2025 has been a whirlwind of a year both in my personal life, and as a writer for Wall of Sound, I’ve done and achieved things which I never thought I would do. I ran my first ever half marathon, I covered a large-scale international music festival for the first time, and I threw fisticuffs with Will Ramos backstage at Good Things in Brisbane.
With another massive year for alternative music having passed, it seems abundantly clear to everyone that heavy music is here to stay. The passionate support that keeps this community alive is second to none, and I’m overwhelmingly grateful to play a small part in that story.
TOP 10 RELEASES OF 2025
10. FIT FOR A KING - Lonely God
9. AMEONNA - The Birth of Death
8. SIGNS OF THE SWARM - To Rid Myself Of Truth
7. DARKO US - Deathmask 3
6. ACCVSED - Dealers of Doom
5. HEAVENSGATE - A Heart Is A Heavy Burden
4. CURRENTS - It Only Gets Darker
3. LORNA SHORE - I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me
2. ARCHITECTS - The Sky, The Earth & All Between
1. LANDMVRKS - The Darkest Place I’ve Ever Been
TOP 10 SONGS OF 2025
10. THE PLOT IN YOU - ‘Silence’
9. ARKANGEL - ‘Haunting My Dreams’
8. BAD OMENS - ‘Impose’
7. SIGNS OF THE SWARM - ‘Clouded Retinas’
6. HEAVENSGATE - ‘Oblivion’
5. THOUSAND BELOW - ‘Palace Of Dread’
4. LANDMVRKS - ‘Blood Red’
3. THE AMITY AFFLICTION - ‘All That I Remember’
2. PEUR - ‘Fire Cleanse’
1. DARKO US - ‘Congratulations’
BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF 2025
SPIRITBOX – ‘No Loss, No Love’
TOP 3 GIGS OF THE YEAR
1. Aftershock Festival at Discovery Park, Sacramento, California (Review here)
2. Good Things Festival at Brisbane Showgrounds, Bris, QLD
3. Void of Vision at Northcote Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria (Review here)
FAV NEW BAND/MUSICIAN DISCOVERED IN 2025
As I entered 170 Russell on a chilly Melbourne evening to catch headline act LANDMVRKS perform, I arrived just in time to catch local openers Fallweather, and I was left metaphorically picking my jaw up off the floor. They have since released a stellar EP that signals they are destined for greater things.
NEXT BIG AUSSIE ACT TO WATCH IN 2026?
Ends In Tragedy have only appeared on my radar very recently. Nostalgic Myspace-era undertones and breakdowns akin to the likes of Parkway Drive’s Killing With A Smile, this act fills my heart with the nostalgic comfort I didn’t realise I was missing.
Having gained quite a bit of traction in a very short amount of time since releasing their debut EP Beauty Of Death this year, they have the opportunity to capitalise on the upwards trajectory they find themselves on to reach new heights in 2026.
FAV ACHIEVEMENT AT WOS HQ?
As I reflect on my year as a writer at Wall of Sound, one achievement stands out from all the rest. Thinking back to when I travelled to California to conduct media at the enormous Aftershock Festival in October, it feels like a fever dream. I interviewed some heavy-hitters, met some incredible people and watched some of the greatest performances I have seen in years.
My time at Aftershock this year went as well as it possibly could have and is most definitely an experience that I will cherish forever.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2026
At this stage 2026 is a blank canvas and I’m more ready than ever to embrace every opportunity that comes my way. More growth both as a writer and an individual are to be made, with new goals which are yet to be set, being accomplished.
Nothing but big tours, big moves and big amounts of love for everyone on the Wall of Sound team in 2026 and beyond.
Words by Adam Rice
