It’s time for the annual tradition where I write about the music I have enjoyed this year. This time around the links are to Qobuz because if you’ve not hard, Qobuz is having a moment.
I kicked off the year attempting a Queen full-listen. I gave it a fair whack but didn’t finish the project. In terms of albums I really enjoyed Queen I and Sheer Heart Attack. My top two tracks from the experience were Brighton Rock and Breakthru. I think those two tracks highlighted the range that Queen had.
After I gave up on a Queen full-listen I embarked on, and completed, an Iron Maiden one. I’d heard it all before (ish) but this time I was giving each album multiple plays with active listening. I posted about the experience for months. To summarise I think Blaze Bayley was robbed and The X-Factor is much better than folk give it credit for. The band suffered from a lot of poor production and the wheels fall off after A Matter of Life and Death.
On the subject of Blaze Bayley I saw him perform The X-Factor in full in Wolverhampton. Great fun.
Another year in the Porcupine Tree mines and I listened to Stupid Dream a lot. Enough times for even me to learn most of the lyrics. A Smart Child has a very bleak vibe which I was right into.
Right. Now for an album that came out this year, The Spin by Messa. Wow. How do you describe Messa? Doom? Rock? Jazz? Went for a lot of walks listening to this and their previous works.
Not new this year but new to me is a Scottish Electronic duo Valtos. Their albums Valtos and Valtos & Friends are fantastic. Whack both of them on a playlist and let them loop.
Right. The next one is a bit odd. 1:46:43 ‘THE VENTOUX TRILOGY’ by Stubbleman is an ambient electronic experiment inspired by the musician’s ascent up Ventoux. I heard about this via the ITV coverage of the Tour de France (RIP to a real one). I think I should get more into ambient stuff.
Wailing Banshee put out a bunch of new singles this year. You should listen to all of them. I love their passion and still wish them the greatest of success.
I watched a doc on the music from the Wipeout games which sent me on a big CoLD SToRAGE dive. The Chillout album got the most plays but now I’m on Qobuz I’m giving more of his work a go. Love it.
Leprous’ album Melodies of Atonement came recommended on Bluesky. It’s been a great way to get into the band.
I’m still on the Jazz train and this year I head Cornelia Nilsson for the first time with her first album Where Do You Go?. What a drummer. The bass, sax, and pianist are also great. Really good album to get into a zone with.
Daryl Johns by Daryl Johns arrived as a recommendation buy the Great Sir Lord Johnny JR. It’s a really wobbly (in a good way) way pop album. Way out of my comfort zone but he’s written some really nice melodies that stick with you.
We must address the Sabaton in the room, Legends came out this year and it’s fine. I don’t think I’ve had my fill but it felt a little Sabaton by numbers and with topics that are too broad for me.
Right onto some notable tracks.
Kyrie by Seven Kingdoms is a cover of a Mr Mister track from 1985 which I listened to on a loop for ages. The track and music video give me this weird almost-nostalgia tinged with end-of-empire which I am utterly unable to describe properly. Give it a go then go listen to their stuff about A Song of Ice and Fire. Great band.
A nearly 10 year old cover Judgement of Heaven (an Iron Maiden track from The X-Factor). Thomas Zwijsen on classical guitar, Anne Bakker accompanies on violin, and drum roll please… Blaze Bayley on vox. This version just highlights that if you centre Blaze’s voice in the track it slaps, unlike in the original production.
Wasted Years covered by Stuart Clifford. Yeah I found a lot of acoustic covers of Maiden tracks this year. I love Stuart’s voice and playing. This one is probably my favourite of his covers so far.
It’s hard to avoid it but I listened to on average at least 3 Maiden tracks a day in 2025. This one is a B Side that didn’t get an album release until Best of the B Sides. Reach Out is what happens when you let Adrian Smith rip. It’s a perfect rock song. I liked it so much I bought the 7" single of Wasted Years to get it.
I love Fraser Edward’s vibe. This year he put out Poseidon’s Rage which hits 00s DragonForce spot we all have in our soul. Anna Maria Rose and Rich Carnie’s vocals make all the flashing instrumental work pop even more. After this I went back and checked out Fraser’s band Ascension which is also my jam.
Catherine Fearns is still smashing out superb piano arrangements of metal tracks. This year’s highlight was Return To Serenity. Yes Catherine did do a Maiden cover.
I think that’s enough for 2025. Next year I’ll listen to a little less Iron Maiden, maybe.