Fifteen-ish Interesting Albums from Q1 Plus, wrapping up 2025

Here's the not-metal side. And that's a wrap on Q1. wolfsweek.substack.com/p/fifteen-is...

Fifteen Interesting Metal Albums From Q1, And One Sheep in Wolves' Clothing Plus, wrapping up 2025

I beat a deadline for once. plaguerages.substack.com/p/fifteen-in...

an elasticstage shop page showing six albums available on vinyl Alicia Cordisco - My Restless Temple The Recreant - The Code is V... Outlive the Code Alicia Cordisco - The Burden of I Transgressive - Extreme Transgression Wraithstorm - Unseen & Unfound Project: Roenwolfe - Edge of Saturn

My new solo album "My Restless Temple" is now available to order on Vinyl -- as well, my recent album by "The Recreant" and quite a bit of my back catalog. If you purchase any of these, let me know and I will send you a bandcamp code or a digital download link :)

elasticstage.com/aliciacordisco

Rescuing this with the Wayback Machine because it is the most important thing I ever edited. web.archive.org/web/20200806...

Official Ampwall mobile apps for iOS and Android are now available! We focused on the Listener experience to create something that rivals those premium subscription apps, but with music you own from artists you support on a platform that exists for you.

Links below 👇

Record of the Day Roundup: #2 Plus thinky folk music, the return of Miltown, AI music is still evil, and mandatory baseball punishment

I don't know how or why, and I'm almost afraid to find out, but this has been getting around. You're absolved from reading it because, good god, it is long. wolfsweek.substack.com/p/record-of-...

It's been really lovely reading all the tributes to Dan. Many people have asked if they can contribute to support his wife and son. You can do so here: everloved.com/life-of/dan-...

Dan McQuade, 1983–2026 | Defector Dan McQuade, our friend and colleague, died this week at the age of 43. He is survived by his wife and young son. At the end of 2024, Dan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. The news of his…

Dan McQuade, 1983–2026: defector.com/dan-mcquade-...

I draw a holiday card every year & by coincidence, this year’s featured a loon. I’m putting the original drawing to use & raffling it to raise funds for the Immigrant Rapid Response fund in MN & the Undocumented Women’s Fund in NYC. Venmo @ Caroline-Harrison, $1 = 1 entry, unltd entries, thru 2/5.

Paid for by my AA in US history.

The Code is V... Outlive the Code, by The Recreant 11 track album

Well I may be delayed in my trip...so why don't I launch a preorder and TWO singles for @rubyrockatansky.bsky.social and I's new band THE RECREANT

Get some. Go again. You're not nearly angry enough.

therecreant.bandcamp.com/album/the-co...

The O'Leary family barn.

!!!

The 25 Best Albums of 2025 The Official Lamniformes Prognosis

I made a list
open.substack.com/pub/lamnifor...

2025 Favorites: 50-41 Happy New Year

Here you go. Metal coverage up elsewhere at...some point. wolfsweek.substack.com/p/2025-favor...

Here we go

machinemusic.net/2025/12/18/m...

I wonder if he's still mad at us for putting Lovecraftian Echoes at number one

posted my year end list** on Invisible Oranges! we’ve run EOY lists for the past week and a half, amassing a grab bag of weird ahh metal. so don’t just check out my list, ponder the other orbs

www.invisibleoranges.com/colin-dempse...

I know I am truly retired because I have only heard two of these albums.

No Hope · Krallice No Hope - Krallice, a 2 track album

Krallice is on @ampwall.com

The discography of the experimental black metal juggernauts is now available on Ampwall, including their latest album, No Hope, released October 23

Check it all out here ⬇️

krallice.ampwall.com

#MetalSky #BlackMetalSky

The hardest I've marked out at a concert this year was Blind Guardian playing "Majesty." Honestly, probably the best seven minutes I've had in 2025.

Hello, my friends.

Anyway, since we're here, this isn't what you're looking for, which is what everyone loves to read, but I've never talked to another soul about this band: Watchtower labelmates Secrecy. I think most avoid because there's an album titled Raging Romance. Rages! The romance is debatable.

Linear Sphere. I only remember Reality Dysfunction, so pleading ignorance if it got bad. Zero Hour-y.

On the more tech thrash side, I will always ride for Wolf Spider.

Twisted Into Form. Two dudes from Spiral Architect and the drummer from Extol. Released one banger, and then poof.

Memento Waltz. Really knotty stuff on the Watchtower spectrum. Released one banger, and then poof.

For an entire semester, someone kept leaving this one, and only this one, on the scanner bed in the office. Like, you couldn't order a variety pack?

Had a great time chatting with @dempseyc.bsky.social of IO about the underpinnings of the albums I’ve contributed to this year. Didn’t even consider some of the connections between these records until we had this conversation.

www.invisibleoranges.com/doug-never-s...

OK. One more. The Gaye/Terrell version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a favorite, but the Inner Life version, particularly the Larry Levan mix, is even better?

Oh, you know what? "Everybody Wants To Rule The World." All-timer song. I think I like the Ted Leo version for AV Undercover just a smidgen more some days.

Anyway, this was fun to think about instead of working.

Etta James's "You Can Leave Your Hat On" smokes both the Randy Newman and Joe Cocker versions.