TEMPLE FANG - Live at dB's / Live at Sonic Whip

Rejoice! Dutch Epic Psychedelic Rockers Temple Fang have self-released two new albums - and just like four of the seven releases I already had in my collection from them, they both begin with the two words "Live at".

TEMPLE FANG - Live at Sonic Whip (LP) (2026)

"Live at Sonic Whip" basically is a live version of LP 1 of the fantastic first studio album double album "Lifted From The Wind", containing the two each side-long tracks "The River" and "Once". Of course both songs more than live up to their studio recordings.

Temple Fang are just a class of their own on stage, always living their music to the fullest and letting it find new ways and waves of expressing itself. Even when they don't change much about the structure of a song, and even though their music in general is rooted in deeply familiar Blues, Psych and Prog traditions, it always somehow feels fresh and new.

On "Once" they even add some special sauce with the guest performance of Mees Vullings (Heath / The Bird Experience), who adds an exciting extra level of greatness to the piece with his signature amplified harmonica playing. This is everything you want from this band and more. Definitely among Temple Fang's peak recorded performances!

The record is housed in a simple hand-stamped and numbered cover, just like their 2020 full-length debut "Live at Merleyn". Very nice.

TEMPLE FANG - Live at dB's (Tape) (2026)

Do we already want to listen to these songs again? Yeah, why not? Why not even longer? "Live at "dB's" features a version of "Once" which runs nine minutes longer than usual, so the track alone reaches the half-hour mark. More than another half of an hour in comparison to "Live at Sonic Whip" is added with two more tracks from the recent studio album, "Harvest Angel" and "Josephine". And that's still not all, because this show recorded in Utrecht started with the classic "Gemini", so the quartet treats us with all in all over ninety minutes of magnetic instrumental performances and fantastic vocals leading to pure Psychedelic bliss.

Sadly there is something serious to critique here, and it's not that the sound is a bit rawer and could use a little more brilliance here and there (not to keen on the uncomfortable way the low end is booming sometimes), but it actually is the total length. And no, I'm not getting bored by the music, but appearantly it's just too much music for the poor pink cassette shell supposed to carry it!
There is some physical friction and drag at the beginning, which simply makes it impossible to play that thing, unless I spool forward by hand until I'm a minute in (where thanks to a long guitar intro  not that much has happened yet). I still have the feeling that the whole tape then still spins a little bit too slow... and expectedly a minute before "The River" ends the tape decelerates and stops again.

I love me my tapes (as evident in my ongoing cassette craze chronicles), but this one I'm afraid can only serve as a nice-looking haptic addition to the digital Bandcamp release. Of course I can only speak of my own copy, maybe the shell is somehow just glued together a bit too tightly and I could actually fix it... or completely ruin it while trying... Nah, better live with it as it is. And that, dear labels and artists, is one example of why you should always provide a download with your releases! 

MUSIC 2025 : TOP 25 albums

You know the annual sermon: What an impossible task! So hard to decide, so many other albums would have deserved to be featured here, this is only a snapshot and could look very different a couple of weeks from now, blabla...

And I'm already making these AOTY lists easier by only ranking the first three albums on a podium. Last time I sorted the rest by genres, but this year my process just naturally went into an already more stylistically balanced direction without me having to overthink it. So here you just have places twenty-five to four, no matter what style of music, just on alphabetical order, before we get to the three at the very top.

As always my criteria for consideration are that it must be a full (so no EP), new (not reissued) studio (not live, which can sometimes be debatable) album, it must have been released in 2025 and I must own a physical copy of it! I know, the last point isn't fair and rules out quite a bunch of great digital releases, but hey, how am I supposed to put those on a photo like above?

But enough with the introduction, no honourable mentions (because selecting those would be the next impossible task), so here we go!

TOP 25 ALBUMS OF 2025

#25 - #4 (in alphabetical order):

• AGRICULTURE - The Spiritual Sound
  
  
  

  Cue to: When did Post Black Metal get woke??!! Seriously though: Agriculture's beautifully wild, harsh and fragile, rebellious and grand mix of Black Metal, Punk and Shoegaze is surely one of those experiences which can instantly rekindle your passion if you feel like Metal in general is starting to bore you a little. Such an addictive energy!
  
  
  
  
  
• ÅRABROT - Rite of Dionysus
  
  

  

  On the sister album and continuation of "And Darkness and Light" (2023) Kjetil Nernes' and Karin Park's Norwegian Gothic Church of Årabrot leads us from solemnly droning organ threnody over grand ballads, Noise Rock and Post Punk'n'Roll bangers all the way to a climax of irresistable four-to-the-floor danceability.
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
• BONG-RA - Black Noise / To Mega Panopticon
  
  

  

  "Black Noise" is composed of Godflesh and Ministry style Industrial Metal infused with Jason Köhnen's brand of Doom and gloom and stirred up by the Breakbeat inferno of earlier Bong-Ra releases. The complementary remix and cover songs album "To Mega Panopticon" completes the apocalyptic fallout party.
  
  



• BRUIT ≤ - The Age of Ephemerality
  
  
  

  Scattered, fragmented, a chaotic clash of dystopia and hope, of technology and spirit. Through ambitous concepts - combining decades of recording techniques and centuries of music history - French instrumental Post Rockers  Bruit ≤ create a cosmic snapshot of humanity, a perfect summary of our time - and an urgent plea looking forward.
  
  
  
  
  
• CLIPPING. - Dead Channel Sky / Dead Channel Sky Plus
  
  
  

  Experimental Hip Hop trio Clipping. from LA has moved from horror stories to hustling, hacking and fighting the system in the neon light alleys of a cyberpunk mega city, painted in rich sonic and lyrical detail on "Dead Channel Sky". also available as the digital director's cut "Dead Channel Sky Plus".
  
  
  
  
  
• CORONER - Dissonance Theory
  
  
  
  "Default: Groundbreaking"
  Thirteen years after their live reunion and thirty-two years after the masterpiece "Grin" Coroner are finally back. And the Swiss Progressive Thrash Metal legends didn't take their fans' patience for granted, but carefully crafted a banger that doesn't need to hide from anything in their discography.
  
  
  
  
  
• DALILA KAYROS - Kthonie
  
  
  
  Dalila Kayros was one of the strongest competitors only missing the winners' podium of this list by a hair. On "Kthonie" the Italian singer  presents nine nonconformist yet accessible, outrageously great Avantgarde Electronic Music tracks with absolutely fierce and fearless vocal performances.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• DATADYR - This We Know
  
  
  
  Watching the empire's downfall from afar Norwegian trio Datadyr explores the gap between romanticisation and bleak reality of the American Dream. Their mix of instrumental Weather Report Jazz Fusion with multiple variants of Americana from Blues, Country and Folk to Bluegrass is a touching, blue yet exciting requiem for the West that never really was.
  
  
  
  
  
• DÉLIRANT - Thoughteater
  
  
  
  The Spaniards Délirant take us on a spiraling journey to hell through a merciless maelstrom of seven surreal, nightmarish movements of existentially horrifying, atmospherically thick Dissonant Black Metal. Only at the end of this rite of psychotic torment "Thougheater" allows us to dream of a distant ray of light.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• FLORENCE + THE MACHINE - Everybody Scream
  
  
  
  Three years after "Dance Fever" Florence + The Machine return with increased introspective depth and darkness in their mixture of Chamber and hymnic Pop with Alternative Rock, Folk and acoustic, orchestral or electronic textures. Be as sceptical as you will about artists with mainstream appeal - Florence Welch is the real deal.
  
  
  
  
  
• IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT - Goldstar
  
  
  
  New York Avantgarde Death Metal masquerade ball dials down the artistic bulkiness of previous albums with a shorter format and easier digestable songwriting, yet without losing any of its sick integrity or quality.
  Also check out Steve Blanco's Jazz piano solo interpretation of Imperial Triumphant songs on "Imprints of Man"!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• MESSA - The Spin
  
  
  
  Doom, Hardrock, Folk, Post Punk, Extreme Metal, piano ballads, Smooth Jazz... Messa somehow are allowed to do whatever they please without it ever feeling gimmicky. "The Spin" widens the Italians' boundaries again, while great instincts, formidable songwriting and of course the captivating charisma of singer Sara's angelic voice hold everything together.
  
  
  
  
  
• NICK HUDSON - On The Eve Of Hope
  
  
  
  Nick Hudson, English interdisciplinary artist living in Georgia, presents eighteen new songs about life, love, love to love itself, politics and nature. Most of them are based on piano, harpsichord, organ or synths. All of them once again prove him as amazingly inspired singer/songwriter and poet.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• PHARAOH OVERLORD - Loihu
  
  
  
  On this coloss of slowly stomping, hypnotic Heavy Psych the Finns Pharaoh Overlord renew their sound with repetitive guitar riffs, a permanent Drone of hurdy gurdy and nyckelharpa, combined with noisy Metal chords and atmospheric layers of both subtle and shiny synths. On top of that roars the inhumanly hoarse voice of Sumac's Aaron Turner. Uuuaaarrrghh!
  
  
  
  
  
• ROJI - Tsunami Deluxe
  
  
  
  Thanks to Jörg Schneider's output alone I can't complain about a shortage of new improvisational insanity. The drummer's unhinged Jazzcore double album with João Almeida (trumpet) and Gonçalo Almeida (bass) however stands out as a beast that would make Peter "Machine Gun" Brötzmann proud. Roji rules!
  
  
  
  
  
• SOPHIA DJEBEL ROSE - Sécheresse
  
  
  
  Northern African melodies sliding into French chansons over droning guitar and meandering textures of modular synths and harmonium. An ominous musical mist from which singer / songwriter Sophia Djebel Rose's beautifully raw and captivating voice emerges as a mesmerizing messenger of longing, sorrow and menacing feral rage.
  
  
  
  
  
• SUMAC & MOOR MOTHER - The Film
  
  
  
  Moor Mother, eloquent voice of the African diaspora, blurring lines between Hip Hop and agitation art with expressive political-personal poetry. Sumac, masters of Sludge Metal, experimental riff minimalism and Free Jazz in the language of maximum Noise Rock heaviness. This collaboration is a perfect match!
  
  
  
  
  
• SUM OF R - Spectral
  
  
  
  The Swiss-Finnish trio Sum Of R is determined to both hypnotize and traumatize you. The unsettling mix of Krautrock, Doom, Drone, Black Metal and Experimental Whatthefuck with often altered or almost ridiculously extreme vocals on "Spectral" tramples your chest like a sleep paralysis demon bored by his regular job and looking for new challenges.
  
  
  
  
  
• TARUN BALANI - ڪڏهن ملنداسين Kadahin Milandaasin
  
  
  
  Indian drummer and composer Tarun Balani's quartet with the other members on piano, guitar and trumpet tells the migration story of the bandleader's grandfather with an adventurous and achingly beautifully mix of Jazz Fusion, Sindhi Folk, Arabisms and Classical influences. Stunning, touching Subcontinental magic!
  
  
  
  
  
• TAVARE - Too Small To Be So High
  
  
  
  Aidan Baker on guitar, Tristen Bakker on bass, Angela Muñoz (Hypnodrone Ensemble) on drums and the whole trio singing, quietly snuck up upon me on soft soles of minimalist semi-acoustic Slowcore. Now their stripped and slowed down, natural Alternative / Post Rock has established itself as one of m favorite soundtracks for winding down.
  
  
  
  
  
• TEMPLE FANG - Lifted From The Wind
  
  
  
  They finally did it! After several fantastic live releases since 2020 Dutch Psychedelic Rock masters Temple Fang finally released their first full studio longplayer. Amazingly epic as ever, but now with even more refined songwriting, arrangements and vocal harmonies. According to this double album 2025 must be the Golden Age of Rock!
  
  
  
  
  
• WREKMEISTER HARMONIES - Flowers In The Spring
  
  
  
  With the self-imposed restriction of only recording on four channels, "Flowers In The Spring" is an impressive exercise in minimalism with maximalist effect. Hypnotically meandering soundscapes with not even proper beginnings and ends - yet Wrekmeister Harmonies turned this meditation into my favorite instrumental Drone / Ambient album of the year.
   
  
  
  
  

And now... *drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrumrrrrrrrrrrrrroll*...

My TOP 3 ALBUMS OF 2025:

• BRONZE (3rd place):
  
  SWANS - Birthing
  
  
  

  
  Their sensational last live album may have foreshadowed this, but with at least a handful of deserving candidates the hardest decision while putting this list together still was which artist to put on this first of the medal positions. There are certainly albums which might be more innovative than the (now seriously?) final loud Swans studio release of their whole larger than life post reunion run.
  
  However while most of the almost two hours of "Birthing" is clearly built on the band's evolution of the previous fifteen years, it never feels like a rehash, yet like a perfect culmination. Mammoth form and monolithic sound meet with great songwriting (or intentional abondment of that) and great sequencing choices. I think there has hardly been a Swans album that has been dramatically structured as well as this over such a total length.
  
  And then there are also some surprising flavours like the grand optimism of the title track, the Bowie tribute in "I Am The Tower" or the extra (Experi)mental collage "The Merge", which stand out as defining moments on a work that ultimately stands on par with discographic highlights like "To Be Kind". 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• SILVER (2nd place):
  
  YAZZ AHMED - A Paradise In The Hold
  
  

  

  
  Once again Yazz Ahmed proves why she's one of my favorite musical storytellers. On "A Paradise In The Hold" the British-Bahraini composer, trumpeter and horn player assembles an array of exceptional musical partners - including sadly departed drummer extraordinaire and secret MVP of the album Martin France - to beautifully retell myths, legends and folklore from the Persian Gulf from a female perspective.
  
  Musically the double album consists of seventy minutes of rhythmically and melodically complex blends of breathtaking Jazz Fusion with stronger Arabic influences than ever, with the sounds of bass clarinet, vibraphone, Rhodes piano and Ahmed's own performances in key roles, yet also not shying away from fearlessly integrated Electronic effects and programming.
  All is completed by the overflowing emotion and devotion of multiple stellar lead vocalists, who completely pull you into the world created here.
  
  And if you still long for more after the end of this epos Yazz Ahmed has you covered with a digital EP that includes the album versions plus exciting remixes of "Waiting For The Dawn", "A Paradise In The Hold" and "Mermaid's Tears".
  
  

  
  
  
  
• GOLD (Album of the Year 2025):
  
  ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF - Iconoclasts
  
  
  
  
  
  If this comes to you as a surprise you haven't been paying attention. Which is ok, because admittedly this little blog of mine isn't the hub of the universe - and also Veil of Sound, for which I enthusiastically reviewed this masterpiece isn't exactly a household name yet. You can change that in the future for your personal household at least, so please follow both sites!
  
  But enough of the plug, back to overwhelming wonder that is Anna von Hausswolff!
  
  Five years after "All Thoughts Fly" the pipe organs keep droning, but now they are aided by occasional strings and a full band setup again, in which the newly introduced saxophone / clarinet plays a key role. And of course above all - she sings again. And she sings a lot! Thoughtful and furious, caring and threatening, fairy and banshee, queen and punk, but always with an abundance of commitment, reaching beyond the notes for the biggest, most heart-wrenching expression.
  
  But what other choice does her voice even have than to reach for the stars, with such a gargantuan backdrop of epic jaw-dropping arrangements in Ambient, Drone, Gothic, Modern Classical Music, Chamber Pop, Jazz and Prog Rock behind her?
  
  "Iconoclasts" is a prime example of sonic and emotional maximalism. Seven years after "Dead Magic" Anna von Hausswolff's magic is more alive than ever!
  
  

favorite MUSIC 2025 - all my lists:

TOP 25 albums   |   TOP 7 live albums   |   TOP 4 reissues

TOP 4 non-album releases   |   TOP 25 live shows

MUSIC 2025 : TOP 25 live shows

There's never enough live music, and there never will be. But that being said I'm really happy with the amount of great shows I got to experience this year.

Of course there are still nights I regret having missed, like the not so well attended, but appearantly extra long and amazing club show of Arthur Brown in Hamburg or all the tours which just didn't came close enough to Northern Germany at all.

On the other hand some artists that had made the ranking in the past sadly couldn't meet my expectations, like Kamasi Washington or even Cynic.

Other shows many fans would probably expect in a list like this, were great, but just didn't make it up in the top, like Blood Incantation, Igorrr, Wormrot, Tangerine Dream, Lucifer, Macabre, Kanaan & Ævestaden, Chat Pile, Wyatt E., Ni, Wooden Elephant performing Björk and many more.
Thisquietarmy x Otay:onii even actually were club show number twelve for a brief moment, but then I decided to make it only a TOP 11 list in favour of having a longer TOP 14 of festival shows. And right there I admittedly downgraded Michael Gira, because I didn't want to reward his bully behaviour towards Kristof Hahn at their Roadburn show, even though it undoubtly was contributing to the special intensity of that performance...

You see: Ranking is harte Maloche. So after litres of sweat and blood here's the result:

TOP 11 CLUB/SOLO SHOWS 2025:

1. MINISTRY - Markthalle, Hamburg
   
   
   

   This came as a surprise.  I had seen the Industrial metal legends in Wacken - where they had also been just one night before this show - a couple of times, lastly nine years ago, and I knew their performance would be great.
   But just what a fucking blast it would be to witness Al Jourgensen and co. celebrating classic after classic plus even songs from the Synth Pop debut "With Sympathy" in the more intimate club setting - no, I can't say I was fully prepared for that. I already knew right then and there that Ministry were playing my favorite show of the year - and as you can see my opinion hasn't changed.
   
   
2. THE KILIMANJARO DARKJAZZ ENSEMBLE / THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION - Lido, Berlin
   
   
   
   The members of the Dutch Doomjazz group with the two aliases obviouly didn't know how much their return after twelve years of hiatus meant to some  fans, who travelled to Berlin from as far as the other side of the globe. And it was heartwarming to see them enjoy the well-deserved waves of applause after a double-show of amazing Slow Motion Jazz / Ambient / Doom / Dub / Post Rock / Folk / Contemporary Classical beauty.
   
   
3. SUNN O))) - Uebel & Gefährlich, Hamburg
   
   
   
   Six Ampeg amps, twelve Model T's, a wall of speakers and two guitars. Enough to physically destroy me to a degree not even previous Sunn O))) or Swans shows had been capable of. My head and hearing needed days to recover.
   Yet still the Drone Metal masters delivered a musically remarkably rich and transcendently meditative experience, which made me float from the birth of the universe to the core of  Earth and back.
   
   
4. NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM "La Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu" - MS Stubnitz, Hamburg
   
   
   
   It was the already the second time I attended a full performance of Neptunian Maximalism's Blackened Drone Doom Raga monolith "La Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu". And with an interpretation emphasizing the Black Metal elements and an unbelievably mighty and pristine sound, which allowed you to dive into every single sonic detail, the show on Hamburg's finest ship was even more perfect than their 2024 Roaddburn Festival performance.
   
   
5. CLIPPING. - Hafenklang, Hamburg
   
   
   
   For some reason Hamburg's Hafenklang venue has established itself as Clipping.'s home away from home outside of America. So once again the Experimental Hip Hop trio (plus premium stage guest Counterfeit Madison) burned the place down to the ground with a sudatory electrifying performance. 
   
   
6. DOOL - Logo, Hamburg
   
   
   
   Whenever I see Dool live, the Dutch Dark Rock quintet will safely end up in these lists later; I guess that's an established natural law by now. Their last show in Hamburg hadn't been that long ago and this was  already the third time I saw them with a relatively similar setlist in support of "The Shape of Fluidity". So this should get at least a little bit boring, right? No, not at all! One of the best live bands around for ten years now!
   
   
7. SEVEN IMPALE - Logo, Hamburg
   
   
   
   A dream come true! I've been wishing to see the Norwegian Prog/Jazz Metal Fusion sextet Seven Impale for ten years and even lost all hope during their seven years long hiatus. And now they finally played a mini tour of only two shows in Germany. And even though the Logo wasn't exactly sold out, this night was everything I wanted it to be. Fantastic!
   
   
8. TEMPLE FANG - MarX, Hamburg
   
   
   
   Benefitting from the fact that the Dutch are Roadburn regulars I had already enjoyed six shows of the fantastic Psychedelic Prog Rockers Temple Fang before. This time however was extra special - not only because of the strength of the "Lifted From the Wind" material, but because it finally was a headlining show without the time restraints of a festival. That meant almost two hours of epic Rock'n'Roll bliss.
   
   
9. KOENJI HYAKKEI - MS Stubnitz, Hamburg
   
   
   
   At least in my mind my mouth is still permanently wide open in amazed disbelieve since I witnessed Japanese Zeuhl  masters Koenji Hyakkei. No matter if you take the escalating Free Jazz drumming, the insanely fast and complicated vocal/saxophone unisono runs or outbreaks of metallic heaviness - very few performances this years came even remotely close to the joy of playing, the breathtaking virtuosity and the utter musical madness of these Magma worshippers.
   
   
10. MONO - Knust, Hamburg
    
    
    
    After decades of chair glue for their guitar players Mono are now standing on stage! Well, except for the drummer of course. Apart from that change the Japanese Instrumental Post Rock quartet still presented itself as a class of its own. Between heavenly elation and earthshaking force the sonic and emotional dynamics unleashed by their live performances are an experience I cannot imagine ever growing tired of or not being deeply touched by.
    
    
11. HEDVIG MOLLESTAD TRIO - Hafenklang, Hamburg
    
    
    
    Here come the Norwegian ladies in glitter dresses and their less fashion-conscious drummer! They brought a marathon Jazz Rock Metal Fusion show, which included the whole "Bees In The Bonnet" album and ended with the band leader lying on the ground amidst the crowd - before leaving with Led Zeppelin's "Rock'n'Roll" as the ultimate statement what the band is all about. After two amazing Roadburn shows this night confirmed that when the Hedvig Mollestad Trio comes to town, fullest dedication, blown minds and a shitload of fun are guaranteed.

TOP 14 FESTIVAL SHOWS 2025:

1. SUMAC "The Healer" - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   

   In all its abstract nonconformist weirdness and pummeling heaviness Sumac's "The Healer" still is one of my favorite albums of 2024. And boy, did the full live performance of this Avantgarde Metal coloss live up to it! Right then and there I already felt that it had to be my unrivaled favorite performance of the festival. Present day me doesn't object.
   
   
2. AUTOPSY - Stonehenge Festival, Steenwijk
   
   
   
   Strictly speaking the gory Death Metal legends' setlist was way too similar to their last oldschool-heavy Stonehenge appearance. Yet fuck it, because even with this sole critique it still was fucking Autopsy, man! And there's just noone like them. Bloody banger!
   
   
3. ANGLES "The Death Of Kalypso" - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   
   The Paradox stage was as crammed as the rest of the room, when the octet Angles performed "The Death of Kalypso", their amazing self-proclaimed Jazz Opera in five acts. They alternated between different varieties of Vocal Jazz, minimalism, Classical interludes, Free Jazz freak-outs, Shirley Bassey grandeur and all kinds of displays of virtuosity earning spontanous scene applause. A truly special show.
   
   
4. OTAY:ONII "True Faith Ain't Blind" - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   
   Few artists are as exceptionally expressive and mesmerizing as singer Lane Shi Otay:onii. The Roadburn team knows that too and invited her for a triennium residence, which means she plays special shows in three consecutive years. The first of those saw her only with a grand piano, playing last year's album "True Faith Ain't Blind". A profoundly touching performance to make Diamanda Galas proud!
   
   
5. ZOMBIE ZOMBIE - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   
   Trippy trippy funky funky cosmic cosmic Kraut Kraut Disco Disco party party! Seeing the French two drummers plus electronics and saxophone trio Zombie Zombie was one of those Roadburn decisions I'm still giving myself pats on the back for.
   
   
6. WITCH CLUB SATAN - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   
   Extremely raw Black Metal and myrkurish atmospheric breaks. Theatrical antics and honest rage. Impressive crochet work and spooky nudity. Technical issues leading to a moment, which made this show of the Norwegian feminist trio Witch Club Satan even more special.
   Finally a huge splash of blood spat right onto my face. That certainly was a memorable way to start into Saturday. I was there for it.
   
   
7. DISHARMONIC ORCHESTRA - Stonehenge Festival, Steenwijk
   
   
   
   This year's Stonehenge Festival offered various moments of Death Metal nostalgia with bands I hadn't seen live for up to over three decades. The most anticipated and most rewarding of those shows was performed by the still to this day unique Avantgarde Death trio Disharmonic Orchestra from Austria. If only this could have been a bit longer...
   
   
8. MESSA "The Spin" - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   
   Ouch, my heart is bursting! Why is Messa's mix of Doom, Hard Rock, Prog, Folk, Post Punk, Extreme Metal etc. so damn wonderful? Playing their recent album "The Spin" could only be a win. Guitar and muted trumpet duelling in the Jazz lounge during "The Dress" was one of the most memorable live moments of the year. 
   
   
9. INSECT ARK - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
   
   
   
   Dana Schechter sings now. and appearantly it was exactly what the beauriful Drone Doom of her former solo project / then duo / now live trio Insect Ark needed. This was a show where performance, sound, atmosphere and personality came together under the perfect constellation of stars. You could feel it.
   
   
10. GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE - Esbjerg Fuzztival
    
    
    
    Esbjerg Fuzztival in Denmark had a strong line-up with several electrifying shows only just missing a spot on this list. And even though the Japanese trio was sitting down most of the time, the sheer unhinged madness of their melange of Kraut, Punk, Avantgarde, Prog, emotional intensity and Psych'n'Roll made Green Milk From The Planet Orange the winner.
    
    
11. EX-EASTER ISLAND HEAD - Roadburn Festival, Tilburg
    
    
    
    Atmospheric, Ambient, droning, minimalist, electronic, percussive, maximalist, post-rocking, abstract, trippy, jazzy, funny, funky, danceable... It would probably be harder to find anything the show of Ex-Easter Island was not than all the variety it had to offer. Performed on an incredibly experimental multi-instrumental set-up this quartet's show was unlike any other thing I've ever seen. 
    
    
12. MOEWN - Pink Tank Open Air, Osterrönfeld
    
    
    
    In the grand scheme of things Moewn are just a short-lived and disbanded, relatively obscure German instrumental Post Rock band with a discography of two and a half (since one was a split release) good albums. But that's just what's on paper, because what a heavenly escapist treat was it to witness their one-off reunion show in celebration of the tenth anniversary of their debut!
    
    
13. MISHA PANFILOV SEPTET - Überjazz Festival, Kampnagel, Hamburg
    
    
    
    The prolific Estnian Misha Panfilow came with electric and lap steel guitar and a whole Septet of musicians including a brass section of saxophones and flute to celeberate a relaxing, humorous and hypnotic performance of Spiritual Psychedelic Jazz mixed with Library Music and traces of Kraut Rock. This wasn't even the conceptually or musically most exciting act at Überjazz Festival, but the vibe, man! The vibe was just so... *chefskiss*
    
    
14. SANCTUARIUM - Morbid Catacombs Fest, Neue Zukunft, Berlin
    
    
    
    There are few things in Metal greater than when a Death Metal show widely opens the gates to a foul netherworld and the poisonous mist from that abyssal dimension really creeps into every cell of your being. At Morbid Catacombs Fest the rotten Doom Death of the Spaniards Sanctuarium unlocked this immersive, wonderfully abhorrent sick atmosphere and no shower has been able to clean all of the putrescine stench off me since.
    
    
    
    

favorite MUSIC 2025 - all my lists:

TOP 25 albums   |   TOP 7 live albums   |   TOP 4 reissues

TOP 4 non-album releases   |   TOP 25 live shows