This 2025 left us many good albums; however, here are my top 10 picks.
First place, and this is no surprise, goes to Sleep Token with Even In Arcadia.
1. Sleep Token – Even In Arcadia
This anonymous English band creates a beautiful mix of genres like progressive metal, jazz, hip hop, among others, with poetic lyrics, calm and heavy moments, all played with incredible virtuosity. For me, this album is not just music; it’s a full emotional experience.
Even In Arcadia is the creation of only two geniuses, Vessel (vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, production) and II on drums and percussion. Sleep Token’s fourth album was released in May.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/behold-a-divide-sleep-token-even-in-arcadia-album-review/
*The next albums, as always, are in no particular order. They’re simply albums I loved this year.
Turnstile – Never Enough
Turnstile, the American hardcore punk band, brought us this Summer their fourth album, Never Enough, in June.
The guys from Baltimore released a cinematic, gorgeous album that feels ethereal at times and crazy at others, blending perfectly with a vintage aesthetic.
I saw them playing live recently live and it was an unbelievable experience.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/turnstile-summer-with-never-enough-album-review/
Rise Against – Ricochet
Following the trend of melodic hardcore punk that started for me with Turnstile. A huge discovery was the American band Rise Against. They not only make great and catchy songs, but also have political, powerful, and socially conscious lyrics. Plus, they are animal rights activists and vegans, so more reasons to love them.
I really enjoyed their tenth album, Ricochet, released in August.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/were-all-connected-rise-against-ricochet-album-review/
Lacuna Coil – Sleepless Empire
The Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil released in February, their tenth album, Sleepless Empire. This album was heavier than their previous works, intensifying Andrea Ferro’s harsh vocals to contrast with Cristina Scabbia’s, and I love their evolution.
Guests: Randy Blythe of Lamb of God and Ash Costello of New Years Day.
In October, I saw them playing live in Madrid. Part of the setlist was songs from this new album, and they were amazing.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/a-heavier-album-from-lacuna-coil-sleepless-empire-album-review/
Nachtblut – Todschick
Nachtblut, a gothic band from Germany, released Todschick, their seventh album, in February. They create not only gothic metal, but they also add to the mix symphonic black metal and even some 80s electronic vibes. All these qualities are glued with a sinister tone.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/the-beauty-of-death-with-nachtblut-todschick-album-review/
BlutEngel – Dämonen: Sturm
Another gothic band on the list is BlutEngel, also from Germany, yet they are more on the dark wave spectrum, or as they define themselves, dark pop.
The super prolific singer Chris Pohl returns with BlutEngel’s fourteenth album, Dämonen: Sturm, a double work, released in February. Here, Chris shares vocals with Ulrike Goldmann.
Inner demons, vampirism, love, despair, yet also believing in yourself and being bold and moving on. Those are the themes of BlutEngel’s songs as well as in this new work.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/25-new-songs-from-the-king-of-dark-pop-with-blutengel-damonen-sturm-album-review/
Thornhill – Bodies
The Australian metal band Thornhill brought out all the ’90s nostalgia of bands like Deftones, yet mixed with metalcore.
Bodies is their third album, released in April.
Industrial vibes, heavy guitar riffs, and toxic love lyrics are the things that you can encounter here. Those are the qualities that led them to open Sleep Token’s Even In Arcadia tour in the USA in September and October 2025.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/nu-metal-is-alive-with-thornhill-bodies-album-review/
Sleep Theory – Afterglow
Afterglow is the first studio album of the American rock band Sleep Theory. It was released in May.
Metalcore, hard rock, and R&B are an unusual combination, yet that’s what you’ll hear in this band, seasoned with catchy choruses, clean and harsh vocals, and breakdowns.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/sleep-theorys-first-album-afterglow-album-review/
Heaven Shall Burn – Heimat
The German metalcore, melodic death metal band Heaven Shall Burn released their tenth studio album, Heimat, in June.
They often talk in their songs against racism, fascism, and other issues like animal rights and climate change, and this album is not an exception.
This work comes with two albums, but the second one is 4 songs that include some collaborations with the bands Donots and Dÿse.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/metal-with-a-message-heaven-shall-burn-heimat-album-review/
The Hives – Forever Forever The Hives
Their seventh release Forever Forever The Hives came out in August. Funny, crazy, and super energetic as always, as well as their live shows, which I also experienced at the Madrid one this year.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/loud-chaos-no-compromise-with-the-hives-forever-forever-the-hives-album-review/
Bonus: HEALTH – CONFLICT DLC
After I got this TOP 10 done, came this album, so I added it as a bonus. HEALTH is a great band that I discovered thanks to the YouTube reaction videos a couple of years ago, in which they were related to Sleep Token and all that sexy type of music.
John Famiglietti, HEALTH’s bassist, renamed the genre as c*m metal as a joke. After that, they collaborated with Bad Omens, Poppy, and other bands. I became a fan, and this album is amazing.
HEALTH refers to their music as sad music for horny people. They fit in that category so well because they write about love but from the negative point of view of it, like toxic love and loss. Yet they also write about anxiety, fear, despair, which describe our current times so well.
To my full album review: https://metalbere.com/dystopian-times-soundtracked-by-health-conflict-dlc-album-review/
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I also share my video about this: