Another year in the books. And another wild ride it was. First off, a huge thank you to everyone for being along for the ride. Within all of the highs and lows of a calendar year, especially in these, uh, complicated times, Nine Circles has always been a rewarding and appreciated outlet. For over a decade now. Crazy. So to the awesome group that makes this site go, the Top Brass for making literally every day better, and to our readers, followers, and friends out there in internet land… thank you. You make it all worth it a million times over. The world might suck, but this Nine Circles community is better than ever.
But what about the new music in 2025? Not gonna lie to you, 2025 was a weird one for me. I think I finally hit a point where I just didn’t have the motivation to keep up with new releases as much as I had in the past. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of new albums I outright adored. (Hence why we’re here.) But in the broader sense, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to less new music in a single year. That said, 2026 will be different. I’m already at… five albums for the year, which I think was my total by the end of April last year. Cause for cautious optimism! But I digress. 2025 was still killer. The albums I loved, I really loved. And then were was a substantial pile of albums that were just on the cusp of making this list. As in past years I broke this out into my top nine albums of 2025 followed by nine more honorable mentions. Because #brand. Take the jump, and let me know what I got wrong.
The Best
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1. Der weg einer Freiheit – Innern
My love for Der weg einer Freiheit is nothing new. Stellar was my Album of the Year in 2015, and now here we are a decade on with Innern. And again the German atmospheric black metal crew continues to push their ideas outward with success. The ambient themes from its predecessor Noktvrn are explored further, but with more cohesion and intention in the relationship with the piercing black metal foundation that has defined their sound. The increased incorporation of these melodic themes as the album moves forward, ultimately resulting in the climactic “Forlorn”, is structurally mesmerizing. Intense, ethereal, and emotive, Innern is an elevating listen that exceeds every expectation.
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2. Yellow Eyes – Confusion Gate
It took some time, but a Yellow Eyes album finally stuck with me. And it did so in a big way. Confusion Gate is up there with the best black metal I’ve heard in the last several years. There simply isn’t a weak moment on it. The passages are epic and expansive, but it’s the relationship between the dark abrasiveness and delicate interludes that really allow Yellow Eyes to stand on their own. Easy to get lost in, and a joy to explore over and over again, Confusion Gate will undoubtedly resonate for a long, long time.
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3. Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power
Lonely People With Power was universally loved around Nine Circles and with good reason. Deafheaven call upon their heavier leanings but this time in a way that feels more refined, precise, and even more contemplative. The end result is their most impressive offering to date. Without question. Yet, as much as I personally appreciate the rediscovered weight and intensity here, it is also an effective encapsulation of their entire history. No matter what Deafheaven era you prefer, you will find plenty to lean on here.
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4. Nite – Cult of the Serpent Sun
Whatever Nite are doing, I need more of it. I was curious how they would follow the success of Voices Of The Kronian Moon and if their brand of blackened heavy metal could take a step forward. Well, it ended up being more like a leap. The riffs are meaner and more dynamic. The leads soar that much higher. The rhythms punch a little harder. And, most notably, the energy they create is more grandiose. But it’s still that gritty heavy metal that pulled us in originally. This is exactly what I wanted from Cult of the Serpent Sun and then some.
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Finland’s Hexvessel had been in my periphery since 2023’s Polar Veil, but admittedly I never really explored that or any prior release all that fully. And yet it didn’t take long for the mysterious and haunting nature of Nocturne to pull me in early in 2025. Their atmospheric post-black and doom metal concoction is truly unlike anything I have heard and it became something I gravitated to more and more as time went on. It’s a lengthier listen, but the way Hexvessel manage to remain cohesive while still exploring their sound without restraint ultimately results in a collection that stays captivating throughout.
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6. Killswitch Engage – This Consequence
It had been six years since Atonement, but Killswitch are back refreshed and energized. In fact, this might be the metalcore legend’s best form… ever. Regardless of what era you prefer, This Consequence expertly represents everything that has defined the KsE sound over the last quarter century. Their specific blend of ferocity, groove, and melody is so prominent front to back, and the result is an album that has been nearly impossible to put down as the months have gone on. Far more than a nostalgia trip. In fact, my only hope from here is that this simply marks a new beginning for them.
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Arkhaaik was a late discovery for me in 2025 but it certainly climbed quickly. Somewhere at the intersection of black, doom, and death metal lies the dense, primitive collection that is Uihtis. The emphasis on rhythm as these extensive and meandering tracks steadily boil over creates an impact that no other project came close to in my recent memory. It’s abrasive and brooding but also offers just the right touch of ambiance in critical moments to leave a distinct, and appreciated, mark.
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When the debut from Charlie Anderson was announced I may not have been at the front of the line for it, but I also wasn’t all that far back either. Well, it exceeded every expectation I could have had for the longtime Panopticon contributor. Filled with folk influences, The Splintered Oar wanders within the more progressive corners of black metal. However, it’s the overriding atmosphere signified by Charlie’s violin that defines this record (as, bluntly, hoped and expected). There’s something new at every corner, making for a listen that has only become more enjoyable with time.
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I have seen and heard so much praise for Havukruunu in recent years but never fully committed my time to any of their releases before Tavastland. And now I’m hooked. It scratches that black n’ roll itch for me with a pagan attitude, glorious folk-infused atmosphere, and one memorable riff after another. And when you consider the architecture of these songs, how masterfully they are constructed, I absolutely see what I’ve been missing out on. Not anymore.
The Honorable Mentions
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Cryptopsy – An Insatiable Violence
I’m starting this portion of my list with something I don’t have a ton to say about. An Insatiable Violence is just… unrelenting. It is a full and complete form of extreme death metal. It’s melodic (enough) where it needs to be, technical elsewhere, and it all comes together in exactly the way I would want it to.
Psychonaut – World Maker
A brilliant follow up to Violate Consensus Reality, World Maker is another offering from the Belgian post-metallers that is defined by its complex structures and the perfect blend between weight and melody. I’ve become a huge fan of this project and I hope this is still only the beginning.
Waldgeflüster – Knochengesänge
The Bavarian black metallers continue to lean into the atmospheric and melodic forms of the genre, and do it with more and more success as they go. Knochengesänge is, simply put, stunning. Combined with the contrasting yet complementary companion album Knochengesänge II, one epic passage effortlessly follows another, yielding a collection that brings both intensity and melancholic introspection.
Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence
I’ve long appreciated Abigail Williams’ ability to genre blend, but their fusion of black metal and metal/deathcore simply wasn’t something I gravitated to until recently. A Void Within Existence is absolutely ruthless but it still contains enough of a symphonic layer to feel fresh and approachable. Additionally, the way it resolves with “No Less than Death” is as good as anything I’ve heard all year.
Byzantine – Harbingers
If you have yet to familiarize with the progressive groove and thrash crew Byzantine, Harbingers would be a great entry point. It was for me at least. At times marching, and others blissfully wandering, it’s an album that takes on many forms and as a result becomes more and more enjoyable with each listen.
Hooded Menace – Lachrymose Monuments of Obfuscation
Hooded Menace’s death-doom here is both haunting and theatrical, so needless to say I was hooked on it almost immediately. Over time it just kept getting better as the brooding moments became just as memorable as the rhythms and piercing leads of the more classic heavy metal qualities.
Agriculture – The Spiritual Sound
An album I first found to be quite jarring ended up becoming a curiously blissful endeavor. Of course, both things can be (and are true). The catharsis found in The Spiritual Sound is undeniable. It challenges you, but the way each listen reveals something new makes the experience more satisfying as time goes on.
Philosophobia – The Constant Void
Progressive metal outfit Philosophobia was a new discovery me in 2025, and The Constant Void absolutely soars. It hits seemingly every sweet spot – dynamic songs with plenty of energy, riffs that pack a punch, and a satisfyingly full sound. Oh, and it’s catchy as all hell from start to finish. I don’t think I had more fun with an album all year.
Rwake – The Return of Magik
I was late to explore The Return of Magik (or Rwake more generally), but it is a really good thing that I finally did. There is just something so wholly engaging about these layers and layers of sludge and how they trudge on. The uniqueness in what Rwake are doing makes each of these expansive, extensive tracks really hard to turn away from.
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There you have it! As always, I hope I presented something new to add to your respective playlists. And if there was anything I missed that I absolutely should not have… well, you know how to find me.
Lastly, I want to officially put a bow on 2025 with one last paragraph in appreciation for Fire In The Mountains. What an incredible experience it was, and easily the highlight of my year. Far more than a festival, I am eternally grateful to the Blackfeet Nation, our hosts, for the cultural experience that it was. It was not only the best musical event I’ve ever attended, it was also the most important. Words will never do it justice so to all of those considering making the trip in 2026, I strongly encourage you to do so. It will be immeasurably worth it. I’ll close out this post with a small handful of images I captured last July at Red Eagle Campground along with one more massive thank you to the Fire In The Mountains crew for giving me the opportunity to capture these moments. See you in the mountains.
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“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– cmb
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