Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 Albums of the Month! Spring is upon us, and with that comes a deluge of new music that's nearly impossible to keep up with, as is evidenced by us getting almost a full month behind and putting this list out in June. We'll hope to get back on track with May 2025's list, but for now, enjoying the soothing sounds of extreme metal and give a bit of time to some landmark April albums you may have missed when they first dropped. Cheers!

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Lik - Necro
Metal Blade Records

Groovy, BOSS HM-2 Heavy Metal distortion pedal riffs after riffs, with a touch of melody peeking out of the distortion from time to time, making this a quintessentially Swedish sounding record. They can go fast, throwing in tasteful, precise blast beats and fast double kick but can also sit on a riff mid-tempo, creating a thick and heavy atmosphere that will make you slowly headbang making that face, you know, the face when the riff hits and is disgustingly good! Far from being a technical death album, nevertheless, every musician is offering a technically impressive performance. With a runtime of 40 minutes, it's the perfect length and makes it a highly re-playable experience.
-Raphael

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Atrox Trauma - Where Death Hunts
WormHoleDeath

These four menacing dudes from Hungary have delivered their interesting, but really I should say intense, second album. Where Death Hunts is a concise explosion of death, thrash, and a sprinkle of groove that sets out to annihilate your ears whichever style they're using. Sort of a hypothetical middle ground between the hi-octane fury of The Haunted's recent endeavours and the more melodic tendencies of Allegaeon, albeit more devoted to frontal aggression, and propelled by a powerhouse of a drummer. Some songs certainly go by too fast for their own good, but make sure to reach the better back half of the album, either for the flat-out ferocious cuts like 'I Am The Master' and 'Raise The Level' or the slightly groovier 'Freedom Is the Life' and 'Emptiness'. Is this what people call a 'gym album'? Probably – I even felt like I was growing a decent full beard towards the end of it.
-Greg

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Hyena - About Rock And Roll
Dying Victims Production

Heavy metal from South America is always special, so when I saw that Hyena, a band from Peru, was releasing a new album and on Dying Victims, I instantly knew I would like it and boy oh boy was I right! Like a ceviche this album is bright, zesty, fresh and filling. Catchy riffs, fast and precise drumming, groovy bass and a solid vocal performance from El Sucio where he summons his inner Rob Halford (quite successfully I might add) with all the super high pitched "aaaaaaaah", you can want. The harmonizing dual guitar melodies here are full of emotions and sounding so crisp and organic. If you like pure heavy metal, this is 38 minutes that will pass so quickly you will hit replay instantly.
-Raphael

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Cytotoxin - Biographyte
Blood Blast Distribution

Although tech-death is my wheelhouse, I have admittedly not "gotten into" Cytotoxin, despite being familiar with them and knowing they're a household name in the subgenre. I don't have much of a reason for it. I know they're good, based on the people in my circles that recommend them, and the amount of praise they get from style aficionados, but I just haven't taken the time to sit down and really digest a full album. Chalk it up to the classic "too many bands, not enough time" dilemma I guess.

Anyways, consider this mini-review a personal vendetta for neglecting these German masters of zippy sweeps and Chernobyl-themed brutality. They've got a bit of everything that makes the style great and a frequent destination for my ears: Necrophagist's penchant for verse riffs and solos that are acrobatic and impossible to play, Gorod's affinity for off-kilter elegance, tastefully incorporated breakdowns that will make even the most stoic of listeners fight invisible ninjas in the mosh pit, and a roaring vocalist with stupidly low tones (think Disentomb). As I mentioned, I'm new to the band, so I don't know if this a drop in quality from their previous work, or their best release yet - but based on how much I'm enjoying this, I'm inclined to think it's closer to the latter than the former.
-Nate

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Dormant Ordeal - Tooth And Nail
Willowtip Records

Nothing dormant here, this is 47 minutes of tight riffs with a touch of dissonance, mesmerizing atmospheres, precise drumming and bestial angry vocals reminiscent of 2000 era Behemoth. Speaking of their Polish comrades, comparisons are inevitable of course, both playing in the same unholy blackened sandbox but Dormant Ordeal are bringing more technical aspects, making their songwriting more engaging in my humble opinion. The combination of furious sounding barks, relentless drumming and that touch of dissonance makes it sound extra evil. That being said, it's not just mindless brutality, the drumming is full of subtleties, with plenty of extra ghost notes on the cymbals and in the rare occasions where they slow down, the drums can take a back seat and enhance the atmosphere. Chason Westmoreland (known for his drumming in the Canadian deathcore band Brand of Sacrifice) truly outdid himself here. Speaking of atmosphere, while not as central as in bands like Ulcerate, you can clearly hear the similarities between the bands. The technicality doesn't overshadow the overall emotional aspect of this music. I feel a great sadness being expressed, it comes out in some of the riffs and solos, especially towards the end. Overall, it's a great experience and can I just add that the lack of cringe is much appreciated (not talking about anyone here… Nergal)
-Raphael

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Final Dose - Under The Eternal Shadow
Wolves Of Hades

Billed as a fusion of black metal and punk, due to the d-beat driven velocity of their exhilarating noise, realistically, the balance is heavily weighted in favour of the former, taking the listener back to a world in which the monochromatic aesthetic of Darkthrone and mid-90s Marduk had not yet been supplanted by shoegaze influences, and the only thing that mattered was which one of the first three Bathory albums was your personal favourite. Although Final Dose's sound may be (intentionally) primitive, the immediacy of their power-chord riffing, and the throat-shredding feral vocal delivery of Bruno Fusco, is totally compelling, the listener encouraged to emulate the band's obvious commitment to filth and depravity. Even across a suitably short run-time, Final Dose find some room for experimentation and variety, with the black-ambient interlude of 'Servant' adding layers of atmospheric mystique, and post-punk guitar leads liberally sprinkled across the excellent 'Wretched'. The British black metal scene only continues to grow, and Final Dose are the much-needed middle-finger to the atmospheric sophistication of many of the bands leading the charge, taking their own, more direct route, to hell.
-Benjamin

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

10: Kardashev - Alunea
Metal Blade Records

Named after the Russian astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev (which is famous for the Kardashev scale that defines type I, II and III civilizations), they mix soft atmospheres and melodies with the brutality of deathcore, creating a sound truly out of this world, that many call "deathgaze". Their music is all about layers, Mark Garrett's soft and vulnerable clean vocals layered with his powerful death growls, banshee shrieks and super varied instrumentation, going from crushing deathcore to lush and soothing post-metal. Coupled with a pristine production enabling these rich layers of sound to be perfectly audible, making you discover something new with each new listen. Kardashev creates such unique and powerful music, demonstrating yet again that they have carved and are sitting on top of their own niche subgenre.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.2/10

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9: Warfield - With The Old Breed
Napalm Records

German thrash that focuses its themes on what worship the old breed of teutonic legends that came before them but still bring in a ton of youthful energy? Yes please! The first thing that you'll notice is Johannes Clemens' vocals, piercing shrieks that explodes with a raw and savage energy, coupled with the occasional gang vocals, it will pump you up to thrash alone in your apartment! Musically as relentless as the vocals, it does not slow down, with a barrage of riffs, technical solos and a drummer that must be on speed! They do sometimes take their time, like on the 7 minutes "GASP (Gather At Suffering's Peak)" which is a song that describes a mustard gas attack (get it, gasp) and where they brilliantly take their time to establish a sinister atmosphere. The album ends with the song "With The Old Breed", which begins with a small, super-fast drum solo and then never takes their foot off the pedal. All in all, this is a superb sounding, old school teutonic thrash album, I honestly have no notes, it's thrash the way it's supposed to be, fast, aggressive and with virtuoso musicians.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.3/10

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8: Tomarum - Beyond Obsidian Euphoria
Prosthetic Records

After releasing one of the most bombastic, emotionally resonant, and ambitious offerings of 2022 with Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons, Tomarum had made their mark in the greater pantheon of modern extreme metal - but after an album like that, where do you go next?

After 3 years of deliberation, we finally have our answer. No longer is this band a spunky up-and-comer - they're here to prove they have the artistry and vision to comfortably hang among the big dogs. Touring with Inferi appears to have boosted their proclivity for acrobatic guitar lines - the opening of "Shed This Erroneous Skin" and many of the verses in "In Search Of The Triumph Beyond" have a tech-melodeath flavour in their acrobatics. There's still an undercurrent of modern black metal that permeates this, but it's been reduced in favour of more bombastic prog and ethereal diversions. They've taken significant steps to create a distinct, unique, but no less Tomarum-y album with Beyond Obsidian Euphoria. This could also be the byproduct of adding more cooks in the kitchen - Ash In Realms was mostly Kyle Walburn and Brandon Iacovella's work filled out with session musicians, whereas this album features second guitarist Matt Longerbeam and drummer Chris Stropoli, both of whom have dedicated their blood and sweat to this band on tour. You get less of a "uber-talented fanboy" vibe and more of a "seasoned veteran band" feeling.

All of that being said - is this a better album than its predecessor? Do I want to listen to it more? That's what really matters…and as of right now, I would say based on sheer surface appeal, I prefer Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons just a tad. That album had a way of forcing you to listen to 10-minute behemoth songs repeatedly like they were pop hits. However, it's worth noting that this is not the kind of music that you can make a thorough assessment on immediately. Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is a monster, 69-minute album that covers a ton of ground, and it's a more detailed, mature and multi-faceted piece of music - so it's entirely possible that time will have me gravitating to this album more. Whatever your assessment of one compared to the other, this album is a mandatory listen for fans of Warforged, Enslaved, Fallujah, Ne Obliviscaris and Inferi.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.3/10

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7: The Riven - Visions Of Tomorrow
Dying Victims Productions

Pure melody and catchiness is the name of the game on Visions Of Tomorrow the latest album of rock heroes, The Riven, with pure rock'n'roll anthems that are scientifically designed to immediately take over your brain and stay there for a while. Totta Ekebergh's vocal performance is awe-inspiring, reminding me of the Canadian legend Geddy Lee but with even more range and a catchy quality that serves the abundance of infectious and at times, down right emotional chorus. Arnau Diaz and Joakim Sandegård dueling guitars are constantly harmonizing and offering us solos after solos of the highest technicality and musicality. Max Ternebring (bass) and Elias Jonsson (drums) provide the rhythmic backbone of the sound and do a particularly good job of setting a certain atmosphere when the band slows down and give us these short, more psychedelic breaks. Paired with an impeccable old school and organic production, this album will be on repeat in my home for a long time!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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6: Pagan Altar - Never Quite Dead
Dying Victims Productions

Terry Jones's tragic passing in 2015 made many believe Pagan Altar would never get back up yet, here we are, proving the Altar is indeed not quite dead. First off, Brendan Radigan operates in a similar register, a kind of nasally, high pitch singing that is not only an attempted copy but brings something new. All of that being said, it is still undoubtably Pagan Altar, Alan Jones's guitar is still a huge part of the sound, his doomy and full of hooks riffs are still dominating the sound and trust me, you get a lot for your money on Never Quite Dead. "Saints And Sinners" begins on a strong note with a hell of a catchy riff and vocal chorus, proving on the get go Brendan was a superb choice to continue Pagan Altar's journey. Madame M'Rachel's Grave brings an infectious old school riff that will bury itself in your brain for days. Also, incredible drumming by Andy Green on this one in particular. The slow-paced riffs of "The Dead's Last March" bring delicious gloomy vibes to the song and is followed by a beautiful folky acoustic guitar interlude that transitions to "Kismet", the epic 9 minutes closer with a satisfying build up and impeccable solo. So, it's safe to say Pagan Altar are not dead and made a notable comeback. It is always a pleasure to see veterans thrive like this, late in their career, take a tragedy in their lives and make what they do best, creating art and sharing it with the world.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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5: Diabolizer - Murderous Revelations
Dark Descent / Me Saco Un Ojo

Mustafa Gürcalioğlu is a RIFF KING. I don't know how many more albums he has to release until you get the point, but love him or love him, between his half a dozen bands he maintains a steady output of about one blood-pumping masterpiece per year.

Diabolizer is perhaps the most straightforward and modern of his projects, and Murderous Revelations trims a bit of the midpaced groove work for a visceral, straight-for-the-throat attack, while still keeping enough dynamic variety to ensure it doesn't become a faceless blur. The magic of Mustafa is that a song starts up and you immediately know it's him, but where exactly he'll take you on his riff rollercoaster is a mystery that slowly unfolds, remaining a thrilling experience throughout. Where Engulfed opts for a bit more Swedeath-y melody, Hyperdontia takes the old-school route, and Decaying Purity (RIP) aims for maximum brutality, Diabolizer is…the most Mustafa-ish Mustafa project. Catchy without a reliance on melody, an unbelievably thick guitar tone that somehow makes room for the other instruments to shine as needed, and an unrelenting approach that simultaneously never allows you to get bored. Murderous Revelations has everything that makes this Turkish wonder one of my favorite modern metal guitarists.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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4: Fractal Universe - The Great Filters
Napalm Records

This is…way too catchy for a prog-death album. There's a certain nasally quality to the vocalist but it helps to really staple the choruses into your brain, the hint of technicality provides the contrast that makes the more restrained moments hit harder. This is the first time I've fully dove into a Fractal Universe album - there's no reason why I avoided them for this long, I like Rivers of Nihil, Alluvial and Obscura as much as the next guy, and I hear a lot of that same strain of prog here. For a tech-head that occasionally wants something a little more relaxing where you don't have to think too much while it's on, this is perfect. I found myself reaching for this album on quick car trips more than anything else the past month, and now I just keep coming back to it because I can't get the choruses out of my head. This is as close to prog death is going to get to having pop hooks and I am HERE for it.

The lyrics and concept behind this album are great as well (something I rarely say), and it adds an extra memorable touch to the earworm sections.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

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3: Ancient Death - Ego Dissolution
Profound Lore Records

Right at the beginning you can tell this album is going to be special, it sounds super old school but then the groove hits and already it sounds modern. Continuing the modern vibe is the bright sounding guitars of the technical solo and then everything slows down a bit and becomes quieter bringing a tranquil almost warm atmosphere before punching you in the face with a blast beat, turning the death metal back on 11. "Breathe - Transcend (Into the Glowing Streams of Forever)" is a song that takes its time to establish a thick gloomy atmosphere even adding the delicate clean singing of Jasmine Alexander. Cleans in death metal, especially OSDM, is an interesting choice but here it adds a lot of character. She once again uses her delicate cleans on "Echoing Chambers Within The Dismal Mind", contrasting beautifully with her truly savage growls. Other notable mentions is the rhythm section, tasty drum fills and groovy bass lines are everywhere, for a first album, this is quite the achievement. Creating death metal that sounds truly unique, mixing atmospheres and touches of melody in an otherwise raw package.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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2: Allegaeon - The Ossuary Lens
Metal Blade Records

Allegaeon has constantly been one of my favorite bands since their 2010 debut Fragments Of Form And Function. Their signature blend of technical melodic death metal always hit the bullseye of my musical taste. In 2015, when Ezra Haynes decided to call it quits with the band, I was sad to see him go but the band quickly announced Riley McShane would take vocal duty and for the next three albums, Allegaeon continued evolving, adding more and more progressive elements in their overall sound, Riley adding more varied vocals to their sound, I really loved his cleans, it added a new melodic dimension to the music. So, in 2022, when he announced he was stepping down after the masterpiece that was Damnum, I was again really sad but then they announced Ezra Haynes was coming back and I was super intrigued, would they go back to the sound they had for their first three album or continue on their newest expansion of sounds and influences? The album begins with a short classical guitar introduction that quickly transitions to a classic Allegaeon banger, full of melodic hooks and technical solos. "Driftwood" begins with their traditional technical guitar wizardry and then, the glorious chorus hits, with Ezra's powerful and extremely catchy cleans, showing us that they are still embracing their newer sound. The rest of the album is classic Allegaeon bangers after bangers that shows that Ezra continued evolving as a vocalist and musically, they still give us little bonuses like classical guitars sprinkled in two other songs and the triumphant "Wake Circling Above", a song that begins with a notably slower tempo and features a clean vocal chorus sung by Michael Stancel, who's been playing guitars in the band since 2014 and holy hell, we need to continue hearing him sing, what a voice! I'm not sure I like it as much as Damnum, the Opeth influences are much less present but still, I would put it pretty high in their already pretty flawless discography.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9/10

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1: Messa - The Spin
Metal Blade Records

I'm at a loss for words to accurately describe the rich musical and emotional experience that is The Spin by Italian psych doom band Messa. Starting with retro synths accelerating, with Sara's siren voice soon taking center stage, "Void Meridian" begins this album showcasing the band's ability to blend sounds and textures ranging from post-punk to bluesy doom with a chorus that gives me chills every time. The low rumble of a heavy doom riff is contrasted by the pure light that is Sara's angelic voice. Makes me feel things inside! Carrying on, "Fire On The Roof" reveals the pure musical genius of the band, using a buildup structure, it takes its time to establish a smooth atmosphere before a big musical release in the form of a catchy riff paired with the grandiose voice of Sara singing: fireeeeee ooon theeee roooooof in both an emotional and just incredibly catchy way. Speaking of emotions, "Immolation" begins with Sara softly signing with a piano culminating with an impressive guitar solo. "The Dress" uses a similar build up structure taking its time to establish that smooth atmosphere before releasing that tension with a heavy riff and that divine voice, I swear the notes this woman can reach will pierce your soul and touch your heart. Speaking of smooth atmospheres, they throw in a complete jazz break, with trumpets courtesy of Michele Tedesco, giving so much personality to the song before, yet again, a full release of tension with the final riff and guitar solo. "Thicker Blood" ends the album on the highest note possible, the longest song on the album, clocking in at 8 minutes and 45 seconds, it takes its time to slowly build up alternating slow and heavy doom riffs with minimalistic sections of Sara's voice and slowly becoming faster, even throwing in fast double kick drums in short bursts. Then, the final section begins, a mid-paced, repeating riff with such a mesmerizing groove. After a few minutes, out of nowhere, Sara lets out a few black metal screams before the music becomes slower and slower and comes to a complete halt thus ending this masterpiece. It's difficult to truly explain when an album just has "it", Messa has always been special, thinking outside the box and incorporating all sorts of influences but on The Spin, they refined their sound, making the album shorter, incorporating a good dose of gothic rock, making it more "accessible" and making each song on the album single worthy while still being a cohesive package, flowing seamlessly. Another noteworthy thing would be the massive boost in production, having signed to Metal Blade Records, they got a well-deserved boost in financial means and it shows. Although it's kind of early to be speaking of the AOTY contender, I know for a fact Messa is going to finish high on the list.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.8/10

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Thanks as always for stopping by. In case you missed it, check out our previous lists from this year so far:

March 2025
February 2025
January 2025

And, of course, Follow MetalBite on Facebook, Spotify and Instagram so you can be there right when the next Top 10 list drops!

Entered: 6/9/2025 9:11:59 AM

Previous Post Digging Through Past	Next Post South Of Heaven

Welcome back to MetalBite's Top 10 albums of the month! November is a chaotic time of the year for releases and it's easy to miss great stuff in the midst of putting together your year-end lists right before the music industry goes into a brief hibernation. Or maybe there weren't enough good albums for you to fill your list out. You're empirically wrong, but either way - this should help you catch up. Happy holidays!

-Nate

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Glorious Depravity - Death Never Sleeps
Transcending Obscurity Records

Prepare for a nice slice of New York death metal, the kind influenced ever so slightly by hardcore, that is brutal but still has something to say and can be truly funny! Take the opening track for example, "Slaughter The Gerontocrats", with an impeccable instrumentation of fast thrashing riffs coupled with fast blastbeats you hear those lyrics: "Slaughter the gerontocrats Rip their ancient guts out Our hordes descending on the Hamptons and Florida, We hunt them down at the golf courses and country clubs". It's a "creative" way to deal with the gerontocracy… Moving on, Death metal can be funny but also thoughtful. I give you "Carnage At The Margins": "Hails, gentlemen, I bear the board's congratulations, We've shipped the product, Despite our resource limitations, Our end users, Typically retain their limbs, And what's a little, Carnage at the margins?" illustrating the cold and detached nature of the military industrial complex, it's only numbers, more wars = line goes up = good, who cares about a few dead children. Musically you have a typical death metal that sounds old school but with a super modern production. Everything sounds crystal clear and crisp, beware for your neck because there are a lot of headbangable moments!
-Raphael

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Suffering - Things Seen But Always Hiddens
Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

Since the release of their first, difficult to procure, album 11, Suffering have been slowly percolating in the British underground, with members coming and going, seemingly waiting for the perfect moment to strike once more. And as UK black metal continuing to thrive, with festivals such as Fortress and Cosmic Void attracting both bands and fans from all over the world, now is as good a time as any to release Things Seen But Always Hidden. Of course, none of the advantageous timing would count for anything if the record was not as fiercely magnificent as it is, but thankfully Suffering have used the past decade well, creating something that is surely likely to see them substantially increase their audience, both at home and abroad. Suffering's brand of black metal has clearly graduated from the Darkthrone / Marduk school of ascetic and monochromatic intensity, but they avoid falling into the trap marked 'generic Norsecore' via an array of individual touches that demonstrate the many-stringed bow that they wield so menacingly, as well as the truly unhinged vocals of Sturmgeist Fornicator Insultus. The pitch-black doom of 'Behind The Green Door' shows a mastery of slower tempos to rival Dragged Into Sunlight, and the elements of post-rock and progressive metal that adorn 'Enthralled' and 'The Chamber Of Breathtaking Delights' suggest a band that could even follow in Akercocke's footsteps, with some of the virtuoso technicality replaced by a devotion to conjuring fearful atmosphere. One senses that Suffering are only likely to get better from here, but this is still a highly impressive milestone on a journey that is only just beginning.
-Benjamin

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Dead And Dripping - Nefarious Scintillations
Transcending Obscurity

This band is establishing themselves as one of extreme metal's more prolific acts, this being their fourth album in six years. That's common for one-man bands, but often there's a lower bar for quality when the volume of content is higher which is not the case here. This is one of the best Demilich worship acts running, mostly because they keep it weird. I can't fully embrace bands like Morbific and Cryptworm because while they have the riff style down, they lose the atmosphere in the process of streamlining their songwriting to make it punchier. Dead And Dripping bring some of their own color to the process, which helps it to stand as its own product. Nefarious Scintillations has a guitar tone with a glistening sheen, like it was recorded in a steel container - mixed with the warped, alien phrasing and snakelike structuring, it sounds like a cyborg struggling to break free from its robotic limitations in a quest to regain a fully human form.
-Nate

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Voidceremony - Abditum
20 Buck Spin

I feel like this didn't get talked about a ton despite it once again being another masterful mix of old-school death metal, prog and nasty Damon good basslines from this star-studded band. Maybe everyone's just used to it and it's par for the course at this point?
-Nate

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Phobocosm - Gateway
Dark Descent Records

Montréal's dark death metal crew gives us their fourth full length, and what is dark death metal one might ask? I would describe their sound as existing somewhere at the intersection of death, death/doom and dissonant death, à la Gorguts. The album opens with a slow build up of tremolo picking and slowly incorporates drums and more dissonant chords. The speed picks up a bit, with fast kick drums but overall, the song keeps it slow with heavy chugging riffs. I love the uneasy atmosphere throughout the whole song and album. Vocally, Etienne Bayard has a deep guttural growl and always keeps a slow vocal cadence giving a maximum apocalyptical effect when paired with dissonant guitars. This is a short album, seven tracks and 36 min, that would be perfect, but the thing is, there are three short instrumentals, so you essentially only get four tracks. Nevertheless, they play the perfect style of death metal, dark, heavy and almost meditative, it's a great addition to their discography!
-Raphael

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Wayd - Reinvent
Independent

I really enjoy this band's 2001 album Barriers - they have a take on death metal that is easily enjoyable but still seems to defy all conventions. This is their first album in 17 years and no one seems to have caught on? Damn. Gotta give them a little love here.
-Nate

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Morbikon - Lost Within The Astral Crypts
Tankcrimes

This album is so fun! Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Morbikon plays that Dissection worship kind of black metal, super melodic with incredibly catchy riffs! You'll definitely want to dance to that main riff on "Flames That Bind And Shadows Cast"! What sets them apart is the thrash infused riffs and rhythms, think of Skeletonwitch. The dueling guitar harmonies and the solos are so satisfying, it's a guitar worship kind of album. But bass lovers fear not, you even get a small solo on "Sworn To The Beheaded King". This is an excellent 43 minutes of pure melodic and thrashing black metal that goes by in an instant.
-Raphael

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Demon King - Death Knell
The Artisan Era

Funny enough, Demon King was part of one of the first pieces I ever wrote for MetalBite about five years ago, so not covering them when they finally drop their debut full-length would be sacrilege - plus, they still obliterate as much as they did back then. They still have incredibly hooky riffs drilled into your head at lightning speed and with surgical precision, but there is additional garnish and restraint to warrant the extra runtime. This is Inferi's blackened brother, and though a lot of tech bands claim to have a fair amount of influence from them, not many of them came up in the same circles - but Demon King did.

Any time you get a chance to hear Jack Blackburn blasturbating (blacksturbating?) on an album, that's a lovely treat as well - although he isn't their live drummer going forward. I do have it on good authority that their current guy (Ethan Schomaker) is like an early 20s Blackburn with even more piss and vinegar. Watch the fuck out.
-Nate

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Speedclaw - Stardust
Dying Victims Productions

Croatia's speed metal warriors offer us their first album and it's a masterclass of pure and raw heavy and speed metal. Everything is fast and melodic built on a strong rhythm section, Silvano Ćosić's bass is center in the mix providing its low rumble accompanied by a superb drum performance by Dorian Perušić, always fast and full of energy. The twin guitars of Luka Jurišić and Luka Hrelja give us plenty of melodic harmonies that pair well with Silvano's powerful yet super melodic voice. Production wise, you can hear every instrument, every note clearly and it sounds crisp and completely organic. I feel I say this all the time, but Dying Victims makes the best sounding records, period.
-Raphael

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METALBITE'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE MONTH

 

T-10: Ildaruni - Divinum Sanguinem
Black Lion Records

Armenian black metal band Ildaruni shows us their evolution by offering an album that is ferocious, grandiose and atmospheric. Their pagan roots are still present, giving an epic feel to the record, with folky melodies, beautiful choirs singing on "Arcane Sermon" or the bagpipes intro of "Forged With Glaive And Blood". Turns out, Armenian bagpipes are a thing, they're called Parkapzuk and made from sheep or lamb skin, the more you know! The production is insanely good; it makes the atmosphere clean and gives the heavy and aggressive parts that much more weight. This is a black metal gem in 2025, give them a listen and you'll be conquered!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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T-10: Ophidian Memory - Seraphim
Independent

Melodic death metal was my first love, what got me into metal, and I will always love the early 2000's classics, Children of Bodom, Kalmah or the 90's In Flames, Dark Tranquility and At The Gates (Rest In Power Tomas Lindberg). I haven't kept up to date as much with the modern melodeath scene, but I think I found a modern gem here. When you press play, you will probably wonder where is the melodic? At first, it's standard death méetal but being a 10-minute song, the melody takes it's time but comes in different ways, a more acoustic passage, ethereal cleans and melodic soloing are all part of the 10 minutes. Accompanied with excellent heavy riffing and plenty of tastefully placed blastbeats, it seriously reminds me of the glorious 90s melodeath era. This one-man band is the project of Blake Lamoureux, musician extraordinaire who does everything, every instrument including drum programming, producing, recording and mixing, whatever you do, Blake's coming for your job! But seriously, what an impressive artist! This album is a melodic death metal gem, do not skip it.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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9: Fessus - Subcutaneous Tomb
Darkness Shall Rise Productions

Hailing from the beautiful red Vienna, comes a disgusting and vile piece of pure, old school death metal that pays tribute to the genre while still sounding new and fresh. First, the beautiful cover, a clear homage to the legendary Considered Dead from the heroes of my hometown, Gorguts. From the moment you press play, you hear a few dissonant guitar notes and then the double kick drums start to blast and from there, it's 36 minutes of expertly crafted OSDM. They're experts at any flavor of death metal, the slow and cavernous, the technical soloing, the fast and blastbeat filled, always creating that wonderful dark cave atmosphere. This thing is produced and mixed to perfection, every growl sounds deep and monstrous, every dissonant note, every hit on the drums sound rich and organic. If you crave pure old school death metal, do not skip this one.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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8: Blut Aus Nord - Ethereal Horizons
Debemur Morti Productions

Blut Aus Nord is not a band that I have a deep knowledge about; I was struck by the pure chaos of 2022's Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses, a pure mindfuck of an album (positive). So, I approached Ethereal Horizons expecting the same. In short, I was not expecting this, a relatively peaceful and atmospheric journey in space. Being a 31-year-old project, they underwent many changes, stylistically incorporating many sounds and influences. On Ethereal Horizons I can hear their distinctive chaotic sound but washed in a superb atmosphere, making the dissonance feel beautiful. You get everything from otherworldly cleans to black metal shrieks with blastbeats. I can almost hear some industrial influences while never stepping in fully industrial territories, it's a nice nod to their earlier career. So, if you want an out of this world black metal experience, 31 years in, Blut Aus Nord proves they stand above in their own category.
-Raphael

Sixteen albums into a long and impressively varied career, Blut Aus Nord have become bizarrely consistent for a band that habitually take the kind of risks with their sound that the majority of bands simply would not countenance. While other bands run out of ideas and retreat 'back to their roots' with a fraction of the discography that the Frenchmen boast, Vindsval's crew push on, sometimes exploring the outer reaches of progressive black metal, and sometimes consolidating their previous gains. Ethereal Horizons falls into the latter category, and while it may not offer the kind of groundbreaking experience that MoRT or The Work Which Transforms God did in their day, it is still a mighty and sophisticated work of black metal art. The nearest comparison, at least in feel, is Dødheimsgard's masterful Black Medium Current. This doesn't quite scale the same heights, but the approach is similar. Although elements of the album recall other bands – the chiming lead guitar lines threading their way through 'Shadows Breathe First' like mid-period Alcest, for example – there is something totally singular about the way in which Blut Aus Nord operate, and however expansive they may be on songs such as the 11 minute closer, 'The End Becomes Grace', intense black metal remains at the heart of their sound. The startling nature of Blut Aus Nord has been dulled somewhat by time, but the superior quality of their work remains.
-Benjamin

MetalBite's Rating: 8.4/10

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7: Fear Connection - Where Suffering Remains
Neckbreaker Records

This is a logical step after their debut Progeny Of A Social Disease. Gloomy death metal with some more melodic parts, creating a dense and threatening atmosphere. All ten tracks are very unique and entertaining, each one with different influences. Some Bolt Thrower here, a little bit of At The Gates there, sometimes some cool old Death-memorial-riffs and a lot of thrash and sometimes punk ("The Devil's Dance"). Smart song-writing keeps you interested to the last second. Only the title track puzzles me. Why? It's an instrumental. I don't like them too much - just a personal bone I pick (anybody who wants to tell me that reviews are objective has a screw loose). It is good, but it might have been even better with vocals - we will never know. If you are into melodeath this is a must have!
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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6: Mezzrow - Embrace The Awakening
ROAR! / Rock Of Angels Records

In almost 40 years of existence, this is only the band's third album, although they were on hold for a while. Cool that they are back on the stage again and putting out more music two years after Summon Thy Demons. They've shaken off the rust quickly - Embrace The Awakening is very fresh and full of anger. Ass-kicking thrash metal which sometimes reminds me of "The Evolution Of Chaos" by Heathen. No modernity, just a great mixture of melodies and heaviness. Best example for this might be "Sleeping Cataclysm", a fucking killer song with great riffs. The only possible criticism I have is the runtime. This is 37 minutes but feels half as long. Need a 50 minute follow up album, please!
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.5/10

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5: Terror Corpse - Ash Eclipses Flesh
Dark Descent Records

Dobber Beverly, better known for his work in Oceans of Slumber, has a new project, a pure death metal band with grindcore influences that shows how versatile of a drummer he is. The core of their sound is a cavernous style death metal that is extremely dynamic, one second, it's a slow and oppressive riff, almost doom and the next it explodes with a lightspeed grinding blastbeat, showing the inhuman technical abilities of Dobber. He's really front and center in every song with tasty fills and he shines on every level, fast, slow, mid paced, he does it all. The bass is perfectly audible and complements the heavy riffs perfectly. Vocally expect the deepest low growls with the occasional high pitch screams sprinkled here and there. Another impressive accomplishment is ending the album with a cover I really like, their rendition of "Into The Crypts Of Rays" of Celtic Frost is both faithful to the original but also feels new. This is an incredibly promising new project, and I hope they continue to make amazing music for a long time!
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

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4: Kostnateni - Excess
Willowtip Records

While I've always had an objective appreciation for the unusual stylings of this Ameri-czech project, their previous works were something I liked the idea of, but found it difficult to vibe on a visceral level. I can only say that now because Excess is finally the one that makes it click. I think it's the drum performance, which adds a layer of straightforward intensity that not only drives the weirdness into your skull, but also gives it more texture and definition. This is like Deathspell Omega for slam bros and I am here for it.
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.6/10

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3: Dysentery - Dejection Chrysalis
Comatose Music

Snare goes ping. Vocals go gurgle gurgle eeee. Every moment of this is tailored to inspire spin kicks and moshing, but without ever touching beatdown/deathcore levels of simplicity - there's enough speed and snaking riff movement to satiate a brutal death metal fan. This is my first time discovering this band but they've been in business since the mid-00s, this being their first album in ten years and their fourth full length. Not sure why I have never seen anyone mention them before this because they go HARD.

A lot of the death metal in the Northeastern USA has this mix of subtle hardcore influences, heavy technical prowess and outright brutality that is just so insatiably delicious. Also I cannot overstate how awesome that snare tone is. Slaaaaaaam
-Nate

MetalBite's Rating: 8.7/10

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2: Bell Witch & Aerial Ruin - Stygian Bough: Vol 2
Profound Lore Records

I remember the first time I've listened to Mirror Reaper, since I was never a huge fan of funeral doom, it took me until 2020 to finally give it a spin and you know, the feeling of listening to something and knowing you can't go back before, this album is so impactful that it now holds a special place in your heart instantly! I honestly kind of get this feeling with Stygian Bough: Vol 2, the mix of glacial, slow and heavy funeral doom with the arial and soothing clean vocals of Erik Moggridge aka Aerial Ruin, gives a surreal and ethereal feeling that will take you on a 58-minute transcendent journey that will fly by in a blink of an eye. The star remains the drumming of Jesse Shreibman, the super slow tempo creates a satisfying anticipation at every hit of the kit. He also shows off his technical skills with fast and precise fills. Also, the guitar solo at the very end of the record is so fast, a very rare shred moment for funeral doom. The production and the mixing on this album are phenomenal, it sounds clear, every hit on the drums sounds huge and organic, truly one of the best sounding albums of 2025.
-Raphael

MetalBite's Rating: 8.8/10

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1: Qrixkuor - The Womb Of The World
Invictus Productions

Heavy metal typically makes great claims for its ability to scare and frighten, adopting as it does, the aesthetic and thematic trappings of the darker side of life, the musical equivalent of the horror films that so often go hand-in-hand with this music, at least in terms of the cultural interests of much of its audience. Despite this, it is rare to encounter an album that is truly terrifying, something that stays with the listener once the music has gone, an ineffable infection insidiously eating away at one's cognition, a body decaying from the core. In The Womb Of The World, Qrixkuor have created a record that stands with Khanate's Things Viral, or Today Is The Day's Sadness Will Prevail, a truly unsettling piece of work. Across four lengthy tracks (although where any one of them starts and finishes is difficult to say) the band create a sinister soundscape that combines dank, cavernous death metal with classical instrumentation, and layers of cacophonous voices that are close enough to sense, but just too far away to ever quite grasp, a wisp of smoke forever evading capture. The use of strings in particular is a masterstroke – the spiralling arrangements are fully embedded into songs, as much a part of their attack as the guitars, as opposed to the symphonic harmony that more conventional bands would utilise them for. The Womb Of The World is a white-hot fever dream that feels like it could immolate at any moment, but not before it triggers drawling madness in those who are brave enough to listen to it.
-Benjamin

One of the strangest death metal albums of the year. From the hallucinogenic cover, cryptic song titles and the sick music, everything is really mysterious. Vocals sound like early Bolt Thrower, a bit more whispered, and the instruments are a ferocious cacophony enriched with some odd string soundscapes. Musically it is a homage to some brutal black and death metal bands back from the 90s, cold, dark and barbaric. Nothing is beautiful nor aesthetic, there is just sheer blackness to find. If this is the womb we all come from I don't want to be born.
-Michael

MetalBite's Rating: 9.4/10

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Thanks as always for stopping by. Check out the previous lists for this year here:

October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025

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Entered: 12/31/2025 10:32:27 AM

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