The ten albums I have liked the mostest, in this, The Year of Our Lord 2025.
According to my carefully kept records (bottom drawer pile of scribbled on, losing bookies slips), I’ve reviewed 33 records this year. Which seems like a very appropriate number. A couple of them probably came out at the arse end of 2024, but when you’re as old as me, you think in decades, not years.
Will I try and put them in order? Probably not. But I’ll see if I have a favourite by the time I get to the end.
HAWKLORDS – Faith – this was my favourite space rock of the year. Actually stopped the actual Hawkwind from sneaking in the list, actually.
TORIA WOOFF – self titled – dark, melancholic, modern folk. Gothic folk tales with cello.
EPICA – Aspiral – legally obligatory symphonic metal. Not their best but it wasn’t a great year for my beloved genre. Sharks may have been jumped.
PENELOPE TRAPPES – A Requiem – a dark, fogbound album about grief, cloaked in gloom? Sold!
LOLLI WREN – To Build A Sea – sort of dream pop meets All About Eve with incredible vocals.
DORIE JACKSON – Stupid Says Run – not at all prog solo from prog singer. Singery songwritery folky stuff. Lovely.
MARKO HIETALA – Roses From The Deep – well it’s Marko. But like Epica, not his best. But Marko. Even if I have to start playing it at Track 2.
CAROL HODGE – EffortLess In Security – top notch proggy pop with melodies of the year.
MARCELA BOVIO – Harmonies Unveiled – one of my favourite 3 singers alert! Interesting side project of reimaginings in multivocal harmonic format.
BELLE MORTE – Pearl Hunting – to Belarus for the best symphonic metal I heard all year. Praise be!
Favourites
Well, the best metal was Bella Morte. Inventive. With bangers.
The Toria Wooff album seems to be constantly in my play pile.
And the Carol Hodge record has melodies that linger, forever.
So they’re my favourites.
What does this tell us? Well, 8 of the 10 records are either by female artists or have female vocalists. So the lads really need to step up in 2026. There’s also a lot of sadness here. Which is an accurate reflection of life. Show me an attractive young lady mourning a loss and, no, I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Even if you just give the three records highlighted a play, your life will be improved. Or not. No refunds. Enjoy.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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