the Top 10 Mainstream Metal Albums of 2025

Mainstream Metal is defined here as the middle of the road that does not lean too far in the direction of other genres sludge or black metal, which have their own lists. This year, I gave Thrash its own list, which has thinned the pack down to the more arena-packing strains of nu-metal and metal-core.   These are not the coolest albums, but the best, fuck what other blogs say. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2025.

 The very fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list, and I have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Mainstream Metal albums of 2025.

10-Slaughter to Prevail- "Grizzly."

This is the third album from the Russian band, who ironically fled to Orlando, due to the war, in which they seem to not support slaughtering to prevail. They find themselves sonically somewhere between metalcore and nu-metal with the sample-heavy production on this album. When they kick into a more nu-metal direction, they tap into a catchy Slipknot bounce

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/slaughter-to-prevail-grizzly.html

          

9-Dead Rabbits -"Redefined" 

This is a side project of Escape the Fate vocalist Craig Mabbitt. It leans into the twisted side of metal-core-influenced pop that bands like Pierce the Veil and Bad Omens dominate. You can throw Falling in Reverse in the pile of artists who share a similar style as the big-sounding glitch-driven pop rock, that is more aggressive in attitude than what the guitars are doing. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/dead-rabbits-redefined.html

 

8-Bleed -"s/t" 

This Texas band takes you back to the '90s in a weird, unexpected manner.  By unexpected, this does not mean I have not already seen the writing on the wall when it comes to nu-metal making a comeback. These guys just go about it differently. The flourishes of DJs spun, scratched ambiance at the edges of their throb point this band's sound in the direction of nu-metal. There is some darker tension to the grooves that the vocals coo over. The drummer is really slapping his kit as needed, and the electronic elements ebb and flow into their sound pretty seamlessly. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/bleed-st.html

7-Living Dead Girl-"Con$piracy" 

 Molly and company continue to perfect their ability to blend metalcore-edged riffs against bright pop-punk choruses to make almost every song on the album. Her screamed vocals dominate the verses as her more sugary pop voice comes to take the sting away on the chorus. Their down-tuned guitars contrast with the synth ambiance. Not one to repeat hooks, Molly creates a distinct difference in the choruses as they display more songwriting chops as a whole. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/living-dead-girl-conpiracy.html

 

6-Novelists- "CODA" 

The addition of vocalist Camille Contreras has elevated the band's profile, placing them in a higher tier of metalcore alongside artists like Spiritbox and Jinjer. Things get quirkier and help distance themselves from Spiritbox with a more frantic electronic chaos unfolding. It borders nu-metal and djent. Using the metal-core formula to build into screaming.  Predictable, but with shiny new pieces making the sounds for the puzzle. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/novelists-coda.html

 

5-ten56- "IO"

The sophomore full-length from ten56 finds them picking up where they left off.  They are still at the intersection where metal-core sprang from nu-metal in the days of Myspace. What I like about these guys is the dark undertones to their sound that hit no matter if they are bringing a more hammering stomp or going into the more Ghostemane-like rap dirges. There are interesting sounds wrapped around both modes of sonic attack. At times, sung vocals pop in, though they are bookended by experimental touches, and all of it is angry and in your face. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/ten56-io.html

4-Scars on Broadway- "Addicted to Violence." 

There is an almost punk feel at times, but it's punk in the same way that System of a Down was influenced by punk, which was most notably the influence of the Dead Kennedys. The grooves work well and lever lyrics that help seal the deal. It feels like he makes more social commentary than political statements like Serj. Most of these songs  would not be out of place on a System of a Down album, showing how much of the weight he was pulling when it came to songwriting in the band. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/daron-malakian-and-scars-on-broadway.html

3-Dying Wish- "Flesh Stays Together." 

This is the third album from Portland's metalcore mavericks, Dying Wish, is more melodic than expected. The buzz that this was a darker album caught my ear, and I like what they are doing. They are more on the hard-core side of the metal-core equation, even with the way Emma Boster employs sung vocals. It is done in a less formulaic manner than what Killswitch Engage is known for. There is also more emphasis on dishing out beatdowns during the breakdowns. It albumst made the hard-core lsit instread but the anthemic feel finds it here. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/09/dying-wish-flesh-stays-together.html

 

2-Soulfly-"Chama" 

There is a darker apocalyptic drive to this album, which I am also here for., along with a more industrial pound that is a mix of 'Roots' era Sepultura, though maybe less Korn in the grooves and more Code Orange. Defiant in-your-face bangers that include some melody and atmosphere that catches me by surprise, as  Gabriel Franco from Unto Others lends his voice in places, along with  Todd Jones from Nail, but at the end of the day, it is Ma who proves he was always hte most crucial songwriter in Sepultura. l

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/10/soulfly-chama.html

1--Spiritbox- "Tsunami Sea." 

It's the band's pop lean that helps separate them from their peers, as Courtney is better at vocal hooks than the singer for Jinger or Infected Rain, who work in similar sonic circles. She has continued to grow as a singer to further distance herself from her peers. Even with the pop hooks in play, the dynamics pack a heavy enough punch to have the metallic impact to take the top spot here. Their drummer has really stepped up on this album as he fills the spaces with interesting playing that they build off of. At the end of the day, it's the top-tier songwriting that wins out and places them at the top of not just a metal album but the overall musical landscape. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/03/spiritbox-tsunami-sea.html

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