Lately I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting over the music I listen to. My habits have slowly gone from seasonal to more lengthy epochs of archeological excavation and examination. This year was a massive deep dive into the Grateful Dead: it was the favorite band of a friend who died suddenly and tragically, way too young. As I grieved I listened, and I could feel creaky shift of the gear, turning and creaking as the jazzy improvisation led back to familiar and comfortable haunts. Corners where smoke and fuzz united in a hazy trip to the stars. Hallucinogenic assistance encouraged but not required, I took solace and settled in.
All of which is to say once again before we get to the more formal end of year lists, I want to put the focus on my favorite style of heavy music: the hard, progressive, psychedelic rock some call stoner and some call desert. I call it home, and like last year I have a dozen examples to celebrate below the jump.
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Once again we ignore both style guides and alphabetical sequencing for the One to Rule Them All. And that title firmly belongs to the amazing Hedvig Mollestad Trio and their monolithic slab of groove Bees in the Bonnet. Mollestad has been creating sublime swath of feedback on guitar for years, both solo and in various configurations, including her killer trio accompanied by Ellen Brekken on bass and Ivar Loe Bjornstad on drums. Greasy stoner riffs abound on opener “See See Bop” but things get really interesting starting with the Pat Metheny meets Dream Theater progression on “Golden Griffin.” The group dexterously moves between sludge, jazz, doom, blues and swaggering hard rock while maintaining a consistent vibe throughout. One of my absolute favorite records of the last five years, and a marvel of a discovery. (covered here for Consuming the Tangible)
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You want to know how good 2025 was? Four of the albums I covered in the January 2025 Month That Was will be covered in my various EOY lists. Including Dunes, whose Land of the Blind has been in constant rotation thanks to that incredible tone they get on opening track “Cactus.” Ripple is a label that’s always consistent with their releases, but this year they were on fire from the start. Sure, you can maybe chalk off the fact they’re a trio (obligatory mention of the trio being the best format in rock fight me) but once you hear that clipped to the max tone, I think you’ll agree with me. (covered here in the Jan 2025 catchup)
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Look, sometimes a trio isn’t the best format for a particular band. Such was the case with Dwellers, a group out of Salt Lake City that expanded to a quartet for Corrupt Translation Machine, their first album in over a decade. Guess what? It’s great. Guess what else? You might mistake them for Alice in Chains, which is a fine, fine thing for me. Vocalist Joey Toscano doubles his voice to harmonize the verses of songs like “Headlines” to an almost eerie effect, and their grunge-heavy take on rock is refreshing 30 years removed from all that flannel. (covered here for Consuming the Tangible)
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Caution: the bass frequencies arising from In The Dawn Of November, the opening track and album title from Phoenix AZ’s Goya may cause nausea, headaches, loose bowels and glaucoma. It might be worth it. Some bands try for the desert’s cool winds in their stoner rock; Goya heads much, much further north for icy, heavy doom that will freeze you in place if you’re not careful. But there be buds beneath the layers of permafrost, and the Electric Wizard/Sleep vibes ride high on tunes like the crushing “Cemetery Blues” and the near 13-minute “I Wanna Be Dead.” You’ll sway like a zombie before you die of hyperthermia. (covered here in the Jun 2025 catchup)
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Gin Lady used to be Black Bonzo, a progressive rock band I fell in love with early in my Decibel-reading career (remember when they would feature bands like that?). Soon after my discovery they fell apart, became Gin Lady and put the emphasis on more trippy. psychedelic fare. Seven albums into their career Before The Dawn of Time finds the band taking some of the prog back, hitting Caravan/Canterbury levels on opener “The Paramount” as well as classic ELO-style rock. Lots of keyboards and mellotron adorn tracks like “Ways to Cross the Sky” and “The Universe Vibrant Rings” takes on Beatles territory in a way I can easily get used to. Maybe you will, too.
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God yes…massive Hawkwind-inspired space rock. Giöbia are another big discovery for me in 2025, and while this could have easily fit in my Best of Prog 2025 list (yeah, you bet there will be one of those…) I opted for it here because – in my head – this pairs so well with the moods I extract from stoner rock. Listen to that solo on “Voodoo Experience” and the thick, chunky riffs that back it up. I’m not sure how exactly you pronounce X-ÆON, the Italian band’s seventh album is one of the best things I’ve heard all year. Once you hit the four-part, 23-minute suite “La Mort de Terre” you’ll understand why.
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Well, well, well…another remnant from January rears its colossal head here at year end. Godzillionaire is a ridiculous name, but the music is anything but. When I first checked out Diminishing Returns I noted the blues-drenched swagger of tracks like “Drowning All Night” and “Boogie Johnson” – fine songs to be sure. But go a little deeper in the track listing and you’ll find some really effective left-hand turns. “Unsustainable” is rife with electronic drums, female vocals, and a breathy, club vibe that you would never expect after hearing a track like “Astrogarden” with its fuzzed out doom stomp. I want that kind of surprise in my music, and it’s why this genre remains a mainstay in my listening habits. (covered here in the Jan 2025 catchup)
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Interesting…in this spot last year I had Kosmodome, a Norwegian band taking the genre and making it their own. This year you can almost use the same description (don’t worry – I didn’t) to call out the excellent Kal-El and their latest album Astral Voyager Vol. I. I love the way the vocals soar on the chorus to “Astral Voyager” and the band certainly know how to get an effective fuzz tone on both guitar and bass. This is one crunchy album. There’s a definite hint of the Ozzman (RIP) in vocalist Ståle Rodvelt’s pipes, and like Dwellers there’s a taste of AiC throughout, particularly my favorite track “Cloud Walker.” (covered here for Consuming the Tangible)
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Another personal favorite from the year, I first discovered Naxatras back in 2022, listing their fourth LP in my 2022 round up. Three years later they return with V, and it’s their best release yet. The Greek band emphasize the more psychedelic, world elements of the genre, and whenever I hear “Numenia” I fall into a reverie of sights, sounds, and smells I’ve only experienced in dreams. The production is fantastic, done mostly live and recorded in analog, and a solid pair off headphones or speakers demonstrates this admirably. Get on board the Naxatras train before it leaves you behind. (covered here for Consuming the Tangible)
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Is “Philosopher” my song of 2025? Not sure, but having Mikael Åkerfeldt on lead vocals surely doesn’t hurt. In fact listening to the opening track on Portals, the latest from Iceland’s The Vintage Caravan you’d be forgiven thinking this was a new Opeth record, at least until guitarist/vocalist Óskar Logi Águstsson comes in. This is tried and true heavy rock, and even without Åkerfeldt the trio (shocked not shocked) it’s hard not to start dancing when the Muse of it all hits with “Days Go By.” I don’t always need my rock to tread new ground; as long as you’re putting your heart into it I’ll be there holding your drink when you’re done. Now where’s my lighter? (covered here for Consuming the Tangible)
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One of my biggest regrets was missing out on the vinyl for Heretic Tongues, the 2022 release and my entryway to the music of Wucan. Thankfully I was wise and got in on the ground floor for Axioms, the dynamic new full-length, taking the band’s unique spin on classic 70s heavy rock, prog, and psychedelic worship. Opener “Spectres of Fear” shows just potent a blend the band are when firing on all cylinders, serving up more evidence that Francis Tobolsky is one of the best front people on the scene. She also contributes flute, guitar, and some keyboards. They’re all put to use throughout Axioms, and when things go 100% disco on “Wicked, Sick & Twisted” I was gobsmacked. Super great time, and if it chases away stoner rock purists so be it: more for us to covet.
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What’s left to say about the hypnotic power of Yawning Balch, the sprawling supergroup comprised of members from Yawning Man and Slower? Volume III is a tremendous record, shifting tectonic plates with their groove and improvisational jams across two tracks, each one segmented into digestible section. The three sections that comprise the 21-minute “The Taos Hum” is just solo after goegeous solo, set against a propulsive rhythm section that never drops the beat; it just ushers elegantly on its way. The two-part, 14-minute “Winter Widow” manages the tricky feat of keeping things moving at a slower pace. It works…it ALL works and this is been a constant companion all through 2025. (covered here in the Feb 2025 catchup)
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It really was a fantastic year for music, no matter what genre you like or even what period – there have been some incredible archival releases and stellar reissues. But as much as I love to live in the late’60s and early ’70s, I really like to keep an ear out for what’s new.
Even if it’s old…or old sounding.
– Chris