Top records reviewed by VoS
Ancient Death - Ego Dissolution - Progressive Death Metal - Profound Lore Records - Review here!
New wave of cosmic, atmospheric Death Metal at its best, hitting the right balance between groovy OSDM mid-paced riffs and sprawling, introspective passages. A mix of technicality, layered leads and occasional ethereal vocals, that is more Atheist with Death than Blood Incantation with Kraut at its heart. Love it!
Morast - Fentanyl - Blackened Death Doom - VÁN Records - Review here!
This feels like a descent into existential dread. A punishing blackened Death-Doom journey. Crushing and oppressive as also bleak and hypnotic. The Ruins of Beverast playing Bolt Thrower with a modern blackened twist. Sounds like the times we live in. Have fun!
Phantom Spell - Heather & Hearth - Progressive Rock/Heavy Metal - Wizard Tower Records - Review here!
Both timeless and uniquely its own, Heather & Hearth is a time-warped classic Rock/Prog/Heavy Metal odyssey, fusing the melodic grandeur of Kansas, Uriah Heep and early Wishbone Ash with a folk-tinted, mystical heart that never sounds merely retro. Listen to this, if you need to be somewhere else, far away in space and time. Nostalgic escapism par excellence.
Sunniva - Hypostasis - Death Doom/Sludge - Svart Records - Review here!
A dense, suffocating blend of Sludge, Death/Doom and Post-Metal in the vein of Amenra, Neurosis and Thou that drags the listener through monolithic heaviness and bleak, introspective atmospheres. The result is both oppressive and immersive — an emotionally raw debut that feels like a slow descent into the underlying substance of existence itself. Proud of my buddies from Turku/Finland!
Ter Ziele - Embodiment Of Death - Blackened Doom/Post-Metal - Tartarus Records - Review here!
Blackened Doom with an atmospheric Post-metal weight. The slow, monolithic riffs and anguished vocals tear at my soul. A cathartic experience, which in sound and feel reminds me of “A” certain band. Brilliant stuff!
Martin´s personal highlights 2025 – additional records not to be missed:
Dessiderium - Keys To The Palace - Progressive Melodic Death Metal - Willowtip Records
My AOTY. It´s a lot of different things and oftentimes all at once. An overwhelming and vibrant experience. A Prog Rock journey played by a melodic and progressive Death Metal band, weaving soaring melodies and complex arrangements with lush symphonic and atmospheric layers into both crushing and uplifting passages. Cinematic and emotionally impactful. I´m in for the ride. Every single time.
Moron Police - Pachinko - Progressive Rock/Metal - Mighty Jam Music
Born out of loss and grief,Pachinko is a wildly inventive concept album that blends Prog Rock, Pop, and Metal into an hour of kaleidoscopic hooks, shifting moods, and genre-bending twists, following the absurd tale of a man turned into a sentient pachinko machine in Tokyo. It’s vivid and infectious in spirit—bursting with catchy melodies, jazzy detours, synth-pop touches and cinematic arrangements that recall adventurous prog artists like Thank You Scientist and Haken, yet wholly unique in its surreal charm. I feel happy while listening to this record. It makes me smile. This is important.
Oneohtrix Point Never - Tranquilizer - Electronic/Experimental - Warp Records
A richly layered, experimental electronic journey built from rediscovered 90s/early-2000s sample libraries that Lopatin recontextualizes into dense, otherworldly soundscapes. It evokes a mix of Ambient, Plunderphonics, and New Age textures — think Brian Eno meets Autechre in a digital dreamscape where nostalgia collides with glitchy futurism. Sometimes I need to rewire my brain and let some air breeze through my head. Tranquilizer does that for me.
One Of Nine - Dawn Of The Iron Shadow - Melodic Black Metal - Profound Lore Records
Dawn Of The Iron Shadow is a Tolkien-steeped melodic Black Metal epic that blends icy tremolo riffs and blast beats with atmospheric synths and medieval touches, conjuring vast Middle-earth battlefields and mythic quests. Its sound draws clear kinship with fantasy-leaning melodic Black Metal peers like Summoning and Stormkeep, balancing ferocity with sweeping, narrative-rich grandeur. Where´s my sword?!
QRIXKUOR - The Womb Of The World - Blackened Death Metal - Dark Descent Records
Nightmarishly immersive fusion of cavernous Death Metal and haunting orchestral terror. Uniquely overwhelming and unsettling. Symphonic Portal? The real soundtrack to Event Horizon? I don´t know, but it´s absolutely great.
Top concerts of 2025
envy Roadburn 2025 - April - NL-Tilburg - My favourite band of all time at my favourite festival. Two immaculate sets, tears of joy. Perfect!
Endon Roadburn 2025 - April - NL-Tilburg - Like a rush of blood through your head, cathartic and visceral, one of a kind. It was quite a surreal experience to step out into the sunshine after the gig. It took some time to adjust back to reality.
Blood Fire Death (Bathory -tribute) Hellsinki Metal Festival 2025 - August - FIN-Helsinki - Hits after hits with a lot of special guests. A great show in every way.
Anna von Hausswolff - December - FIN-Helsinki - Engaging, diverse and emotional form start to finish. Perfect sound. Just like I hoped it to be.
