Now that 2025 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 Jani Lehtinen.
Judging by the year I was born in a galaxy far, far away, I guess I ought to profess the holy tenets of those old-school metalheads who are rather vehement advocates for the notion that all good music has already been done decades ago and that anything released since, say, 1997 is but unadulterated dogshit. I must have hit my head somewhere along the way since this end-of-the-year business of deciding upon the best metal albums of the year (or any other genre, to be honest) is only getting harder each year. I mean, regarding the international nominees only, I could easily come up with at least thirty kick-ass endeavors, none of which I feel very comfortable not including in this list -that’s why I felt compelled to bend the rules a little, you’ll see. On the same note, my picks for the Finnish albums and even EPs could hardly be constrained within the given limits. Perhaps 2025 just happened to be an exceptional year in terms of quality music. Looking back, it would be perfectly in line with years such as 1995, 2005, and 2015. Talk about some cosmic synchronicity at work, eh? This year’s theme seemed to pick up from where the previous two years left off. Last year, my end-of-the-year lists were leaning toward atmospheric stuff, bordering on the post-rock aesthetic, whereas in 2024, the theme of my listening habits was prog in all of its conceivable mutations. This year, the albums that I loved the most seemed to have a little bit of both, for the most part. The most pleasant surprises this year were provided by Dave Lombardo‘s trip-hop side-hustle, VENAMORIS, and the seasoned veterans of atmospheric doom, NOVEMBRE and PARADISE LOST. I cannot say I was particularly disappointed by anything, but I must admit that I expected maybe something more from SLEEP TOKEN‘s new album. I mean, it wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t such a masterpiece as their previous effort, either. In short, 2025 was a damn good year.
Top 10 International albums
Okay, let’s see… There’s no way I can leave any of these albums out, so here are thirty international albums that rocked my world in 2025. It’s rather peculiar that the album I chose to rank as #1 is entitled “Solastalgia.” The word refers to a type of homesickness you could feel while still at home if the environment has been altered too drastically and, hence, feels somewhat unfamiliar. I guess that’s exactly how those old-schoolers feel when trying to listen to metal music of a more contemporary flavor. Then again, some 40 years ago, synthesizers were seen as the most hideous crime against humanity when it came to heavy metal, so I guess some things will never change. For the life of me, I cannot feel that the best music was made in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s. In fact, a lot of it was made in the past 12 months. As you can see, there are a couple of albums that have very little to do with metal, but I found these way too good not to add to the list.
30. Igorrr: Amen
29. Harakiri For the Sky: Scorched Earth
28. Jord: Emellan Träden
27. Paradise Lost: Ascension
26. Novembers Doom: Major Arcana
25. Thomas Barrandon: Remembrance
24. Psychonaut: World Maker
23. Venamoris: To Cross Or To Burn
22. Thraeds: Impermanence
21. Hiroe: Wield
20. Katatonia: Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State
19. Drudkh: Shadow Play
18. Unprocessed: Angel
17. Lunatic Soul: The World Under Unsun
16. Ihlo: Legacy
15. Orbit Culture: Death Above Life
14. Novembre: Words of Indigo
13. An Abstract Illusion: The Sleeping City
12. The Depth Beneath Us: Descent
11. Remina: The Silver Sea
10. Sunken: Lykke
9. Der Weg einer Freiheit: Innern
8. Fallujah: Xenotaph
7. Nailed to Obscurity: Generation of the Void
6. Fractal Universe: The Great Filters
5. Unreqvited: A Pathway to the Moon
4. Kardashev: Alunea
3. Jack the Joker: The Devil to Pay in the Backlands
2. Rivers of Nihil: Rivers of Nihil
- Heretoir: Solastalgia
Top 10 Finnish Albums
When it comes to the best Finnish albums of 2025, it is a bit harder to find a common denominator. A good few of these are markedly atmospheric, or even progressive, but the only thing these have in common, overall, is the fact that they kick ass with an iron foot. I would rather not list them in any order of significance, except for the #1 album. The new album from KAUAN is the album of the year for me. Now that the band has relocated to Finland, I guess it’s okay to list their album here, as if it really matters – “Wayhome” is the album of the year in my books, regardless of the country of origin. Unlike in the past couple of years, when I had to squeeze my brain cells together to come up with ten Finnish nominees, this year I had no trouble whatsoever. In fact, I felt compelled to list twenty, because they are all so very fine. Yes, even the electronica/indie affair by Lasse Soundblaster that isn’t exactly metal, but it rocks like a bunch of ghouls on a leave from hell.
20. Kaunis Kuolematon: Kun Valo Minussa Kuoli
19. Red Moon Architect: October Decay
18. Canvas of Silence: As the World Tree Fell
17. Keoma: A New Beginning?
16. Leverage: Gravity
15. Lasse Soundblaster: On Tapahtumassa Räjähdys
14. Suotana: Ounas II
13. Balance Breach: Save Our Souls
12. And Oceans: Regeneration Itinerary
11. Havukruunu: Tavastland
10. Luna Kills: Deathmatch
9. Horizon Ignited: Tides
8. Oenos: Mavro V
7. Amorphis: Borderland
6. Lähdön Aika: Mustalle Maalle
5. Shedfromthebody: Whisper and Wane
4. Rioghan: Kept
3. Noiduin: Lovi
2. Sara: Hallava
- Kauan: Wayhome
Top 3 EPs
In retrospect, it’s hilarious that I thought the EP format was going out of fashion when I was penning this end-of-the-year rambling last year. Yeah, sure, last year wasn’t perhaps as rewarding in this particular format. This year proved to be something else entirely! Once again, it would pain me way too much to restrict myself to compiling a list of merely three EPs, so why not go full-on mental and drop a list of thirteen killer EPs, instead? Some of these aren’t metal, but you know the drill by now. Again, these bangers are not in any particular order of excellence, except for the pole position – ROOTBRAIN‘s new EP sure goes to eleven!
10. Ministry of Dark & Rev Theory: Venom Halo
9. Septicflesh: Amphibians
8. Gravity Sparks: The Dying Room
7. Bioscope: Gento
6. Heists: Beneath the Surface
5. Erebe: Duolithe
4. Amira Elkefy: Surrender
3. Moon Shot: Broken Bones
2. Hanging Garden: The Unending
- Rootbrain: Mothertomb
Top 5 Music Videos
Okay, I’ll keep this list within the given limits. Each of these music videos represents the concept of a band playing in some desolate-looking warehouse, with some story-based cutscenes thrown in for flavor. So, no epic cinematography or Oscar-worthy method acting whatsoever. Nonetheless, this stripped-down approach works wonders in tandem with the music in each video. Then again, it helps that the music is highly evocative in and of itself. I could watch the static of a TV tuned between channels with songs like these.
- An Abstract Illusion: No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons
- Heretoir: The Ashen Falls
- Der Weg einer Freiheit: Eos
- Fractal Universe: The Seed of Singularity
- Rivers of Nihil: Water & Time
Top 5 International Songs
Well, guess what? Since this year has been more than rewarding in terms of music, there’s no way I can name just five killer songs.
- Rivers of Nihil: Water & Time
- An Abstract Illusion: No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons
- Der Weg einer Freiheit: Eos
- Unreqvited: Starforger
- Heretoir: The Ashen Falls
- Venamoris: Holding on to Nothing
- Kardashev: Seed of the Night
- Kauan: Depart/Dive
- Fractal Universe: The Seed of Singularity
- Hiroe: Collider
- False Horizons: SNRIs
- Amira Elkefy: Forever Overdose
- Jack the Joker: Denied
- The Depth Beneath Us: Apollonian
- Dora Gaitanovic: Vara Mea
- Heists: Miles Away
- Novembre: Post Poetic
- Red Moon Architect: First of October
- Katatonia: Lilac
- Gaerea: Submerged
- Blut Aus Nord: Shadows Breathe First
- Danheim: Yggdrasil II
- Gazpacho: Starling
- Sunken: Og Det Er Lykke
- Psychonaut: World Maker
- Remina: Theia
- Paradise Lost: A Life Unknown
- As I Lay Dying: Echoes
- Carved into the Sun: Of Curious Panics
- Morgu: Parhelion
Top 5 Finnish Songs
With the Finnish quality releases of 2025, it is slightly easier to keep the list within the given limit, almost. Of course, there were more than 10 Finnish bangers that I came across in the past 12 months, but I thought it would be better to round them up to ten instead of, say, fifteen. Well, y’know, ten is a nice, round number, and twenty would have been a stretch. Again, these songs are not in any particular order of significance, except for the #1. The lead single from SARA‘s new album is one of the most beautiful epitaphs ever written about someone who has passed away.
- Sara: Hyvästi Kapteeni
- Noiduin: Nouse Maa
- Rootbrain: Unawares
- Rioghan: Distance
- Hanging Garden: The First Sunrise
- Moon Shot: Cradle
- Oddland: Freefall
- Horizon Ignited: Beneath the Dark Waters
- Luna Kills: Fever Dream
- Canvas of Silence: Drown
Top 5 Best Last-Minute Songs
One of the best news of late was the announcement of a new album by ULVER. The teasing new single is a haunting mixture of vintage psychedelia and ambient, recalling the atmosphere of their 2007 masterpiece “Shadows of the Sun.” It is actually the only last-minute song that I could think of; the truth is that I’ve been way too busy unearthing some buried gems from the dark dungeons of atmospheric black metal and post-rock, lately. I haven’t had much time to keep an eye on the recent releases – sorry, not sorry. What makes this upcoming ULVER endeavor even more intriguing is its release date – New Year’s Eve, of all available dates! Knowing the band’s penchant for all sorts of cosmic phenomena, I’m sure there is some esoteric meaning behind this peculiar choice.
- Ulver: Weeping Stone
Top 5 Album Covers
Well, it seems that there is a subtle overarching visual theme to these five album covers… not necessarily the golden ratio, but something to that effect, all the same.
- Unprocessed: Angel
- Jack the Joker: The Devil to Pay in the Backlands
- Heretoir: Solastalgia
- Der Weg einer Freiheit: Innern
- Horizon Ignited: Tides
Best Collaboration
What can I say? Atmospheric djent origamis sprinkled with slightly emo-tinged vocals just happen to be one of my most cherished, guilty pleasures. UNPROCESSED had impressed me already with their previous effort, but their new album is even tighter – and this collaboration track, “Head in the Clouds,” featuring Jason Aalon Butler of FEVER 333, is just mental.
Best Concert
Not only was 2025 a gift that kept on giving in terms of quality albums, but it was also my personal best year when it comes to live concerts. Back in the day, I had the most soul-crushing bullshit job one could imagine, so for years, I could hardly squeeze a concert or two into my insane calendar, and festivals were totally out of the question. Finally, the cosmic equilibrium was set back to normal with this wonderful year of live music. The absolute highlights of 2025 were, of course, those two big metal festivals in Helsinki – Tuska and Hellsinki Metal Festival. I’m not going into further detail here because I already dissected both events in my festival reports. Neither am I going to even try to assert which one did it better; they complement each other most beautifully, with their lineups generally appealing to slightly different metal demographics. Then, in addition to these great festivals, I saw insanely tight performances at smaller venues by OPETH, SARA, RIOGHAN, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT, and Jo Quill. These alone would make for quite a royal flush, but the last two concerts I saw in late 2025 were even better. First, seeing THE SMASHING PUMPKINS play a special set celebrating their 1995 magnum opus, “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” felt like one of my longtime wishes coming true – I’d never seen them on stage before! Myrkur‘s warm-up performance was something to remember, as well. Then, the Faroese fairy queen, Eivør, put the cherry on the cake with her concert in Helsinki. It was the peak concert experience of 2025 for me, just like her performance at Tuska 2024 was the absolute highlight of the festival. What a great year!
Most Promising Act
The up-and-coming Chilean death-metal juggernaut, DECESSUS, delivered such a wholesome punch in the face at the Hellsinki Metal Festival in August that there is no doubt about the most promising new act of 2025. Technically, I suppose I can call them a new act since they are just beginning to take the world by storm, even though they have been active in their home country for a few years already. That Helsinki gig was their very first outside Chile. Just recently, the band also received significant international attention when their vocalist, Ignacia Fernández, won the title of Miss World Chile 2025, partly due to a viral performance of the band’s music during the talent competition. So, I reckon this band will be going places – just like they deserve!
Top 5 Most Anticipated Releases of 2026
As I said above, ULVER‘s upcoming album is not set for release in 2026, technically speaking, but New Year’s Eve is so close to the first of January that I’m going to put it in the list. Then, about the upcoming GOJIRA affair… I’m sure I read somewhere that they would be releasing a new album in 2026, but for the life of me, I cannot recall whether or not the album title was already revealed. I couldn’t find it anywhere, so I guess not. If that album is not going to be one of the absolute highlights of the year, there must be something off with this simulation…
- Alter Bridge: s/t
- Gojira: TBA
- Gaerea: Loss
- Karnivool: In Verses
- Ulver: Neverland
Want to share your lists with us? Comment below with your lists.
The whole Tuonela Magazine team wishes you an inspirational 2026 filled with a lot of new music to discover. We hope to see you back next year!
