipunk]
Real Sickies – Under a Plastic Bag [Stomp Records]
Revelator – Light the Devil’s Fire [Nameless Grave Records]
Ultimate Disaster – For Progress… [Grave Mistake/Kick Rock]
Witherer – Shadow Without a Horizon [Hypaethral Records]
Splits/EPs/Demos
Archagathus/Horrendous Miscreation split LP [Blast Addict/multiple]
Archagathus/Truth of all Death split LP [Behind the Mountain]
Nephasto – Deformed Deviation 7″ [Extremely Rotten Productions]
Physique/Electric Chair split LP [Iron Long Records]
Yellowcake – Apparations of War [Total Peace]