OpEd

Diamond's Mine: The Best Albums And Live Acts Of 2025

Well... 2025 was crap wasn't it? More war, more hatred and AI is both rampant and mostly promoted by the biggest losers you know. Once again though, we find some solace in metal music, there as always to offer an outlet for our anger, frustration and general negativity. There's been no shortage of memorable moments, including the passing of metal's first frontman Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Mustaine announcing that Megadeth will be hanging up the gloves so he can talk about Metallica full time, the unexpected return of Acid Bath and the sad disbandment of many legends including Orange Goblin, Whitesnake and Bury Your Dead, along with some younger casualties in Ithaca and Svalbard. We also said our sad farewells to John Sykes of Thin Lizzy and Tygers Of Pan Tang, Mastodon vocalist and guitarist Brent Hinds, At The Gates frontman Tomas Lindberg original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, to name only a few.

Ordinarily, I begin my annual column by picking a favourite newcomer, but despite seeing plenty of bands this year, I don't think I caught anyone making their debut, nor did I hear a debut album which particularly grabbed me. Hell, even Googling "metal debut albums 2025" was practically useless. The closest I've come was seeing three bands who released their first album in 2024; High Parasite, Brat and Bobbie Dazzle. I would highly recommend all three to fans of different genres, especially the first on that list, but I can't really give them the award when they didn't form or release their first albums this year. So instead of arbitrarily picking a young band and pretending I know anything about them, I invite all readers to tell me which new acts they'd recommend in the comments below.

Best Live Band

Something I can speak on though is live music. All in all, I saw 101 bands in 2025, including a bunch I'd not seen before. There was plenty to choose from then, not just for the quantity, but for the quality. As always, Napalm Death delivered on stage this year, and I was lucky enough to see them not just headlining their annual Campaign For Musical Destruction tour, where Crowbar also put in a hell of a shift and openers Brat proved to be a lot of fun, but also capping off this year's Damnation Festival in Manchester. Other veterans also had strong displays this year, with Helloween sticking out for their tremendous show at the Hammersmith Apollo, while compatriots Destruction were as fierce as ever touring with Testament in Europe. I've also seen Paradise Lost plenty of times but this year's tour was by far the best performance from the Halifax hell raisers that I'd seen from them, while Orange Goblin signed off their career with a flourish on their recent farewell tour.

Fortunately for the future of metal, there was no shortage of impressive younger bands too. As mentioned, Brat was highly enjoyable, despite what a few elitists with folded arms near me would have you believe, and I had a great time watching Fury supporting Firewind in London, who themselves were excellent. Meanwhile Mantar unleashed hell at Damnation, where Portugal's Gaerea also thrilled those who attended the festival. In between all that, Wormrot, now reunited with the classic lineup, Crypta, Messa, High On Fire and Electric Eel Shock all put on great performances, and if I was to give a silver medal, it would go to Castle Rat, who I witnessed at both Damnation and Desertfest this year, who may be a little corny for some people, but I like a band who puts a lot of effort into their shows, and I urge everyone to see them for themselves. However, there was a clear winner for me in the live setting this year, and it is...

Midnight

Much like Castle Rat, there'll be some people who are turned off by Midnight by appearances alone, but after being captivated by the band when they released "Hellish Expectations," I couldn't wait to see them for myself. I finally got the opportunity to do so at the New Cross Inn in London this Summer and I was absolutely floored. The masked men turned what is essentially a pub into a hurricane of sweat, spilled beer and probably more than a few drops of blood being spilled. From the first note onward, they grabbed the audience and held their attention until the very end, unleashing an incredible sonic fury. If you like Venom, Midnight is for you. If you like heavy punk, Midnight is for you. And if you want to see a show you'll never forget, Midnight is for you.

Best Albums Of 2025

Now we move on to the main event. The list in every article which people look forward to complaining about as much as they want to see who's on it. I'm aware that there'll be some notable omissions which found their way to, or near, the top of other year end lists, such as Ghost, Deadguy and Deftones, but obviously if I haven't listened to it, I can't comment on it honestly. There were also a couple of albums which I found a little disappointing, in particular Testament and their latest output, "Para Bellum." Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, but something felt missing from the Bay Area legends this time around. Likewise a lot of attention was given to Conjurer and their new album, "Unself," but it didn't resonate with me at all. That's what art does though. It affects people in different ways, or sometimes not at all, and what might sail past one listener could change their life of another.

There was plenty to be pleased with this year however. In the world of thrash, Sodom released what may be their final album, "The Arsonist," which contained all of the elements that fans love, in particular a punishing sound and their most overt nod to key influence Tank yet on the song, "A.W.T.F.,." Younger thrashers also received praise this year, with Canada's Hazzerd turning heads thanks to their third album, "The 3rd Dimension," while Warbringer's "Wrath And Ruin" was another healthy example of why they stood tall in the 2000s thrash revival. Hardcore veterans also showed up in style this year, with Agnostic Front and Biohazard delivering the goods and then some with their latest full lengths.

Listeners not so obsessed with speed also found much to enjoy, beginning with some classic heavy metal from the likes of Pentagram, Grave Digger and Tokyo Blade in January, before Dream Theater marked the return of drummer Mike Portnoy with "Parasomnia" the following month. Meanwhile Allegaeon earned plenty of praise for their latest album, "The Ossuary Lens," and Kayo Dot's "Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason" continued their truly magnificent journey of experimentation and courage. Baest once again gave an example of why they're the most talked about young death metal band in Europe with their fourth album, "Colossal," whilst metalcore fans got their fix of genre heavyweights in the form of a new Killswitch Engage record. With all that out of the way, here's my selection of the top five albums of 2025.

5. Coroner - Dissonance Theory

Back in the 2000s, many thrash metal bands reunited and released their first album in over a decade, but for some, the wait proved to be considerably longer. This year saw two revered thrash bands release their first new offering in over thirty years and while Dark Angel's "Extinction Level Event" failed to meet the standards of many fans, it was Switzerland's Coroner who wowed those who had almost given up on expecting a new full length with their sixth album, "Dissonance Theory." For a long time, the band, much like their countrymen Celtic Frost did with "Monotheist," finely tuned their new material, taking their time and not feeling the need to rush, insisting that they wouldn't release anything unworthy of their catalogue. This rang true when thrashers finally got their hands on the album in October, with nine songs (and an intro) of precise rage, demonstrating that sometimes, technical proficiency can be really fun. Crushingly heavy, violently fast and with impressive underlying melodies, Coroner proved that sometimes, good things really do come to those who wait.

4. Helloween - Giants & Monsters

A number of bands proved this year that they're not to be counted out as a nostalgia act. Since uniting all previous vocalists to front the band, Helloween has a renewed sense of purpose and are keen to prove themselves that they're not just one of the most important power metal bands, they're one of the best. "This Is Tokyo" stands out as one of their most infectious tracks in years, while "Universe (Gravity For Hearts)" proved to be every bit as enthralling as it is grand. All the classic components of the band are here, from the deepest of emotions to the fun & flare to the epic, and it serves as something of a "best of" in that regard, compiling all of the things fans love to showcase why they're as relevant as ever.

3. Mantar - Post Apocalyptic Depression

Once again, Mantar releases an album and I fawn over it. As well I should too, because they continue to release exhilarating music which strikes all the right chords, in more ways than one. While their previous album, "Pain Is Forever And This Is The End," was born from anger, frustration and the near break up of the duo, "Post Apocalyptic Depression" is, despite the title, a more joyous affair, with the Bremen born band sounding like they're having a lot more fun this time around. "Absolute Ghost" kicks off the album perfectly, with a snarling, punk rock infused attitude detonating after a quick blast of feedback, before the supremely catchy "Cosmic Abortion" and "Rex Perverso" rear their heads. It's as aggressive an affair as ever, but with a sense of liberation to it. It sounds less like a struggle and more like a victory statement, one that declares, "We fought through the worst and now we'll fight anyone."

2. Paradise Lost - Ascension

Never one to rest on their laurels, Paradise Lost has pioneered and surprised listeners throughout their storied career. Often credited as the fathers of Gothic metal, they also played a pivotal role in the death/doom sub-genre and fused electronic influences into their music, creating music which remained true to themselves as artists, even if people didn't always get it. This year, the band released, "Ascension," their seventeenth studio album, and some say, their best. While I personally wouldn't go that far, it's definitely up there with the likes of "Draconian Times" and "Icon."

This time out, instead of reaching to explore new territory or catch people off guard, they focused on all the things which have made them so beloved for so long. Songs like "Tyrant's Serenade" combine their talent for hooks with their skill of channeling inner pain, to write music which stays with the listener long after the record ends. It's a triumph not just for the band, but for all who have been in the game for a long time and for whom audiences need a reminder of just how good they are. That a group can release one of their best albums this far into their career is as inspirational as it is gratifying.

1. Messa - The Spin

Every so often, an album comes along that kicks down the door to the room where your favourite albums live, and declares, "I'm going to make myself right at home here." From the moment I heard the single, "At Races," I was fascinated by Messa and dived head first into their previous works. Despite some brilliant music before, "The Spin" heralded a breakthough for the Italian quartet, with tour offers and festival appearances coming thick and fast.

With only seven songs, Messa crafted a masterpiece of atmosphere, beauty, heaviness and the deepest crevices of the soul. I almost can't describe it, but I've listened to it while walking through the rain at night and it's the perfect soundtrack, just as it was when hearing it on a beautiful Summer's evening. As people, and especially as metal fans, we like to find the alluring side of darkness, and somehow Messa has distilled that into a doom album, crafting not just the best metal album of 2025, but one of the finest works of art.

2026

So what do we have to look forward to? Well, good and bad really. Sepultura and The Crown both plan to perform their final shows, while Megadeth will be releasing what's apparently their final album in January, before setting off on a lengthy farewell tour across the globe. On the other hand, Twisted Sister and Triumph will be hitting the road for reunion tours, as will Rush with their new drummer Anika Nilles. No doubt there'll be more drama to come too, as life always provides, and hopefully some joy too with some more reunions and returns. Maybe just maybe, we'll finally get that new King Diamond album?

Of course, new music is always what we look forward to, and already we know there'll be new material from the likes of Mayhem, Tailgunner and Kreator early in the year. There are plenty more bands currently working on fresh music too, including Acid Reign, Corrosion Of Conformity and Firewind to name only some, and there are always musicians at work without public knowledge, who could surprise fans with something unexpected. Let's just hope that whatever happens musically, 2026 is a better year for all of us. More peace, more understanding, more love and more metal, because the world needs a healthy outlet, and nothing scratches that itch more than metal music.