As we stand at the end of 2025, the landscape of heavy & dark music feels more vibrant and diverse than ever. A ritual of reflection: Our year-end standouts.

Kira L. Schlechter’s Top 5 Albums of 2025 (in no particular order):

• “Midnight Minuet” by The Yagas: After teasing us all of 2024 with one spectacular track after another (beginning with the unforgettable “The Crying Room”), this enigmatic band led by actress Vera Farmiga at last delivered the entire set – one in which the deep cuts were just as stellar as the singles. Haunting and deeply personal and simply gorgeous.
• “The Spectrum of Human Gravity” by Hellfox: The fabulous lead single “Seaweed Braids,” which I had on repeat all year, was just the beginning of this markedly mature sophomore effort by the young Italian quartet. Thoughtful, introspective, and fiercely intelligent, these women have a really bright future ahead of them – some tour needs to pick them up as an opener ASAP.
• “Opus Noir Vol. 1” by Lord of the Lost: OK, I’m way late to the party (or behind the curve, or whatever euphemism you’d care to apply) on this veteran band that hails from my partner’s very hometown, but their mix of industrial, goth, and metal (with liberal lashings of Depeche Mode and pop) grabbed me with“Bazaar Bizarre” and solidified its hold throughout this solid first part of an upcoming trilogy. “Vol. 2” was just released in December; look for our upcoming interview with LOTL in the new year.
• “The Dark Tetrad” by TULIP: Just the first four songs of more to come in what will also be a three-parter by the Texas-based progressive symphonic metal band, these collaborations with artists as varied as booming alto Kristin Starkey and rapper Shaolin G are as complex and challenging as everything we’ve come to expect from Ashleigh Semkiw and husband Colin Parrish. Get there early and catch them in a short run of U.S. and Canadian dates in February with Seven Spires and Ad Infinitum.
• “Fast Lane” by Vulvarine: Full-on fiery feminist furor by these Austrians, filled with pointed, snotty tracks like “Equal, Not the Same” and “Fool” and sultry, moody ones like “Polly the Trucker” and “Dark Red,” this was a raw, rattling joy. Singer Suzy Q might have moved on, but these songs were delicious regardless of personnel. 

A little aside on this one: Ashleigh and Kristin, together with newly announced Battle Beast frontwoman Marina La Torraca, were responsible for the song I couldn’t get enough of this year: a cover of the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” theme, “Golden.” What a banger of a track!

Isabell Victoria Köster’s Top 5 Albums of 2025 (in no particular order):

• “Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death” by Creeper: The English rock band stands out for their exceptional musical talent and captivating storytelling. As Creeper’s frontman, Will Gould, explains, the album’s narrative “follows a vampire rock band on a tour filled with violence and excess.” Their fourth album is a musical triumph, reminiscent of the styles of Jim Steinman and the Sisters of Mercy. From start to finish, it showcases epic rock with a rich goth flavour at its finest. Must listen: “Headstones” and “Razor Wire”!
• “Sorrows” by Cwfen: This Glasgow-based doomgaze band, led by the charismatic Agnes Alder, has been one of my most exciting discoveries of the year. Their feminist anthem “Wolfsbane” captivates me each time I hear it, with its intense, pulsating energy and empowering message of female strength and sisterhood. I’m looking forward to (hopefully) seeing them live with Paradise Lost in February 2026.
• “Heretics & Lullabies” by Frayle: Led by the exceptional Gwyn Strang, the Americans have once again channeled their ‘witchy,’ ghostly doom into a magnificent new album. While tracks like “Walking Wounded” and “Heretic” are standouts, the mischievous “Boo” is equally captivating. I was also fortunate enough to witness one of their spellbinding live performances in an intimate setting this year.
• “A Thousand Little Deaths” by Blackbriar: While their debut “The Cause of Shipwreck” remains a personal favourite for its unrivalled tracks like “Lilith Begone”, Blackbriar’s third album is just as enchanting. Its seamless fusion of gothic and symphonic metal shines in “Bluebeard’s Chamber” and “Floriography”, creating a hauntingly memorable listening experience, driven by Zora Cock’s ethereal vocals.
• “Howl” by A Tergo Lupi: Italian duo Fabio Del Carro and Camilla Margherita Ferrari masterfully weave dark neofolk atmospheres with industrial undertones in their latest album, “Howl”. It is a profound invitation to immerse oneself in nature, ritual meditation, and deep introspection. As the artists share on their website, the record “arises from the darkness of our anguish and the indispensable search for light… it is our catharsis.” This is music in its purest form. For the full experience, the tracks “Irae” and “Furia”-and their accompanying videos – are essential viewing.

For me, the definitive collaboration of the year has to be “End of You”. It’s a vocal masterclass featuring three of metal’s most impressive women: Amy Lee, Poppy, and Courtney LaPlante. Their combined energy is unmatched, and they truly deliver a knockout performance.

And 2025 was the year the Hags finally met face to face! I traveled to Isabell’s lovely hometown of Hamburg in June, and we had a wonderful time! From a seafood dinner along the Elbe River, to a stroll around town, to an evening of wine and pass-the-remote metal videos, it was an unforgettable, but too brief, visit. I’ll be back – up the Hags!

The Heavy Hags: Kira & Isabell