This year, I thought I would do something a little different compared to a standard ‘end-of-year list’. There have been plenty of awesome albums, EPs and songs released this year – so for the 24 days of advent, I will be sharing some of my favourite cuts of 2025 along with a short review of each.
Labyrinthus Stellarum – Rift in Reality
If you like your black metal cosmic, then boy do I have a recommendation for you! I was at a local black metal gig and my friend who was doing the sound had stuck on a random “new black metal” playlist. Cosmic Plague by Labyrinthus Stellarum began to play, and me and my partner exchanged a look of “holy shit this sounds good”. Seconds later, we had a name for the band – and as soon as we got home we immediately had to check them out and become acquainted with their back catalogue.
Rift In Reality just sounds otherworldly. Labyrinthus Stellarum don’t really sound like any other band I’ve come across, so this is both new and exciting to me. It truly feels like you’re embarking on a cosmic journey to another planet as you listen to their music, and Rift In Reality is the band’s most glorious album yet.
Definitely an album that deserves to be stuck on repeat for a long time to come!
Songs to check out: Cosmic Plague, Voyagers, Lost In The Void
Purchase here: https://labyrinthusstellarum.bandcamp.com/album/rift-in-reality
Day 01: Orbit Culture – Death Above Life
Day 02: You Win Again Gravity – Don’t Leave Me Here, Part 1
Day 03: Pithy – Agonizing Plexus
Day 04: Septicflesh – Amphibians
Day 05: Karl Casey – White Bat EPs
Day 06: Paradise Lost – Ascension
Day 07: Metamalice – Symphony of the Knife
Day 08: I Prevail – Violent Nature
Day 09: Sheep – Forbidden Fields
Day 10: Dance With The Dead – Psycho Disco
Day 11: Bleed From Within – Zenith
Day 12: Cyberpriest – Cliff The Headhunter (Remixed)
Day 13: Kelluvat Ikkunat – Kelluvat Ikkunat
Day 14: Memoremains – Toxic Devotion
Day 15: Rootbrain – Mothertomb
Day 16: Project Silence – Rotten
