The Endless Quest for Happiness

Took me long enough, but here's The Best Albums of 2025, in no particular order.

Fragile Wings by Cave Sermon
This album is gorgeous melodic metal that has been adequately melancholy for what has been a pretty crummy year. Its filled with so many layers and each time I walk away from the album I'm always like "fuck, I really like that one".

In Penitence and Ruin by Tribunal
Melodic, baroque-inspired doom. Hell, they got a fuckin harpsichord (a favorite of mine tbh). The album deals in themes of deep betrayal and an inability to trust. I actually got this one on vinyl because it reminds me of my divorce. It feels like a dirge played for my old life. tbh i was shocked this came out in 2025 because i feel like i've been playing it for over a year.

Gift Songs by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
A deviation from metal, this is an ambient album. I got a copy of the record in the mail from A, which was a really unexpected present. The record became heavy rotation, especially when I had folks over and wanted to put something chill on. Its started becoming an album that I can listen to and feel a little grounded even while wallowing in whatever emotion is consuming me at the moment. Definitely an album I didn't expect to fall in love with, but its there now.

Empty by Bongripper
Stoner/sludge metal that Clara and I saw live (I thought they opened for Panopticon but I just looked at the show I saw them at and idek how we heard about the show and wound up going. maybe Clara knew them and wanted to go?) and they ripped. My gf always puts this album on when we have sex at her house lol (Technically this album came out last year, but I discovered it this year so who cares?)

Raw Blood Singing by Insect Ark
Experimental doom/noise metal. I caught them opening for Fórn and was so immediately smitten. I love discovering new bands that I love from watching the openers. This album is expertly crafted with just a wonderful doomy prodding along. Again, this album released in 2024, but I found them in 2025 so Just Deal With It.

Flickering Resonance by Pelican
Lyric-less post-metal from one of the best to ever do it. I think a Pelican album was in my top albums last year or maybe the year before. Everytime I listen to this, I feel like I journey along with the melodies. I got to hear this album live at their homecoming show in Chicago and it was really awesome. I was nearly front and center!

Watch It Die by Home Front
Another post punk masterpiece from one of my favorite bands. Like most hipsters, my pal A said that it wasnt as good as their last two albums, but I think they're dead wrong. They keep their post-punk bite that I think a lot of similar coldwave/goth/new wave bands don't. I want my post punk to have emphasis on the punk.

Circle Breaker by The Taxpayers
When Clara and I first started dating we were both listening to the Taxpayers on heavy repeat. They're kind of a cabaret style folk punk adjacent band. It feels like a cross between world/inferno and defiance, ohio. Hell, she and i almost broke up at a taxpayers show (long story, but mostly it was on me). Still, this album became our grief album through both Mille's and Snowball's deaths.

PL*NET F*TNESS by Pacing
Do you remember the first time you heard the Moldy Peaches and then played the Juno soundtrack on repeat for forever and even though that movie had some FUCKED UP SHIT to say about abortion and a woman's right to choose, the sound track was good enough that i tolerated the movie and, oh gods, ok I've gone too far. Pacing is like the moldy peaches in a way, but way more digital. Still the bleeding honesty, gut wrenching lyrics about death, and the sweetest saddest song about cancelling a planet fitness account for a dead family member.

The Spiritual Sound by Agriculture
Never has a metal album entirely summed up about how i feel about *gesticulates wildly* but I'm mad, I'm trying to find peace thru it all, and I'm here to make a bunch of fucking noise about it. The guitars can be surprisingly almost midwestern emo at times (it comes with the blackgaze trend i think) but then just punches you with a wall of noise. If you think deafheaven went too far into shoegaze, you'll like this.