As much as we music journalists like to act like omniscient know-it-alls, the fact of the matter is that no set of ears can hear everything. Albums and artists will always pass you by, which is why it’s so important to shout about underground bands as loud as possible. 2025 has seen tentpole releases from the likes of Ghost and Sleep Token, but for each one of them, there’s been at least a dozen records begging for a fraction of their attention. So, these are the best heavy metal albums that most people probably missed this year.
