It's such a difficult task somehow choosing 20 exceptional albums from a vintage year of incredible extreme underground metal releases. I had a shortlist but the albums I chose could have filled a dozen 'Best of 2025' lists, so I had to be extra disciplined. Stoner in it's various forms dominated my most played but doom and sludge featured regularly also. The scene was saturated with some excellent new death metal albums and my podcast show has played a lot of tech death, however I've come up with three that, although not reinventing the wheel, once I'd finished playing their albums, I felt pretty satisfied with what the bands had acheived.

I'm happy with the top 20 I've ended up with and I hope there is something in here that helps you  discover a gem you may have missed. All Bandcamp links are listed on the Anointing The Sick Metal Blog https://www.anointingthesick.com/

Wallow in Sickness with albums by ~

Crimson Storm / Sweetbeast /  Klastos / Kiritsis / Burden Of Despair / Behölder / Birdwitch / The Chris Rolling Squad / Afghan Haze / Hibernaut / Heidrún / Birds Of Nazca / Black Charger / Pale Horse Ritual / Darah / Tria Prima / The Bateleurs / Turtle Skull / Cryptic Process / Azell