Cryptic Shift return with another seething psychedelic Astrodeath track to wet our whistles on these cold January days. It’s been a few years since the monolithic Visitations of Enceladus was released, and it seems the death thrashers haven’t rested on laurels in the mean time. If you thought that their musicality peaked then be prepared to be washed away in a tide of even more mind bending technicality. Of course the track is 10 minutes long, and the accompanying video is artfully retro in it’s vibe and execution, you’d be easily lead to believe this was some sort of pioneering metal from the early 90’s. This release is going to hotly anticipated as it should be, is it too early to start talking about a potential album of the year? – Rob Bown
Irish cowboy metalcore? Tick that off your 2026 bingo card. Uncultivates have got this thing going on with mad riffs, huge vocals and a general vibe of fun whilst smashing your face in. They keep this trend going with their latest single ‘Every Day I Wake Up On The Bonnet Of A Different Car’. Title case aside, this is square dancing, Joe Rogan-hating, mathcore hootenanny in the vein of Converge and Every Time I Die. They’ve already got quite the touring record under their belts, but fully expect these whiskey swillers to be all over the map in the coming times, heck they kinda deserve it already with the quality of the music they’re putting out. – Rob Bown
‘CRUSH’ is definitely the operative word with this simmering slab of alt-metal. Møl seesaw between soaring Deftones esque melodies and seething slabs of all out obliteration, that are, as usual, perfectly poised and balanced to create a well rounded track that tickles all the neurons. “CRUSH” inhabits the liminal space between the mundane and chaos where beauty can often be found when you least expect it, and Møl use this to their advantage when they manage to bend blistering black metal lines into beautiful sweeping soundscapes, punctuated by the outright demonic vocals of Kim Song Sternkopf. The release is only a couple of weeks away so make sure to do your homework and prepare to be obliterated and cuddled in equal proportions. – Rob Bown
Is it just us or do Converge just keep getting better over time? From the thrumming tension building bass line of the intro, to the stacked operatic string hits that sit comfortably under the guitar, and the blistering lead lines of the chorus, ‘We Were Never the Same’ sits easily in the higher echelons of metalcore produced in the last 10 or so years. Jacob Bannon’s vocals don’t seem to age, strained and visceral as ever, and Kurt Ballou’s gut smashing guitar work hits as if it’s 1999. To say the new record is anticipated is a grave understatement, and it should be if the two lead singles are anything to go by. Please tour the UK, please tour the UK, please tour the UK. – Rob Bown
Sylosis release their second single ‘Erased’ from their upcoming album, The New Flesh. Sylosis have cemented themselves as a dependable metal band, consistently releasing high quality, crowd pleasing music and this latest offering is not bucking that trend. Mixing clean vocals with low growls, they bring symphonic elements to this track, making it an easy listen. Sylosis stay a gateway band for anyone looking to be introduced to heavier music and are keeping their dedicated fans happy, simultaneously. – Cece Lawless
A legendary metalcore band covering a legendary hardcore band? Sounds like a fun time doesn’t it? Orange County veterans Bleeding Through have put their own spin on one of NYC’s Sick of It All‘s best songs, ‘We Want The Truth’. Not a new recording by any means, this track has existed for nearly 20 years and was originally made for a Sick Of It All tribute record in 2007 (alongside a vinyl only release for The Truth) so its drop onto streaming services is a long time coming. Production wise, it harks back to the style from Bleeding Through‘s The Truth, sounding delightfully 00s and it’s done with enough love to be more than a curio, hopefully we’ll see the rest of the compilation surface soon. – Chris Earl
Politically minded Seattle hardcore crew Filth Is Eternal have announced their third full length, coming hot on the heels of the scathing Find Out. Impossible World is out on the 17th of March and the band’s first statement of intent from the record is ‘Stay Melted’. A track aimed at the hypocrisy of the sadly rising christofascist movement in the US, sonically it’s a pissed off track driven by Lis DiAngelo’s vocals and side-to-side inducing drums. Not ones for shying away from political and hard hitting tracks, Filth Is Eternal show that you can create catchy, angry punk songs without resorting to veering into over reliance on breakdowns and indecipherable vocals. – Chris Earl
It was 17 years ago that metalcore pioneers Poison The Well released their last record. Since then, their influence and legend has seeped into the scene, causing clamour for a comeback for years. After some successful tours and live performances (Outbreak 2024 being a particularly memorable show) and a standalone single, they’ve finally announced their new record. Due out March 20th, Peace In Place looks set to continue the band’s trajectory from The Tropic Rot. The first single, ‘Thoroughbreds’ is a slab of, at its heart, metalcore but not as you know it. Odd melodies, a sense of dread and chaos lie in wait and an almost esoteric take on the genre show a band not willing to position their comeback on past glories, but to progress their sound in the way that they want to – Chris Earl
The title track of band’s upcoming debut LP, ‘Nothing Is The Same Anymore’ is a bittersweet song in essentially every way possible. Thematically dealing with the winding and often endless road that is healing from trauma and grief, here, the London melodic hardcore quartet Death of Youth channel such labyrinthine feelings via a sound that’s reminiscent of the golden age of 2010’s UK post-hardcore. But whilst motifs reminiscent of bygone acts such as Heights, Landscapes, Bastions and More Than Life are abundant and plentiful, this is by no means a song that simply a nostalgia trip.
Instead, in a way that feels almost meta, ‘Nothing Is The Same Anymore’ feels akin to look back to the days where such aforementioned bands reigned supreme and the journey between then and now. It’s a track that acknowledges and details the trails and trauma that has chaptered such a period of time, and as a result, how the people we where back then are nothing like that people we are now. It’s a brilliant track, one sweetly nostalgic on a surface level, but one that draws attention to the ageing and changing power of nonlinear recovery and time itself. It’s video, inspired by PS2 era Silent Hill and all it’s all low polygon glory, visually presents this wonderfully too. Watch it exclusively below.
Often overshadowed by its long play counterpart, the extended play is a crucial format always worth championing. It’s on EPs where young artists first make forays into the scene and where established acts can experiment with new sounds. An EP release may not always make the same impact as a full-length, but as proven time and time again, some of an act’s best work can be found on this humble little format. And with that in mind, here are the top 20 EPs of 2025.
London based trio haemoGOBLIN (great band name, right?) present a four track introduction to their world. Featuring drummer Lawrence formerly of now dead Cassels, alongside guitarist/vocalist Luke Wainwright and bassist Nickrad Sherkat, they have hit the ground running with this EP. Calling on influences like Gilla Band and Black Midi, this is jaunty, noisey, post punk goodness. – Adam Vallely
Raw, emotional, technical and above all, exciting, Leeds very own Crowquill are channelling the techier, more chaotic metalcore sound of the early 00’s with a modern edge. From the majestic out of nowhere melodic chorus on ‘The Family Faucet’ to the eyeball twisting opening of ‘Ecorche’, this is a stunning first release that surely heralds the coming of a new force to be reckoned with in this countries ever exciting ‘core scene. – Chris Earl
A staple of the more experimental side of the London post-punk/post-rock scene, Light of the Late Night washes over you in a much grander way than you’d expect from just a four piece band. ‘Tourist’ immediately shows why Speedial are a gem, with the saxophone melodies, drum chops and dual vocals being much more than the sum of their parts. ‘Sharing Oxygen’ blossoms into one of the most beautiful crescendos of the year, with the melodies echoing round past the end of the EP’s runtime. Getting a recording of one of the most enthralling live acts in London is a huge ask, and Light of the Late Night is a beautiful introduction to the recorded output of Speedial. – Mia Thunderska
London/Brighton melodic punk crew Turn of Phrase burst onto the scene at the beginning of the year, with one of the catchiest releases of the year. ‘December’ is the kind of melodic hardcore ripper that’ll have you singing the guitars as you leave the venue, and the mid tempo catharsis of ‘No Time For Now’ is the kind of song that will capture a whole scene to shout the words back. ‘Finish Just To Begin’ absolutely rips, and the next release from Turn of Phrase is surely going to rip just as hard. Catch them on tour or at outbreak next year while you can still get in the room. – Mia Thunderska
2025 was a fantastic year for the Kingston-upon-Hull band, Mastiff, who released their very anticipated EP For All the Dead Dreams back in October. Their sludge/doom sounds got heavier, gloomier, but also faster, giving a sense of urgency and despair to their music – and if you have ever seen them live, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Seventeen minutes or so of non-stop unfiltered rage, starting with the opener ‘Soliloquy’, which could have easily been a Bolt Thrower outtake, whilst ‘A Story Behind Every Light’ and ‘Decimated Graves’ feel more like moshing anthems for all death metal and hardcore fans. Everything works there; it is cohesive and as brutal as it can get. – Nessie Spencer
As we finally leave 2025 to the annuals of time and watch 2026 rushing up to meet us over the horizon, it’s vital to quietly reflect and ponder on the events that we’ve all encountered. Not that such a thing is easy though; modern living is pretty much synonymous with being perpetually busy at this point. Thankfully, a long night down to calgary essentially demands a period of stillness. A curious yet enchanting mix of emo, shoegaze and the slightest touch of country, here, Since Torino present a wonderful EP that’s still, cosy and quietly melancholic. It’s the sound of nestling up against the windowsill during a winter sunset, the sound of staring at the Christmas tree silently wondering where where the years have gone. A wonderful and pacifying listen. – Dan Hillier
The Brighton scene might have been a bit quieter than usual, thanks for the emergence of Eastbourne-based doom bands but it would have been a crime not to talk about the brilliant EP Terrestrials by Windowhead. Only five tracks but just enough to showcase their incredible knack for blending post-rock, shoegaze and emo into a sound that feels both fresh and familiar at the same time. The way they play with intricate arrangements and mix clean and harsh vocals from the two Shredding Joes (Arnold and Potts) makes this EP a true delight to listen to. You can definitely hear the influence of great bands like At The Drive-In, Glassjaw, Thursday, and Thrice in their music, and it adds so much to their charm. This unique fusion gives Windowhead a sound that’s all their own, taking listeners on an unforgettable ride that you definitely won’t want to miss – Nessie Spencer
Adebisi Shank returning for a handful of shows this summer was one surprise. Them actually releasing new music was another thing entirely. The first release from the Irish math rockers in 11 years, whilst This Is The Second EP of a Band Called Adebisi Shank is more or less what it says on the tin, this EP is more than just a standard record. Instead, it’s a return to the golden days where life wasn’t dictated by stress and anxiety. A daftly silly record filled with nowt but chemistry, whimsy and the kind of spirited adolescent energy that defined the UK and Irish math rock scene of old, This Is The Second EP… feels like an outpouring of a decade’s worth of momentum and a release that directly counters the misery that has become synonymous with modern living. The world may be a dark place, but at least it’s a little bit lighter with these mad bastards back.
Incredibly reminiscent of Petitioning The Empty Sky by the legendary Converge, To Forever Fall Through God’s Safety Net by Killing Me Softly is a stunningly emotional record. With heart on sleeve vocals and lyrics underpinned with a fraught, fight or flight inducing musical foundation, the Leeds crew have made the bleak beautiful, with the standout track ‘Forgotten’ being one of the best metalcore tracks released in the last few years. – Chris Earl
Self-styled ‘extreme pop’ outfit male//gaze are an interesting prospect. Tagged as for fans of The Armed, Foxing and Holy Fawn, they less take influence from those bands as have sonics that should appeal to fans of experimentation and music that refuses to stagnate. Morphing between shoegaze, dreampop and even flourishes of hardcore fury, their latest EP Too Late Now shows a band secure in themselves and a desire to push musical boundaries. From the soft opener ‘Falling’ to the unrelenting battering of ‘Slaymaxxing’, male//gaze channel a kaleidoscope of sounds without losing sight of themselves. – Will Marshall
Despite the world as a whole spinning off its axis and teetering upon the precipice of oblivion, 2025 has been a pretty good year for us at Noizze, all things considered. This spring saw the second edition of Noizzefest, summer saw us almost succumbing to heatstroke during our live podcast at 2000 Trees and autumn saw us covering what felt like every show in the country. But it’s the strength and vitality of the alternative scene that made it all possible. There’s no denying that alternative music is in brilliant health at the current time, which in turn has made crafting this list an absolute pain. But behold, we got there in the end.
Now, before we delve into the list, a little disclaimer is required. The eagle eyed amongst you may notice a discrepancy between the ranking of this list and individual review scores. Throughout this list a number of records we gave perfect 10/10 scores may be placed lower than albums we gave scores of 9 and 8. The reason for this is that whilst reviews are the opinions of a single writer, this list was decided as a collective. As you can imagine it took a lot of discussion and maybe even some strong words, but we got there.
Now with that in mind, here are our top 50 records of the year.
New Zealand natives and indie darlings The Beths return with another stellar release which demonstrates their musical and lyrical versatility with punchy pop-punk influenced tracks, shimmery 90’s throwbacks, and downtempo acoustic ballads that will pull at your heartstrings. – Ez Luscombe
Part of the Problem, Baby is the sophomore album from indie-pop supergroup Fortitude Valley and does exactly what it says on the tin. Chock full of beautifully introspective power-pop and indie bangers with fuzzy guitar tones aplenty and thoughtful lyrics, this summery LP is definitely worth your time. – Ez Luscombe
Only Dust Remains is a sensational return from Backxwash, that follows her acclaimed trilogy of LPs. Changing tack to a more melodic sound, whilst reflecting on her past and present, make this fantastic release more hopeful than it may appear. – Jasmine Longhurst
Simply put, the best folk album of 2025. Wasteland is an earthy, apocalyptic, and inherently human piece of art that centres around Ghedi’s incredible voice, lush guitar playing, and timeless feel. – Kevin Ashburn
Yet again the masked maniacs bring their art deco drenched brand of jazz infused, blackened death metal into dizzying new creative heights, managing to sound entirely recognisable as them, as only they can, yet completely fresh at the same time. Nothing makes sense, everything is a lie, you are merely along for the ride. – Huw Eggington
Need some guitar rock bangers? Look no further, this trio of raptors has got you. Always reliable in bringing the riffs, but with an innate ability to keep their sound fresh. From the front to the back of these 12 songs, you’ll be taken on a cathartic journey of physical and emotional pain. – Adam Vallely
As we ached for the trip back to a golden era where At The Drive In and Thursday reigned supreme. Prayers were answered when Indifferent Engine dropped their huge debut Speculative Fiction giving us the emotional toil and wondrous chaos which showed authentic post-hardcore lives on. – Andy Calderbank
The UK’s premier math rock band have roared back into the scene with Reptilian Brain as their voices take the spotlight for the very first time. Choruses on ‘A Terrible Day To Have Eyes’ are stadium large and proved their well of talent is without end. – Andy Calderbank
Is this record smart? Not really. Is it fun? You’re gosh darn right it is partner. The third LP from the self-proclaimed ‘death-western’ crossover thrash group Spiritworld, Helldorado continues to tell the conceptual tale of an undead cowboy’s battle against the forces of hell against a backdrop of whammy abuse and the occasional outlaw country ballad. A rooting and tooting good time delivered with the kind of detail that counteracts how daft it all is. – Dan Hillier
A band that just can’t miss, Bleed From Within’s Zenith is a muscular, hook-stuffed slab of modern metal done right. It’s heavy without turning into background noise, and every chorus lands like a hammer. The kind of music you just keep coming back to. – Vee Richardson
Electro-rock-dance-pop legends Soulwax first full release in seven years is a continuation to cement themselves in the annals of time as one of the best to do it. This is electronic rock music as its most raw and ass shaking best. ‘Idiots In Love’ and ‘New Earth Time’ particular foot shuffling highlights. – Adam Vallely
The result of three years of relentless touring, hard work and personal tragedy, Beyond Extinction’s debut album Where They Gather is a dystopian concept record that draws from the wells of deathcore and death metal, blending the two in a downtempo mix that bludgeons with wild abandon. – Will Marshall
Taking 2023’s unpopular parts of a pig EP and expanding it into a full-length album of angular art rock and acerbic lyrical wit, Bristol legends mclusky proved they are fully back and still the best to ever do it. – Adam Robertshaw
Call it industrialist noise pop, intimacy music for the abjection-minded or the UK’s answer to HEALTH, regardless, the debut from Tayne is just absolutely brilliant. An outpouring of emotions set against what is essentially the musical backdrop of gyrating and thrusting rust speckled machinery, LOVE may not be what it says on the tin, but it’s nigh on impossible to feel anything else about this record. – Dan Hillier
Executing one of the most introspectively melancholic explorations into the root of pain and suffering; the Exeter Indie Alt-Rockers Black Foxxes, finally delivered on a promise of independent emotional upheaval with their long awaited fan funded fourth studio album The Haar. – Bennie Osborne
Heavy and electronic music – especially the genres of breakbeat and jungle – have long been cosy bedfellows. We Are Not The Same proves this everlasting union perfectly. Packed with collaborations with artists from all corners of the UK alt scene, here, 601 offer a dirty, unsanitised and sweat-coated record that takes inspiration from the pit as much as it does the underground rave. – Dan Hillier
Forging a fortress of riffs and doom-laced fantasy, Castle Rat’s entwinement of whimsical storytelling and old school heaviness continued in 2025 with their record, The Bestiary. Bold, fun and fiercely memorable, there was no battle for a crown in the upper realms as a standout of the year. – Amy Bowles
DSBM meets atmospheric black metal in this masterpiece of the genre. Chilling, spectral riffing, builds the dread filled atmosphere, it’s less of a beautiful shimmer, more of a menacing, suffocating haze. Chaos swirls around listeners as the lamenting, abrasive, wail sits underneath and grounds the whole thing in an uncomfortable and raw realism. – Huw Eggington
2025 saw us sadly waving goodbye to Cassels, at least for the time being anyway. But what a parting gift Tracked In Mud was. A far more noise-rock influenced affair than their previous post-punk adjacent work, Tracked In Mud is an outpouring of much relatable nihilism that both curses and laments humankind’s failings as a species. A wonderfully scorned record delivered with the all of grace you from being spat in the face. – Dan Hillier
While a collaboration between noise rock wunderkinds Chat Pile and psychedelic country guitarist Hayden Pedigo may sound too strange for its own good, the final result is the heaviest, most expansive work of either artist’s career, finding a perfect middle ground between apocalyptic distortion and expressive soundscapes. – Rowan Bruce
Forlorn announced themselves with debut Aether as they married their authentic pagan ideology with crushing midsommer inspired prog metal to conjure the sinister spirit of the elements. Haunting and wailing their way across an album of pure devotion to folk horror which is no mere gimmick but lies at the heart at everything the band does. Its theatrical with a nordic quality, Forlorn are the architects which push boundaries and introduce those willing into their fascinating world. – Andy Calderbank
Charlie: Amazing! It was perfect and like it transcended. We’re just channeling the vibe, the energy, and it just seemed like everybody was loving it, and it was just a perfect way to wrap up this leg of this current tour.
Steve: Yeah, it’s been fantastic. This is the last leg of a few days we’ve been doing with Grady and we couldn’t have asked for anything better, to be honest. The shows have been great and the turnout has been great. We’ve known Grady for quite a while now, and because we’ve gone out with Will Haven in the past and me and Charlie work with them, we’ve got that sort of family vibe already. And to be able to actually get on stage with Grady and perform some tracks is just a dream come true.
Andy: Yeah Grady’s a legend. He’s a warrior. So, he jumped on a plane, flew over from San Francisco, landed, got in a van, drove up from Heathrow, drove straight to the practice space, did two hours of rehearsal without even blinking. And the first time we heard ‘Sharpen the Knife’, which is the song that Grady does on the record, we just looked at each other. I think we simultaneously forgot what we were trying to play, because he was so good, he sounded so good. It’s just been a genuine dream playing these songs with Grady. He knows I’m a massive fanboy! Look at him; he’s blushing. We’re all massive fanboys, so it’s been a genuine honor to share the stage. It’s gone down really well. We played a mix, right? We played Blondies, which is a tiny, tiny space. Ultra sweaty. A little sold out show in London, and then we’ve, you know, played here on an enormous stage to loads of people who seem to really enjoy it. So, a real mix.
Steve: Yeah, it was great. It was a bit unusual in the sense that we’re at the VIP bar. However, we had a packed out tent. Everybody seemed to enjoy it. We got a lot of really, really good feedback, which is fantastic. You know there were various people from other bigger bands that came and chatted to us, which was really, really cool, because they heard us in the VIP and press area and sort of wandered in to see us. So, yeah, it was really cool. Different to the Sophie stage, which we made a couple of years ago, but it’s just an honour to play any of the festivals.
Charlie: At least! Yeah, I can’t remember there being a time without having that connection. But it’s all based on the love of Will Haven. It’s an entity that transcends and that legacy. Not only as a massive fan of the music, but of everybody as humans and family. Yeah, just an honor.
Grady: For ‘Sharpen the Knife’, Charlie sent me over that song and I was, like, oh yeah! I got this. And it, you know, snowballed from there. And then a few months back, just like spitballing, like, oh, you guys are playing festivals, and, shit, I’d like to come out and play. And then I just got committed and made it happen. And here we are and it’s like making the magic. That happens. It’s a total family and it’s been so great.
Bob: Generally good locally and specifically, not great. Like, generally amazing. We had lots of fun, uh, and yeah, Sugar Horse, and especially Wren have just woken me up anyway. Let’s put it like that. Wren were savage.
Jimmy: Yeah, same. Emotionally drained, but loving it. It’s been amazing. It really has. It’s felt like about a week, but Wren were amazing this morning! So that got me out of my slumber.
So, where are you guys based?
Jimmy: We’re in Edinburgh. So, all of us are based around Edinburgh, except Adam (guitar), who’s based in Glasgow. He travels across. I moved to Scotland about 10 years ago now and got involved with the boys. I actually worked with Greg and the singer. They were looking for a drummer and I tried out, and they had me. So, it was great.
Bob: Yeah. Jimmy’s Irish connections have helped us out in some ways as well. Ireland’s a bit of a second home for us, so it’s been useful to have the man around.
Bob: Oh, so it was quite logistically complex, like two or three different cars, and we stopped in different places because we’ve got partners, and you know, crew and friends with us. We came down on the Tuesday. We were playing on the Thursday, but we really, really wanted to see Hundred Year Old Man, because we’re good pals with them, so we wanted to make sure that we were down and we could get in early on the Wednesday. They just packed it, like 3000 people back to front. It was amazing, so we’re glad we did come down early. We had to take more time off work and drag down early and all that and stay overnight, but it was worth it. The problem is, you leave a van in a parking lot for a week and it’s going to cost you the bones of a grand. So, we did it in cars.
Bob: Yeah, he’s been around this weekend. He was on with Frontierer and he was on with The Grey. So we’ve seen Grady and everything he’s done. And, actually, he popped over when we were sound checking. I was a huge Will Haven fan, still am, but especially when I was a younger lad. So, I’m like, sound checking. We’re playing a song. I raise my eyes and I see Grady, like standing there, watching us and nodding his head. I kind of lost my train of thought. I was about to fanboy out my head, but I played it cool!
Bob: Yeah, they were always like a band’s band. It was always like musicians, and just loads and loads of people I’ve known in the scene are super into them, even if they never got genuinely massive. I think everyone I know in this weird music scene loves them.
Jimmy: Yeah, and I think that’s similar for a lot of artists here, right? Because, you know, we just went to see Wren and none of us have big Spotify numbers, but the tent was packed. Yeah, and it’s 11 in the morning on the last day, and it’s packed! I think the crowd here are pretty exceptional at just supporting everyone, you know. I mean getting up even when you maybe don’t want to get up early and just supporting the bands they wanna see. No tent has been empty for this decade. They’ve all been packed, which is amazing. And yeah, I think it’s credit to the people coming here to be honest and the scene.
Jimmy: Yeah, we don’t have the biggest Spotify numbers, either, you know, and it doesn’t matter, you know, because people just show up.
Bob: I think they’re pretty good! Comparatively.
Jimmy: But we were super happy that the people turned out, to be honest. I don’t think any of us expected that.
Bob: So, apparently, there’s a photograph of me and Greg, the singer. We stuck our heads out beforehand, and we saw a couple hundred people there. And we said, “All right, cool. Yeah, it’s first thing.” And then, five minutes later, just before we started, Jimmy went out on stage, and then we came out, and there’s a picture of mine and Greg’s eyes popping because it’s like, absolutely full front to back with no standing room. And we’re like, “All right!” And then, then it became pretty real, but it was class.
