We've been doing these Year In Reviews for 10 years now, and it's great to look back and reflect on the years gone by and the music that shaped the journey to get here. This year was no different.
There were plenty of songs that helped make 2025 as tolerable as it could be and despite the ups (and plenty of downs), overall it was a year of personal growth, life changes and dramatic losses... but I'm fit, healthy and loving life again, so I can't be upset about that revelation.
Not only did we get to take Wall Of Sound to America, but we spread our reach all across Australia covering almost every nook and corner of this country's massive music scene and helped everyone from new, emerging acts through to the juggernauts of the alternative scene along the way.
I even found time to finally appreciate Deftones after 30 years. I know, I know... I'll be uppercutting myself for the rest of my life for being so late to the party.
Anyway, thanks as always for your support, it truly means the world, here's what I was spinning throughout 2025 with the next #WoSYearInReview...
TOP 25 RELEASES OF 2025
1. A Day To Remember - Big Ole Album Vol. 1
2. ARCHITECTS - The Sky, The Earth & All Between
3. LANDMVRKS - The Darkest Place I've Ever Been
4. dayseeker - Creature In The Black Night
5. Virtues - ODE EP
6. TURNSTILE - NEVER ENOUGH
7. Hayley Williams - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
8. I Prevail - Violent Nature
9. Hevenshe - Floor Bed EP
10. Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea
11. SPEED - ALL MY ANGELS EP
12. Headwreck - Attitude Adjustment EP
13. Lorna Shore - I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me
14. Yellowcard - Better Days
15. 50 Lions - New Reality EP
16. House Of Protection - Outrun You All EP
17. Chasing Ghosts - Therapy
18. Thornhill - Bodies
19. Yungblud - Idols
20. Caution Thieves - The Astronomer
21. Nicolas Cage Fighter - I Watched You Burn
22. Slowly Slowly - Forgiving Spree
23. Deftones - private music
24. Fit For A King - Lonely God
25. ACCVSED - Dealers Of Doom
Also, despite releasing in late 2024, the year started with Poppy's Negative Spaces album on repeat for about a month or two. A killer release I overlooked in last year's list!
TOP 25 AUSSIE SONGS OF 2025
1. Ecca Vandal - 'CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE'
2. Parkway Drive - 'Sacred'
3. The Amity Affliction - 'All That I Remember'
4. Virtues - 'Blasphemer'
5. The Beautiful Monument - 'Dancing With The Buried'
6. Headwreck - 'Plan Z'
7. Reliqa - 'Your Touch'
8. Chasing Ghosts - 'Flowers'
9. SPEED - 'Ain't My Game'
10. A Swift Farewell - 'Homeless'
11. The Southern River Band - 'Fuck You, Pay Me'
12. 50 Lions - 'Heaven's Gates' feat. Winston McCall
13. Windwaker - 'Victory Lap'
14. Karnivool - 'Opal'
15. Kim Dracula - 'In Threes'
16. Starve - 'Wrong Body'
17. st.sinner - 'manic'
18. Caution Thieves - 'Fight Or Flight'
19. PENI PARKER - 'v.o.i.d'
20. Zuko - 'Stand For Nothing'
21. Inarius - 'RUN IT STRAIGHT'
22. Blood Oath - 'Gauze'
23. Chez - 'Reaper'
24. Dear Seattle - 'Sungazer'
25. Irken Armada - 'The House Of No Tomorrow'
BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF 2025
ARCHITECTS - 'Black Hole'
Honourable mention to Parkway Drive 'Sacred' and Ice Nine Kills 'The Great Unknown'
COLLAB OF THE YEAR
Poppy, Amy Lee and Courtney LaPlante - 'End Of You'
TOP 7 GIGS OF THE YEAR
1. Parkway Drive at the Sydney Opera House - Still can't believe what we witnessed that night.
2. blink-182 in Palm Springs, California - Flew to the other side of the world for a 182/10 experience!
3. Aftershock Festival at Sacramento, California - My first time seeing TURNSTILE and I left in awe. Honourable mentions to SPEED, Northlane, the dude that snapped his arm in the LANDMVRKS circlepit and to Deftones for finally winning me over.
4. ARCHITECTS at Riverstage, Brisbane - Full circle moment for the UK Metalcore Titans as they returned to headline the first Australian venue they ever played (with surprise Winston McCall cameo)
5. Metallica at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane - Once again proved why they're the greatest metal band (and business) of all time.
6. New Found Glory feat. Amy Shark at Good Things Festival, Brisbane - Short, sweet and impactful AF. This set harked back to floor shows of the glory years of the scene.
7. dayseeker at Crowbar, Brisbane - An intimate sideshow which will go down in history as the last time they'll ever play a venue this small in Australia.
Honourable mention to Lorna Shore (the REAL headliner of GTF), Falling In Reverse and The Veronicas + Grinspoon at Lookout Festival.
HORROR MOVIE OF THE YEAR
Weapons - spent the first half going wtf is going on? And then the second half also wondering wtf was going on!
FAV NEW BAND DISCOVERED IN 2025
LANDMVRKS - I don't know why I slept on this band for so long, but after Ricky and Ricey persuaded me to listen, it was love at first breakdown. New album The Darkest Place I've Ever Been is a masterpiece and it won't be long before the Frenchmen are taking over the world with their blend of core/rap/rock.
I was chuffed to chat with the band at Aftershock; see if you can spot the moment the fanboy came out...
NEXT BIG BAND TO WATCH IN 2026
LOCAL (Brisbane) - Headwreck
NATIONAL - Ecca Vandal
INTERNATIONAL - Dayseeker
FAV ACHIEVEMENT AT WoS HQ THIS YEAR
There's been a number of interviews that have stuck with me (including the Metal Ambassador himself, Jose Mangin), but being able to chat gay shit with rock/queer icon Roddy Bottum tops the list.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2026
Next month I've got Turnstile lined up with my lil man and then heading to RADelaide for the first time for Froth & Fury. Was mad keen to hit up Park Waves in Byron Bay but fate hate other plans (RIP). Instead I'll be heading back to the Sydney Opera House to see Mark Hoppus talking about his life which is only just filling the void. A Day To Remember, Papa Roach and Landmvrks will be sick.
New Music wise - I am impatiently waiting for Parkway Drive's HOME live album and film. Polaris should have a new song out by their festival headliners and Linkin Park support slot. The Veronicas have been busy in the studio, so has Reliqa, The Beautiful Monument, blink-182, Beartooth and Amy Shark. I wouldn't be upset if Vilify or BMTH dropped new tunes either. Australia's heavy // alternative scene continues to excite and entice and there's been no better time to jump in and champion a new fav local band (or three).
SCREAM 7 comes out in Feb and I'm going to become insufferable talking about it to anyone who will listen.
Also, I'm looking forward to taking a step back from content creating in 2026 and have the next generation of Team WoS take the reigns. Since 2007 I've been relentlessly creative in the media landscape and after 19 years, it's time to slow down and enjoy life away from the black screens.
I'll still be dabbling behind-the-scenes ensuring everyone knows Wall of Sound by the year's end...
See you at a gig!
Words by Paul 'Browny' Brown @brownypaul
