noctus' 2025 aoty list
been 4 years since i did one of these! |
| 1 |  | Apocalypse Orchestra
A Plague Upon Thee
doom metal - folk metal
a gorgeous yet tasteful folk metal album with an emotional ode to the black death - my most listened to album this year by a significant margin. |
| 2 |  | In Mourning
The Immortal
melodic death metal - doom metal - prog metal
this is their first album i'm truly in love with and it hit me like a train, a gorgeous, introspective and refined album without a note out of place. |
| 3 |  | Kauan
Wayhome
post rock - progressive rock - doom metal
probably my favourite active band right now creates their most refined and consistent album. a must-listen. |
| 4 |  | Green Carnation
A Dark Poem Part I: The Shores of Melancholia
doom metal - progressive metal
this is a deeply heart-warming and touching set of anthems from scene veterans and perhaps their finest work. |
| 5 |  | Hangman's Chair
Saddiction
doomgaze - gothic rock
one of doomgaze's finest running bands - a dissasociative, dark and nihilistic peek into the human condition through the lens of austerity, isolation and addiction. |
| 6 |  | Drudkh
Shadow Play
atmospheric black metal
drudkh's best album and i will die on this hill. |
| 7 |  | Rwake
The Return Of Magik
atmospheric metal - sludge metal - post metal
nearly 15 years gone and they return as if they didn't skip a beat - fucking massive. |
| 8 |  | Psychonaut
World Maker
post metal - progressive metal
showing the diversity of post-metal as this couldn't be more different to rwake - slick, proggy and addicting. |
| 9 |  | Amorphis
Borderland
folk metal - melodic death metal
their most accessible and refined album but without sacrificing the kind of control and restraint that make them great. |
| 10 |  | Ba'al
The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here
sludge metal - progressive metal - post metal
slight bias as we share bandmates but this is inarguably their best work - only reason it isn't higher is on the basis that it can sometimes be a tough listen emotionally, but that is its strength too. |
| 11 |  | Morke
To Carry On
black metal - melodic death metal
huge harmonies and self-affirming optimism - their best work |
| 12 |  | Sunken
Lykke
atmospheric black metal
their most emotionally potent work, i hesitate to call this dsbm as dsbm is trash but if that's what you're into, you're at home here. |
| 13 |  | Coroner
Dissonance Theory
death metal - thrash metal
what a fucking comeback - it isn't a repeat of their older stuff but more a nod to their old tunes in a modern lens. perfect. |
| 14 |  | Lychgate
Precipice
doom metal - death metal - avant-garde
anything greg chandler touches turns to gold |
| 15 |  | Hooded Menace
Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration
death metal - doom metal
it's hard to describe how addicting and infectious hooded menace's sound is |
| 16 |  | Der Weg Einer Freiheit
Innern
atmospheric black metal
their best work |
| 17 |  | Havukruunu
Tavastland
heavy metal - black metal
i like how the balance here shifts more towards anthemic heavy metal through a black metal lens - love this one |
| 18 |  | The Night Flight Orchestra
Give Us The Moon
80's rock - hard rock
soilwork meets reo speedwagon and toto - i'm a glutton for cheese so this is perfect for me |
| 19 |  | The Great Old Ones
Kadath
atmospheric black metal
their most engaging work without a doubt |
| 20 |  | Hammock
Nevertheless
ambient
a deeply comforting album that i returned to very frequently |
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