1. Pixel Grip – Percepticide: The Death of Reality
Album of the year. Banger after banger. Perfect pop songs with industrial bones. Rita Lukea is the baddest singer there is. She dominates, she captivates.
2. Today Is the Day – Never Give In
Each one of Today Is The Day’s albums sounds different from the last. Together they add up to one beautiful portrait of their maker, Steve Austin, a man brave enough to show you his weakness, his strength, his love, his hate, and everything in between. A true artist. Forever out on a limb, forever hanging by a thread.
3. Escape-ism – Charge of the Love Brigade
I put Ian Svenonius on the same pedestal as Steve Austin. A true artist, doing his thing, decade after decade. No compromise. Wildly entertaining.
4. Ramleh – Hyper Vigilance
A totally engrossing sonic journey, likely to excite Swans fans.
5. Dax Riggs – 7 Songs for Spiders
Dax’s voice is devastating. This is the blues, transmitting from a coffin at the bottom of the swamp.
6. Årabrot – Rite of Dionysus
Dark and haunted like Dax Riggs, but instead of the blues in the swamp, it’s a theatrical, Scandinavian rock n’ roll thing.
7. Kontusion – Insatiable Lust for Death
Kontusion stands out from the old school death metal pack. For me, it’s the excessively cavernous production and the supremely satisfying mid-tempo parts.
8. Barren Path – Grieving
Pure exhilaration. It’s not just the blazing fast tempos and laser precision, it’s the sweet, sweet riffs. A new standard in grindcore.
9. Gagbags – Hypnotic Desire
Some of you know Chuck as the owner of the best store in NYC, The Cast. In Gagbags he sings muscular punk rock anthems that cruise along in a late ‘70s kinda way.
10. Broncho – Natural Pleasure
Cryptic and blissful. Ryan Lindsey sings in a language all his own. Broncho’s album Double Vanity was my AOTY a few years back. This one is altogether mellower and that’s OK.
Honorable mention: 1-800-BAND – 20th Century Masters
Album of the year. Banger after banger. Perfect pop songs with industrial bones. Rita Lukea is the baddest singer there is. She dominates, she captivates.
2. Today Is the Day – Never Give In
Each one of Today Is The Day’s albums sounds different from the last. Together they add up to one beautiful portrait of their maker, Steve Austin, a man brave enough to show you his weakness, his strength, his love, his hate, and everything in between. A true artist. Forever out on a limb, forever hanging by a thread.
3. Escape-ism – Charge of the Love Brigade
I put Ian Svenonius on the same pedestal as Steve Austin. A true artist, doing his thing, decade after decade. No compromise. Wildly entertaining.
4. Ramleh – Hyper Vigilance
A totally engrossing sonic journey, likely to excite Swans fans.
5. Dax Riggs – 7 Songs for Spiders
Dax’s voice is devastating. This is the blues, transmitting from a coffin at the bottom of the swamp.
6. Årabrot – Rite of Dionysus
Dark and haunted like Dax Riggs, but instead of the blues in the swamp, it’s a theatrical, Scandinavian rock n’ roll thing.
7. Kontusion – Insatiable Lust for Death
Kontusion stands out from the old school death metal pack. For me, it’s the excessively cavernous production and the supremely satisfying mid-tempo parts.
8. Barren Path – Grieving
Pure exhilaration. It’s not just the blazing fast tempos and laser precision, it’s the sweet, sweet riffs. A new standard in grindcore.
9. Gagbags – Hypnotic Desire
Some of you know Chuck as the owner of the best store in NYC, The Cast. In Gagbags he sings muscular punk rock anthems that cruise along in a late ‘70s kinda way.
10. Broncho – Natural Pleasure
Cryptic and blissful. Ryan Lindsey sings in a language all his own. Broncho’s album Double Vanity was my AOTY a few years back. This one is altogether mellower and that’s OK.
Honorable mention: 1-800-BAND – 20th Century Masters
A posthumous EP from a wonderful band.
Check out this list and many other good ones, here: https://thebadpennyblog.com/2025/12/15/friends-of-the-bad-penny-share-their-top-10-lists-of-2025-best-albums/
Check out this list and many other good ones, here: https://thebadpennyblog.com/2025/12/15/friends-of-the-bad-penny-share-their-top-10-lists-of-2025-best-albums/
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