Best New Releases March 2025

No long-winded introduction this month, other than to state that March was a very busy month for yours truly and for the heavy underground scene in general (I'm especially loving the pictures, footage, and feedback from Sound of Liberation!), so I think it's best to just jump right in.

But first, a few honorable mentions: 

Honorable Mentions

(in no particular order)

Jesse Stiletto - (self-titled)

Favorite Track: As The Portal Opens 

The Snake - Always Bites Back

Favorite Track: Sometimes

       

Vordermann - Feeding on Flowers

Favorite Track: Cloudpiercer

You can read a bit more about the band and the EP here.

Vandhali - Born in Evil 

Favorite Track: Creature of Black 

 

  Best New Releases of March 2025

Exactly what I submitted to the Doom Charts this month, in descending order

 10.) Outer Head - Erevos 

 

Outer Head announced in late March that they were no longer active as a band. This news dealt a particularly heavy blow, as this is a band that seemed incapable of releasing a subpar album. Outer Head's particular brand of mind-bending doom has a knack for vacillating between the low and slow cadence of occult-toned doom and acidic psychedelic groove, combining the two into a most infectious listening experience. These beloved qualities ring through on the band's parting gift to their fans, a Name Your Price album on Bandcamp filled with previously unreleased songs. These tracks aren't shoddy demo tapes by any means; in fact, they offer a wider view into Outer Head's sound, showing the band performing songs that range from deliciously heavy, soulfully bluesy, brazenly punky, and a bit brighter in the vein of stoner rock. Outer Head will be sorely missed, but this particular fan is beyond grateful for this final album and the seven years of killer music the band graced us with. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Outer Head!

Favorite Track: Jesus Flytrap 

9.) Sykofant - Red Sun 

Sykofant is an avant-garde progressive rock band known for their unrestrained use of experimentation within a genre that is already inherently experimental. On their 2024 self-titled debut, the band made a memorable first impression with their sophisticated, multi-faceted, and modern take on progressive rock, blending in unexpected styles and exciting twists and turns. Now, the band is back in a big way with their Red Sun EP, the first of two connected releases expected this year. Here, Sykofant continues to both surprise and captivate their listener in the best way, but this time, they successfully marry a sharper, more futuristic sound with the vintage analog tones of retro heavy rock that we know and love. As it turns out, this boosts the band's remarkable storytelling ability even more, resulting in what's sure to be one of the most stirring listening experiences you'll have this year. 

Favorite Track: Ashes 

You can read my full review here.

 

 8.) Torpedo Torpedo - Arrows of Time 

Torpedo Torpedo is a band from Vienna who released their first full-length album on March 7, 2025. Titled Arrows of Time, it's a solid release that's incredibly sophisticated, providing an uplifting but thought-provoking blend of stoner/doom, psychedelic rock, and post rock. To my ears, there's also a bit of alternative rock and grunge influence as well, particularly in the early stages of the album. Perhaps best of all, Arrows of Time is filled with vivid, often cosmic imagery and captivating atmospheres that are just heavy enough. Ultimately, this creates an experience that's both tranquil and immersive, without a single subpar song to be had. 

Favorite Track: False Gods and Lurid Skies 

 

 7.) Cruzeiro - Hic Sunt Dracones 

Cruzeiro delivers an occult heavy, psychedelic brand of doom that, rather than subscribing primarily to the low and slow trudge of many of their counterparts, has a barreling cadence, giving plenty of nods to traditional heavy metal along the way. this gives their sound a deliciously sinister but thoroughly engaging epicnes, a devilish tome conjured from centuries past. To top it all off, Cruzeiro boasts a most commanding enchantress of a vocalist whose powerful and haunting odes will leave you utterly spellbound. 

Favorite Track: Galaxies Waltz 

 

6.) L'Ira Del Baccano/Yama - Tempus Deorum   

Tempus Deorum sprouted its roots a decade ago when a friendship was struck between L'IRA DEL BACCANO and YAMA in the Italian Dolomites. In 2025, after Yama made it through a six-year hiatus, the bands teamed up to create a split album of epic proportions. Each band contributes a unique but complimentary style to Tempus Deorum, providing a true yin and yang experience; you'll coast along on hypnotic, cosmic notes before crashing hard into some doom-laden heavy psych laced with traditional heavy metal. Most importantly, this album will not only introduce you to the spaced-out but heavy-in-all-the-right places tones of L'IRA DEL BACCANO, but it will prove that even after an extended break, YAMA is still stronger than ever, continuing to build upon their expressive and immersive signature sound in a big way. 

Favorite Track: Nakara 

You can read my review here. 

 

5.) Daevar - Sub Rosa 

Masters of doom/grunge fusion, DAEVAR are back with Sub Rosa, their third album in just under two years. The band's trademark lo-fi sound persists, along with a certain dreaminess present in their sound that immediately transports the listener back to the alternative and garage rock peak of the 90s. This powerful reverie initiates a very specific kind of trance brought along by the low and weighty buzz of the bass, the supportive march of the drums, and of course, the soothing siren song of vocalist Pardis Latifi. Sub Rosa shows DAEVAR peppering in more of the cyclonic bursts of energy that they're known for, adding an element of raw intensity that allows the band to stand out from their doomgaze counterparts. This is undoubtedly the band's most immersive and haunting work to date; the heavy parts are heavier, and the dreamy interludes are even more ethereal, like a hand being offered through dark and seemingly relentless tempests. 

Favorite Track: Siren Song 

 

4.) Nightstalker - Return From The Point Of No Return

Return From The Point Of No Return, the ninth album from Greek stoner rock pioneers Nightstalker, is a high-quality exemplar of hard rocking goodness from start to finish, with strong infusions of classic heavy rock. However, for all its dust and grit, there's an equally strong influence of hypnotic psychedelia that hits the ears like a cool drink of water. Return From The Point Of No Return also has a cleverly constructed flow, as its mood very gradually begins to gather more of this psychedelic influence as well as a strengthening emotional expressiveness in both vocals and instrumentals alike. By its end, this album will leave you in a most relaxed and meditative state, in contrast to its delightfully coarse beginning. More than anything, Return From The Point Of No Return proves that to say Nightstalker "still has it" is the understatement of the century. 

Favorite Track: Falling Inside 

  

3.) Kryptograf - Kryptonomicon 

On their highly-anticipated album Kryptonomicon, Bergen-based doom rockers KRYPTOGRAF embark upon a nautical voyage. The sunny skies and smooth sailing tend to be short-lived, and tempestuous waters carry our minstrels through a hard-fought battle with the water-dwelling inhabitants of the underworld. Blood will be spilled, souls will be claimed, and heavy truths will be discovered, all to the tune of the most beautifully layered rendition of KRYPTOGRAF'S brand of doomy retro rock yet. In spite of its relative brevity, Kryptonomicon sounds like an album that was developed over a long period of time, gaining odds and ends like a folk tale and aging like a fine wine, allowing intricate details to blossom naturally. Here, KRYPTOGRAF proves that they possess the instrumental aptitude, songwriting prowess, and incredible storytelling abilities to allow them to sail well beyond the horizon into any direction they choose.

Favorite Track: Beyond the Horizon 

You can read my full review here.

Note: These final two albums were no-brainers when it came to being in my top releases of the month; they both have a standout authenticity, expressiveness, and sophisticated composition that not only hooks the listener on a sonic level but inspires deeper thinking and healing. 

2.) An Evening With Knives - End of Time 

End of Time, the third full-length album from post-metal trio AN EVENING WITH KNIVES can best be described in two words: raw and unfettered. End of Time delivers the crushingly heavy sound threaded with mind-bending psychedelia we know and love from the band, as well as their powerfully expressive vocal delivery. However, End of Time is so much more than a metal album, it's a thought-provoking transformational journey on which the inner turmoil, personal reconciliation, and renewal are deeply felt by the listener. This album bleeds with not only brutal intensity, but with an unrestrained authenticity. 

Favorite Track: Voices

You can read my full review here.

1.) Drunken Crocodiles - Ægony

Ægony features a thoughtfully layered and heart wrenchingly expressive application of stoner/desert rock, grunge, psychedelic rock, and sludge for the most part; but these are merely the tools with which Drunken Crocodiles whittle down to the heart of the album: an in-depth and multi-faceted study of ego. Each track is based on a real-life example of ego run amok, delving deep into how it impacts the larger world. Ægony is not for the faint of heart; even though it's immensely gratifying for the heavy music fan, it's also an album you'll learn a lot from. It will implore you to challenge some of your own morals while looking deeply into the catastrophic lack of them in others, a journey that, while uncomfortable at times, is cleansing in the end. You'll think, you'll get angry, you'll question many things, but you'll definitely rock out while doing so. 

Favorite Track: Le Divin Marquis

You can read my full review here.

That's it for March! I hope you enjoy these albums as much as I did. 

Of course, don't forget to check out this month's Doom Chart where there are forty albums waiting for you to discover and as always, show your favorite heavy underground artists some much-deserved love!