Top Metal Albums of 2025 | Honorable Mentions | Albums not to missed (Metal Maniacs Podcast Ep 130)

Sometimes the hardest part of doing a “Best of the Year” list… is everything that gets left off.

In this extra Thursday episode of The Metal Maniacs Podcast, Jay and Modd sit back down to give proper shine to the albums we didn’t get to mention in our Best Metal Albums of 2025 episode. Consider this the official Honorable Mentions edition — the records that narrowly missed the cut, sparked heated debate, or deserved way more attention than time allowed.

From underground heavy hitters to surprise releases, overlooked gems, and records that grew on us after repeat listens, this episode is all about rounding out the conversation and making sure no killer album gets forgotten. If you’re still building your 2025 metal listening list, this one is packed with recommendations across multiple corners of heavy music.

We break down:

Albums that almost made our Top picks

Releases that gained momentum late in the year

Records we couldn’t stop spinning, even if they didn’t land in the final rankings

Why honorable mentions matter just as much as the top spots

If you thought our 2025 list was finished… think again. This episode proves just how stacked the year really was for metal.

🔥 Whether you’re into extreme metal, metalcore, hardcore, or something in between, this is an essential follow-up for any Metal Maniacs listener.

🎧 Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

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🤘 Long live heavy music.

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