WIP

1. Moron Police - Pachinko

Gonna take some time to write about this, so in the meantime, read these articles about it.
https://theprogressivesubway.com/2025/12/02/review-moron-police-pachinko/
https://www.angrymetalguy.com/moron-police-pachinko-things-you-might-have-missed-2025/
https://theprogmind.com/2025/12/09/moron-police-pachinko/

2. Betcover!! - Yuuki [勇気]

through incessant mentions of Betcover!! by a friend of mine, I eventually gave Betcover!! a try in late may, and it's the best recommendation that I have received, and probably will be for some time. I love Betcover!!. And all of their records starting from Jikan (時間, 2021), with the exception of Yuuki. It just didn't connect with me and it eluded me for quite some time. Until November, when it finally clicked for me. Something, I don't know what, just snapped into place on my 6th listen, and since then it has kept me in its jazzy thrall. Let's start with the fact that this isn't metal, at all, but jazz rock, very artsy and progressive jazz rock. This album is much shorter than it feels, their previous album, Uma (馬, 2023) wasn't very long, and it felt like it. But Yuuki, while only being 9 minutes longer, feels similar in length to Native Construct's Quiet World, it just doesn't end. Until it does, and when you look back it feels like it has only been 15 minutes, and oh, how it ends is fantastic. A 7 minute track that pulls on my heartstrings every second of it, and brings end to this journey in the best way possible. As with Jikan, there's a certain realness to this album, which I (weirdly) especially notice when thinking about it, although I have no idea what gives that feeling. Yuuki also shows again that Betcover!! is not contend with doing the same thing twice, and always changing up their sound, even in the same record, and that they are something extremely special. This is the fourth time in a row that they struck gold, and each time in a different vein.
You owe it to yourself to give Betcover!! a fair chance, and I doubt you'll walk away empty handed, even if it's not Yuuki.

3. Cave Sermon - Fragile Wings

4. Christopher Larkin - Hollow Knight: Silksong

5. Dessiderium - Keys To The Palace

1. Azure - Fym

96/100
I love this album, pretty much to the same degree as Epigone by Wilderun (which, if you know me, should say a LOT). It flows really well, I like how Chris uses their voice in some very creative ways, and even though it is nasal, their voice sounds good, nad it's obvious they are having fun singing. Each track is unique and memorable, some of the guitar solos are heart wrenching and stunningly beautiful (Like on Kingdom of Ice and Light, and near the end of Trench of Nalu), while other parts are really chatchy (Döppelganger). The storytelling is top-notch too, and it really gives that feeling of an adventure. There's so much more I could say about this album, If you like power metal, progressive rock, or a general feeling of adventure, you SHOULD listen to this atleast once.
(also, if you see someone at COE in a hoodie with this on it, it's probably yours truly (post-coe edit: it was too warm for a hoodie)

2. Fellowship - The Skies Above Eternity

94/100
I CAN'T STAY SAD WHILE LISTENING TO THIS. While shorter than The Saberlight Chronicles, each song on The Skies Above Eternity easily contests with the very best on their debut album, except for the closing track, I have my issues with the ending. It isn't 'The Saberlight Chronicles 2.0', it is different, but still brimming with positivity and relentless fun.
(Also, if you see someone in a Fellowship shirt (not of this album, I only got a shirt of with the album art of their first album and a tour specific shirt at coe, it's probably me)

3. Vitriol - Suffer & Become

93/100
It's unrelenting, and unforgiving. agression and an avalanche of intensity. Yet it still gives you enough time to take a breath before it starts drowning you again in it's sound. Every second feels purposeful and filled with raw emotion. And it's all wonderfully produced.
This might actually be the most intense and heavy stuff I have heard to date.


And since it's the end of 2024, here is the rest of my list.
#4. Heaven Pierce Her - ULTRAKILL: VIOLENCE
#5. Camellia - REX (Even though it's mostly songs we know already, they are all very good, and the new tracks are REALLY good)
#6. Brodequin - Harbinger of Woe
#7. Kanonenfieber - Die Urkatastrophe
#8. Opeth - The Last Will and Testament
#9. Amiensus - Reclamation: Part 1
#10. Sunburst - Manifesto
#11. Julie Christmas - Ridiculous And Full Of Blood
#12. AAAA - Hoskikake Sketchbook vol.3
#13. Laur - The Abyss in Despair
#14. Disembodied Tyrant & Synestia - The Poetic Edda
#15. MASTER BOOT RECORD - HARDWAREZ

Honorable Mentions:
Chris Christodoulou - Risk of Rain 2: Seekers of the Storm
Glass Beach - Plastic Death
Keygen Church - Nel Nome Del Codice
Kalandra - A Frame Of Mind
Panzerfaust - The Suns of Perdition IV: To Shadows Zion
Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel (Remastered 2024), i know its not a new album, but Citadel is just too good.

Dissapointment of the Year:
Dragonforce - Warp Speed Warriors

Top 10 Songs of the Year (in no particular order)
Azure - Weight of the Blade
Azure - Kingdom of Ice and Light
Azure - Trench Of Nalu
Camellia VS. Gram - ENÛMA∇ELIŠ ~Camellia Saga~
Laur - Executioner
Fellowship - Hold Up Your Hearts (Again)
Fellowship - World End Slowly
Vitriol - The Flowers of Sadism
Heaven Pierce Her - Suffering Leaves Suffering Leaves
Zekk - POWER OF COURAGE

I wish you a happy 2025.

Man, such a shame Atvm disbanded, it was looking like they had a masterpiece coming soon, especially after what they showed on the Bipolarities split EP. Morphine is a pretty crazy track.

COE WAS FUCKING AMAZING RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

Easily my favorite picture that I took at COE


Also nice (I am in this photo)