“Sneaking in at the end of a crowded 2025, Memories of Old released their sophomore record, Never Stop Believing, hoping to fill a Fellowship-sized hole in your heart.” Don’t stop!
![Memories of Old – Never Stop Believing [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Memories-of-Old-Never-Stop-Believing-01.jpg.webp)
Fellowship
Stuck in the Filter: October 2025’s Angry Misses
December is the best time to browse through the October Filter flotsam, as they’re now heavily discounted like Valentine’s Day candy in August. They’re probably still fresh though. Maybe.
Terra Atlantica – Oceans Review
“I had almost forgotten about German four-banger Terra Atlantica since I last covered them five years ago. Once my memory refreshed, I recalled what compelled me to snag Age of Steam in the first place: my love for steampunk. Far from the most dedicated—and perhaps even farther away from the best—piece of media based on that universe, Terra Atlantica nonetheless did sound appropriately grounded in a world propelled by superheated water. But their songwriting was too inconsistent to make a big splash with this sponge. With follow-up Oceans in tow, is their hope that Terra Atlantica will hoist my sails properly this time?” From steam to water power.
Illusia – Mind over Matter Review
“In the music business, the line between hobby and professional endeavor is often blurry. For brand-new musicians, the line might even be non-existent. And, every once in a while, a record graces our promo pile that is undeniably pure and authentic in a way only possible if its creator pours something deeply personal into the music. There is little doubt that this was the case for Jason Tyler when he formed Illusia in Manchester, UK. He took on a few bandmates and guest vocalists to help bring his progressive metal debut Mind over Matter to life, though he retains most of the songwriting and recording duties. How well might his passion project connect with a wider audience upon first exposure?” Smoke, mirrors, mind matters.
Warkings – Armageddon Review
“Those of you hoping to turn your ancient civilization cosplay group into a power metal band, sorry to burst your bubble–Warkings has beat you to it. Including Armageddon, this prolific German outfit has released five albums since their founding in 2018. Perhaps realizing that one new LP per year is not sustainable, Warkings waited three years to record Armageddon.” A war worth the wait?
Panthalassan – From the Shallows of the Mantle Review
“Angry Metal Guy is an institution, and not just a mental one. Artists often dip into our comment section to express a fondness for our site specifically, and the review requests that land in our contact form are even more devoted (or attempting to ingratiate themselves by pretending to be; politics plays a part too!). The case of Panthalassan is a step further, though. It’s a one-man band inspired by bands we have hawked relentlessly: Lör and Wilderun. After playing guitar for Viathyn and Ravenous, Jake Wright sought to carve his own path, striking out on his own with only the drums of session musician and Viathyn bandmate Dave Crnković to accompany him. Have the AMG classics steered him true?” Metal self-actualization.
The 7th Guild – Triumviro Review
“To compare your band to The Three Tenors is a bold move, to say the least. By making this connection, you inherently pit yourself against three of the greatest opera singers of their time (at the very least three of the most well-known). Yet, this is exactly how SkeleToon’s Tomi Fooler describes his freshly minted supergroup, The 7th Guild, in anticipation of their debut full-length Triumviro.” Tenors, tremors, tomfoolery.
Kilmara – Journey to the Sun Review
“The 1980s was a decade that is often portrayed with a thick rose-tinted sheen in today’s media. Whether it was a better time during which to live or this idea was born from simple nostalgia I’ll leave to the reader’s discretion. The fact remains that tons of music artists–both inside and outside of the metal sphere–wear their 80s influence as prominently as Indiana Jones wears his signature fedora. Spanish melodic power metal band Kilmara is intent to join their ranks with Journey to the Sun, whose overarching theme centers around video game arcades at the height of popularity.” Mari-OH, or Mari-NO!
AngryMetalGuy.com’s Aggregated Top 20 Albums o’ 2024
“Here we are. The culmination of not just two to five weeks of hardcore listing, but twelve months of hardcore metalling. The AngryMetalGuy.com Aggregated Top 20 Albums o’ 2024 represents the cream of the crop, or more accurately, the cream of a small corner of a field containing some crops. Using the unrestrained power of manual data entry and a mighty spreadsheet, our wonderful little website compiles our numerous year-end ranking articles and the dozens of metal albums therein into one final, dreadful ranking.” One List to Debase Them All, One List to Find Them…
Angry Metal Guy’s Top Ten(ish) of 2024
Starting 2025 with a bang was always important, and I elected the “being 26 days late with your Record o’ the Year post” as the best possible way to give everyone that patented Angry Metal Guy feeling of waiting and waiting only to be smacked in the face with 5000 words that you disagree with entirely. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Executive Dysfunction™! Let’s make a list!
