All lists
1B+ 
2
3A+ 
4A 
5
6
7
8
9
10A- 
11
12
13A- 
14
15
16A- 
17
18
19
20
21B 
22A 
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34B- 
35A- 
37
38B+ 
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
Quarter One, 2026
I've been making a point this year of listening to as many new releases as I can - these were the biggest standouts for me in Jan/Feb/March (not in any type of order of importance). Lots of first introductions to bands/artists that I wish I'd already been familiar with (or feel like I should have been)...better late than never. One downside to consuming so much new music all at once is that the threshold to make an impression becomes significantly higher. I want to revisit a lot of albums that didn't make the list and see if they make more of an impression the next time around. Also GIMME ALL YOUR RECS - I wanna know what I snoozed on, paid too little attention to, or otherwise overlooked.
Cheers1
Salty
1B+ Dreamcrush
MOL · 2026
January album of the month. There seems to be a disconnect between MØL fans who weren't impressed by the new direction this album headed and those for whom DREAMCRUSH was the first introduction to the band. I'm happy to be grouped with the latter.
2Paracosm
Absolutely · 2026
My super cheesy album of the month for February. It came into my life at the right moment and I couldn't help but form an attachment
3A+ An Undying Love for a Burning World
Neurosis · 2026
March album of the month (how could it be anything else) - this new album/lineup announcement was nowhere near my radar. Stoked to see these guys at a fest this summer
4A The Bereaved
Marianas Rest · 2026
A close contender for January album of the month.
5678Leather Temple
Carpenter Brut · 2026
I was waiting for this one. Loved seeing them tear it up at a sold-out show with HEALTH, one of the most fun shows I've been to for sure
910A- 111213A- 141516A- 1718192021B The Secrets to Altering Reality
Banshee · 2026
I wasn't super into this at first - partly because it sounds like something I would have loved as a teenager (triggering some bad nostalgia) but you know what...my inner teen deserves to be indulged once in a while
22A In Verses
Karnivool · 2026
Honestly, I wanted to be more hyped for this one. I'm thinking it'll grow on me more over time
232425Future Quiet
Moby · 2026
Say what you will about Moby the guy, but Moby the musician just fills a niche space in the soul
2627282930No Lube So Rude
Peaches · 2025
313233IM30
Infected Mushroom · 2026
Not huge into this genre but Infected Mushroom does it best. One of my favorite electronic acts to see live
34B- Torn
Cobrah · 2026
Hadn't heard of Cobrah before and I was ambivalent about this at first, but my travel plans coincided with her tour and I ended up going to a show and that really cemented this for me
35A- 36
3738B+ A6
Lights · 2025
Not really a new album, just the extended version that I'd been eagerly anticipating. Didn't disappoint
394041Liturgy of Death
Mayhem · 2026
It's embarrassing to admit this, but this is the first Mayhem album I've actually listened to. Added them to the list of essential bands that I gotta discog-dive
424344Tempelschlaf
The Ruins of Beverast · 2026
Still not in love with the clean vocals but everything else makes up for it
4546Hors Temps
Incandescence · 2026
My god, what is it about french black metal‽ One thing I'll say for Quebec: they definitely
generate Canada's best music output m/
47484950
Comments (6)
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I also wish I liked 22 more than I did. It was just kind of... fine. I love Themata and Sound Awake. PS: No mention of Saddest Landscape? What the fuck, Kimm.
100% - I think I wanted to like it just because like..."omg, new Karnivool" The Saddest Landscape's new album slapped hard - don't you worry, it'll be on my second quarter list (if I ever get caught up on April/May releases)
oh, you right. I forgot how quarters worked apparently.
A classic error lol
Cool list! A lot of this stuff wouldn't have ever been on my radar, so thanks for sharing. 21 is interesting, because it feels very silly but it's kinda fun regardless.
A lot of it I'm sure you wouldn't care for either haha, but hopefully there's at least one album here that surprises you