Now that 2024 is coming to a close, we at Tuonela Magazine want to share the releases that we have most enjoyed. Each of our staff members will share their own list, so here is the list of Peter Jerman.
If last year was about chasing new sounds, then 2025 was about rediscovering the ones that shaped me. This year brought me back to the roots of my musical journey in a way I didn’t expect. Seeing bands like UGLY KID JOE, IRON MAIDEN celebrating their 50th anniversary, The THE OFFSPRING firing up the stage, and HELLOWEEN marking an incredible 40 years felt like reconnecting with old friends, the kind whose songs never really leave you, even when life moves on. But as much as the nostalgia hit hard, 2025 also had room for surprises.
I stumbled into new territories, with MAMMOTH becoming one of my most unexpected discoveries, a modern spark that blended seamlessly with the classics I grew up on. This balance between the familiar and the new made 2025 feel special. These albums and songs didn’t just fill my playlists; they reminded me why music continues to matter, year after year. This list is a celebration of the records and moments that defined my year, a bridge between where my love for metal began and where it’s heading next.
Top 10 International albums
10. Melvins 1983 – “Thunderball“
9. Arch Enemy – “Blood Dynasty”
8. Bumblefoot – “Bumblefoot …Returns!“
7. Dream Theater – “Parasomnia“
6. Smith / Kotzen – “Black Light / White Noise“
5. Spiritbox – “Tsunami Sea“
4. Ghost – “Skeletá“
3. Volbeat – “God of Angels Trust“
2. Helloween – “Giants & Monsters“
1. Mammoth – “The End“
Read more: REVIEW: Helloween – Giants & Monsters, REVIEW: Spiritbox – Tsunami Sea, REVIEW: Smith/Kotzen – Black Light/White Noise, REVIEW: Arch Enemy – Blood Dynasty
Top 10 Finnish albums
10. Balance Breach – “Save Our Souls”
9. Auri – “III – Candles & Beginnings”
8. Bloodred Hourglass – “We Should Be Buried Like This”
7. Luna Kills – “Deathmatch“
6. Warmen – “Band of Brothers”
5. Leverage – “Gravity”
4. Horizon Ignited – “Tides“
3. Battle Beast – “Steelbound“
2. Havukruunu – “Tavastland“
1. Amorphis – “Borderland“
Read more: REVIEW: Amorphis – Borderland, REVIEW: Horizon Ignited – Tides, REVIEW: Leverage – Gravity, REVIEW: Warmen – Band of Brothers, REVIEW: LUNA KILLS – DEATHMATCH, REVIEW: Bloodred Hourglass – We Should Be Buried Like This, REVIEW: Auri – III – Candles & Beginnings, REVIEW: Balance Breach – Save Our Souls
Top 5 music videos
5. Amorphis – “Dancing Shadow“
4. Volbeat – “Time Will Heal”
3. Ghost – “Satanized“
2. Helloween – “A Little Is A Little Too Much“
1. Mammoth – “The End”
Top 5 international songs
5. Dream Theater – “In the arms of Morpheus“
4. Spiritbox – “Tsunami Sea”
3. Bumblefoot – “Simon in Space”
2. Volbeat – “By a Monster’s Hand”
1. Mammoth – “The End”
Top 5 Finnish songs
5. Bloodred Hourglass – “We Should Be Buried Like This”
4. Warmen – “Band of Brothers”
3. Balance Breach – “Save Our Souls”
2. Amorphis – “The Circle“
1. Havukruunu – “Tavastland”
Top 5 best last-minute songs
5. Alter Bridge – “Playing Aces”
4. Guns N’ Roses – “Atlas”
3. Silent Planet – “Under Your Skin”
2. Before I Turn – “Born in Blood”
1. Elwood Stray – “Genesis”
Top 5 Album Covers
5. Amorphis – “Borderland“
4. Spiritbox – “Tsunami Sea”
3. Mammoth – “The End“
2. Havukruunu – “Tavastland“
1. Helloween – “Giants & Monsters“
Best collaboration
Papa Roach – “Braindead (feat. Toby Morse of H2O)”
Best concert
2025 was overflowing with unforgettable live moments, but a few stood far above the rest and defined my year. Seeing UGLY KID JOE was nothing short of magical, a show that didn’t just meet expectations, it blew past them. The energy, the nostalgia, the connection… everything clicked. And on top of that, it became the most memorable moment of the year for me personally: it was a birthday present for my wife, who happens to be the biggest UGLY KID JOE fan I know. The show was truly unforgettable.
IRON MAIDEN’s Run for your lives – 50th anniversary tour was another one for the books. A band celebrating half a century of metal history with the same fire and charisma they’ve always had, it felt like witnessing history unfold in real time.
Then there was HELLOWEEN’s 40th anniversary, a milestone filled with joy and pure power metal spirit. Hearing those songs live again felt like reconnecting with the soundtrack of my youth.
And of course, THE OFFSPRING, proving once again that their energy hasn’t faded a bit. It was a blast from the past with a spark that still feels fresh.
But in terms of pure fun, nothing in 2025 surprised me more than Hellsinki Metal Festival. Two days of non-stop energy, surrounded by incredible bands, but the real curveball was how much fun I had with the grindcore chaos of BRUTAL SPHINCTER and PARTY CANNON. It’s not a genre I normally follow, yet their sets were so wild, ridiculous, and full of life that they became festival highlights. Sometimes the best memories come from the most unexpected corners.
From emotional milestones to total mayhem, 2025 delivered some of the most memorable shows I’ve experienced in years.
Most promising act
Mammoth – “The End“
Despite carrying a legendary name, MAMMOTH in 2025 feels less like “the son of someone famous” and more like the start of a true modern rock heavyweight. With The End, Wolfgang delivered one of the year’s most complete, confident, and emotionally charged albums, and he did it almost entirely on his own. The combination of musicianship, songwriting, and live performance has reached a new level this year, and watching MAMMOTH grow from a rising act into a future festival headliner feels inevitable. If 2024 showed his potential, 2025 proved he’s here to stay.
Top 5 most anticipated releases of 2026
5. Tool – (TBA)
4. Ugly Kid Joe – (TBA)
3. Karnivool – “In Verses“
2. Mustasch – TBA
1. Megadeth – “Megadeth“
Want to share your lists with us? Comment below with your lists.
The whole Tuonela Magazine team wishes you an inspirational 2025 filled with a lot of new music to discover. We hope to see you back next year!
