Best Music 🎵 of 2025!

Do. Yourself. A. Favor.

Alright.. Now I know I already shared my thoughts on the new Saor album Amidst The Ruins on the New Music Friday thread, but I couldn't go without saying more about track 4, the penultimate track, "The Sylvan Embrace". This is currently my favorite song of the year, and I really don't know if any other song is going to be able to top this..

Even if Saor overall isn't your cup of tea, the thought of any of you missing out on this specific song would be a crime against humanity. Sure, you could chock it up to recency bias, you could label me a stan... but trust me when I say this song is absolutely something to behold. Andy's acoustic guitar work and whispered vocals are superbly haunting. But the backing instrumentation is phenomenal. The violins and Jo Quail's cello performance are fucking mesmerizing, whatever percussion is used just resonates, and the tin whistle performance by Ella Zlotos is absolutely enchanting. And then... yes, there's more... everything is perfectly brought together by the evocative harmonized singing by Andy and Ella.

Lyrics:
Into the sylvan embrace, where we will find our cure,​
Under the leaves, where our dreams will endure.​
Follow the song of the trees, forest of healing grace,​
Leading the way to our sanctuary, our sacred place. ​

Taken from the label, Season of Mist's website:
The Sylvan Embrace calls out to those who yearn for the solace of nature’s eternal embrace. Like a journey into the heartland of an ancient forest, this majestic latest single of SAOR‘s newest album Amidst the Ruins invites one to find refuge and rejuvenation amidst the rustling leaves and the wise whispers of the ageless trees. Each note calls to introspection, a reminder of the serene power that nature holds, and its ever-present ability to mend the wearied soul.​

Do. Yourself. A. Favor. Headphones are a must. The accompanying music video with its performance in the Scottish Highlands is perfect. Check it out for yourself.

 
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Men I Trust really buried the lede in this tour announcement post! TWO NEW ALBUMS COMING SOON! I saw this announcement yesterday and didn't even read the caption until I saw it mentioned elsewhere about the new albums.

We’re over the moon to announce that we’re releasing not one but two full length albums: 🐎Equus Asinus and Equus Caballus. 🫏
This is our biggest and proudest work yet.
Click to expand...

 
Another RBF. I missed this release from  Returning back on February 3rd, but, rightfully so, as I knew nothing of this band and Severence looks to be their debut album. For fans of Wolves In The Throne Room and Skagos, this 4-track, 48-minute album is a raw, ethereal, and emotive expedition through dark and ritualistic ambience and atmospheric black metal. The album art is absolutely gorgeous, yet unsettling - just like the music. Not for everyone, surely, but if you're into these styles, don't miss out.

 
Another RBF I missed - this one, the sophomore LP, A Plague Upon Thee, from Swedish band Apocalypse Orchestra, dropped last Friday, February 14th. The album art for this one initially drew me, and then the descriptor "medieval metal" enticed me to push play. This medieval metal style is found as the band fuses traditional folk instruments with your standard heavy rock and metal accompaniments of guitars, bass, and drums. Across this album's 8 tracks and 59-minute runtime, we can hear bagpipes, mandolas, the hurdy-gurdy, lute, and cittern and the band creates a doomy folk metal project full of epic riffs and historical European medieval storytelling. I mean, what about that doesn't sound at least somewhat interesting?! This is definitely a standout metal release for me this month.

 
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