50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1

30. Racing Mount Pleasant – Racing Mount Pleasant

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Racing Mount Pleasant’s self-titled debut feels like an album that time-traveled to us from the indie revival of the late ’00s and early ’10s. Swept up in grandiose and often romantic gestures, the record constantly feels like it is levitating. Jazzy chords and wispy strings give way to momentous orchestral flourishes – subtlety be damned – because the feeling with which everything is performed is too profound to not metaphorically scream it from the mountain tops. If you want to experience Racing Mount Pleasant in one representative capsule, you might turn your attention to “Emily” – one of the most damn impressive and heartfelt songs I’ve heard all year long – and feel it tug at your heartstrings as the instrumentation swells over the refrain: “We only danced behind closed doors / And the kiss from your lips on my forehead, it burns / The scorching cold of that November night will be forevermore.” It’s one of those moments that so perfectly distills desperate longing that in just under six minutes, you’ll relive every lingering memory of love and loss from your youth. Racing Mount Pleasant has that same sense of urgency throughout its runtime, rounding up all its passion and pain and performing them to the stars. It’s a little bit indie-folk, a little bit post-rock – call it whatever you want, it’s absolutely brimming with heart. –Sowing

29. Ninajirachi – I Love My Computer

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

I Love My Computer‘s allure is how uniquely personal our attachment is to our devices. Chromebooks in need of Powerwashing have replaced trapper keepers. Learning HTML in a nebulous “computer science” class paled in comparison to Myspace Tom’s tutelage, who might still be in everyone’s Top 8 back when the Internet was the place to go instead of the mall. Ninajirachi’s debut is a love letter to the Internet of yore, a sentimental bomb of glitchy electroclash, uplifting trance, and saccharine-sweet bubblegum bass without being overly cloying. “iPod Touch” is masterfully constructed in its storytelling, interpolation, and hooks, with the Australian DJ and producer illuminating how FL Studio (f/k/a FruityLoops for you old heads; later, she also invokes GarageBand in “Sing Good”) served as the catalyst for her future career. Perhaps exposure to her demo in Ableton Live 11 will be the inflection point for future aspiring musicians.

As ‘just vibes’ as the hyperpop aesthetic can be, I Love My Computer feels and sounds cogently curated. Segues between the aforementioned “iPod Touch” and sensual tongue-in-port “Fuck My Computer” or the chipmunky “CSIRAC” and divine “Delete” are seamless. The album’s prismatic charm romantically refracting nostalgia will resonate with anyone shaped by an iconic piece of hardware or software, whether it’s Super Nintendo (is Discovery your landmark feel-good record?) or Snapchat. While there are pitfalls to technology’s ubiquity, Ninajirachi’s nimble layers of bliss mollify those concerns, even if for a fleeting snapshot in time. Her invitation to be kindred spirits deservedly cements I Love My Computer‘s place on our community list.

28. Maruja – Pain to Power

[Official site] // [Spotify]

With the subtlety of a hydraulic breaker, Harry Wilkinson’s seeming divisiveness is less of an indignation than some of the discourse™ might have you believe. His quintessential stiff upper lip augments the gargantuan “Look Down on Us” (spotlighting Joe Carroll’s saxophone chops) and “Born to Die” (whose final third competes with “Reconcile”‘s denouement for Pain to Power‘s top highlight) to complement the cacophony. There’s a pervasive tension throughout the album’s runtime, unwavering in its political leitmotif as the quartet skillfully synthesize post-everything (-punk, -rock, -hardcore), jazz, and noise rock with an eclectic mix of vocal stylings. “Communication inspires hope,” articulates Wilkinson, so while he might not be armed with the panacea, Maruja’s uncompromising social commentary of current issues makes their debut LP an inimitable work of art.

27. Geese – Getting Killed

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

How can you not be drawn to Getting Killed from its artwork alone? An angel of apocalypse, blowing its heavenly trumpet to the sky while aiming the barrel of its pistol straight at the listener’s face is a dichotomy too intriguing not to at least click play and see what it’s all about. Getting Killed delivers, even if it’s not exactly an easy listen. Ranging from the sheer cacophony of Cameron Winter’s unhinged screams of “There’s a bomb in my car” on “Trinidad” to crystal glazed indie-folk cuts like “Cobra” or “Au pays du cocaine”, the common denominator across the entirety of Geese’s third record is chaos. There’s no interest in maintaining any sort of tidy order, because we live in a society of utter disorder. Winter wails on in a fashion that sometimes harkens back to Jeff Mangum, and other times vaguely recalls Thom Yorke, while the band fashions tremendous grooves that will prove more addicting with each successive spin. Perhaps most impressively, Getting Killed is a cultural zeitgeist without even intending to be one. It doesn’t insist on rebellion, it doesn’t preach a single message. It just instinctively embodies everything we’re feeling here in 2025, whether it’s a disheartened admission (“I’m getting killed by a pretty good life!”), feelings of paranoia (“there are microphones under your bed, and there’s footage that will prove us both wrong”), or mere day-to-day survivalism (“I have no idea where I’m going. Here I come”). Geese are tired, and we feel that. –Sowing

26. Viagra Boys – viagr aboys

[Official site] // [Spotify]

Viagra Boys’ fourth album packs several slaps even in its most subdued, introspective moments. As the band broadens their sound, the messages behind the songs remain just as relevant as years go by. Sebastian Murphy continues to document the fall of contemporary civilization into a grotesque mix of decadence, carelessness and disinterest over pretty much anything, while mocking everyone – including himself – in the process. The groove is always there, as synth pop numbers go along post-punk, garage rock and even ballads. Whether the frontman’s ranting, shouting or babbling, there’s always a smart verse there waiting to sink in. You could almost feel guilty while dancing to these tunes. –insomniac15

25. Paradise Lost – Ascension

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Paradise Lost ages like fine wine – and that’s no exaggeration. These British gothic doom legends already have an astonishing discography, and it seems they’re still on their peak even today! In my opinion, Ascension rightfully ranks among the band’s best albums: every single track stands strong on its own, the mix is sheer genius (I personally love how distinct the two guitars sound), and the cherry on top? Nick Holmes is in absolutely bombastic form; I’d argue this is the best performance of his career. Brilliant all the way through, Ascension deserves all the praise! –garas

24. Blackbraid – Blackbraid III

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

III, whose artwork by Adam Burke and Adrian Baxter is a stunning accompaniment to the Blackbraid mythos, is a logical progression of the musician’s preceding efforts. It might not tread new ground in the Adirondack wilderness, but its fire-and-frost atmosphere suitably pays homage to its musical and spiritual influences. The instrumental dark folk transitions are an emollient respite from the archetypal blast beats and tremolo picking that can occasionally feel a bit long in the tooth, with “Traversing the Forest of Eternal Dusk” being the most immersive as the field recordings and flute interplay brilliantly with the dual guitars. The Bathory reverence (or rehash) in “The Dying Breath of a Sacred Stag” and penultimate “And He Became the Burning Stars…” represent III‘s strongest melodic black metal offerings.

23. Between the Buried and Me – The Blue Nowhere

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

The Blue Nowhere is the best Between the Buried and Me album since Colors.

While Colors II may have been an indication, the return to a spastic core highlighted by intricate, funky, thought-provoking, and unpredictable musical passages is what makes The Blue Nowhere fun and evocative more than two decades into their career. It’s the rare, but much appreciated, counter to the more reserved Coma Ecliptic that revives the chaos that launched their careers without sounding like a hollow imitation of their glory days. It’s no easy task, but it’s a pleasure to see BTBAM seemingly have fun with it from the word go, with funky basslines from wall to wall and slack-wrist rhythm guitar wizardry dotting opener “Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark”. Meanwhile, “Absent Thereafter” sounds like it’d fit right in with “Ants of the Sky”, until another funk-driven guitar rips into the whole concept midway through the track, only to transform into clean and bubbly chicken pickin’ that spreads out to frame a return to Tommy Giles Rogers’ harrowing screams.

It’s an extremely pleasant surprise to see BTBAM catapulting themselves to another level on The Blue Nowhere at a time they could easily rest on their laurels and tour decades of material. But the whole band (now sans Dustie Waring for the first time since The Silent Circus) sounds rejuvenated on The Blue Nowhere. The passion, creativity, and drive of the band shine from start to finish, creating a masterpiece that may ultimately even unseat their classic entry as the crown jewel in their catalog. Because the best album since Colors may now be Between the Buried and Me’s best album. –AtomicWaste

22. Kauan – Wayhome

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Every Kauan album is designed as a sonic journey for the listener to fully immerse himself into. Whether based on a certain story or not, the way their music unfolds through its atmospheric elements, plus a blend of lushness and dread, is unique. Wayhome leaves it up to us to apply a personal meaning to the 50-minute composition. Even the dual title given to each part suggests that. Despite the soft, almost uplifting start, it soon delves into melancholia, using post-rock, ambient and folk melodies. The second half introduces distorted guitars and growls, but it does so in such a smooth way that the change in mood seems natural. By the end, you could either say you are overwhelmed or a weight was lifted off your shoulders. Probably depends on the day you listen to Wayhome – and that makes it special. It instantly became an essential Kauan record. –insomniac15

21. Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy

[Official site] // [Spotify]

For the first time in their career, Chevelle took the helm at recording and producing their own music. The resulting album, Bright as Blasphemy, maintains the same quality we have become accustomed to. It is no surprise, since the band have always had a clear idea as to how their songs should sound. One of their most aggressive sets, it checks all of their trademark sonic boxes: thick, powerful and groovy riffs, pounding drums, as well as a couple of mellower, introspective numbers to create a well-rounded listen. Pete’s lyrics are incisive as usual, accompanying his croons and screams. Thirty years into their career, Chevelle remain an incredibly consistent act and this latest LP is excellent as expected. –insomniac15

20. Crippling Alcoholism – Camgirl

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Bands spend entire careers attempting to create albums as encompassing and visceral as Crippling Alcoholism have with Camgirl, with the misunderstanding of what needs to come together to truly transport listeners into their world. For Crippling Alcoholism, it’s a formula of Joy Division/Depeche Modian ’80s-style synths, vocalist Tony Castrati’s lower register that permeates the album like a putrid mist, and some truly snappy and energetic drumming not commonly associated with goth rock that serve as the method of transport. Camgirl puts listeners in the ratted shoes of Bella Pink, an online entertainer trapped in a cycle of exploitation, abuses of all forms, and slow mental breakdown as she navigates the horrors of her current life presaged by an unsurprisingly poor upbringing. The band employs a bevy of guest vocalists to beautifully flesh out the story and characters, but Camgirl is more than just a vehicle for the band’s trauma dumping. The album works so well due to an underlying tension between the darkness of the theme and the danceable, upbeat nature of the music and rhythms. One could see the intention behind this decision, as it mirrors Bella Pink’s public persona to her fans (and obsessors and stalkers) juxtaposed with her reality. Buried in the muck of Camgirl, nearly each track comes loaded with a superbly crafted hook ready to be lodged in your brain. This allows the listener to more readily participate in this dark experience with the added bonus of the cognitive dissonance that comes with gayly toe tapping to a song about substance abuse or suicidal ideations. Neat! –Calc

19. Veilburner – Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Albums are few and far between where I feel a genuine sense of dread and unease when I’m listening to it, but hats off to Veilburner and their eighth studio album, Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy, because they’ve managed to make a vulgar masterpiece that doesn’t so much rely on technical prowess – though there is plenty of that on here – but more on atmosphere and experimentation with dissonance and the unsettling tension those notes and sounds provide. Couple that with the production, which has the vocals and guitars submerged in an ocean of gross, splashing reverb, and it just adds to the descriptive soundscapes on offer here. A good analogy for Longing for Triumph, Reeking of Tragedy is that it’s like looking at a horrifying image – like an awful car accident – you know it’s a terrible scene and everything looks disgusting, but you can’t take your eyes off it. It’s a similar case here – while everything is intentionally made to make you feel disturbed, there’s the primal part of your brain that’s transfixed by that terror. This year has had plenty of experimental bangers, but this one proudly stands as the most unique, if only for the fact it makes you want to run away from listening to it. –DrGonzo1937

18. Thrice – Horizons/West

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

For the second part of the Horizons records, Thrice have taken a more ominous route, emphasizing the sunset and the darkness that follows it. Always ready with a set of profound lyrics, Dustin Kensrue invites the listener to step into what could as well be a thick forest of thoughts and feelings. Songs about fear, anger, depression or emptiness circle around you like vultures, and even when you reach a meadow, sunlight is nowhere to be found. It almost forces you to tackle your demons in order to find your peace, and the music often echoes these feelings with eerie soundscapes and moody guitar progressions. Nevertheless, they offer a dose of relief throughout, as catchy melodies are spread all over the album. Horizons/West is perhaps their most accomplished effort of all the post-hiatus ones, offering bits of everything they experimented with so far. –insomniac15

17. Turnstile – Never Enough

[Official site] // [Spotify]

I don’t think it’d be too controversial to say out loud that Turnstile have largely shed whatever hardcore stylings that may have clung to them post-Glow On, an album whose impact on guitar music in the greater public consciousness in 2021 sort of reminded me of what The Strokes’ Is This It managed to do twenty years earlier in that era of boy/girl band domination. NEVER ENOUGH can comfortably be described as the sequel to Glow On. And while it’d be intentionally incendiary (and wrong) to say the group is basically pop-punk now, with NEVER ENOUGH, Turnstile seems to have found a niche between that and east coast hardcore that seems to fit the group like a glove. Banger after banger litter the album’s runtime interspersed with slower numbers like “Light Design” and “Seein’ Stars” serving to show how wonderfully produced the album is. NEVER ENOUGH is comfortable, it’s safe, you can introduce it to your mother, and it’s an absolute joy to listen to. –Calc

16. Moving Mountains – Pruning of the Lower Limbs

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Oh, yes, my personal AOTY and one of the best albums of the 2020s so far: Pruning of the Lower Limbs is an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. The ethereal guitars wash over you like a cloud, the vocals are emotionally draining in a good way and the atmosphere will pull you in like Dorothy got pulled into that twister. It’s hard to pick a favorite here because each track has its own personality while never sounding disjointed. This album will make you cry, it will make you smile and it will completely entrance you into its mashup of beautiful post-rock, unshielded emo and captivating alt-rock styles. Moving Mountains may have failed to entice me before, but Pruning of the Lower Limbs is encapsulating and epic in every single way, and made me personally appreciate this band way more than in the past. –Hawks

15. Greyhaven – Keep It Quiet

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

There’s a metalcore dichotomy in terms of blending heavy, fast riffing and breakdowns with melody, hooks, and choruses. Too much of the fluff and you’re accused of selling out. Too much of the heavy stuff and you become inaccessible.

Greyhaven strike a nice balance, favoring the heavy, speedy, throat-shredding genre, going so far as to make a few sacrifices to the breakdown gods here and there while keeping the tempo slower than breakneck – enough of a shift to enable brilliant choruses and hooks in tracks like “Burn a Miracle” and “Where The Light Leaves Us” without a thought of washing out their cred. “Technicolor Blues” proves the biggest genre departure with an acoustic build and clean singing throughout, but even the twangy soloing is rooted to a core-driven rhythm section that manages to keep it from veering too far off into left field. Meanwhile, aggressive tracks like “Satellite In Love” and “From The Backseat of a Moving Car” play more to the raw aggression and low end of the genre. That said, “Backseat” plays nicely with melodic arpeggios flying to and fro while careening over deep, Tesseract-esque low-end groove.

And for that peculiar act of balance, Keep It Quiet manages to push all of the right buttons in satisfying a diverse audience. Heavy enough to bang your head to without reservation, technical enough to feature in a Guitar Hero title. Fast enough to be a shot of adrenaline in the arm, slow enough to allow nuance in rhythm and melody to coalesce around screams and an assault of distortion. In a genre generally known for excess, it’s a lesson in tact, and one which pays off for Greyhaven in 2025. –AtomicWaste

14. Der Weg Einer Freiheit – Innern

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Innern is my introduction to the band, so while I cannot comment on anything that has come before it, I can wax lyrical about just how interesting and well-crafted Innern is. While I do enjoy a dose of black metal from time to time, I wouldn’t say I was a gleaming advocate of the genre, simply because I find the style a bit too myopic for my tastes, where things can get very repetitive if the artist in question is a rigid follower of its core tenets. That being said, for me, what I love about the genre when it’s done right is the despondent reverie-like atmosphere it can create, and on Innern it not only delivers on that front in spades, but it actually provides a pretty varied experience: from the poignant, delay-harmonics and washy guitar passages on the aptly titled “Forlorn”, complete with clean vocal work, to the brutal rippers “Marter” and “Xibalba”, which present a clear narrative that ebbs and flows – filled with powerful build ups and nuclear crescendos. Overall, Innern is an interesting amalgamation of post-metal and black metal, and succeeds with its endeavours effortlessly. –DrGonzo1937

13. Deadguy – Near-Death Travel Services

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

We love our comeback albums around here! We adored There Will Be Fireworks’ glacial return last year and found a spot for Coroner’s and Moving Mountains’ latest efforts this year. Not to be outdone, Deadguy ensnared our community with Near-Death Travel Services, their sophomore effort 30 years after their blue-collar, mathcore-fueled ripper of a debut. Class wars, planned obsolescence metamorphosing into enshittification, omnipresent partisan mass media boosting the emotionally malnourished to produce 24/7 distraction for dopamine hits, wanton racism rationalized as ‘heritage,’ civil rights violations, artificial intelligence — there’s plenty of fuel for lyrical source material, but can this caustic quintet sustain their incendiary sound after all this time?

Fuck yeah, they can. Thrashy, tremolo-picked shred-fests and atonal, Sabbath-adjacent doom riffage? Blistering bass and thunderous percussion to immolate your ears while Tim Singer excoriates from all angles? It’s all here once again, lean and mean, without compromise or concession — a blueprint that could be imitated, has proven to be influential, but will never be replicated. “We are the freaks / And we dare to believe there is a place for us in this world,” asserts Singer on explosive opener “Kill Fee” behind breakneck guitars and bellicose snare shots. “Barn Burner” is another aptly-named hardcore scorcher, where Singer holds up a mirror to reflect how diffusion of responsibility and apathy towards the have-nots have seeped into public consciousness as a default (“I’ve got empathy until the next light / I don’t hate you, I just feel better when you’re not around”). Side A is banger after banger after banger — Jim Baglino’s bass acumen on “New Best Friend” and “The Forever People” packs a mighty punch.

While Side B pales a scosche to Side A, it’s no slouch, either: “War with Strangers” showcases Baglino’s and Dave Rosenberg’s menacing precision as Deadguy’s rhythm section. Similarly, “Knife Sharpener”‘s and “The Alarmist”‘s calling card is Chris Corvino’s and Keith Huckins’ scalding riffs and how they bolster Singer’s bile. Near-Death Travel Services would be Ray Bradbury-approved with how much heat this record emanates. If we haven’t all charred to a crisp in 2055, we can only imagine what Deadguy will have up their sleeves for their third LP, eh?

12. Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

[Official site] // [Spotify]

For the majority of Hayley Williams’ career, I’ve always enjoyed what she’s produced as both a solo artist and in Paramore, but Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party really feels like Williams at the top of her game. It’s a record that manages to capture her full potential as a songwriter and vocalist. One of the biggest appeals for me with recent Paramore records and her first solo album, Petals for Armour, is that they all have great productions which understand and support Hayley’s benign voice and honey-sweet melodies in a genuinely captivating way. Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party takes this strength to the nth degree and truly excels in both its presentation, and the effective fidelity that comes from each song crafted on here. “Negative Self Talk”, “Hard” and “True Believer” are all punchy, groove-y pop bangers that emit this upbeat energy, but there’s also a real sadness that comes from Hayley’s voice which gives each track an interesting vibe you want to hear through to the end. My only criticism is that the album initially came out without an official tracklisting – with the idea being that the listener decides on the arrangement, making it a more personal experience – only to undermine that unique approach with an official tracklisting shortly after. The official version feels backloaded with all the great stuff, creating pacing issues during the first half of the album. Still, outside of this minor criticism, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party is an excellent pop album with a great production, fantastic songwriting, and some of Hayley’s best vocal performances hitherto. –DrGonzo1937

11. Anna Von Hausswolff – Iconoclasts

[Official site] // [Bandcamp]

Sputnikmusic HQ has never been an easy crowd. “Tough audience,” they say — and they’re right. Yet back in 2018, Anna von Hausswolff’s Dead Magic didn’t just impress us; it floored us, and it only needed a few minutes to do so. Then came the long wait, and All Thoughts Fly drifted by like a beautiful ghost — nice move, Anna, but we missed the belting, the demonic contortions, the caustic lyricism. That was then. This is now. It’s 2025, and it befalls on me to shout a resounding THANK YOU.

Iconoclasts is everything anyone with a spoonful of taste could dream of — and then some. Majestic in its presentation, soul-crushing in its essence, and rooted in a sound that is unmistakably hers. The generational span from Iggy Pop to Ethel Cain feels like fifty years of music collapsing into a single breath, yet they haunt this record as if time never touched them. This is a cathedral built on Anna’s heart — seven years in the making, weathering global turmoil, watching humanity’s slow-motion collapse broadcast daily. I can only imagine how good it must feel to finally let this one out.

Unclassifiable as ever, defiant and beautifully sculpted with longtime collaborator Filip Leyman, Iconoclasts is as grandiose as it is intimate. It speaks of love, age, mortality, and the beyond — communing with these themes through a vast arsenal of instrumentation and Anna’s mighty voice at the helm. The results? They speak louder than any review could. One of the year’s finest albums, and for me, a reminder that even after my time away from this site, Sput still knows how to keep its ear sharp. Just stay in shape until Ms. von Hausswolff decides to make us kiss the floor again. Hopefully, the world won’t be ashes by then. –Dewinged

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