Tag Archives: 2025

Platinum Al’s Top 10 Rock & Metal Albums of 2025

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Well 2025 certainly delivered the goods for new music. As in previous years, Ever Metal asked me to compile a list of my Top Ten albums from the worlds of Rock and Metal, so I did. The list has already been published over on EM, but I’ve reproduced it here for anyone who missed it…

You know what?  It would be easier to pick my All Time Top 20 Albums than a Top 10 for the year.  I know I say this every year, but 2025 has been a really strong one for new releases.  Whatever the genre, there have been some beauties.  So here are ten of my favourites, listed from one to ten, but to be honest – the ranking between these exemplary specimens doesn’t mean that much.   

10. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – “Death Hilarious” 

Admittedly, I was late on the bandwagon with this band, but I don’t care.   Pigs x7 dropped this Stoner Metal monster and I shamelessly joined the admiring throng.  “Death Hilarious” is crazy riffage for a good time.  

9. Warlockhunt – “Prey” 

This album of dreamy Doom Pop has been played relentlessly chez moi since its release.  Mournful bass, crashing drums and reflective vocals create an otherworldly tapestry. 

8. Spider Kitten – “The Truth is Caustic to Love” 

A beguiling soundtrack for a strange world, Spider Kitten knit the heaviest of sludgy riffs, avant garde Doom and Spaghetti Western music into something truly original and unforgettable. 

7. Froglord – “Metamorphosis” 

I saw Froglord live and immediately fell in love with their sludgy, amphibious grooves.  “Metamorphosis” is a masterclass in swampy riffage and it has constantly cheered me up since it oozed into my possession. 

6. Syncolima – Move Mountains 

This band go from strength to strength, and their “Move Mountains” album became one of my most played albums of the year.  A full-on Stoner Rock, Grunge and Metal hybrid that always drags you back for another listen. 

5. Black Spiders – “Cvrses” 

Sheffield’s finest returned with another high-speed dose of Rock’n’Roll that might just help me stop missing Motorhead so much.  Awesome fun. 

4. Torso – “Annihilation Day” 

Grindhouse Garage Metal soundtracking an imaginary VHS Video Nasty, Torso deliver another prime slab of horrifying, lo-fi brutality. 

3. King Kraken = “March of the Gods” 

The second album from King Kraken builds on the triumphs of its predecessor, but adds an even tougher, uncompromising Metal edge and daring new textures.

2. Master Charger – “Posthumous Resurrection” 

The absolute Overlords of fuzzy Doom Boogie, Master Charger’s 2025 masterpiece delivers everything that you could ask for, plus more.  Extremely infectious in every good way.  Essential! 

1. 1968 – “Royal Bastards” 

Right from the first spin, I knew this glorious album would be a contender for the best of the year list.  A stunning album that isn’t afraid to branch out in new directions, whilst staying true to the core of what 1968 do.

And there you go, ten superb albums that I’ve loved this year.  Honourable mentions go to Supersuckers, Melvins, Toranaga and Jonathan Hultén for releasing top quality music that nearly made the cut.   

Happy New Year all – here’s to the new sounds of 2026!

Don’t forget to keep visiting Ever Metal – and Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub – for the best music!

Platinum Al’s Instagram Top 9 2025

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Here we are with another recap post! This time, a quick look at the Top 9 photos I posted on Instagram in 2025. Though with the minimal interest I get on that social media platform these days, I don’t know why I bother!

Anyway, these are the Insta pics that received the most likes last year. From most popular top left, they decrease in likes down to bottom right. Here’s the breakdown:

  1. RIP Ozzy – a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, who we lost last year. An Ozzy doll, Funko Pop and some records.
  2. Black Sabbath records and CDs to commemorate the final gig.
  3. Castle Grayskull & MOTU figures – as featured on this blog.
  4. Admiral Ackbar and me.
  5. A full size Imperial Scout Walker, as seen at Liverpool Comic Con.
  6. A tribute to Mike Peters, another hero we lost in 2025: The Alarm 12″ single.
  7. An ancient tomb on Anglesey, North Wales.
  8. Predator in the wild!
  9. Me at the Taylor Swift cafe in Beaumaris, Anglesey.

Those nine photos captured some of the big events of 2025, in my life at least.

I usually post plenty of pics of vinyl, toys, skateboards and beer on my Instagram page. If that sounds like fun to you, please follow me: platinum_al.official

The Best of 2025

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Happy New Year, everybody! Welcome to 2026.

As is now tradition here at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub, our first post of the New Year will recap the most popular blog posts of the last twelve months. This Top Ten covers all of the articles posted during 2025 – from day one to the very last – to give an idea of what you, the reader, has enjoyed most:

10. Berlin Wall – A Piece of History?

A school trip in 1990 brought this item into my possession. But is it a genuine piece of European history, or some concrete with paint on it? Read and decide for yourself…

9. Skateboard Museum – Sector 9 Longboard

2025 was a great year for my skateboarding. In this post, I looked at the Rolls Royce of my skate quiver, the trusty Sector 9 longboard.

8. New Deck 2025 –  Death Benson 

Another skate post, this one a look at my then-new deck and set up. Documented to preserve the memory of how it once looked! This Devil Woman graphic is a bit saucy and very cool.

7. Black Project – Blood Moon  Album Review 

The only album review to make the Top Ten, this mighty Hard Rock/Metal album by British band Black Project made some fine noise. Also featured on the Ever Metal website.

6. North West Doom Fest – Part 2 

A two day festival celebrating the joys of Doom Metal, North West Doom Fest was a fantastic event. This review of the second day, featuring bands from all over, made a healthy showing in the end of year figures.

5. Liverpool Comic Con May 2025 – Part 2

Comic Cons always fare well in these results, though Liverpool was the only one I attended last year. Day two of the convention lands at number 5.

4. Disneyland Paris 

Our family trip to Disneyland Paris in August 2024 made a big splash at number 4. A magical experience, not to be repeated – Star Tours was, of course, the highlight.

3. North West Doom Fest – Part 1 

The first day of this amazing Doom Metal festival in Chester certainly pulled in the punters. Loads of awesome bands, great music – I’m looking forward to this years event already!

2. KASP Gig Review 

Well, whaddya know?! Storming in at number 2 on this prestigious list, my review of this local band has proved popular, much like their excellent set. Hope to catch them again soon.

Which leaves us with our top performing blog post of 2025. The one with the most visits since publishing, the one that’s fired up the internet and brought the world wide web to the Virtual Hot tub. But what could it be?

  1. Liverpool Comic Con May 2025 – Part 1 

Well I said Comic Cons always do well, didn’t I?! What else could it be than Day one of my visit to Liverpool Comic Con, which included a whole bunch of Cosplay photos too. A great day out, highly recommended!

2025 was an incredibly successful year for the Virtual Hot Tub. We saw the highest number of visitors for years (2016, to be precise). Sometimes I wonder why I bother writing this trove of random nonsense, but last year showed me that it’s worthwhile. We have an audience, and you guys love it just as much as we do.

Thanks for reading Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub. There’s no place else like it!

N.E.W. Metal Productions Christmosh – Gig Review

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N.E.W. Metal Productions Christmosh

6th December 2025

Mcleans Pub, Pentre, Deeside North Wales

Have you been good all year? Have you eaten your greens, minded your Ps and Qs, and got your Ever Metal reviews in on time? If yes, then good news: the final North East Wales Metal Productions shindig of the year is here – the annual Christmosh party! A fabulous six bands appearing at Mcleans Pub in Pentre, Deeside, covering a wide variety of Rock/Metal music and all gathered together to celebrate a festive end to 2025.

Warming us up like a welcome open log fire was Victim of Damp, alias N.E.W. Metal Prods ally Frank Williams, here given a seasonal makeover as Christmas of Damp. With Christmas jumper and trusty guitar in hand, COD gave us some choice cuts including new additions such as Therapy?’s ‘Screamager’ along with free shots and a melancholy Pink Floyd cover. The promise of Crimbo tunes wasn’t forgotten, with a rousing version of Slade’s evergreen ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – event guru Fozzy (in Santa suit) on vocals.

Victim of Damp

‘Agro’ by The Raging Mabels is one of the Greatest Songs Ever. Their entire set of high speed, thundering yet melodic Zeke-like Punk Rock was an absolute, total joy from start to finish. I cannot praise this band highly enough, even though they forgot to bring merch (again). There should be a new Raging Mabels album out in the New Year, so be prepared for a cultural explosion of Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ levels. And if that doesn’t happen, every single one of you can suck balls.

The Raging Mabels

Sadly, last time SOOTO (Something Out Of The Ordinary) played Pentre a couple of months back, I failed to write up my review. That cruel oversight is about to be reversed. SOOTO deal in classic Hard Rock/Metal, and with the female vocals they’re like Stevie Nicks singing for Thin Lizzy. Professional but not superficial, SOOTO have a raw energy and love of the riff, combined with dynamic songcraft and expert playing. A fantastic set that was over too soon.

SOOTO

The only band I’d never seen before, Heroes of the Gauntlet were a pleasant surprise indeed. Billed as “Symphonic Power Metal”, I was concerned these guys would be a full-on cheese fest. They have two singers (male and female) with fantastic voices, and a microphone that turns into a sword. Add in some serious Power Metal riffage and super confident stage personas, and you’ve actually got one hell of a show. Heroes of the Gauntlet were gloriously over the top and it’s impossible not to love them! All they need is a live drummer and these Heroes cannot fail.

Heroes of the Gauntlet

Bad Earth we have met before, and yes – hands up, I am a bit of a fanboy. But when a band deliver this much power and presence on stage, how can anyone not be? A “Rockcore” trio from the North Wales area, what that genre entails is dishing out filthy Punk/Metal riffs and pummelling, killer rhythms that you can feel as well as hear. They get better and bolder all the time – though the silly buggers are very humble about it – and this night was no exception. New recorded material is due soon, so beware: Bad Earth have never shied away from delivering crushing, groove infused Rock and I don’t think they will.

Bad Earth

To say I was excited about the return of the fuzzed out, sludgy sound of Master Charger to Mcleans would be an understatement. Their album “Posthumous Resurrection” was one of the never ending delights of 2025, plus last time they were here, these boys absolutely killed it. Make no mistake, Master Charger can and will deal out a mighty, megalithic slab of Stoner/Doom that will make the earth tremble. And that’s exactly what they did, with every asteroid-heavy riff and mammoth beat ploughing through the audience mercilessly. Another off-the-charts performance and a great finale.

Master Charger

What a night. Quite possibly the strongest line-up at Mcleans that I’ve ever witnessed, featuring many of my personal favourites.

But now it’s down to you. Christmosh was the last North East Wales Metal Productions event of the year, till the return of Pentre Fest in February 2026. These events, these bands need your support. If you’ve ever considered a trip to Mcleans, then you need to be there on 27th and 28th Feb 26. No excuses!