Like every year, here are some releases that almost made it into my Top 9. Let’s start with a few
Honorable Mentions
Pissgrave – Malignant Worthlessness
It’s Pissgrave most of you already know what to expect. Repulsive Death Metal soaked in pure stench and decay. Malignant Worthlessness might actually be the band’s best work so far. Just 31 minutes of absolute disgust with no room to breathe.
Moral Rot – Why Can Nothing Ever Just Be Nice
Don’t blink or you might miss this entire EP. Filled with hate and anger, Moral Rot’s debut takes absolutely no prisoners. This is everything you want as a powerviolence fan. You can feel the band’s hatred towards the state of the world bleeding out of every single second.
Review
Chepang – Jhyappa
Clocking in at under 20 minutes, these nine tracks deliver a completely unrelenting experience. What makes Jhyappa truly special is the balance between chaotic grindcore violence and deeply rooted cultural elements. Short, intense and powerful.
Review
Swoon – Soft Collapse
Honestly, Soft Collapse is not just Swoon’s best release so far. It might be one of the most diverse releases of the year. It feels like a real breakout moment. Hardcore blended with Shoegaze and post elements in such a natural way that this easily became one of my favourite records of 2025.
Review
Tribal Gaze: Inveighing Brilliance
Inveighing Brilliance is one of the most violent and uncompromising death metal records of 2025. It proves that Tribal Gaze are not just part of the new generation of death metal… they’re leading it.
Sanguisugabogg: Hideous Aftermath
Hideous Aftermath is not just another brutal death metal record. It’s a diverse, refreshing and punishing release that pushes Sanguisugabogg to the next level while cementing their status as one of the best death metal bands in the game right now.
Dead Heat: Process of Elimination
Hardcore and thrash metal stirred together with a lot of heart and aggression. That’s what makes Dead Heat’s newest output so damn good. If you’re into riffs, Process of Elimination is pure riff city.
Scalpture: Landkrieg
Scalpture have always stayed true to their death metal roots, and this album is no exception. With Landkrieg, they explore new territories without losing their identity. The result feels both refreshing and like a natural next step in the band’s evolution.
Ancient Death: Ego Dissolution
Ancient Death delivered one of the strongest debut records of 2025. If some people didn’t like the direction Blood Incantation chose on their latest album. Say no more! Ancient Death are no clone, but their riffing and song writing clearly recall Blood Incantation’s earlier work. Supreme death metal.
Corpus Offal: Corpus Offal
Speaking of strong debuts, you really can’t go wrong with Corpus Offal. I was genuinely sad when Cerebral Rot announced their breakup, but thankfully Corpus Offal emerged from that ending. Disgusting death metal with a rotting sound that makes every bone in your body tingle.
Deafheaven: Lonely People with Power
We can all agree this record is a no-brainer for a list like this, right? A rollercoaster of emotions drenched in shoegaze and atmosphere. Deafheaven manage to stay true to their roots while pushing their sound further than ever before. You could easily argue this is their strongest release so far.
Caustic Wound: Grinding Mechanism of Torment
The rotten sounds of Carcass, Repulsion and Napalm Death form the foundation of this disgusting masterpiece. 28 minutes of the most putrid deathgrind you’ll hear all year. Fast, filthy and absolutely brutal.
Primitive Man: Observance
Observance is not just a heavy record it’s an experience of pure suffocation. It might very well be Primitive Man’s most intense and unsettling album to date, which honestly says a lot. In a twisted way, their sound feels perfectly aligned with the state of the world right now: piss, shit, sludge, hate and doom.
