Greetings Decibel readers!
It’s the last standard Five For Friday roundup of the year. One last chance to revise your personal end-of-year lists before you get distracted by the holidays and resolutions you’ll maintain for about two weeks. But trust me, you’ll want to savor the last of 2025 with the albums below, especially the second one on this list.
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Blood Red Throne – Siltskin
No frills, but lots of kills! Crushing, grinding, gnashing, gnawing death metal! Blood Red Throne has been around for a long time, and has honed their approach into a relentless hammerblow. Essential listening for fans of Grave, Vader, and Bolt Thrower.
Stream: Apple Music
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Blut Aus Nord – Ethereal Horizons
In the past, I would say there’s two faces to Blut Aus Nord: one that looks to the trees and mountains of atmospheric black metal, and one that gazes in horror at the void of dissonant black metal. But a third face has come clearly into view on this album and other works like this album and 2019’s Hallucinogen, and it’s one that stares into a psychedelic kaleidoscope and then looks to us to deliver a message. It recalls the other two styles but dares to go its own way. And it rules. Of course it does, it’s Blut Aus Nord. (I’ll always be a Memoria Vetusta loyalist tho.)
Stream: Apple Music
Ethereal Horizons by Blut Aus Nord
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Enthroned – Ashspawn
Enthroned is Belgium’s most well-known black metal export, their early albums standing as towering achievements of dark excellence. This album sees them inject some death metal heft to their menacing sound. The low end really carries the album, giving it a compelling atmosphere that allows the guitars and vocals to do their cruel work.
Stream: Apple Music
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Ghoulhouse – Realm of Ghouls
From our full-album stream of Realm of Ghouls:
Swedish death metal connoisseurs undoubtedly know the name Rogga Johansson. It would be impossible not to, given the fact that he is always releasing a new album with one of his many bands (Metal Archives currently lists Johansson has having 47 active bands). Johansson is back today with a new Ghoulhouse album, Realm of Ghouls … Realm of Ghouls is a pretty cut-and-dry slab of crusty death metal, delivering chainsaw riffs—assisted by lead guitarist Håkan Stuvemark, who plays with Johansson in Ribspreader—and tales of zombies and gore.
Stream: Apple Music
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Phobocosm – Gateway
Return to the caverns with the latest from Montréal’s Phobocosm. This work of dark and sinister alchemy is the band’s followup to 2023’s Foreordained. Embrace the shadows as songs like “Deathless” and “Sempiternal Penance” envelop you in riffs, growls, blasts and something else I dare not name.
Stream: Apple Music
The post Five For Friday: December 5, 2025 appeared first on Decibel Magazine.