2025 Best Heavy Metal Albums

Thanks for supporting Heavy Music HQ again this year, and make sure to check out our weekly reviews every Thursday and bookmark our constantly updated release calendar. Here are our picks for 2025’s best heavy metal albums, starting with 15 honorable mentions and our ranked list of the year’ s 25 best.

Honorable Mention

Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence (Agonia)
An Abstract Illusion – The Sleeping City (Willowtip)
Ba’al – The Fine Line Between Heaven And Here (Road To Masochist)
Benediction – Ravage Of Empires (Nuclear Blast)
Between The Buried And Me – The Blue Nowhere (InsideOut)
Burning Witches – Inquisition (Napalm)
Castle Rat – The Bestiary (King Volume)
Cryptopsy – An Insatiable Violence (Season Of Mist)
Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern (Season Of Mist)
Ghost – Skeleta (Loma Vista)
Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth (AOP)
Nailed To Obscurity – Generation Of The Void (Nuclear Blast)
Primitive Man – Observance (Relapse)
Sadist – Something To Pierce (Agonia)
Weft – The Splintered Oar (Bindrune)

25. Employed To Serve – Fallen Star (Spinefarm)

For their fifth album Fallen Star, Employed To Serve bring in some high-profile guests, and also keep evolving musically. Metalcore is the predominant style, but they also incorporate other genres including hardcore, alt metal and even some death and thrash metal. Their diverse style is encapsulated on the title track, which shifts between passionate harsh vocals, smooth melodic singing and plenty of catchiness.

The songs that will garner the most attention are the collaborations. “Atonement” with Lorna Shore’s Will Ramos features his potent aggressive style along with some surprising clean vocals. Killswitch Engage’s Jesse Leach guests on the groovy “Whose Side Are You On” and Svalbard’s Serena Cherry appears on “Last Laugh.” This is a varied record, encapsulated on songs like “Breaks Me Down” that smoothly shifts from mellow to extreme. The vocal performances from Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin are top-notch as always, but Urwin and David Porter raise their guitar work to a higher level. Employed To Serve are never stagnant, bringing something fresh to every album without losing their core identity, and in contrast to the album’s title, with Fallen Star their profile should continue to rise.

24. Cwfen – Sorrows (New Heavy Sounds)

Formed less than two years ago, the Scottish band Cwfen (pronounced “coven”) emerge with their debut album Sorrow. Doom is the band’s core sound, but they expand it to include elements of gothic, post-punk and shoegaze. The songs move at a deliberate to mid-tempo pace and have a melancholy vibe.

With most tracks in the five-to-seven-minute range, there’s plenty of time for twists and turns and shift in tempo and texture. Agnes Alder’s impressive vocals run the gamut from a mellow croon to passionate singing to spoken word to harsh growls. The juxtaposition of intense metal and mellower moments makes for an interesting sonic journey. Sorrows serves notice that Cwfen are a band on the rise.

23. Acherontas – Nekyia – The Necromantic Patterns (Zazen)

Acherontas, stylized as Αχέροντας, have evolved significantly in their exploration of occultism and hermeticism concepts. Their deepening understanding of these concepts has transformed them into truly fearsome yet wise black metal alchemists. With their tenth album Νekyia – The Necromantic Patterns, Acherontas have not just delivered a statement but a revelation: the occult is no longer merely a theme — it’s a lava-like elixir from which the fiery spirit of their music drinks in bold, consuming gulps.

Νekyia, without a doubt, stands as one of the band’s most significant works to date, if not their magnum opus. The six- to eight-minute pieces are meticulously crafted to facilitate dynamic emotional shifts, leading to an epic climax that evokes a terrifying spectacle of the rise and presence of all demonic and darkest forces. Yet, they also manage to stir passion in the listener with their emotional melodies. Νekyia – The Necromantic Patterns is an exceptional Orthodox black metal release, delivered in an undeniably forceful, intense, and epic unorthodox manner.

22. Qrixkuor – The Womb Of The World (Dark Descent)

The UK death metal duo Qrixkuor emerged with their full-length debut Poison Palinopsia in 2021, which was very well received. They have taken a big step forward with their new record The Womb Of The World. Qrixkuor have augmented their death metal with symphonic elements and black metal moments.

That adds even more depth and diversity to their songwriting. The four tracks clock in at 50 minutes, traversing an impressive array of tempos, intensities and atmospheres. Writing such long songs (ranging from 8 to 17 minutes) can lead to monotony, but Qrixkuor avoid that pitfall. A guest appearance from Adorior’s Jaded Lungs is icing on the cake on “And You Shall Know Perdition As Your Shrine.” The Womb Of The World is engaging from start to finish.

21. Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores Of Melancholia (Season Of Mist)

Green Carnation‘s sound has varied over the years, shifting from death metal to death-doom to gothic to hard rock. After a long absence, they released Leaves Of Yesteryear in 2020, which was in the gothic/prog metal vein. They continue on that path with A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores Of Melancholia, the first in a planned trilogy.

The album is pretty streamlined at 42 minutes, but each of the six songs is expansive. Green Carnation allow plenty of time for each track to develop and change, with progressive forays balanced by catchy melodies. The arrangements are layered and intricate with plenty of atmosphere, especially tracks like “In Your Paradise.” There’s variety in intensity as well, transitioning from the mellow “Me My Enemy” to “The Slave That You Are” that has a heavy, black metal style intro and some harsh vocals from Enslaved’s Grutle Kjellson before the melodies kick in. Closer “Too Close To The Flame” has some of the record’s most progressive sections. A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores Of Melancholia has skillful songwriting and top-notch musicianship, creating even more anticipation for the trilogy’s next releases.

20. Helloween – Giants And Monsters (Reigning Phoenix)

Helloween’s vaunted Pumpkins United lineup returns with Giants and Monsters, their second consecutive full-length album as the three-headed monster of Michael Kiske, Andi Deris and Kai Hansen aim to continue the grandeur that was established by their 2021 self-titled full-length and the EP from which the new moniker was established.

There is a reason why power metal in general owes such a great debt to these Germans. Helloween always do a great job of balancing the “bend but don’t break” aspect of power metal’s campiness allowing for metal traditionalists to hang with the band when other Euro power bands would otherwise bowl them over. Helloween have had this long-sustained success for a reason and with this all-star lineup that has been present for nearly a decade, there is nothing standing in the way of even more. Giants And Monsters is the sound of Helloween’s importance and dominance on the power metal genre in the past, present and the future.

19. The Great Old Ones – Kadath (Season Of Mist)

The beauty of The Great Old Ones‘ story lies in their evolution. With each step, they paint more vibrant, more diverse strokes on Lovecraft’s eerie and enigmatic world, as if crafting a score for its ever-expanding cinematic universe. Kadath, their fifth studio album, is the culmination of this journey. It is haunting and cinematic.

While still following The Great Old Ones’ familiar composition pattern, Kadath is a complex, intricate work. It’s not their masterpiece, but it’s undeniably their most complete work to date, weaving labyrinthine corridors of sounds and instruments and a bewildering orchestration of black metal with progressive metal, sludge metal, and post-metal elements. Kadath is a god born on the peak of the mountain of Kadath, among the dream-gods of the earth, in the arms of the Great Ones.

18. Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar (Century Media)

Imperial Triumphant‘s sixth album Goldstar is complete with cigarette packaging artwork again featuring Zbigniew Bielak (Ghost/Carcass) and the generally dark and mysterious vibe that are this band’s stock in trade. Wobbly bass playing and growled vocals helping to further the cryptic and eerie sounds juxtaposed against general bombast, making this collective more and intriguing with each additional note.

Imperial Triumphant have done a great job of bringing to life New York City, both its modern version and one of a bygone era. If you have never been to the city, consider this a fully-fledged advertisement for a visit. By bringing in guests and some unique histories to create an album that’s one of the band’s easiest to digest without robbing the band of their unique identity, Goldstar unfurls to reveal one of the band’s strongest efforts to date.

17. Hooded Menace – Lachrymose Monuments Of Obscuration (Season of Mist)

As Lachrymose Monuments Of Obscuration’s intro settles in, it builds an ambience of gloom and doom and it becomes apparent that Hooded Menace are primed for spooky season. Their seventh full length continues from the critical highs of their previous album, 2021’s The Tritonus Bell. Considering the death doom style the band is known for, melodies have begun to creep into the music with each successive release, with the first proper track “Pale Masquerade” having that front and center.

The slow funeral march of “Daughters Of Lingering Pain” gives the band ample room to stretch out. Pained vocals are juxtaposed with some of the beauty that would make even the most ardent fan of funeral doom blush. Compare that song with “Lugubrious Dance,” which has a speedier tempo, but maximum riffs being more in line with doom laced heavy metal than being the expected, slow crawl. Hooded Menace continue to flex their collective muscles on Lachrymose Monuments Of Obscuration, forging a path forward in a genre not often concerned with innovation.

16. The Halo Effect – March Of The Unheard (Nuclear Blast)

On their debut full-length Days Of The Lost, melo-death all-stars The Halo Effect lived up to the considerable hype. Now the follow-up March Of The Unheard arrives, and this collective of former In Flames personnel has crafted another batch of brutal yet melodic gems that will be difficult to shift from your cerebral cortex. This is Gothenburg metal writ large; there are few if any better qualified to craft a record of this ilk, bustling with melancholic melodies and catchy riffs.

There are moments when the group references past glories; “Detonate” possesses more than a whiff of In Flames’ “Pinball Map,” while the memorable title track’s riffage could’ve been lifted from the Whoracle album. But it’s a spirited affair, a celebration of this strain of metal without solely being a nostalgia act, as the proggier moments attest. Acoustic flourishes and strings help create a grander feel. Mikael Stanne, among heavy music’s busiest vocalists, isn’t phoning it in here, instead giving his all on hook-laden cuts like harmony-drenched “Cruel Perception” and “Conspire to Deceive.” Meanwhile, his sparingly used clean singing shines on “Forever Astray” and symphonic-infused “Between Directions.”

15. -(16)- – Guides For The Misguided (Relapse)

-(16)-’s sludgy serenades have reached their tenth album with Guides For The Misguided. They feel as strong as ever with Bobby Ferry and company continuing their upward trajectory with each new album release.

-(16)- are true to their sound from their outset and flat out rocking out and crushing their expectations right from the very first riff on the album. This album has a backbone heavily rooted in the blues rock foundations of metal, the general melancholy and pain that usually accompanies sludge and the raucous, top tapping and headbanging of the best stoner rock. This album has it all. Having sacrificed nothing in their sound, Guides For The Misguided is easily -(16)-’s most accessible album yet.

14. Scalp – Not Worthy Of Human Compassion (Closed Casket Activities)

Scalp’s third album Not Worthy Of Human Compassion starts with violently plucked riffs adjacent to a sample about society before giving way to “Egodeath.” You get to hear Scalp’s bludgeoning barrage of death metal and grindcore that erupts instantly. The songs come and go quickly in a blink and you’ll miss it type of delivery, especially on quick hits like “Pit” and “Surrogatevictim.”

The riffs are buzzsaw worthy and the drums fire like a railgun in the midst of a powerful onslaught; subtlety has more than been lost on Scalp. “Crowsfoot” is a slower affair, but there are sections of it that feel cut from Entombed’s Left Hand Path both stylistically and in its tone. This terrifying mix of death metal and grind has the potential to climb to dizzying heights over time, like some recent Full of Hell LPs. Not Worthy Of Human Compassion is the grind album you have been searching for. Scalp are on another level.

13. 1914 – Viribus Unitus (Napalm)

After what felt like an eternity, the Ukrainian blackened death/doom band 1914 have returned with their fourth album Viribus Unitus. Latin for “With United Forces,” it’s one historical reference 1914 bring to tell yet another brutal story, this time from the point of view of an Austrian soldier between 1914 and 1919. While the themes of the hellish nature of World War 1 are still prevalent, Viribus Unitus focuses more on the emotional turmoil of those who had survived.

1914’s attention to historical accuracy and authenticity has gotten stronger with their instrumentation and use of recordings from the era and it’s shown in tracks like “1917 (The Isonzo Front).” “1919 (The Home Where I Died)” acts as the album’s somber climax as it tugs with your emotions with its melancholy piano and the haunting voice of Rome’s Jérôme Reuter. War is not pretty, and 1914 have shown us just that once again.

12. Rwake – The Return Of Magik (Relapse)

Over 13 years between albums hasn’t stifled Rwake’s otherworldly sludge metal on The Return Of Magik. This record is the reincarnation of a group that never fully went away. The origins of their sixth studio album dates back to 2017, and they were in no rush to churn out subpar material. There are familiar faces involved along with some new members, yet their swampy mystique has only intensified since 2011’s Rest.

When Rwake were going strong in the 2000’s, there weren’t many others mixing Southern rock, psychedelic prog and earth-rumbling sludge the way they did. The Return Of Magik is like welcoming an old friend in for a few shots of hard liquor; there’s a lot to talk about, and it’ll get weird at times. Rwake have strengthened their awe-inspiring creativity as they inch closer to their 30th anniversary.

11. Saor – Amidst The Ruins (Season Of Mist)

Despite being album number six from Saor, Amidst The Ruins still possesses the vitality and candor of the band’s early releases. I say band, but Saor has been a project of Scottish dude Andy Marshall, who plays most of the instruments and writes and composes all the songs. Having said that, this album also contains contributions of various musicians from around Europe. Amidst The Ruins can loosely be categorized as folk metal but has elements of black metal and prog (Saor also uses the moniker Caledonian metal).

The five songs collectively clocking at almost an hour provide a steady stream of emotional experiences. “The Sylvan Embrace” is a foray into psychedelic rock, the title track touches on doom death territory (amongst other things) while “Echoes Of The Ancient Land” is notable for its musical aggression. But whatever musical ideas Saor happen to be exploring, there’s always a strong sense of melody that underpins the music, even in the more aggressive excerpts. Whistles and other wind instruments, cellos and violins only further enrich the music. Amidst The Ruins is well produced, a creative work and boasts superlative songwriting.

10. Coroner – Dissonance Theory (Century Media)

Legendary Swiss thrashers Coroner’s sixth album is Dissonance Theory, their first since 1992. Known for their technical approach to the genre from the late ‘80s to the early ‘90s, their traditional thrash structures are fully intact. That has made them a band that has historically been compared to Voivod and Artillery among others for their unique, musically tight and near progressive song writing style. After an intro track, the listener is treated to “Consequence” with fat bass and the classic vocals of Ron Royce while Tommy Baron’s guitar lines, especially on the solo here become otherworldly.

”Symmetry” feels more on par as a combination of styles from albums Punishment For Decadence and Mental Vortex, properly marrying the more traditional thrash with something more complex but not settling for anything more than a balance. To keep you intrigued, another later track “Transparent Eye” feels more progressive with ample room for new drummer Diego Rapacchietti to run wild. Dissonance Theory is a welcome return for a legendary thrash band that is still clearly a cut above some of their contemporaries.

9. Dream Theater – Parasomnia (InsideOut)

The headline for Dream Theater’s latest album is the return of drummer Mike Portnoy. He left the band in 2010 and reunited with his bandmates last year for Parasomnia, the group’s 16th studio album. Dream Theater had quite a few instrumentals on their early albums, but they became a bit less common over the years. Parasomnia opens with the instrumental “In The Arms Of Morpheus,” easing deliberately into the proceedings before kicking in about two minutes in.

The album has everything DT fans want and expect: lengthy songs with frequent shifts in tempo, texture and intensity. From the urgent “Night Terror” to the expansive “Dead Asleep,” the band fires on all cylinders, showcasing impeccable musicianship and songwriting while not neglecting hooks and melodies. The album closes with the nearly 20-minute tour de force “The Shadow Man Incident,” a microcosm of the album in toto delivering dynamics, variety and total engagement. As you’d expect from a Dream Theater album, each listen reveals something new. It’s great to have Portnoy back in the fold as Parasomnia honors Dream Theater’s past glories while creating new ones as they expertly balance their legacy with their future.

8. Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power (Roadrunner)

Four years after Infinite Granite saw a shift in Deafheaven‘s sound to incorporate more clean vocals and a shoegaze influence, 2025 brings the band’s sixth full-length, Lonely People With Power. It’s their first release for Roadrunner Records. The band returns to its black metal past with the harsh and heavy “Doberman,” and it’s not a one-off. The intensity continues on “Magnolia,” but this is a diverse and well-rounded album, evident with the post-metal approach of “Heathen” and the three “Incidental” compositions, the second which features Boy Harsher’s Jae Matthews on a track that’s mellow and laid back for the first two-third before the intensity cranks up. The third installment, ethereal and quiet, includes spoken word contributions from Interpol’s Paul Banks.

“Winona” is one of the album’s highlights, a dynamic song that’s a slow build with a cinematic feel that goes from introspective to ferocious and back again. George Clarke uses mostly harsh vocals this time around, but melodic singing is also utilized periodically. With Lonely People With Power, Deafheaven revisit the potency of their earlier work without losing the experimental aesthetic and eclectic songwriting they’ve embraced over their career. This album is ambitious, but Deafheaven are up for the challenge, delivering a powerful and memorable record.

7. Kardashev – Alunea (Metal Blade)

The word beautiful seems too flowery to describe death metal; that is, until Kardashev’s third album, Alunea. The band sees their music as “progressive deathgaze,” a fluidity of progressive death metal, deathcore and shoegaze. It’s a style that as enchanting as it is undeterred, tethered in place by a top-notch vocalist in Mark Garrett. His roars are unmatched, while his singing is dramatic and awe-inspiring.

Alunea is the continuation of a story that started way back in 2013 with their Excipio EP, the next piece of the puzzle following 2017’s The Almanac EP. Even if the fictional language and philosophical musings aren’t one’s preference, the magnificent final 90 seconds of “Reunion” and the thoughtful closer “Below Sun & Soil” are metal at its finest.

6. Blackbraid – Blackbraid III (Self)

The success of their first two albums has made upstate New York’s Blackbraid an attractive artist for labels, but the band’s founder Sgah’gahsowah has rebuffed all offers and prefers to remain independent. Atmospherics are prominent on Blackbraid III, with acoustic guitar making an appearance on tracks like “The Dying Death Of A Sacred Stag,” but they are mostly showcased on the several instrumental interludes.

Traditional black metal is front and center on songs such as “God Of Black Blood,” “Tears Of The Dawn” and the nearly 10-minute epic “And He Became The Burning Stars,” the album’s most dynamic and varied track. They end the album with a cover of Lord Belial’s “Fleshbound.” The interludes are anything but throwaways, adding depth and texture along with interesting musical moments. They provide contrast to the black metal songs, which unfold deliberately with new revelations on each subsequent listen. Blackbraid III is the band’s most ambitious album so far, and also their most potent.

5. Katatonia – Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State (Napalm)

Katatonia‘s latest album Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State is the first without founding member Anders Nystrom. While his guitar abilities will certainly be missed, when comes to songwriting, it’s status quo as frontman Jonas Renske handled those duties, just like their last few albums.

Katatonia’s style is well-established, and they continue down that path. The album gets off to a heavy start with “Thrice” and “The Liquid Eye.” The band’s hallmarks of dynamic songs and emotional vocals keep the listener fully engaged from beginning to end, and the impact grows with each listen. From the proggy “Lilac” to the mellow “Warden” to the majestic closer “In The Event Of,” Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State is a master class in songwriting and musicianship, another triumphant Katatonia release.

4. Nightfall – Children Of Eve (Season Of Mist)

Nightfall, the celebrated blackened death metal band from Greece, have returned with Children Of Eve, one of their strongest albums in years. There’s been some changes in the lineup since their previous album; Vasiliki Biza has joined on bass and Kostas Kyriakopoulos now does most of the guitar work. Former Septicflesh alumnus Fotis Benardo is on drums while founding member Efthimis Karadimas is still on vocals.

The album is dark but it’s brimming with ideas. Each song has its own musical identity and Nightfall seem to have handled each composition with meticulous care. And it gets better: the songwriting is solid and the music’s melody never detracts from the heaviness. Children Of Eve reminds me a lot of early Paradise Lost and Karadimas has also cited Death’s Spiritual Healing as an influence on this album. Indeed, both albums possess a rebellious attitude. Closing track “Christian Svengali” sounds like a march into hell, which in a way can be said for the whole album. This is possibly the most complete Nightfall album to date.

3. Deadguy – Near-Death Travel Services (Relapse)

Returning from 30 years of LP silence are New Jersey legends Deadguy with their sophomore release, Near-Death Travel Services. Their 1995 debut Fixation On A Co-Worker is a staple metallic hardcore album, one that influenced burgeoning bands like Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan among others to become the aggressive stalwarts that they are today. Starting with “Kill Fee,” the listener finds themselves properly transported back to a time when the music scene was a bit different, but one feels like a proper follow-up to an album three decades in the past.

Very few bands can make the transition from 1995 to 2025, but Deadguy have done so with aplomb and by simply continuing to do what defined their career to this point. Fans of the aforementioned metal/mathcore bands and even fans of more recent critical darlings, Chat Pile (especially vocally) have so much to digest here. This is an essential record for any metal and hardcore fan. For a band that age-wise feels towards the end of their tether, Near-Death Travel Services breathes life into a career revival that doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon.

2. Messa – The Spin (Metal Blade)

Italian band Messa‘s fourth album The Spin toes the lines between rock and metal. Vocalist Sara Blanchin stars with her ethereal vocals that help to open the album on “Void Meridian,” complete with drums that give off a post-punk vibe. One of the biggest standout tracks on the album is one of the songs that tops the 8-minute mark, specifically “The Dress,” a song that hits the listener immediately on the first listen. There is enough subtlety present, but this could well be the best vocal performance on the entire album.

Messa do an incredible job of interspersing sections of rock, metal, jazz, post-punk and goth rock all in under 45 minutes, with twists and turns around every corner, making for their best album to date, even more so than their 2022 breakthrough, Close. Blanchin’s vocal performance is evocative of Anneke van Giersbergen’s on The Gathering’s 1995 classic Mandylion, which is not something to take lightly, considering it is one of the gold standards for vocals on a metal album. The Spin is an unparalleled success and one of the best albums of the year.

1. Paradise Lost – Ascension (Nuclear Blast)

Paradise Lost‘s 17th album is Ascension, the proper follow-up to 2020’s Obsidian. Ascension finds the band in what most would consider to be familiar territory, something that should be obvious as soon as you take in album opener “Serpent On The Cross.” Layered and moody guitars assist vocalist Nick Holmes to punctuate the air with his signature growl while the guitars of Gregor Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy perform their well-known sonic ritual.

Bands like Paradise Lost don’t come around too often, offering a sense of sonic singularity, a band is only ever truly compared to itself, a litmus test that Ascension passes. It’s hard to believe that this band has made 16 records before this and can still release what might be their best album this century. Ascension is an album that holds itself firmly against the band’s best, and is our pick for 2025’s best album.