“I have nothing more to offer the world. Put me in the fucking ground.”
Welcome to the undisputed king of the end-of-year lists. We love singles and EPs, but for most of us at the site, it’s the joy of a full-length album which really hits the hardest, and this year was packed with fantastic examples.
It’s never been harder to cut down to twenty-five choices, so this time we’ve got to give a nod to a few near misses. Vildhjarta produced a long-awaited album that lived up to their standard and more, and is probably the tech album of the year. On the opposite end of the tech rainbow we also had vianova‘s really impressive fusion album, another close miss on this list. To be true to the bulk of our output, our list would be incomplete without a good dose of truly underground hardcore and screamo, and to that end, we’d have loved to include Abrupt Decay and Your Spirit Dies. From gentler pastures, Soot Sprite was one not to be missed and would have been the UK rock and emo entrant. In the post-rock realm, the crown would have been shared between Maud the Moth and BRUIT ≤. If you see us listing fifty albums next year, it’s because it was an especially good year, and we failed to solve our internal arguments.
With all of that said, here’s our shot at narrowing things down to a true top 25 list. Agree or disagree, that’s up to you, but it’s hard to deny that every single one of these releases captured something magical and had an impact on the wider scene in some way.
25
Thornhill – BODIES (UNFD)
Jonathan: BODIES is Thornhill’s next step from their daring pivot in sound with Heroine. The band have secured their place at the forefront of Australia’s metal scene with their commitment to carving their own unique sound. BODIES sees the band hone in on the shoegaze-infused alt metal sound that they introduced previously, combining it with the metalcore sensibilities of their earlier work. Tracks like “Revolver” and “nerv” bring back their heavier side of Thornhill in a satisfying, gritty way. They expand upon their more experimental nature with tracks like “CRUSH”, filling the soundscape with a combination of dizzying synth atmospheres and pounding 808s. The sound of BODIES feels like a fully realised version of what the band have endeavoured towards, breaking away from their previous conventions and crafting something that is undeniably recognisable as Thornhill. The band absolutely deserves the heights they have risen to as they have demonstrated a masterclass in identity and creativity.
24
Kardashev – Alunea (Metal Blade)
Shane C: Lone deathgaze stargazers Kardashev coined a genre entirely their own in 2012 and have remained the sole proprietors of it ever since. Their prevailing, prog-laden odyssey is as forthright as it is thought-provoking, and Alunea stands as their most focused juncture of this voyage thus far. Introspection, relief, rage, and a litany of other emotional undertones concerning the human condition encompass a beautifully brutal epic in Kardashev’s pinnacle form. Every string from Nico Mirolla and Alex Rieth, along with Sean Lang’s masterful drumming, fluctuates in lockstep with vocalist Mark Garrett’s expressive shifts. Altruism is, for all intents and purposes, rather anathematic when it comes to typical death metal elements, yet that is why Kardashev continues hone a craft that no one else has been able to match to even a fractional degree. Regardless of how long Kardashev’s deathgaze excursion becomes, Alunea will cement itself as a flagship phase in their crossing of the astral realm, with the ever-expanding cosmos as the infinite backdrop of their sound.
23
Blackbraid – Blackbraid III (Independent)
Shane C: Native American lineage is dichotomously written. Strife and the overcoming of adversity have traded blows for centuries, and Blackbraid sonically embodies the very fabric of the indigenous spirit. With each iteration, Sgah’gahsowáh (Jon Krieger) has adapted and evolved his black metal craft with a meshing of the calls of nature and perseverance in the face of even the most impossible odds. Blackbraid III is progressive, melodic, and in tune with the weeping cries of the earth. The alternations of rage with tracks such as “The Dying Breath of a Sacred Stag” and the reflective, instrumental interludes of “Traversing the Forest of Eternal Dusk” coincide with our capacity for swayful emotion, further solidifying Sgah’gahsowáh’s mastery of both humanity and harmony. Blackbraid III isn’t just one of the best black metal records of this year; it’s the magnum opus of anthologized retellings of a proud race on the foundation of invigoratingly technical compositions.
22
Whitechapel – Hymns In Dissonance (Metal Blade)
Ed: After a few years of stagnation due to the genre’s focus on symphonics and black metal elements dulling its brutal nature, 2025 was a monumental year for deathcore’s return to its uncompromising roots. Looking back, Whitechapel’s new album Hymns in Dissonance was no doubt the beginning of this trend. Armed with tracks such its title track “Hymns In Dissonance” and “A Visceral Retch“, which showed off the return of the heaviness from their album This Is Exile that fans had been craving for years. Other tracks hinted at the band’s proficiency for modern, groovy songwriting, such as “Hate Cult Ritual” and “Mammoth God“, making the album’s brutal songs pop even more. Hymns In Dissonance is not only one of the strongest albums Whitechapel has written in their near twenty year career, but also a clear indication that deathcore can still be one of the strongest genres in heavy music history.
21
Wounded Touch – A Vivid Depiction Of Collapse (Smartpunk/Many Hats)
Kath: A Vivid Depiction of Collapse captures emotional unraveling with striking clarity. On opening tracks “If I Could Make Your Pain My Own” and “Shield of White Roses,” Wounded Touch establishes the tension between harsh dissonance and confessional yearning, twisting love into both a refuge and a wound amidst frantic riffs and simmering drum work. As the record accelerates into its full-on unraveling, tracks like “Choleradio,” “The Damning Variable,” and “Every Grieving Piece” lash out elsewhere, interrogating societal detachment, artificiality in art, and extreme grief. The deliberately crafted emotional architecture of the record lies in ruins by the time “Vultures Await Them, Son” collapses in on itself with explosive finality, but the subsequent feeling of gritty, determined catharsis feels hard-won.
20
Boneflower – Reveries (Label)
Dobbin T: However you may feel about it, the hardcore scene’s remit has shifted, still including those dive bar and community hall shows at the ‘bottom’, and somehow seeping into arenas and stadiums, via the likes of Knocked Loose and Hatebreed, doing their best to balance the DIY with the first shades of stardom. Hardcore’s sister genre of screamo hasn’t experienced such a shakeup. It’s completely true to its roots, practiced by disparate scenes across the world, prioritising the emotional urgency of its music above all else. Reveries was the comeback from Madrid’s Boneflower that we’d been hotly looking forward to, and it delivered and more. It’s filled with their beautiful, soaring, heartbreaking sound, which they’ve taken to new levels of detail, especially around vocal performance and production. With strong competition from For Your Health and Indifferent Engine, Reveries just about took the spot as our favourite screamo release. As long as we can keep matching the passion and patience put into releases such as this, we’ll keep on looking forward to screamo releases in the late 2020s, no matter what stage it ends up on.
19
Conjurer – Unself (Nuclear Blast)
Jack CG: If you had asked me at the dawn of 2022’s Páthos where I reckon a band like Conjurer could go next, I don’t think I could have even closely predicted the nooks and crannies in which Unself would take us. It’s the kind of record that can only be crafted through the trials and tribulations of a shaken worldview, a change of perspective, and a critical blow to one’s perceived place in this world. In direct contrast to the previously-mentioned penultimate effort, which fancied itself a terrifyingly claustrophobic mental-prison of an album, Unself blossoms and evolves the Conjurer rhetoric into one of connection, one that recognises the fact that the world is a shitty place for the many, not just one’s self. It dares to dig deeper into what exactly defines, develops, and damages this sense of self in the first place. The fear is still very much there, as is the blood-boiling rage; however, this time it’s concentrated, intense, and the delivery echoes this every little bit as strikingly and impactfully as it should. From the struggles of early-life neurodivergency, the perpetual fight for the rights of the marginalised, or even just your classic case of billionaire-induced vitriol for a myriad of different, equally-valid reasons: there’s a riff for that, there’s a blood-curdling shriek, a bellowing howl, and a dissonant chord for that – all of which repeatedly strike career-best with such frequency that there just aren’t enough tickets in the machine to award them with. The end product defines the word ‘heavy’ in every interpretation feasible; it’s a beautifully malcontented, sonically indomitable, yet widely cultured force of nature, hell-bent on reanimating the fatigued masses into turning the tide once and for all. Whilst a bit of an unexpected honorary addition to the queercore resistance, Conjurer swing for the fences and arm themselves as an integral force behind it.
18
God Glitch – Carving A Name Into The Spine Of Tragedy (Independent)
Anthony: Having only been a band for a few short months, Carving A Name Into The Spine Of Tragedy shows God Glitch write like seasoned veterans. The band’s chaotic and passionate style of metalcore feels both fresh and nostalgic, with a plethora of emotions oozing through each track, leaving you both angry and full of anguish. Vocalist Brayden Gibbs does a phenomenal job portraying these intense feelings, making it feel as though he’s talking directly to you, which is perfect when accounting for the album’s concept and themes. This understanding is mainly shown through the lens of anger, but it’s even shown beautifully in a track with zero vocals like “And In This Moment, I Finally Understood What It Meant To Be Forgotten”. This track, the album’s centerpiece, was written as a tribute to a dead grandfather. God Glitch goes as far as to include voicemails from the grandfather to really have it sink in. Top-notch musicianship all around, with some outstanding vocals to match. For a debut release, it’s a stellar start, and we’re keen to see what could be next for the project.
17
The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven (MNRK Heavy)
Kath: I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven feels less like a tracklist and more like a curatorial thesis. The Callous Daoboys’ signature brand of controlled chaos is on display the moment the guided museum tour intro drops into “Schizophrenia Legacy,” with jagged genre shifts, sax-laden detours, and rabid vocals leading the way towards the exhibition’s dimly lit centerpiece in “Body Horror for Birds.” However brash or grandiose tracks like “Tears on Lambo Leather” or “Idiot Temptation Force” might be, it’s the record’s unexpected moments of vulnerability that reframe the entire experience and anchor the album’s emotional core. The impact lies in how intentionally the band positions that fragility alongside ferocity, allowing each to sharpen the other.
16
The Armed – THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED (Sargent House)
Joe: If our hypernormalised world needed a soundtrack, The Armed have certainly stepped up to the challenge with their punchy return, THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED. Revisiting the sound that catapulted them to fame on albums like Untitled and tracks such as “Forever Scum,” this record feels more in tune with the chaotic spirit of the times, compared to the glossier production of their recent works. The rough-and-ready “Kingbreaker,” with its dynamic vocals and dissonant guitars, feels like the perfect soundtrack for a riot. Meanwhile, “Local Millionaire” adopts a preacher-like tone, reflecting on the end times with a mournful quality that only the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor have captured recently. The album showcases just how far The Armed’s sound has evolved, from the atmospheric depth of “Heathen” to the raw, in-your-face punk intensity of the closer, “A More Perfect Design”, highlighting their ability to seamlessly blend experimental elements with the pure energy that first defined their sound.
15
Blind Equation – a funeral in purgatory (Prosthetic)
Jack W: A Funeral In Purgatory sees Blind Equation once again fundamentally change the game, perverting expectations, and showing that cybergrind can do so much more than the sound it’s been pigeonholed as for many years. Where his previous release, Death Awaits, was boundary-breaking within what was possible with cybergrind’s existing toolset, A Funeral In Purgatory fundamentally expands the genre’s soundscape wholesale. Moving in a much more emotional direction, the lyrical and vocal content is especially where things shine, with McHenry dialling things up to 11, and putting on a showcase of capturing devastation and grief. “It Feels Like The End” and “Nothing” are where this really comes to a head, with the rawness striking a chord, driving things home, and elaborating the emotional anguish of the record. A significant step for both Blind Equation and cybergrind, A Funeral In Purgatory is a gigantic step forward sonically and conceptually from its forerunners. Whilst it may not quite break the genre through into the mainstream, there’s enough here for it to undoubtedly become a future classic, and act as a gateway of sorts for newcomers, with its intricate storytelling, masterful genre-blending, and ability to openly explore grief and self-doubt quickly marking it as one of the genre’s most expansive works to date.
14
Messa – The Spin (Metal Blade)
Joe: When it comes to The Spin, I can’t think of another album this year that has so effectively united the various corners of the metal community. Fans like myself, who prefer our H8000-style riffs, found common ground with those who consider Deafheaven’s brand of blackgaze an affront to black metal, all agreeing on one thing: their sheer adoration for Messa’s latest record. Tracks like “At Races” and “Reveal” feature hooks and solos that capture the mind, like a charmer’s flute to a snake. And then, of course, there’s Bianchin’s voice; “gorgeous” doesn’t even begin to do it justice. As the jazz ballad-esque “Immolation” demonstrates, Bianchin’s voice has the power to summon the Gods themselves. There’s a slow but steady rise to Messa’s popularity, recently bolstered by their support role on the latest Paradise Lost tour. While it may take time, Messa is destined to become one of metal’s most beloved acts.
13
King Yosef – Spire Of Fear (BLEAKHOUSE)
Joe: King Yosef, as an artist, has traversed a variety of genres and collaborations throughout their career. Embracing industrial, hip-hop, and hardcore sounds, along with collaborations with Youth Code and Darke Complex, has made Yosef an absolute master of his craft. All of this comes to the forefront on Spire Of Fear, which sees Yosef produce his finest work to date, pushing the industrial sound beyond what we’ve known. Soundscapes pulsate throughout Spire Of Fear, creating a molten energy from the moment the record opens on “Feoil”, where cuts including “Glimmer”, “Lichen”, and “Blue Morning” see Yosef weave in various synth and ‘gaze influences, before the record culminates its introspective narrative on the title track to close out what is an outstanding record.
12
Turnstile – Never Enough (Roadrunner)
Max: I’m having this intense sense of deja vu right now. It’s been over four years since Turnstile’s mainstream-penetrating masterwork GLOW ON launched the hardcore mainstays into relative stardom with their stylish, slick combination of riff-heavy hardcore and air, melodic dream pop, leaving with it the question of ‘where do we go from here?’ Clearly, here. Since the release of NEVER ENOUGH, Turnstile have yet again dominated heavy music discourse — even reaching the colossal heights of a Charli xcx co-sign as she declared a ‘Turnstile Summer’ was in effect. Right she was, as NEVER ENOUGH’s summery, breezy, and sun-soaked energy seemed to resonate even harder with the wider public, propelling them to an even higher rank of arena-filling, festival-headlining fame in the process. With broad-reaching and downright cool collaborations across the board from the likes of Hayley Williams, Blood Orange, and Shabaka Hutchings, NEVER ENOUGH is surely one of the biggest cultural staples in all of music this year, far beyond the scope of punk and hardcore.
11
Greyhaven – Keep It Quiet (Solid State)
Zena: Having first seen American post-hardcore band Greyhaven live this year, it was a no-brainer for them to secure a place in our list. Keep It Quiet is a defining statement for the band, perfectly balancing aggression and melody. While it captures Greyhaven at their core, the album also reflects a clear sense of maturity in their sound. Each track has its own distinctive character, whether through dissonant breakdowns, melodic and rhythmic guitar work, or the emotionally charged vocals of frontman Brent Mills. Despite this variety, the album remains unified and sonically cohesive. Thus, from a listening perspective, there is a clear thread connecting each song. Lead single, “Burn A Miracle“, embodies a sense of vulnerability, confronting difficult emotions, personal struggles, and inner demons as they rise to the surface. A personal highlight is “Show Me Where You Are“, which shifts vocally between restraint and bursts of intensity, effectively capturing feelings of frustration and longing.
10
Spiritbox – TSUNAMI SEA (Pale Chord/Rise)
Max: In a year rife with some of the lowest of the low in commercial metalcore in years, it’s a welcome breath of fresh air to hear the more overtly ‘mainstream’ style of metalcore executed as well as it is on Tsunami Sea. That’s not to say it’s as straightforward as that – Spiritbox’s sophomore attempt here does far more than your standard metalcore fare, and perhaps that’s the crux of it. It aims higher and lands each shot with grace and poise. Infectious, loud, proggy, and varied; Spiritbox’s follow-up to the astronomically successful Eternal Blue deftly avoids the dreaded notion of the ‘sophomore slump’, elegantly crafting one of the best examples of modern metalcore in recent memory, and only serving to bolster and build further upon the rock-solid foundation they’ve established up to this point.
09
Deftones – Private Music (Reprise/Warner)
Max: Amongst all of the new blood across our lists, it’s impossible to deny when a legacy band still hits hard, and it’s especially impossible in this regard to ignore Deftones. Their first record in five years (and since their post-COVID Gen Z resurgence via TikTok), private music is not just one of the best records of 2025 — it firmly sits in the upper echelon of the band’s own many greats. Riffy, punchy, and with the production to back it up, private music proved to be a vital cultural moment for heavy music in 2025, from a group who somehow feel more vital than ever now three decades into their career. This is all perhaps owed to the band’s insistence on doing things on their own terms, in their own time. Very rarely do bands take such a lengthy hiatus and deftly stick the landing (eyes firmly planted on Loathe right now), but Deftones have stayed patient even in their latent boost to arena-filling stardom, taking the time necessary to craft what is undoubtedly one of their strongest LPs yet, and not capitulate to the pressure of ramping publicity. Take notes.
08
deathdotgov – deathdotcom (Independent)
Jack W: deathdotcom marks an incredible debut entry into the mathcore scene, with Arizona-based newcomers in deathdotgov putting on a masterclass in genre-bending, showing up many of their peers and setting a new standard for what’s expected within the scene. A blend of chaotic energy and unexpected tenderness, deathdotcom sees the band drawing upon elements of mathcore, post-hardcore, and cinematics, each of which has been expanded upon massively. Where tracks such as “Galleria” and “Froth” are sonic maelstroms, steeped in madness, the band’s technical ability shines through at its fullest. Flanking this are the more playful moments, such as the space-Western saga which unfolds throughout “Magic Guns“, along with much more frenetic, aggressive outbursts such as “Noisedotgov“, where the intensity is stepped up to another level, the variety of which keeps things fresh for the duration. deathdotcom stands above many of its peers for its emboldened approach to genre-blending and its scope and ambition. It’s not often that a new band can put out such a high-quality release as their debut, and for many, even a percentage of what’s been achieved here would have been enough, but deathdotgov appears to be shooting for the stars, and they’re absolutely making it there. One of the most exciting new bands around right now, if you’re a fan of bands like Duck Duck Goose, or The Callous Daoboys, then deathdotcom is a must-listen.
07
Sanguisugabogg – Hideous Aftermath (Century Media)
Jack CG: Some may call it a maturation, we know better – let’s not waste our time by pretending that Sanguisugabogg need any form of introduction, just because you can’t pronounce their band name doesn’t mean you haven’t heard of them. However, what you may not have heard from them is a record quite this laser-focused. Hideous Aftermath dedicates itself solely to kicking your ass into mulch by virtue of the kind of barbarity so hair-raisingly absurd that you can’t help but let out a deranged laugh at each exaggerated interval. Now, whilst this doesn’t deter the ‘Bogg from frequently fucking around with slammier ingredients and unexpected technicality at times (I’m looking at you, “Repulsive Demise” – which decides it’s going full-on Godflesque industrial mode simply because it can), the execution ends up far less like the repulsion of two like-sided magnets than one may think: leaving the Trve-Devth vision of the record tastefully uncouth and set in biofluid-soaked bedrock. With a laundry-list of increasingly batshit-insane features being rattled off amongst the carnage like the belt-fed ‘rat-a-tat-tat’ of an M60 (PeelingFlesh, NAILS, Defeated Sanity, Cattle Decapitation, Full Of Hell, Zohran Mamdani, Homer Simpson, King Kong – okay, I may have made those last three up but you get the idea): it’s rather difficult to not see Hideous Aftermath as a something of a representative record for Sanguisugabogg moving forward, given its almost celebratory nature and pulling of quite literally all the stops.
06
False Reality – Faded Intentions (Hassle)
Joe: 2025 has proven that hardcore has its place on the big stage, and with plenty of staying power to back it up. One band looking to join these ranks is False Reality, whose debut album, Faded Intentions, looks to bolster the movement onwards into 2026. Performing in towns and cities across the country, seeing more of the UK’s green and pleasant lands in a year than many will in a decade, the London unit has ensured that anyone and everyone can two-step or mic grab along to their hardcore sound. Having spent the year dominating the live circuit and following up by dropping their strongest material to date, there’s no doubt in our minds that False Reality will make 2026 their year.
From the moment that singles in “Cranium” and “Cost of Spite” began roll-out, it was evident that False Reality was onto something special, and with the release of Faded Intentions, they showcased their full potential. Front to back, False Reality displayed their penchant for earworm riffs that would please hardcore and metal fans alike. Showing their range between the hard-hitting “Out Of Time” and “Sonder”, False Reality already looks like a band fully confident in their sound. There’s no question, if any band truly deserves the title of “best UK hardcore act,” it’s False Reality.
05
Ethel Cain – Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You (Daughters of Cain)
Dobbin T: 2025 was a year that Hayden Silas Anhedönia took by its spiritual horns. She gave us not one but two colossal releases, both of which were U-turns away from her most viral material to date. She doubled down on her tours, performing from both of these releases almost exclusively, amping up all the drone-doom influence. This is far, far more than an artist dipping into a genre they respect for a ‘downtime’-type project; Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You is actually the slowcore release of the year. It’s drawn an unsuspecting audience directly into a genre in a completely authentic way. Every moment matters, whether it’s an emotional peak, or a long, long dark trough – even its most unsuspecting passages have every reason to linger and draw you in. Perverts is the even more extreme version of this, just as gratifying at its peaks and perplexing throughout its many dark passages (it’s not included in these lists as we didn’t want to become mired in the discourse around categorising it, but let it be known, it’s my personal release of the year). Of course, Anhedönia hasn’t really flipped genres out of disdain, and will surely return to her pop influences in the future. We’re so grateful that both of these albums are so unflinching in their purpose.
04
Dying Wish – Flesh Stays Together (Sharptone)
Jonathan: With their third full-length release, Flesh Stays Together, Dying Wish pushes their boundaries yet again with a clear commitment to honing their craft. Everything about the album hits with even more bleakness and despair than before, wrapping the despondent package in a gnarly old-school metalcore sound. The band’s performances, from frontwoman Emma Boster’s vocal versatility, to guitarists Sam Reynolds and Pedro Carrillo’s gritty riff work, and bassist Jon Mackey’s driving direction, to drummer Jeff Yambra’s work handling the kit, all display a level of tightness that the band strives towards.
Opening number “I Don’t Belong Anywhere” begins the album on a rage-filled note, setting the tone for the record to come. More melodic cuts like “Moments I Regret” and “Nothing Like You” display the band’s emotional range, exploring sadder, softer territory with the same rawness as their heaviest track. They keep their ass-beater staples going with a heightened intensity on tracks like “Empty The Chamber”. Working with Will Putney on production this round, the sonic impact of the album is elevated with his signature style. Flesh Stays Together, simply put, is Dying Wish at their best; an emotionally vulnerable and uncompromisingly feral experience. The band set the standard for the authenticity and rawness that should come from metalcore, and the record will undoubtedly inspire many to come.
03
Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power (Roadrunner)
Tim: Deafheaven reascends to blackgaze royalty with Lonely People With Power, an album that draws apt comparison to their output from a decade ago. After the light, shoegaze-dominant Infinite Granite, it was reasonable to wonder whether we’d even hear this brand of Deafheaven ever again. Rather than sounding like a rehash, Deafheaven explores new directions within familiar territory. The opening riffs on “Doberman” sound monumental, and things rarely let up from there. The three-track “Incidental” suite punctuates the album with unexpected turns before drawing back from that black metal well.
We haven’t heard Deafheaven go so deep into this sound since New Bermuda, yet it feels right at home across the hour. Dreamier sections weave in and out of the bleak backdrop with grace, sparsely placed within select tracks like “Heathen” and “Winona”. The closer, “The Marvelous Orange Tree”, too truly shines as a synthesis of the many styles showcased here and in their larger body of work. The production across the board stays clean, allowing for a truly immersive experience. Yet another string to Deafheaven’s bow, Lonely People With Power manages to prove that this is a band capable of just about anything, which, given their existing prowess, is nothing short of incredible.
02
PSYCHO-FRAME – SALVATION LAUGHS IN THE FACE OF A GRIEVING MOTHER (Sharptone)
Shane C: As divisive a statement as there can be, deathcore seems to have lost a good bit of its identity over the course of the last several years. Overproduction, ostentatious vocal Olympics, unnecessary mysticisms, and momentum-killing breakdowns have left early-era idealists confounded in terms of what went wrong. Crime samples, raw mixing, pinch harmonics; seemingly nowhere to be seen.
Such deviation in a genre that has been closely guarded to a vehemently obscene degree for such a long time is what results in bands like PSYCHO-FRAME forming. All bite and no bark, they’ve been the top dogs since unleashing “24 HOURS LEFT” in early 2023, mowing down every obstacle in their path therewith. SALVATION LAUGHS IN THE FACE OF A GRIEVING MOTHER isn’t an ode to rudimentary deathcore; it’s the great reset of a genre that has long been starved of true evolution. Devourment, Beneath the Massacre, and Dying Fetus have been blended into a wretched offspring that tips the deathcore scales in every way. Unintrusive vocal trades between Michael Sugars and Colter Cuthbertson, Leo McClain’s war machine drumming, Brandan Lopez, Aiden Bessent, and Hunter Young’s masterful chugging, and the second-to-none production of Digital Ghost Audio are all loud and clear. If there is any drawback whatsoever with SALVATION LAUGHS IN THE FACE OF A GRIEVING MOTHER, deathcore will likely be ruined for you after listening to this album. PSYCHO-FRAME, back in 2023, at this very moment, and long after they are no longer here, will be in a universe entirely their own, with anyone foolish enough to cross the event horizon falling victim to their infinite audible mass.
01
The Acacia Strain – You Are Safe From God Here (Rise)
Jack CG: 2025 was very much a year that bore the weight of expectations upon its shoulders, given the seemingly unbeatable treasures bestowed by its predecessor; Thus, the very prospect of an outfit that has been hailed as lord of its domain for nearing a quarter of a century suddenly releasing their undisputed masterpiece came as somewhat of a sucker-punch to our respective bingo cards. Perhaps the inner circle could see this corrupted parousia coming from miles away; after all, if there’s one band that has matured like a fine wine, it’s The Acacia Strain without question, as they’ve delved deeper into doom and developed a despondency akin to ancient texts scribed in viscera. YOU ARE SAFE FROM GOD HERE shatters the boundaries of a simple music album, it’s palpable, all-knowing: larger than both life and death itself… Its faith-rejecting frequencies manifest like an entity coughing up blackened blood and bile, cackling all the while as it resists being dragged down beneath the earth by the cursed clasp of its maker.
Tracks like “I DON’T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT” and “SACRED RELIC” are nothing short of inhuman(e), displaying demented ire partnered with twisted atmosphere that envelops the opening act of the record, with its feature-length finale dialling reverence from zero to eleven as to adequately mourn this deeply paved path of destruction in a late-staged epic defined by terminal-lucidity. Much akin to last year’s number one spot, we firmly and collectively believe that there is a historical, carved-out place for this album in the annals of heavy music history, not just for its harrowing narrative of grief and vantablackened self-destruction or for piercing the ceiling of aggression for its peers, but for crowning a legend of the genre with their well-deserved career-defining release.
