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25 for ’25: The RNRF Guide On How Procrastinating Leads To More Words To Type And To Read About Some Of The Music You Should Be On The Look Out (Listen Out?) For In 2025.

2025 is here and with it comes a plethora of hot releases already announced, in the works, or speculated to arrive sometime over the next 12 months (Actually more like 11 at this point…). We’ve been diligently taking notes throughout 2024 and keeping tabs where possible to bring you just a bit of what we think will make for a good listen or two or three thousand in this new year. And, as always, any slight procrastination on this thing means the inevitable addition of something else that got announced that we either have to insert in somewhere or add on to if already ranked.

And oh yes! This one is ranked because why not? But to start it all, here’s an update on what we mis-predicted in our 2024 preview, and a whole bunch more “honorable mentions” before the actual list because we can’t help ourselves when it comes to talking up new music:

First things first! The update on the leftovers (That we aren’t mentioning below already, that is) from last year’s “Most Anticipated” for 2024 (Review it for yourself here): The Brains kept busy with touring and recording and adding new members in 2024 and eventually released new single “Evil” in late October with the promise that the new record, and first since 2020, was coming up… soon. 2024 was not the year that it materialized so hopefully 2025 will be the one and undeniably worth the wait! As for Eastern High? They’ve been quiet on the socials since spring of 2024 unfortunately. While new music didn’t appear from The Union Underground, the outfit does have lots more touring in the pipeline with high profile slots on the upcoming Snot tour plus spots on “Welcome To Rockville” and “Inkcarceration” as well as old school jam “Across The Nation” coming back around for the launch of WWE’s Raw on Netflix.

And finally, EYE AM/Silvertomb! Ah, the Kenny Hickey corner! Well, the former Type O Negative axe man still has a new Silvertomb record in the can from most recent reports and as for the supergroup EYE AM that also features Crowbar’s Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange along with former TON (And sometimes Quiet Riot, Danzig, and Kill Devil Hill among others) drummer Johnny Kelly? They’re now known as Sun Don’t Shine and just released their first single under that moniker called “The Promise Song” which you can listen to here.

Then there’s what we’re calling the “Valentine’s Day Musi-cre” (“Massacre” but with “Music” instead, get it???) because there’s a LOT to love coming your way on February 14th. If you like it Heavy then prepare yourselves for new records from both Bleeding Through and Lacuna Coil who release highly anticipated albums that day (We’ve heard BT and we ain’t kiddin’ when we say “If you like it Heavy”!) while on the complete flip of that, our faves in Corlyx will be releasing a DOUBLE ALBUM on that same day (More on that further below).

On the greats-you-may-not-have-heard-of-but-we’ll-be-reviewing-soon front comes a slew of 2/14 releases clogging up our drafts queue like the upcoming EPIC from Pothamus who deliver a beast of a follow-up to Raya called Abur (Pre-order the new one here, listen to the last one here) and along the heaviness lines both Novarupta and Sicksense offer up some semblance of that term with the former giving more a denseness over all on Astral Lands while the latter gets their modern Nu-Metal on throughout Cross Me Twice. The last on our love day list is perhaps the artist best suited for a V-Day release as Love Is Noise drop To live in a different way via Century Media with an early Deftones aesthetic fused into their sound.

Still we have more to get to before the big list??? Yep, we do! Because who needs sleep! And if you do need sleep then maybe this massive collection or words might help with that? Anyway, stuff we’re already covering soon and/or has been announced includes Scour’s beastly new banger called Gold on February 21st, The Grey with an epic instrumental beastie of their own on the 28th in February and Year of the Cobra is back with their own slab of loud on that same day as well. Kaiser is bringing some Desert Rawk goodness with their 2nd Sound on March 7th while Spiritbox‘s highly anticipated new full-length also arrives then. On April 4th Scowl release their new full-length called Are We All Angels and then, to top off the scheduled release portion of our program, Behemoth unleash the just announced The Shit Ov God on May 9th through Nuclear Blast! Phew!

But wait, there’s more!?!? In the category of “most likely on the way but doesn’t have a set date yet” comes new outings from Machine Head (On the way in Spring with pre-orders starting in February) while Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor recently told Metal Hammer that that group’s upcoming record revolves around “Supernatural Horror” as a concept and that he does not see a world in which the record does not release in 2025 and in that vein, Deftones follow-up t0 2020’s Ohms should arrive at some point in the new year (Perhaps with at least a single out ahead of their Spring tour which stops at TD Garden in Boston on April 8th???)

And elsewhere across genres, our Electro faves in Replicant have an album ready to go with the release date pending (Need a fix now? On 1.31 they’ll release a new live record that you can order here), Ritual Howls has been hard at work on their next Post-something opus, Black Label Society has also been toiling away when BLS main man Zakk Wylde isn’t out with Pantera or Zakk Sabbath, and speaking of the Texas Groove Metal legends, supergroup Down featuring Pantera’s Phil Anselmo is back and working on their first new record in almost 20 years! Middle Class Rut has some new noise coming in 2025 as well as do Bad Omens with the anxiously awaited next chapter following break out album THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND.

Done! Except for the actual list. Which starts now:

25. VOWWS-TBA (TBD, Out Of Line): Upon hearing the first official single “Blood’s on fire” from VOWWS’ upcoming third full-length we were tempted to reconfigure this WHOLE thing and place it way higher. But we held off. As we have a feeling that the end result is going to end up in our Top 5 of end of year picks once it sees the light of day anyhow. What we know right now is that the Electro Death Pop duo from Los Angeles has been honing the songs that will make up the as-yet-untitled effort for some time and once they were ready for business brought drummer Josh Freese in to bulk up their already impressive sound so there’s that. And, chances are, if you caught them live in the last year or so (Like we did when they went out with Twin Temple) you’ve heard lots of the awesomeness to come.

24. Clutch-TBA (TBD, Weathermaker): Clutch already has a lot going on in the new year… as they did in the old one! Following their nightly run through of Blast Tyrant during their 2024 headline dates, the Maryland quartet will be dusting off tracks from their self-titled sophomore album that saw the beginning of their sonic shift into the band we all know and love today for a 30th Anniversary run celebrating that record on stage. European dates are out with North American ones to come! Oh, and between all that they should be finishing up their 14th full-length.

23. Killswitch Engage-The Consequence (Feb 21, Metal Blade Records): The MA metallers are back with their first full-length in almost six years which, judging by the singles released so far, will be well worth the wait. Speaking of waiting, you won’t have to do much of that with the effort arriving early into 2025 and you can pre-order yours now in a variety of editions by heading here.

22. Anthrax-TBA (September/October/TBC): Bassist Frank Bello recently stated that the upcoming 12th full-length from the legendary thrashers is due around September or October because this has to be coming out this year, right? It’s been 9 years since their last and sure there’s the “other obligations” with members touring with Pantera and Mr. Bungle and to name a few but it’s gotta be close!

21. Bob Mould-Here We Go Crazy (March 7th/BMG): We randomly stumbled on this bit of news and upon reading it immediately found a spot within because we have that much faith in the former Husker Du’er and his first solo outing in about 5 years. The lead single/title track is filled with classic Mould moments so we have no reason to believe the record will be anything less than stellar! You can pre-order it now by heading here and if you dig what you hear then be sure to catch Mould on an upcoming Spring headline run that stops at Boston’s Paradise on May 2nd.

20. The Defect-DEATH X DESTINY (February 7th, FiXT): Oh hey! It’s the lone blurb on here that we have an actual review to attach to (In the header if you’re curious)! Featuring The Browning’s Jonny McBee and vocalist Moon McBee, THE DEFECT is a Heavy Electro project like no other and easily one of our most favorite releases of 2025 already. They’re in the process of wrapping their first national tour opening for The Browning and if you missed them when they hit your town (We definitely did not!) with advance CD’s for sale then be sure to head below and pre-order your copy now!

19. Loviatar-TBA (TBD/TBC): Here’s the speculative/willed into existence bit that always happens in these big preview posts. Loviatar is one of those artists where we kind of forget about them for a bit then re-remember (Not a word) then dive in wholeheartedly until we need to ween off in order to be able to enjoy it all over again. So maybe it’s a love/hate thing??? Anyway! According to the interwebs, the band has been working as a trio on the new songs since the Fall of 2023 so we’re hoping that 2025 will be the year that the results of their first outing since 2020’s Lightless are actualized.

18. Eisbrecher-Kaltfront (March 14th/Metropolis Records): The end of 2024 saw the release of single “Everything Is Wunderbar” and announcement of new record Kaltfront with the new year already bringing the incendiary title track from the long running Industrial outfit and it all sounds “wunderbar” to us!

17. Paradise Slaves-With Hell In His Eyes (May 2nd, Spinefarm): We just found out about this new outfit featuring one of the coolest voices in heaviness in Brock Lindow of 36 CrazyFists and this new band would’ve had a higher spot in here if we had more time to sit with the songs out so far. As it stands right now, and with the amount of times we’ve already played “A Fever To Defeat”, we fully expect their debut LP (Also featuring members of Diecast and Pentagram and siblings of Killswitch Engage players) to land pretty high up on our end of the year list for 2025 (And the aforementioned single high up on our Spotify Wrapped). You can pre-order and pre-save the album in a variety of options, and check out the latest singles, by heading here.

16. 40 Below Summer-TBA (TBD/TBC): We keep seeing posts on other sites lauding the fact that 40 Below Summer have new music on the horizon but if you regularly follow the band (Like we do) then this isn’t really news at all as their socials have been chronicling their studio progress fairly regularly. Don’t get us wrong, everyone should definitely shine a spotlight on one of the more underrated and less appreciated artists during the “Daze of the Nu” but please make sure you’re also around and covering when the time comes for mass consumption of that new music as we surely will having accepted the invitation back in 2002 and haven’t stopped dancing since.

15. Jason Bieler and the Baron Von Bielski Orchestra-The Escapologist (February 21st): Here’s one of the few on here where we have the full-length in our possession and can safely wax poetic on the album because we’ve heard it. And yeah, it’s pretty amazing (Review forthcoming!) but having been fans of the Saigon Kick axe master since The Lizard days (That would be the early ’90’s, kids) we can’t really say we’re surprised at that revelation. Maybe a little bit of a revelation is just how good The Escapologist came out??? It’s a big badass bombastic slab of epic Prog adjacent heaviness that we really can’t wait to share more of with you in our upcoming review so stay tuned!

14. Biohazard-TBA (TBD/TBC): One thing’s for sure, Biohazard is currently in the studio recording their 10th full-length and first in almost 13 years. Will it materialize in 2025? We’re crossing our fingers but also realize that perfection takes time so we’ll gladly wait if we have to. However, following a successful reunion run on stage we’re thinking sooner rather than later might be the timeframe from the Brooklyn trailblazers.

13. Corlyx- PURPLE PAIN (February 14th, Out Of Line): Look! We love Corlyx! We do! And having them this far up the list isn’t a slight at all (If you check the number they landed out, too, we think it’s quite an honor) but more just making a little space for the rest of the incoming albums as we’re sure we’re going to have LOTS to say on the songs that make up Corlyx’s upcoming DOUBLE ALBUM! Yes, kiddies: 2 Corlyx records are coming your way ON THE SAME DAY in 2025. And you can pre-order the Goth/Electro/Post-Punk loveliness now by heading here.

12. Testament-TBA (TBD/Nuclear Blast): The Bay Area Thrashers have always been OUR Thrash band. Sure, we love the Big Four but there was always something about Chuck Billy’s voice and the riffage from Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick that caused us to gravitate towards these legends the most. While the band has been touring like crazy (Most recently crossing the globe co-headlining with Kreator) it looks like 2025 will be the year that the follow-up to 2020’s Titans of Creation, and first with drummer Chris Dovas (Who replaces Gene Hoglan), finally emerges!

11. Izzy Reign-TBA (Early 2025, FiXT): Izzy Reign had a stellar 2024 having signed with FiXT and releasing a deluge of music throughout the year starting with the Echo EP in March and culminating with “Your Entertainer” late in November. You could look at the bulk of that work as just a taste in preparation for the upcoming debut LP that’s sure to be filled with all kinds of emotive bangers that fans have become familiar with from the Heavy Electro siren.

10. Blackbraid-TBA (Summer/TBC): We have no recollection of how we eventually discovered the Native American Black Metal mastery of Blackbraid but we’re glad we did (And owe whoever turned us on to them a beer at some point). Anyway! II is everything we love about that particular Metal sub-genre and have high hopes that what’s next will be just as vicious and vital.

9. Corrosion Of Conformity-TBA (TBD, Nuclear Blast): On the plus side, COC has welcomed drummer Stanton Moore back into the fold for the recording of their 11th studio effort with the Galactic member last appearing on the severely underrated In The Arms of God back in 2005. The bad news? Original COC’er Mike Dean has left the building. That said, COC has always been a band that’s rolled with the punches and adapted (Remember the recent trio albums when Pepper Keenan was busy with Down?) so we have faith that the North Carolina natives will persevere and deliver another memorable collection of Rawk.

8. VNV Nation-Construct//Destruct (March 28th/TBD/TBC): Wait, Electro/Synth legends VNV Nation is releasing a double album in 2025, too??? Looks like it with the first part of the affair, Construct, arriving in late March as Destruct is slated to arrive “a number of weeks later”. There’s touring happening as well (European dates only right now) and the first sounds (And pre-order links) should be arriving in February. You can read more on the roll out and concept of the new record(s) by heading here.

7. Lo-Pan-Get Well Soon (April 4th, Magnetic Eye Records): 2025 looks to be the year where LOTS of the bands we really like will be returning. Like fresh Magnetic Eye Records signees’ Lo-Pan whose long awaited/anticipated fifth full-length is ready to go this year. First single “The Good Fight” just dropped and is a refreshing return from the Columbus, OH-based titans and if you, too, like what you hear then you can head to this space here to pre-order your copy now.

6. Sacred Reich-TBA (Summer/Metal Blade): On the other side of Thrash, Sacred Reich was a welcome return when they stormed back onto the scene first with some anniversary tours and later with new music in the form of 2019’s Awakening. We were late-to-the-party fans with SR as well having only begun our adventures when Independent was a relentless earworm and in heavy rotation on Headbanger’s Ball but regardless, we’ve been fans ever since and are beyond excited that the band recently announced that they were indeed back in the studio. With the political climate being what it is and the world seemingly going to shit on the daily, the time is just right for Phil Rind and company to return with their brand of outspoken Metal!

5. Ceremony Shadow-Ascension (March 20th): This one is easy for us as the masters of the revelatory “Resistance” and recent exemplary Electro tale “Reclaim”, Ceremony Shadows, took the reigns to tell you a little bit about what you can expect from their debut full-length in March which you can read here:

A riveting sound that’s both atmospheric and melodic, the album combines darkwave with mantra and exhortation — inducing a ritualistic experience. Shadow and light collide on the Portland-based band’s songs to explore hidden dimensions of the self and society.

Ceremony Shadows delve into the dark depths of the unconscious, unraveling the mysteries that shape us, challenging audiences to confront complacency, question idols, and embrace their sovereignty. Sound becomes a tool for awakening, and performance becomes a shared rite of passage, urging us to reclaim our agency in a fractured world.

Ascension invites you to step into the liminal, where darkness is not to be feared but embraced, where sovereignty is reclaimed, and transformation begins.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves and, quite frankly, can’t wait to hear what the rest of Ascension holds.

4. Ministry-TBA (TBD/Nuclear Blast): Getting back to the political, no other band has thrived musically under shitty regimes as much as Ministry so 2025 is kind of peak time for a new monster from the Industrial legends. It’s apparently also the time for Ministry to call it a day as band leader Al Jourgensen recently stated that the upcoming 17th LP would be their last so in addition to the return of former partner Paul Barker to the fold, expect more surprises and an exceptional end to an extraordnary run.

3. Pelican-TBA (TBD/TBC): Rejoined by original guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, Pelican spent most of 2024 writing and recording what will become their 7th full-length overall. And we can’t wait for the end result following the first taste when “Adrift” and “Tending The Embers” were dropped earlier last year to give fans just a glimpse of what’s in store from the reinvigorated Pelican.

2. Friendship Commanders-TBA (TBD/TBC): We belatedly were introduced to Nashville’s Friendship Commanders around the time 2023’s MASS was arriving because the Massachusetts setting of the album’s core story (And accompanying book) by vocalist/guitarist/author Buick Audra resonated with us being New England natives. It also helped that the Heavy Rawk conjured between Audra and drummer Jerry Roe was pretty frickin’ monolithic! 2025 will see the release of the follow-up to MASS (Once again recorded by Kurt Ballou at God City in Salem) plus the newest solo outing from Audra and we are here for all of that.

1. Pixel Grip-TBA (TBD/TBC): We only just discovered Chicago’s Pixel Grip after catching them early in 2024 while they were on tour with HEALTH and were utterly entranced by whatever sexy Synthwave/Electro/Darkwave style of music they were creating. But however you’d like to classify PG, there’s no denying that they slay. 2023’s “Bet You Do.” made it into the Spotify Top 5 of our most played songs of 2024 and 2024’s lone single “Stamina” made it into our own RNRF 2024 recap Spotify playlist. The new songs they’ve been playing live sound killer and we’re hoping that the new year brings more new music and maybe, a new album???

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