Out Today & What I Missed for February 7th, 2025

Hey Everybody! Josh Rundquist back for the 2nd edition of Out Today & What I Missed of 2025, this time, for February 7th, 2025. Last week, there was a gargantuan 50 albums for the month of January. This week, I am scaling that down just a tad and covering 30 albums, which will probably be the cap going forward as that is too many bands to tag (had many Facebook problems and had to do it 4 times before it worked on both pages) and YouTube cut me off at 42 for the video version of these, so 30 seems reasonable, right? This week is a doozey covering so many different genres, some unexpected albums and some you’d expect no less than me to cover. So strap in and get ready for some brand new music reviews where I hope you’ll find at least one album to dig. So Let’s get into the rules and the list proper.

1.) Out Today & What I Missed is a weekly recap that comes out Every Friday covering every album that I've enjoyed that comes out Every Friday in the Out Today section and every album that came out prior in the What I Missed section. There will be an occasional week off, but I plan on doing what I can to make every Friday happen from now till December.

2.) The order of every entry is as follows;

Artist- Album Title
For Fans Of Section
A short blurb of the album

3.) This is all original studio albums. So no EPs, Live Albums, Rarity Albums, Remake Albums; simply brand new studio LPs.

4.) All selections are albums that I choose to be on here. I am not sponsored, guilted, asked, or anything else to put an album on this series. It is me and me alone making the decisions. That said, if I don't cover an album it is either because I didn't know about it and will try to rectify that upon recommendation or if I come across it naturally, I didn't get the promo in advance and it will appear in a What I Missed section at a later date, I didn't hear it enough to give it a review, or I didn't like it enough to review it. That's the breaks, little man, break it down.

5.) There will be no negative reviews. I have no time to review albums I don't like. The world is negative enough. If I talk about it here, I feel it's worth checking out for yourself.

6.) GO CHECK OUT SOME NEW MUSIC!!!

Let's Begin!

Days Of Jupiter- The World Was Never Enough
FFO- Modern Metal, Modern Hard Rock

Starting things off right with some hard-hitting Rock and Metal with Sweden’s Days of Jupiter. The band’s 5th album is a stunning display of how to make music that hits just as hard for new fans as it does their founding ones. Combining what has worked with the band over the previous albums, but still finding a new way to change up the formula just enough to keep its catchiest moments all while showing some new life. The production hits hard, the songwriting is so catchy and knows when to be heavy and when to let it ride, and the musicianship is so tight. This is how you make Modern Rock and Metal without sounding boring in the slightest. Fantastic work!

Dream Theater- Parasomnia
FFO- Progressive Metal

Oooofta, this is going to ruffle feathers from probably the die-hard fans, the die-hard haters, and probably others as well. But I have to be straight up with this one as Dream Theater was my favorite band from 2003 till probably 2019. I’m not going to say anything untrue in my own thoughts, but I’m also not going to say anything that is sensationalized on either side, just honesty from a lapsed fan. All that said, this is not the worst Dream Theater album, this is not the worst Portnoy era album, this is not the worst if you include the Mangini era, and it easily beats albums like When Dream And Day Unite and Systematic Chaos for me. If you are coming into Dream Theater 40 years into their career for a brand new era of the band, with riveting innovation, mind-melting odd time signatures that somehow fit together, or really, anything out of the ordinary...this is not it. That said, if you are looking for an album that has proficient musicianship, the signatures and tropes you’ve always loved from the band, and the familiarity that has come from the band in the 21st century...this is that album. Some moments disappoint me on here on what could have been, like a song penned by John Myung, there are moments that I wish could have happened like Jordan Rudess going completely bonkers (he does in one song though), and in all honesty...more originality. BUT! This album, as dark as it gets in tone, feels like an old security blanket or an old pair of shoes. You may not think about it when they’re gone, but when you find them again and put them on you, you feel a sense of familiarity, a sense of remembrance, feeling nostalgic for simpler times (and wow, do we need that now in 2025 more than ever before). This is not going to be the most prolific, life-changing album the band ever puts out, it’s not going to be regarded as the best DT album unless you are brand new to the band, but after 16 albums...does it really need to be? Yes, I hear moments of As I Am on multiple songs. I’m so well versed in their songwriting style that I know when the solos, refrains, quirky moments, etc are going to be there before I finish the song for the first time. But, I also don’t need them to do anything else but put out solid music at this point. And throughout Parasomnia, they do that for the most part. There’s other nitpicks I could make, but I’ll leave them off as this is already going too long for my style of reviews, again, I will say if you want an album that hits everything you loved about the band in the past and maybe hints to how the band will finish off their career, you should give Parasomnia a shot. If you are a lapsed fan like me, a die-hard fan in either direction, it's at least checking out to see if it is for you. They are on the last leg of their run. This could easily be their penultimate album, they could have another 3-4 albums left, but it’s near the end. If you have ever been a fan, you owe it to yourself to see how they start to cross the finish line in their final era.

Majestica- Power Train
FFO- Power Metal, Melodic Metal

And album I have been chomping at the bit to hear. The 3rd album from this outstanding Power Metal band has gone on quite the adventure. With those three albums they have always covered the style of Melodic, but heavy, Power Metal with such ease; but they even did a Power Metal version of A Christmas Carol in its entirety with their own spices and flavorings as their sophomore album. This time around, it’s back to what put them on the map. All the songs on this one are fun and such a treat to listen to over and over again. Soaring vocals, songwriting that goes from break-neck speed to softer, more content moments, but never losing sight of who they are...POWER METAL. Sorry for the pun, but this is a majestic album from start to finish and if you want to hear how the genre should be done in 2025, look no further than Majestica.

Marko Hietala- Roses From The Deep
FFO- Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Genrebending

Marko has FINALLY put out a solo album and the world is better for it. After leaving Nightwish, Marko has put a lot of work into creating his vision of a solo album. It does not contain the Symphonic Power Metal you’d expect from someone who has done such a magnificent job in the genre for decades. It ranges from Hard Rock to Blues Rock to Horror Inspired work to even 80s-inspired music and so much more you’ll just have to check out for yourself. Don’t fret, he didn’t completely forget where he came from. There are triumphant keyboard moments throughout the album and even Tarja shows up to do a magnificent duet on a very Led Zepplin-inspired track. This album is all over the map but are all consistent with each other. You’re not going to hear a Dance Pop track go into a Grind track on this one, but it is varied and so enjoyable. It’s great to see Marko making the music he wants to make, it’s about time.

Saber- Lost in Flames
FFO- Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Revival Metal

The sophomore album from this LA outfit is the perfect loveletter to the late 70s-mid 80s era of Metal with their blend of Speed and Heavy Metal Every track is a catchy rendition of how the genre should still be made in 2025. From blazing fast tracks to the occasional slower tempo, outstanding vocals, and musicianship that sounds so good on the album, but I can only imagine sounds better live. This is a short and sweet album with 8 tracks and is nearly 29 minutes long. They give us their magic and disappear. This is the perfect length for an opening set for bigger bands coming to town. If you dig the likes of Haunt, White Wizzard, and Enforcer; Saber is a band you need in your life right now.

Saor- Amidst The Ruins
FFO- Blackened Folk Metal

This band has yet to put out a subpar album, be it under their original name of Àrsaidh, or everything they’ve done as Saor. With their 6th album, Amidst The Ruins, the band may have put out their most emotionally gripping album to date. Every track (though there are only 5 tracks this go around) has moments that make me weep and a couple of times where I just full-blown cry at its beauty. Despite this only being 5 tracks, it is nearly an hour long at 58 minutes, with the shortest song coming in at a little over 8 minutes with the acoustic folk-driven number, The Sylvan Embrace. Every other track is emotionally driven Blackened Folk Metal that can make you feel like you are on a journey in the mountains and make you sob at just how beautiful the music is arranged and performed. This one hits even harder when you hear the lyrics. Is this the band’s finest moment? I don’t know because that would say that the rest of their catalog could be lesser in some way, but I will say this is one of the finest moments that has ever been written into Saor. This will be THE Folk Metal album of 2025 and every other band in this style is going to have to try their hardest to knock it off the pedestal...err...mountaintop. Seriously, you need this one if you can appreciate captivating and Blackened Folk Metal. You’ll be so glad you gave this one a chance.

Unreqvited- Pathway to the Moon
FFO- Blackgaze, Post Rock

Ending the brand new albums out Today is the latest album from one of the most engaging and thought-provoking bands in Blackgaze/Post-Black with Unreqvited. In what may be the most commercial(?) album in the band’s discography, the band has created an otherworldly feel that is filled with so much emotion and sensational songwriting that this is another one that you could easily weep to just from the music alone. With this being their staggering 7th album in 9 years, the one-man Canadian outfit has made the perfect blend of the wonder of being in space and the loneliness of leaving everything you know behind. It’s an album that is better with no preconceived notions and going in with no expectations. Sit down in a dark room, put this one on, and drift away, it may be exactly what you need in 2025. I know it has been for me.

WHAT I MISSED

Beriedir- Liminal Spaces
FFO- Progressive Metal

Starting the albums that I missed is Beriedir, the 3rd album from this Italian Prog Metal band that feels like a comforting mix of classic prog in instances of a band like Dream Theater, but then adds in a healthy mix of modern Prog that fans of Haken, Leprous and VOLA, would be all over. The mix of old and new makes this album stand out, with a stellar production style and moments that you won’t see coming, this is an exciting Prog album from start to finish and may be exactly what the doctor ordered. Give this one a proper listen if you are a Prog fan and you just may be won over like I have been.

Burn Down Eden- Dismal Epiphany
FFO- Melodeath

The 4th album from this German Melodeath band comes in nice and fiery feeling like a mix of the thrashy end of 90s Melodeath and pummeling Death Metal of the modern day. Every track on here has a vicious blend in its songwriting mixed with a clear and perfect production style for this style that’s clean but just raw enough. Feeling like a grand mix of At The Gates, The Black Dahlia Murder, and do I hear some Darkest Hour vibes as well? Yes, I do! Seriously if you love the heavier end of Melodeath but still want plenty of melodies and harmonies, Burn Down Eden is exactly what you need.

Disrupted- Stinking Death
FFO- HM-2 Death Metal

Pure, Unadulterated, 90s Death Metal. That kind of Death Metal done with the HM-2 Pedal that just has that signature tone that brings you back to better times. The songs are so heavy and hit that part of your brain where you just want to rage. 10 songs, just a tad bit over 40 minutes, this is the perfect length for this style of Death Metal. While there’s no innovation or genre-bending on this one, there’s no need for it. It just has to be that pure Death Metal sound that was perfected in the '90s and has been done ever since. Check out Disrupted if you love that sound and need that back in your life...before it starts to stink like death (sorry for the bad pun).

Ebonheart- Face Our Fear
FFO- Progressive Power Metal

Wow, what a fantastic display of Progressive Power Metal. Norway has always had a great sense of how to do this genre. From Pagan’s Mind to Conception, and for 3 albums now, Ebonheart. While there have been some lineup changes (and sadly still ongoing), Face Our Fear is such a fantastic display of full-speed Power Metal with just the right tinges of Progressive Metal to make the music diverse and enjoyable. With such great sing-a-long choruses, a production style that fits like a glove, and songwriting that stays intriguing, Ebonheart is for any fan of Power Metal, Progressive Metal, or those who just enjoy quality Metal.

Formosa- Pyrite
FFO- Heavy Metal

Some German Hard Rock and Power Metal going on here with the latest release from Formosa. The band has always had a great sense of writing catchy Hard Rock that gets just heavy enough while hitting some of the best moments of the 70s-80s Hard Rock all done through a more modern filter. There are moments of sleaze, Metal, and poppier moments throughout, but this is a great modern throwback from start to finish. Whether you want something from Scorpions, Dokken, or Kissin Dynamite, there is something here for you.

Forsaken Hill- The Fortress of Solitude
FFO- Melodeath, Epic Power Metal, Folk Metal

I didn’t realize I needed an album like this until it came across me. The 3rd album from this German band is my first foray into the band, but not my last. It’s Melodeath, it’s Epic Power Metal, there’s tinges of Folk Metal, and overall, a style I wish more bands were doing. The closest I can compare them to is a band like Crimson Shadows. Especially on that first listen, you have no idea where the music is going to go, which is exactly what I need. The twists and turns all over this album are pure magic and I need more (thankfully there are two other albums I need to explore). If you want adventurous Melodeath, look no further, this is exactly how it’s done.

The Great Old Ones- Kadath
FFO- Symphonic Post Black

The 5th album from this now long-running Post-Black band is easily their most grandiose and inspired album to date. Its moments that feel majestic and otherworldly are a false sense of security as you learn that that feeling is that of H-P Lovecraft-inspired horror. If the name of the band didn’t give that away, I’m not sure what would. The music is easily some of their best, they just continue to improve every time. In what I’ll call Symphonic Post Black, the band created an epic horror album for the ages, it is so dark with its twists and turns while creating some of the most captivating riffs, melodies, and harmonies you’ll hear in anything related to Post Black. If you love this style of music, horror, or both, or just want something brand new to discover, give this one a shot and see if their tentacles will pull you in.

Lysergic- Black and Blue
FFO- Melodeath, 2nd Wave Metalcore

Up next is the first debut album I’m covering this week with this Portuguese outfit. This 33-minute melodic onslaught is some of the most intriguing I’ve heard in quite a while. I hear as much Melodeath in this as I do that 200s era of Metalcore as I do Melodic Metal (at least musically, not vocally, that’s pure chaos). Imagine a grand mix of Wintersun, and Killswitch Engage, and you have a winning combination for someone like myself. It can get quite epic and majestic as often as it gets into riffs that make you want to get into the pit. This is such a winning combination and I can’t wait to see what comes next from this band. If this sounds intriguing to you at all, I implore you to give this one a listen, I think you will be pleasantly won over.

Maceration- Serpent Devourment
FFO- Death Metal

The 3rd album from this Danish Death Metal band comes after their debut album in 1992, then 30 years later, they released their sophomore album with Dan Swano on vocals. 3 years later they are back with their full-fledged lineup creating some of the most pummeling Death Metal in a long time. With just the right amount of moments to let up the tension, this is a nearly 40-minute chaos of that classic HM2-inspired Death Metal that crushes you from pillar to post. I appreciate that there are moments of melodies and harmonies that you wouldn’t expect in the brutal display of music at hand. That’s how you do it, don’t make it brutal 100% of the time or it stops being brutal. If you love that classic era of Death Metal that feels like a grand mix of early-day Edge of Sanity, Grave, and Bloodbath; this is tailor-made for you.

Magistina Saga- BloodMossAgate
FFO- Symphonic Gothic Metal, Modern Metal

The 4th album from this Japanese Symphonic Gothic Metal band is not what I was expecting to come across me this year, but I’m so glad that it did. While I’d be lying if I said I understood the lyrics, I love how they are sung. Mixed with that style of Symphonic, Gothic, Modern, and J-Rock stylings, this is a winning combination for anyone who digs this style. 7 stings, symphonic from start to finish, gorgeous melodies and harmonies on every instrument, and an overall sense of fun makes this stand out among the others. While I can’t say this will be for everyone, if you fit here, this was meant for you. If you need some epic music, give this one a shot.

Noapology- Uncovered
FFO- Modern Radio Rock, Tinges of Metal

The debut album from this Ukrainian Hard Rock band is quite a sight to Behold. They are, without a shadow of a doubt, a Hard Rock band that would fit so perfectly on Hard Rock radio here in the States, but they have these Metal tinges that make them on the heavier end of things. You just don’t get the occasional blast beat in Rock music. The music crushes and the production makes everything feel so polished. Of course, you will hear those down-tuned 7 strings, the vocal melodies you’d expect, and no screams or growls throughout the album, which is EXACTLY why it should be on the radio here. I’d put it on the radio if this was playing on a regular basis. This a dark, rough, and sadly, realistic, album made for 2025 and the world we live in. It’s also cathartic for the same reason. If you need something that feels like a plea in 2025 for some kind of sanity, this is for you.

Plague of Stars- Extinction
FFO- Gothic Metal, Melodeath with Clean Vocals

The 3rd album from this Twin Cities-based band is quite unlike other bands in this area. With the Metal side of the area being so Death Metal-centric, it’s great to hear a band that focuses on clean vocals as they can hit just as hard, if not harder, than the most brutal growls and screams. With Extinction, the band expands upon their original sound with a mix of Death Metal, Black Metal, Doom, and Gothic Metal with all clean vocals. So this will catch some people off guard, but you just might need that in your life to buckle your stance. The music is dark and captivating with you never truly knowing what direction will be going in. The production is clear but raw enough to fit the atmosphere, and the musicianship on hand makes you pay attention as everyone knows when to show their chops and when to play for the songs. They’ve been rocking the Minnesota scene for a while, but with 2025, and a new lineup, the band is just begging to be heard in your ears in 2025. Try it and see what I mean.

Queen of Dreams- Subnivium
FFO- Progressive Power Metal

The sophomore album from this Madison, Wisconsin band is a very welcoming surprise. What feels so much like European Progressive Power Metal is just a few hours from my hometown. With some of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard in this style in quite a while, everyone completely shining throughout, and engaging songs that you want to hear from beginning to end, this is how you make a genre like this even catchier and memorable. If you want a band that soars as high as it shreds, this is a band for you. Check them out and see if they are for your ears.

Selvans- Saturnalia
FFO- If Mercyful Fate and King Diamond Were Black Metal

This...is quite the experience. My first foray with this band is not at all what I was expecting and I am so much happier for it. A grand mix of Progressive Black Metal, Prog Rock, and Heavy Metal is just like what I mentioned above, it truly feels as if Mercyful Fate and King Diamond made Black Metal. Everything from the riffs to the Falsettos pull this off, and added sinister Black Metal overtones make this dark album stand out of the darkness...and drag you to hell. It can be a whimsical album, but it will put a smile on your face. With everything going in the right direction for this album, I don’t know if their previous material sounds like this, but I will give it a shot. If this is new for them, I hope they keep doing this till the bitter end as this is how you innovate while tipping your hat to the past. What a sensational album.

Skaldr- Saṃsṛ
FFO- Black Metal, Meloblack

With how dark, chilling, and wrenching this album is, you’d imagine that this band is from the darkest, coldest regions of Scandinavia, right? WRONG! They are from Virginia, of all places, creating a cold combination of Immortal, Dissection, and the occasional Borknagar riff. The production is raw but enjoyable. The songwriting is brutally cold, and the atmosphere is off the charts. This is a sinister-sounding album that is made in the USA, which is quite the spectacle. I couldn’t be more impressed with this one and if you are a Black Metal fan, you just might be as well.

Soaring- S/T
FFO- Soothing Post Black

Soothing and Post-Black is not something you normally go hand in hand (unless you are well-versed in the genre and can pick out those bands that can do both). Soaring is a French band that combines the best of Blackgaze, Shoegaze, and other genre-bending to create a sound that hits the likes of Alcest, Lantlos, Explosions in the Sky, and Astronoid all at the same time. This 4 track album at 33 minutes (Some say it’s an EP, but come on, that’s an album-length) is one of the calmest Metal albums I’ve heard in a long time and exactly what I needed without ever knowing it. And know that I have, I need more. I’m so excited to see where the band goes from here because if this is the starting point, the sky is the limit going forward. While this won’t be for everyone, I implore you to give it a shot if you need something like this.

Sorrow Blue- Elegy for a Bleak Autumn
FFO- Death Doom

The debut album from this Brazilian Death Doom Duo could not be more in my wheelhouse. It’s cripplingly sad with that 90s style of Death Doom that will always work, and just enough variation going on to fill that Gothic-tinged Death Doom we all know and love. They even end the album with a cover of Katatonia’s I Break. If that’s not enough of a reason to give this album a shot, I don’t know what could be. 11 tracks and almost an hour long, this feels just right for the style and I only see the band refining and improving from here. If you love the genre, you need to give this a proper listen.

Speedemon- Fall of Man
FFO- Speed Metal

This Portuguese outfit’s sophomore album is everything I love about Speed Metal rolled into one package. 9 tracks, 33 minutes and 33 seconds, and pure, unadulterated Speed Metal. From the fastest of fast riffs to things just slowed down enough to never lose momentum, this is how you do the genre in 2025. Unrelenting from start to finish with just one instrumental track to let you catch your breath before the onslaught continues pummeling you. I can’t put it any simpler, if you love Speed Metal, you will LOVE this album.

Swept To Sea- Lost Shores
FFO- Metalcore, Hardcore

This San Francisco outfit’s debut album is that perfect blend of melding Metalcore and Hardcore together in perfect harmony. With Hardcore moments that are made for the pit and Metalcore moments that showcase the musicality of the band, this blend is something that both sides of the spectrum of core music will love. It can be so punishing, but then hit you with a melodic riff that you won’t see coming that floors you. 40 and a half minutes with 11 tracks (and one instrumental track to let you breathe) is the right length for this one. If you want that Hardcore-tinged Metalcore done right, this is a band you need in your life. Go check it out.

Unreal Overflows- Slaves of the Inhuman Future World
FFO- 90s Technical Progressive Death Metal

4 albums into this Spanish band’s career and they just keep getting better and better. What is clearly a loving tribute to the genre of Progressive and Technical Death metal from the early 90s; this is all the best moments of Death, Cynic, and Atheist rolled into one. With the vocals and guitar madness of Death, the Progressive elements of Cynic, and the bonkers moments of Atheist is a band that still finds a way to sound authentic and original despite the clear influences. This makes you appreciate what came before and it makes you want to hear more from this band, hoping other bands will want to do this style in 2025 as well. This is what I love about the genre and gives me hope for the future (well, not lyrically...we’re doomed) but at least music like this will be a great soundtrack to our demise.

Usquam- Ex Nihilo
FFO- Epic Melodic Black Metal

Another debut French album here with Usquam and this is such a sensational release. All of my senses get destroyed by it. This is everything about Meloblack that I love so much, with that latter-day Keep of Kalessin feel to make things interesting and unexpected. It gets so crushing and yet has this melodic sense to it all that keeps you intrigued despite all the chaos that persists. Black Metal done like this keeps getting me excited every time and I can’t wait to see where they go from here. If you want a truly EPIC piece of Meloblack, pick this one up now.

Uulliata Digir- S/T
FFO- Avant Garde Metal

The first true bonkers Avant-Garde Metal album I’ve heard this year is not for the faint of heart. In what feels like an unholy mix of Behemoth and Pensees Nocturne;  Uulliata Digir has written an album that feels like the soundtrack to hell, while still having these moments that make you feel like you are in a 1930s Crime Noire. It’s crazy, it changes on the turn of a dime without hesitation, and the musicianship on hand is off the charts. This pushes the limits of Blackened Death Metal with its avant-garde and quirky moments. If you really like music on the wild side, this is an album you not only need to hear, but to experience.

Voidhra- Only Cold Winds Will Carry My Name
FFO- Black Metal

Finally, we end things with this German Black Metal band’s sophomore album, and is one of the coldest albums I’ve heard in quite a while. It's dark, depressing, and filled with evil terror from everything to its instrumentation to its chilling vocal delivery. It’s a raw album, to say the least, but still audible and enjoyable. Hitting everything from that 90s era 2nd Wave Black Metal to the blast beat-driven style of Black Metal that destroys everything in its path, this is a welcoming mix of different Black Metal thrown together while still feeling like it was released in 1995, not 2025. It’s a tr00 and kvlt as it gets, folks. It's an absolute winner of a Black Metal release, especially for the cold year that is 2025.

And there you go folks, 30 albums down this week, and already 80 albums reviewed in total so far in 2025. thank you so much for checking this out and I truly hope you found some great music to check out this week. And make sure to come back next week where we will do this all over again on the most loving day of the year, Valentine’s Day. Yes come back for Out Today & What I Missed for February 14th, 2025. Until then, for Heavy Debriefings, this is Josh Rundquist saying, Embrace The Skullet!

- Josh Rundquist (Heavy Debriefings)