You should check out "Tabernakulum" by Dola. Amazing black/post metal with some jazz influences. Brilliant.

Zmarłym - Wielkie Zanikanie is my favorite album this year so far. Amazing post-black with lot of progressive, electronic and other experimental elements, and a great post-apo mood.

I haven't listened to that one yet. Going on the list right now.

2025 is almost halfway through. For me, the best metal album in the first half of the year is Lonely People With Power by Deafheaven. I wonder if there will be any work that can surpass it in the second half of the year.

Lol

Right! its a broad genre. I probably meant the type that was created in private schools as a business by young men that had lots of angst because of being only middle class with the dread of having too much of everything anyway.

Yes, that's true. I've now deleted several of Mc_Stinkle's 1s and 2s votes on classic, highly regarded releases because they are just unrealistic.