Decibel magazine are one of the first prominent metal publications to serve up their choices for the ‘Top 40 Albums of 2025’. As one of the few remaining metal-centric metal print publications left in the United States, the magazine’s editors have compiled a diverse list with some choices and omissions that will no doubt surprise more than a few metalheads.
Some of those choices were shocking to the publication as well, as they noted that only 12 albums from their past ‘Top 21 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2025’ feature wound up making this list, marking the lowest percentage in their history of publishing that annual piece. Additional context and interviews with the bands who topped the list can be found in the new issue of Decibel. As for their choices this year, read on:
40. Sodom – “The Arsonist“
39. Ossuary – “Abhorrent Worship“
38. Nyredolk – “Barndommens Hjem“
37. Dead Hea – “Process of Elimination“
36. Biohazard – “Divided We Fall“
35. Sanguisugabogg – “Hideous Aftermath“
34. In The Company Of Serpents – “A Crack In Everything“
33. Morbikon – “Lost Within Astral Crypts“
32. Agriculture – “The Spiritual Sound“
31. Wode – “Uncrossing The Keys“
30. Havukruunu – “Tavastland“
29. Shearling – “Motherfucker, I Am Both: “Amen” and “Hallelujah”“
28. Testament – “Para Bellum“
27. Hooded Menace – “Lachrymose Monuments Of Obscuration“
26. Nite – “Cult Of The Serpent Sun“
25. Blut Aus Nord – “Ethereal Horizons“
24. Terror Corpse – “Ash Eclipses Flesh“
23. Coroner – “Dissonance Theory“
22. (16) – “Guides For The Misguided“
21. Species – “Changelings“
20. Blackbraid – “Blackbraid III“
19. Castle Rat – “The Bestiary“
18. Haggus – “Destination Extinction“
17. Volahn – “Popol Vuh“
16. Decrepisy – “Deific Mourning“
15. Eternal Darkness – “Eternal Darkness“
14. Teitanblood – “From the Visceral Abyss“
13. Imperial Triumphant – “Goldstar“
12. One Of Nine – “Dawn Of The Iron Shadow“
11. Tribunal – “In Penitence And Ruin“
10. Lamp Of Murmuur – “The Dreaming Prince In Ecstasy“
09. Deafheaven – “Lonely People With Power“
08. Tower – “Let There Be Dark“
07. Cryptopsy – “An Insatiable Violence“
06. Evoken – “Mendacium“
05. Rwake – “The Return Of Magik“
04. Ancient Death – “Ego Dissolution“
03. Paradise Lost – “Ascension“
02. Messa – “The Spin“
01. Deadguy – “Near-Death Travel Services“
