Kult-Zilla’s – Essential Dozen Metal Albums – 2025

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

1. // Lorna Shore – I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me (Century Media)

Since the release of their debut album Psalms (2015), New Jersey’s Lorna Shore have consistently been releasing extreme music of the highest quality – with their most recent albums Immortal (2020) and Pain Remains (2022) solidifying their status as one of the world’s premier Deathcore bands. Lead-guitarist Adam De Micco and drummer Austin Archey are the only two members to have played on all of their records, and since the recruitment of former Monument Of A Memory / A Wake In Providence vocalist Will Ramos for Pain Remains, the band are now enjoying their most successful period.

‘Prison Of Flesh’ opens the record with creaking dark atmospherics before it explodes into a cacophony of technical layered Metal – hard, dark and fast. Ramos is able to change his vocal style with regular precision, matching the schizophrenic sounds behind him. ‘Oblivion’ evokes real feelings of emotion, conjured from the depths of the despair Lorna Shore create. The musical contrast they deliver is highlighted as ‘In Darkness’ opens with an orchestral string section, while the complexity in the arrangements of their songs is just incredible; with ‘Death Can Take Me’ an absolute highlight midway through. And this quality and eclecticism just flows through the entire record, as it journeys through to the epic climax of ‘Forevermore.” KZ

2. // Paradise Lost – Ascension (Nuclear Blast)

Paradise Lost are an institution of British Heavy Metal. The godfather’s of Gothic Metal whose records on Peaceville Records throughout the 1990s not only helped shape, but also defined the sub-genre. They released a succession of fine – now classic – albums, including Gothic (1991), Shades of God (1992), Icon (1993), and Draconian Times (1995). Before they started to experiment with their sound more. They had already begun to move into a more clean singing vocal style after their first couple of albums, but with One Second (1997) and Host (1999), they also dived into more Dark-Wave and Electronic influences.

Paradise Lost have relentlessly continued to release albums throughout the 2000s, and while they have always maintained a decent standard, it has really been with the last couple; Medusa (2017) and Obsidian (2020), that they have again started to release records that are on par with their early work. And it is fair to say that Ascension absolutely continues the renaissance the band are experiencing in their twilight years. It is a solid record from start to finish, with a plethora of songs that sound like pure, vintage Paradise Lost. From the deliciously sombre opening guitar lead on ‘Serpent on the Cross,’ the album delivers a journey through the ages for a band that are still creating highly meaningful music, over 35 year into their impressive career. KZ

3. // Conjurer – Unself (Nuclear Blast)

Hailing from Rugby in the midlands, and just a short drive from the bastion of UK Metal that is Birmingham, Conjurer are now over a decade into a career that has so far only released heavy music of the very highest quality. From their debut LP Mire (2018) to their second record ‘Pathos’ (2025), Conjurer have carved a wholly unique sound for themselves. A curious blend of sludgy Post-Metal and Death-Doom, which has seen them attract a cult following in the UKs thriving underground Metal scene, as well as a commercial deal with Nuclear Blast Records.

Unself is of no lesser quality, perhaps aided by the fact that the band do leave a little time in between releases, honing their collective quality with a relentless touring schedule in between. Untypical for Conjurer, Unself opens with a Folk-like acoustic melody and clean vocals, but the title track soon turns ominous with the rumble of thunder and distorted feedback. ‘All Apart’ soon crashes into existence, deep, dark and ferocious that it is, before progressing into a clanking bass-heavy rhythm. ‘The Searing Glow’ provides absolute blackened-chaos until it breaks with a gorgeous hypnotic bassline. ‘Let Us Live’ showcases a simple yet highly effective opening guitar hook and a return to clean vocals, before becoming something far heavier and intoxicating. KZ

4. // Blackbraid III (Wolf Mountain)

Blackbraid is the Black Metal project of multi-instrumentalist Sgah’gahsowáh, an extraordinarily talented Native American musician who has released two previous highly acclaimed albums within the space of the last few years. In fact Blackbraid II (2023) was our (and many other people’s) album of the year, an intoxicating Black Metal release infused with the indigenous folk-music of his native heritage, which has made Sgah’gahsowáh one of the most revered American artists in the genre right now … and rightly so.

Blackbraid III picks right up where its predecessor left off in terms of pure quality, whilst also showcasing an even greater side of experimentation from its composer. The soft acoustic intro of ‘Dusk (Eulogy)’ delivers a calming sensation, before ‘Wardrums At Dawn On The Day Of My Death’ hits full throttle – powerful and emotive. The riffs are infectious and have a classic Metal feel about them. The acoustic guitar returns on ‘The Dying Breath Of A Sacred Stag’ before dropping into an old-school chugging Thrash riff, while ‘God Of Black Blood’ is dark and brooding. There is so much to enjoy throughout here, as once again Blackbraid combines calming acoustic melodies with ferocious and unique Black Metal of the very highest order. KZ

5. // Abigail Williams – A Void Within Existence (Agonia)

Originally hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Abigail Williams are part of a breed of US Black Metal bands including the likes of Wolves In The Throne Room and Panopticon, who have always given their finest European counterparts a run for their money. Named after a prominent figure in the history of the late seventeenth-century Salem Witch Trials, Abigail Williams released their debut album In The Shadow Of A Thousand Sons in 2008. And this is their sixth record, although vocalist Ken ‘Sorceron’ Bergeron remains their only original member, with Mike Heller (Fear Factory / Ghost Bath) joining on drums this time around.

A Void Within Existence is their first album since 2019, and it really is a masterful composition from start to finish. Far from being a one-note Black Metal record, it journeys through various different styles; opening with the slower Blackened-Doom of ‘Life, Disconnected’ – a powerful intro to the album with the rasping vocals of Sorceron sitting perfectly in the mix. Abigail Williams raise the pace with the melodic-Black Metal of ‘Void Within,’ with the lyrics morphing into vocal shrieks to match. There is a beautiful off-kilter guitar solo, in a Mastodon type style; and it’s the first of many sumptuous guitar leads – some with a real Bluesey tone – which really stand out on the record. A record which ebbs and flows nicely through to a finalé of epic Alcest-style Blackgaze on ‘No Less Than Death.’ KZ

6. // The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven (MNRK Heavy)

The Callous Daoboys showed they were a creative force to be reckoned with when they released the extraordinary Celebrity Therapist in 2022. The album was a modern Math-Core classic, showcasing a talented outfit and a songwriter in Carson Pace (vocals / synths / production) who seemingly knew no bounds. And well with I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven, they somehow seem to find a way to crank the madness up a notch – creating a wonderfully diverse concoction of sounds, which float effortlessly between two very polar opposite sides of the musical spectrum. Laying down some of the most chaotic and extreme Math-Core your ever likely to hear one minute, before switching to a sumptuous Jazz-Funk sound with clean vocals.

The record opens with a spoken word intro before dropping into ‘Schizophrenia Legacy,’ appropriately named and highlighting everything the band do in one epic song as they journey through various genres and vocal styles. ‘Two-Headed Trout’ opens with one hell of a pulsating bass-heavy riff – before breaking into an insanely funky verse. This record is just insane from start to finish, with ‘Lemon’ and ‘Body Horror for Birds’ providing melodic respite, before the likes ‘The Demon of Unreallity Limping Like a Dog,’ and ‘Idiot Temptation Force’ punch you right back in the face again. Utter, glorious madness. An epic journey in experimental and challenging soundscapes, which builds to an emotional finalé as they seemingly throw everything but the kitchen sink into the mix, creating an impressive symphony of cacophony! KZ

7. // Harakiri For The Sky – Scorched Earth (AOP Records)

Harakiri For The Sky are the Austrian Post-Black Metal band comprising of the extraordinarily talented multi-instrumentalist Matthias ‘MS’ Sollak, and vocalist Michael ‘JJ’ Kogler (also of the band Karg). Scorched Earth is the duo’s sixth LP since the release of their self-titled debut back in 2012, and follows Mære (2021) – a double record which achieved significant success, peaking at #4 on the German album charts. And while Scorched Earth may not deviate from the tried and tested sound that Harakiri For The Sky have become known for, their music remains of the very highest quality – deeply emotive, powerful yet melodic Black-Metal.

The record opens with the gorgeous ‘Heal Me’ featuring Tim Yatras (formally of Austere) and an intoxicating lead-hook which absolutely sets the tone for the rest of the album. The melodic and sweeping guitars contrast with the raw and tortured vocal style of JJ – this is a band who find the perfect balance between aggressive and uplifting music. They have an extraordinary way of captivating the listener, a hypnotic repetitive quality with subtle yet immensely powerful hooks, using a piano to lead ‘Keep Me Longing’ – which works as a beautiful alternative to the guitar. The track eventually explodes into a chasm of intoxicating Black-Metal goodness … pretty much summing up the record as a whole. KZ

8. Deftones – Private Music (Warner Records)

Tenth studio album from Sacramento, LA natives Deftones, and released 30 years since their debut Adrenaline (1995). They were a band that landed in the early days of what would come to be known as Nu-Metal. A sub-genre which exploded with the arrival of Korn and the release of their self-titled debut album in 1994, and would go on to become the commercial entity in Heavy Metal through to the new millennium. But Deftones never really fancied being pigeonholed in that bracket, and when Nu-Metal went super-commercial, they maintained a unique-darkness in their music and pretty much went off entirely in their own direction.

They have been stalwarts of their own Alternative-Metal sound built around a solid rhythm and groove, crunching down-tuned distorted riffs from guitarist Stephen Carpenter, and of course the blend of soulful crooning and razor-sharp screams from singer Chino Moreno. And well, Private Music pretty much does everything you expect a Deftones album to do. It is unmistakably them, an older, maturer, more melodic version of the band who exploded back in the mid-nineties, and it is nothing if not a solid addition to their catalogue. From opener ‘My Mind Is A Mountain’ through to ‘Departing The Body,’ Deftones deliver exactly what you want from them. KZ

9. // Machine Head – Unatøned (Nuclear Blast)

It’s been over thirty years since Machine Head exploded onto the scene with their now legendary debut album Burn My Eyes (1994) – released on Roadrunner Records. And it’s great to not only see them still going strong, but also to watch them experience somewhat of a renaissance in their maturer years, after being written off at various points throughout their career. Their eleventh studio album Unatøned follows hot on the heals of the excellent concept record Of Kingdom and Crown (2022), and can really be perceived as a spiritual companion piece of sorts. Conjoined in terms of style and tone, but overall applying shorter and snappier songs for a run-time of just 41 minutes.

Across both records, Rob Flynn’s vocals have really never sounded better. The emphasis on soaring clean sung choruses is once again present on Unatøned, and Flynn’s matured voice has a deep and intense richness. Songs such as ‘Atømic Revelations,’ the Slipknot-esq ‘Øutsider,’ and ‘Bønescraper’ all follow a winning formula of fast and aggressive thrashy verses, juxtaposed with the kind of uplifting clean sung choruses the likes of Killswitch Engage have made a career out of. Elsewhere, the pre-release single ‘Unbøund’ is relentlessly pounding, while ‘Nøt Løng Før This World’ and ‘Scørn’ are as melodic as anything they’ve ever done before. KZ

10. // Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power (PLG UK Frontline)

San Francisco based Deafheaven are one of the key bands in the Post-Black Metal scene, but also one of the most polarising. They’ve often found themselves dismissed by the Black Metal purists for leaning too heavily into the Shoegaze influence of their sound. A side of their style which culminated in the release of their fifth studio album Infinite Granite in 2021, a record almost entirely devoid of any Black Metal whatsoever. And whether you loved or hated it, it was certainly a bold move for the band, and a real depaarture from the likes of their earlier work including Sunbather (2013) and Ordinary Corrupt Human Love (2018).

And well, Lonely People With Power is certainly a return to their heavier roots, and for many it will be a return to form. Kicking off with ‘Doberman,’ Deafheaven dive straight back into the extremities of their style with a song that builds gracefully around the layered vocals of George Clarke, eventually exploding with frenetic fury. The single ‘Magnolia’ hits hard with a dark and infectious chugging riff, intricately arranged and is an epic example of their sound. ‘The Garden Route’ is pure Blackgaze, built around a pulsating dub-bassline. While elsewhere, tracks such as ‘Heathen,’ ‘Amethyst,’ and ‘Winona’ are absolutely going to win over the floors, wherever Deafheaven take this new material on the road. KZ

11. // Pupil Slicer – Fleshwork (MNRK Heavy)

Pupil Slicer are one of the underground UK bands who are absolutely flying the the flag right now, while their upward trajectory and success has been well earned. Their debut record Mirrors (2021) was raw, heavy and abrasive. Pure Math-Core chaos influenced by the likes of Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan, which then showed a slightly more composed and melodic style on the final track ‘Collective Unconscious.’ This style was something that they explored further on their excellent follow up Blossom (2023). A real masterclass in blending Extreme-Metal with Post-Grunge and Punk influences.

Bassist Luke Fabian would leave during the subsequent tour for Blossom, with Pupil Slicer bringing in Luke Booth to take over the bass-slicing, while also offering vocal support to the band’s main vocalist, guitarist and song-writer Kate Davies. And the fresh lineup has produced another fine record in Fleshwork. Opening heavy with a phrenetic groove on ‘Heather,’ they set a relentless pace from the off, which continues through ‘Gordian’ before dropping with the slower atmospheric sludgy Death-Doom of ‘Sacrosanct.’ Overall Fleshwork maintains a heavier edge than its predecessor, and it provides one hell of an assault on the senses from beginning to end. KZ

12. // Killswitch Engage – The Consequence (Metal Blade)

Killswitch Engage are unquestionably one of the most successful American Metal-Core bands of the 21st Century, and one of the key players of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal. But they are band that you very much either love or hate, achieving success which has polarised some Metal fans. Perhaps distancing themselves from the purists, whilst clearly not giving a damn and continuing to do things their own way. They are also renowned for original vocalist Jesse Leach struggling to deal with their initial rising success. Leaving the band after their landmark and breakthrough second album Alive or Just Breathing (2002) – before returning to the fold a decade later to resume duties on their sixth album; Disarm the Descent (2013).

Leach has remained with Killswitch ever since, and This Consequence is album number nine – and their first since 2019s Atonement. A whole quarter of a century has passed since their self-titled debut dropped in 2000, and This Consequence is one of their very best. The record provides some of their heaviest material, opening with the ferocious and driving ‘Abandon Us,’ which eventually drops into the soaring clean singing of the chorus – perfectly highlighting the incredible vocal range of Leach. This juxtaposition continues throughout on incredible songs including ‘Aftermath,’ Forever Aligned’ and the dark and experimental Slipknot-esq; ‘Broken Glass.’ The heavy bits just seem to really go for it this time around with a succession of punishing riffs, while the choruses, as ever … are made for the big rooms. KZ

Words by Abstrakt_Soul

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Enjoy Horror Fiction !?

Check out our creepy collection of short Horror stories …

‘The Curious Dark (Vol.1)’

‘The Curious Dark (Vol.1)’ – By Mark T. Bates