MY TOP 20 OF AUGUST 2025

 

Another month gone, and here we are. It is that time of the month again when I gather my personal favourite albums of the month. This time I inserted 20+3 and it wasn't that hard, having in mind what was released in August 2025. Some worthy ones and a pile of forgettable fast food. You will say that I am criticizing again and repeating the same old story. And you will be completely right. There is no need of so many albums and bands to flood us with mediocre music. 

Naturally, Helloween's Giants and Monsters is my album of the month. And again I'll repeat myself - we are so lucky to have the classic band still performing, still being super-strong and delivering these kinds of monster albums, that bring you to the good old times and make you smile that both you and the band are still alive and well! I'll write the same when the new Coroner appears in October, and I know it is going to be an AOTY candidate for sure.

The rest in the chart are more or less in order, with the following 10 absolutely interchangeable depending on the mood and circumstances. Solid albums that will stay until the end of the year. The second half of the list is weaker, yet the better of the rest I left out of this list. I am skimming as usual and I put here what I find the best. 

At a certain point, I was thinking of calling a day too, and cutting all these regular monthly posts. Unfortunately, I don't have time to write more often and to fill in this blog with my thoughts about the scene or particular albums and bands. However, I like consistency, and I am still doing this, although I tend to find it more and more meaningless nowadays. 

Now, if you are still reading this, below is my August 2025 Top 20, plus three honorable mentions. Enjoy the good music!

HELLOWEEN - Giants & Monsters (Spotify) Album of the month! We must be so happy that bands like Helloween are releasing such strong albums after 40 years on the stage, outpacing everyone this month! Enjoy while you can...

INNUMERABLE FORMS - Pain Effulgence (Bandcamp). Many will say that the debut is their best, but yet, this third album is their most mature one. very good death-doom with pinches of Blood Incantation and Temple of Void.

HEDONIST - SCAPULIMANCY (Bandcamp) Holy shit! Absolutely devastating death metal, a campaign of destruction and war! The heaviness of these tracks echoes the best years of Bolt Thrower... Absolutely great album.

MEDIEVAL DEMON - All Powers of Darkness (Bandcamp) For me, this is the best Medieval Demon record to date. Underground, obscure, medieval hellenic black metal! Figures in black, torches, processions in dark corridors, and spells.

MALTHUSIAN - The Summoning Bell (Bandcamp) I like this description: "The Summoning Bell is a lighting of the pyre - each of the album's tracks explore themes of true nothingness, condemnations of superstition, and a profound descent into darkness and time. The end result is a record that seemingly reconciles with a dimming - internal and external, a true end of everything."

DEATHHAMMER - Crimson Dawn (Bandcamp) Deathhammer being Deathhamer, but why are the songs so long? Make them shorter and will be punchier...

DEFACEMENT - Doomed (Bandcamp) You all know how much I like the band since 2021 and their two previous albums. This one is absolutely sick but still behind those two records, imo. 

CANCER VOID - First Metastasis (Bandcamp) - "Savage death metal straight from the cosmic crypt."

ZATOKREV - ...Bring Mirrors To The Surface (Bandcamp) 5th album for 23 years of history, and first album in 10 years! Atmo sludge of the highest order to drown and lose in.

DEFTONES - Private Music (Spotify) Private Music is a very good album, a reminder of their best years. 

IN MOURNING - The Immortal (Bandcamp) Absolute melo-doom-death monster on the edge of not being cheese but still emotional. 

PANOPTICON - Songs of Hiraeth (Bandcamp) I liked this compilation, it is OK, having in mind the time it was recorded. On the contrary, I really find the other americana-country music album completely useless. 

DESASTER - Kill All Idols (Bandcamp) I honestly had very high expectations, especially after their previous record. I left disappointed. Still, Desaster is a powerful horse, and the record deserves to be here although there is a lot more to be required by the band and their capabilities. 

BAEST - Colossal (Bandcamp) Much better than the previous albums here, too. Groovy, riffy, and much more memorable aka enjoyable. Still, I think there's a long way for the band to go to have solid standing power.

IMPERISHABLE - Revelation In Purity (Bandcamp) Domination-era Morbid Angel, latest-Nile era...

ASHEN - Leave the Flesh Behind (Bandcamp) Much better than their previous albums, it seems much tighter and mature, and accessible (in the good way). Not sure how long it will stay, though.

ESKAPISM - Skresnava (Bandcamp) - A black metal album that is very atmospheric and very melodic at parts, but I enjoyed it. 

HATEFUL ABANDON - Threat (Bandcamp) - Killing Joke meets Godflesh! Whoa! What a combo!

OSCENUM - In the Depths of Impurity (Spotify) - Dirty Finnish old-school death metal that cuts heads. 

BORRACHO - Ouroboros (Bandcamp). It's Borracho. 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: 

PRALAYA प्रलय - Beyond the Tattered Curtain of Unspeakable Madness (Bandcamp)

HEXROT - Formless Ruin of Oblivion (Bandcamp)

PROSCRIPTION - Desolate Divine (Bandcamp)