FAVE NEW RELEASES OF 2025.

Here are my fifteen favorite new + reissued releases of the year. No digital / imaginary / streaming stuff acknowledged; strictly tangible media relics obtained for good ol' in the flesh stereo speaker enjoyment.

ABSCESS “Horrorhammer” CD - A meaty burst of charged up death thrash from these grand old masters. The album kicks off with a deluge of energetic throat slashers then hunkers down for some epic atrocities in the second half. “When Witches Burn” and “Four Gray Walls” ooze hard rockin’ swagger while “Beneath A Blood Red Sun”, “Hellhole” (not a SPINAL TAP cover) and the ominous “March of the Plague” all reek of deathly stank. I vaguely recall a few fickle faceless faux-metal authorities scoffing at this album when it was first released but quality filth stands the test of time. The original album is a concise thirty-five minute killing spree but this newly-reissued edition is stuffed with a heap of loathsome bonus tracks. Well worth a listen if you missed out the first time around. (Peaceville)

AIRRAID “Staged Crime” LP - A collection of demo recordings by this raging late 80’s Japanese crossover thrash crew featuring the future vocalist of classic kickass hardcore band THE GAIA. Somewhat reminiscent of S.O.D. and D.R.I. but with a deadly dose of eccentric Japanese thrash passion and creativity. Another glorious off-the-wall gem plucked from the abyss of obscurity and given the deluxe reissue treatment by those meticulous underground music archeologists at F.O.A.D. Records. (F.O.A.D.)

BILE “The Shed” LP - Impossibly-heavy neanderthal death grind finally pressed on wax some twenty-five years after its original release. Imagine the sound of WINTER and HELLHAMMER stuck together like rabid dogs fucking in the dilapidated ruins of some haunted slaughterhouse; then dive headfirst into a septic tank with your pants around your ankles and your mouth wide open. (Haunted Hotel)

EJECTED STOMACH “Demo 1 + Demo 2” CD - Twelve minutes of exploding toilet noisecore shat out by lowlife dipshits with poor mental hygiene. Grease up your various holes and relive the summer of 1993 when you rode your bike over to the free clinic to get an abortion but were given an ANAL CUNT tattoo and a lobotomy instead. Intentionally-inept garbage truck fiasco-core for drinkers of toxic cleaning liquids. If you’re the kind of person who is constantly being told to get off other peoples’ lawns, you will definitely dig this. (Empty Casket Audio)

FOOD FORTUNATA “Jesus Pieces” CD - Another monumental addition to the absolutely staggering discography of America’s single most significant singer + songwriter. Casio keyboard drum beats, partially-tuned schizophrenic guitars and the golden voice of a generation getting directly to the heart of such socially-relevant matters as “Voodoo Is Real” and “Don’t Be Concerned About Numbers”. Mandatory listening now more than ever! (Wheelchair Full Of Old Men)

GOATMOON “Alien Terminator” 7” EP - Everyone’s favorite frosty Finns team up with some decrepit old Norwegian geezer for two burning chunks of apocalypse in progress cyber-metal weirdness. As caustic as a nuclear-powered weed whacker yet totally memorable; these tunes are as brilliant as they are absurd. All the heroically-ridiculous and creative aspects of fucked up crackpot black metal are prominently featured here. Amazing cover artwork as well. (Bestial Burst)

MASSGRAV “Pizza Speziale” LP - Kings of high-octane hardcore thrash celebrate their twenty-fifth year of existence with a brand new full length studio album! As always, these old goats deliver the perfect ratio of balls-to-the-wall thrash and catchy punk rock n' roll. Constantly shifting gears from one to the other with little warning; it's a jarring good time! Great anthemic build ups that pay off in fits of charged-up chaos. The dueling drooling lunatic vocal attack is belligerent brilliance! The recording is fucking massive but not that insipid over-produced sound typical of most toothless modern Swedish hardcore. I don’t speak the language but I’m guessing this is likely some kind of high-concept rock opera about drinking beer, eating pizza and then going on a merciless church burning spree through the streets of Stockholm. (De:Nihil)

MINDROT “1990 Demo” LP - Nicely-done reissue of this crusty classic! Crushing punk metal hybrid that was cut from the same mouldering cloth as bands like WINTER, ASBESTOSDEATH and the early works of Ye Olde Peaceville Three. Heavy as hell, dripping with noxious atmosphere and totally doomed but never reliant on the boring template that would be used by a lot of the corny American crust metal bands that followed. A bleak and forgotten relic uncovered with class! (F.O.A.D.)

PISSGRAVE “Malignant Worthlessness” LP - Way over the fucking top death metal punishment that makes most of the current tryhard “more extreme than thou” gore grind / war metal bullshit sound like a mildly-uncomfortable hot tub handjob from John Denver’s ghost. (Profound Lore)

POOPY NECROPONDE “Duty Now More Than Ever” CD - The time has come to cut loose and further de-evolve! A wonderful solo outing from the brilliant mind behind more amazing bands (both past and present) than you could ever hope to count paying joyful tribute to the patron saints of Ohio mutant rock. This is the phenomenally well-fabricated sound of a true rock n’ roll scientist unencumbered by collaborative considerations or genre restrictions going berserk in his subterranean studio out of pure devotion to the craft. If this rendition of “Love Without Anger” doesn’t bring a tear to your ear then you might have already surrendered your sterile soul to Polystyrene Christ without realizing it. (Shit Kicka)

PUTREFACTION SETS-IN / FESTERDECAY Split LP - Solid tofu n’ potatoes gore grind from international supergroup PUTEFACTION SETS-IN. Good stuff but I probably won’t be going back for seconds anytime soon. Fukuoka, Japan’s FESTERDECAY fry up a fresh take on this typically stale style and it's pretty goddamn delectable! These freaks have concocted a perfect mixture of brutality, off-kilter catchiness and genuine creepy atmosphere that makes their approach to this threadbare genre stand out in my deaf ears. Four killer tracks that stick to the ribs and demand repeat listening! (Rescued From Life)

RUPTURE “Baser Apes Years” LP - Along with the new CD edition of “Sex, Drugs & Rupture” issued earlier in the year by Bestial Burst, this deluxe remastered regurgitation of yet another RUPTURE fastcore classic is a must-own if you don’t already have a copy of the original. Two slightly different mixes of this undisputed fastcore benchmark in a high quality gatefold jacket. Mandatory overkill. (F.O.A.D.)

SEWAGE GRINDER “Pissed” LP - The third full-length from this long running assault squad is their best yet. A frantic avalanche of old school SOB-inspired grindcore of the righteously raw n’ pissed off variety. Hyper speed and massive impact injected with loads of punk rock heart that keeps building in an off-the-rails crescendo of chaos! Razorblade guitar tone slashing out catchy riffs, fast-as-fuck tornado drumming and bellowing grizzly bear versus hysterical weasel vocals. Smouldering basement production, effectively terse song-writing and flawless execution! This is the kind of late 80’s UK-inspired grindcore that makes me want to drink beer and hurl burning cinder blocks at cop cars. (Self-Released)

SULFURIC CAUTERY “Subsequent Torture Sessions” Cassette - One zillion reeking wads of inhuman gore-slathered grindcore! The modern-day quest for unparalleled ridiculousness concludes rather decisively right here. A well-balanced presentation of neurological punishment and actual listenability; this collection of EPs, splits and unreleased tracks compiles the final Ohio-based recording sessions of this globally-beloved band of ultra-blasting corpse humpers. An excellent place to start should you want to dip your toes in the abhorrent barrel of biomedical waste that is SULFURIC CAUTERY. (Blast Addict)

WADGE “Got The Shakes” CD - Heartwarmingly horrendous grinding madness from this legendary band. Amazing to think there’s anything left to mutilate after so many years of actively whooping asses but the bombastic power remains! Twenty six tiki-terror tracks that get in, shake a lei, crush a bunch of skulls (while hangin’ ten) and then peace out leaving you immediately ready to catch the next wave. A slew of shady guest yodellers lacerated their larynxes in the vocal booth while some mysterious flesh n’ blood human killing machine has taken up the Gatling gun drumming role for a fresh approach to the classic killing formula of this absolutely classic Canadian grind cult. A masterclass of lethal and imaginative songwriting. I’m particularly fond of the instrumental surf interludes. Wonderful artwork, too! Lūʻau ‘til fuckin’ death, hoaloha! (Mortville Noise)