Since I have split up the larger metal list into sub-genres, sludge and doom are getting lumped together, as let's face it, with many of these albums it is hard to fnds the line between the two. These lists serve as a decent snapshot of where the year is heading in terms of music. I have already received promos for albums dropping as far out as August in my inbox, so they are really going to need to bring it to compete with the top five albums on this list. No matter the genre, darkness trumps speed when it comes to heavy, so these bands reflect that sentiment. These albums provide a fitting soundtrack to the demise of the US. I have included links to full reviews if you want to check these out, and with all that said, here are the top 10 Doom / Sludge albums of 2025 so far.
10-False Gods-"Lost in Darkness and Distance"
Both of their previous albums impressed us here as this band continues to blend hardcore with sludge in an emotionally visceral manner. However, the hard-core side of the equation is not as prevalent as the band's more metal leanings this time around. The songwriting has continued to mature, often higher energy with a darker tension running through it that brings earlier Neurosis to mind
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/false-gods-lost-in-darkness-and-distance.html
9-Patriarchs in Black - "Home"
This is a project featuring two music legends, Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative fame, and guitarist Dan Lorenzo, who played in the groundbreaking Non-Fiction. A cast of rotating bass players and vocalist lends the songs their own touches, while most bring the classic doom feel with them, offering surprises that invoke the best metal memories of the 90s.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/patriarchs-in-black-home.html
The fourth album from this Canadian band. They play a fairly caustic version of sludge that snarls with a more brooding, angular desperation than Eyehategod, but more introspective and not as entrenched in punk, as there are moody melodic sections. The theme of this album is the stages of grief. "The First Stage, Shock" is more deliberate and shows some deliberate plays that hold elements of noise rock, even in how things ring out with dissonant melancholy. The drumming on this album is very solid. I also enjoy the fact that they employ different vocal colors from singing to a snarl.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/05/mares-of-thrace-loss.html
7-Katla -"Scandinavian Pain"
The grit and the grime of this band have more in common with sludge than doom. There is a hint of black metal, but they are of the same venomous ilk as, say, Fistula. Not expecting this sort of thing to crawl out of Denmark, but here we are. Their overdriven lumber is a great deal of fun. They have a nasty attitude, which is where a lot of their charm comes from.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/katla-scandinavian-pain.html
6-Hollow Leg - "Dust & Echoes"
This band is made up of former Bloodlet members, with the exception being guitarist Brent Lynch. Scott's vocals are what have changed the most, as he sings more the the guttural hardcore bark that commanded their old band. It's still pretty gruff, but capable of at least holding a Clutch-level melody at times. The riffs are less pounding and have some rock swagger to them. Things are not at a boogie shuffle, but sometimes heading in that direction, but with more overt metal chugs to get them there. My best guess is they started smoking a ton of weed, as that is what I imagine might take a hardcore band in this direction.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/hollow-leg-dust-echoes.html
This unique trio from Sweden quickly held my attention. The vocals are somewhat Pink Floyd-like in their breathy execution. They go from an experimental, neo-folk to a more sludge-influenced stomp. They employ an underlying melancholy that feels like they are speculating over in a manner that is detached from the darkness of their souls, causing it to cast an even more curious shadow over the sound. This gives it more in common with post-punk than post-rock.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/kazea-i-ancestral.html
4 - Years of the Cobra- "s/t"
The first obvious thing about this duo's 3 albums is that Amy's voice has come a long way. Her performance this time around is more nuanced. They lumber into a darker depth of doom than I recall from their first two albums. It seems that her time in the Doom Slayer tribute Slower allowed her to hone her pipes further, as she creates a witchier vibe at times here.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/year-of-cobra-st.html
3- Rwake - "The Return of Magik"
Perhaps the collapse of society is going to find sludge returning as the dominant force in metal. This Arkansas-based band is back after 13 years. A more melodic expanse of sound brings elements of Southern rock to the forefront of the opening track as guitar solos cascade around it. Brittany Fugate's scathing vocals provide a counterpoint to the lower, ominous vocal tones of Chris Terry.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/rwake-return-of-magik.html
2-(16) -"Guides For the Misguided"
This band's past two albums were in the Top 5 of the Top 10 Metal albums for 2022 and 2020. They continue to deliver with their 10th full-length. This album came about during the mixing of the previous album, so it picks up where they left off with an aggressive sludge attack. Though grunge-tinged melody prevades as the album progresses.
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/16-guides-for-misguided.html
1-Hangman's Chair - "Saddiction"
From the very start, this album opens with a sonic pounding, counterbalanced by the trademark passion of the vocals. Things ebb down into a more depressive introspection as the rollercoaster of the album's dynamic sets in motion. Some interesting production choices in this often reverb-heavy recording are best appreciated when played loudly through headphones, allowing the album to take effect with maximum impact
https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/hangmans-chair-saddiction.html
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