Hey folks! Excited to share with you all my top 10 for year 2025; let’s go!
10. Motion City Soundtrack – The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World
Starting off with a serious emo story, MCS were a band that shaped my teenage years in total secret. I was the youngest of my teenage gang of friends, and all of the other guys were deep into hardcore and punk. I would have been the fool of the group if it turned out I was enjoying bands like MCS also. Twenty years later, I can finally speak out and say this band’s new record absolutely rocks. It gave me the same feelings of my teenage summers … first broken hearts!
Listen here.
9. Last Hounds – Growing Pains EP
Last Hounds are a pretty rad alternative/hardcore band from the U.K. For those out there who are starving for Turnstile or Angel Du$t, they might represent a good listening. I’m enjoying this kind of hardcore that is actually spreading nowadays, and I like the fact that we Europeans also have a representing band.
Listen here.
I can’t get bored by this band. The recipe is the same since their debut California Cursed, but I confess I have a huge crush for this mix of hardcore/thrash/’80s metal. Also, this band’s attitude is really something I find myself into: funny people playing loud and aggressive stuff. We’ll see if they’ll work on normies also during this year’s Coachella, and I hope this band will continue their winning streak.
Listen here.
Like I mentioned in my review for this album (here), I’m not a huge fan of old-school hardcore, but this band found a way to get me into that sound. The Love is a solid, brilliant record that sounds amazing and really high-fidelty to the energy this band release when on stage. I had the good luck to work with them during the Italian leg of their last European tour, and I can also say they’re sweet, smart, and simply good people.
Listen here.
6. Secret World – Tomorrow Is A Mystery To Me EP
Straight from Sydney, Australia, Secret World are a supergroup featuring members of Speed, Trophy Eyes, and Downside. The guys here are a very good example of how to stir together different contributions creating something fresh and original. Secret World remind me of another band that I love, Fiddlehead, but with a good injection of pop punk that could even work on the radio. Their debut EP is a hard one to get out of your head after a couple of plays; great job.
Listen here.
5. House of Protection – Outrun You All (EP)
HOP are a unique band in the music scene. I worked with them this last summer when they headlined their very first Italian gig, and they showed the world how to have fun at a rock show. It’s absurd that just two people can cause that massive ignition. Do yourself a favor and go see them if you haven’t already. Speaking of the album, Outrun You All contains some of the best material the band have written to date. I actually am a fan of some EDM (I went to see Illenium last year and had so much fun), and this band are bringing that vibe into heavy rock like it’s a normal thing. This is a great one for the mosh pit and also for house parties.
Listen here.
Discomostro are one of the top-rated bands in Italy, and their last record, OH NO!, was actually the first one to enter my top 10 for this year. People are into them not only because they’re super down-to-earth people and skilled musicians, but also because of the way they can deliver a message that is often crude and dark yet very real at the same time. They have this brilliant, sometimes also scary, first-person narration that hits straight to the listeners’ face and efficiently places them in front of a mirror asking themselves about topics that society prefer to ignore. The singing is in Italian, so prepare your translators, folks.
Listen here.
3. Landmvrks – The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been
During 2025, Landmvrks from Marseille, France, proved they are THE big thing in modern metalcore. Their last album, reviewed here, is simply stunning and helped their popularity grow widely across the world. The cool thing here is that despite the success, this band are still very into the underground and still directly support collectives and independent gigs in their hometown. Florent Salfati is probably one of the best singers and songwriters around, and I love this record also because it’s been of huge help for me. I’m trying to move to southern France and experiencing mixed emotions about that move, and this record helped me feel less out of my place and included instead. It would have been number one if only …
Listen here.
It’s useless to spend words about this band. There are no others out there that engaged new fans in a span of more than 30 years like this one. Their career is a never-ending evolution that worked well on at least three generations of listeners and shows how continuous change is key to adapt to times. It also has some of the best artwork of the year. Private music is an incredibly solid record that confirmed this band’s place among the giants of alternative music. I’m going to catch them in Glasgow next year with Drug Church and Denzel Curry; I can’t wait!
Listen here.
I trusted this band since day one, and as they’ve never EVER kicked out a bad release in their whole career, I can say I was definitely right in thinking of them as the next big thing. Bastard Hymns is the record everyone should check out this year. It’s an outstanding combination of the best millennial music but presented in a completely new and shiny shape. Despite having nothing to do with following a trend (as told in my review here), this record comes with a perfect time-to-market to really ride the wave of early ’00’s revival that we’re seeing nowadays. I didn’t expect a band like this could even exist, and now I’m so grateful it actually does. It’s the greatest stuff I’ve heard in, like, 15 years.
Listen here.
That’s it for this year; feel free to message me here if you want to share some thoughts!
Reeko
