Welcome to the final half of our Top 75 Math Rock Releases of 2025! Many thanks for the warm reception to Part One, it was a lot of fun and we’re glad you agree it was a crowded but excellent year. Musically, of course.
Part Two might feel admittedly more diverse, but whatever the disparate metal or shoegaze takes might lack in math, they make up for in technicality, or some other trait that justifies a mention here. Like Bleary Eyed for instance, who dropped an incredible album this year that, to us, sounded like Tera Melos doing a shoegaze album, and it was incredible. We’ll explain the rest below, but we promise there will be tons more angular, odd-timed magic for the numerically needy to calculate either way.
Lastly, we’re feeling vindicated in doing a two-part setup because if we didn’t wait, at least two or three of these wouldn’t have been on the list. This of course meant standing over the already established list for hours sweating who would get cut, but hey, in many ways we’re happy to be that guy. So in no particular order, please resume enjoying the blog’s first Top 75 Math Rock Records of the year:
19 Both Houses – Sweet Home
Each of us has two houses inside of us – one melodic, one chaotic, and BOTH houses are sure to be satisfied by this absolute firestorm of instrumental heaviness. Also, bonus points for references like “The Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth” and “CODE: Veronica.”
18 suffer like g did – Born
It finally happened in the tail end of 2025, of all years – Suffer Like G Did dropped the debut after over a decade of sparse but influential singles and EP’s. Born is as sharp and angular as we could have hoped for, but it’s even groovier and more emotive than expected, so on all fronts, this one’s a winner.
17 Cinema Staff – PLASTIC YOUTH
This freakishly packed J-rock by post-hardcore and math rock saga has grown on us since it’s release, with a sense of drama that feels like the best of Closure in Moscow or Saosin.
16 Kjjjjjjjjj – Bi Won
We still have issues typing out the Argentine math rock maestros (did we even get it right?), but we never have a hard time falling in with whatever it is they’re experimenting on. With Bi Won they went all in on production in addition to their spacious, otherworldly guitar sound, so we’d say it’s their most rewarding yet.
15 Bannered Mare – He’s Only Sleeping
Is it progressive pop? Is it math rock for arenas? Bombastic revisionism of the 2000’s punk sound? Yes, to all of it, and it’s an undeniable blast no matter what you call it.
14 microgoblet – nanoarchitecture
This one hit us out of nowhere when compiling a Tuesday Music Dump earlier this year. Imagine our beloved Pieces of Shit!, but somehow, darker, and a tad more surreal: microgoblet packs maximum punch in minimum space, and walked away with one of the most memorable breakouts of the year when it comes to weirdos making rock.
13 this HOLY rodeo! – … presents: this HOLY rodeo!’s first EXTENDED PLAY, presented by this HOLY rodeo! (a “this HOLY rodeo!” presentation)!
Speaking of bands so bold they need exclamation points at the end of their names, this HOLY rodeo! was a downright brash exposure this year with their Mr. Bunglemeets-My Chemical Romance monstrosity. Well sorry, it’s not a monstrosity, it’s pretty great, but it also claims to be a play, so we’e got mixed feelings. Either way it’s got more than enough character and dynamic to justify the title, and it’s one of this year’s best.
12 Jinzo – Here’s the Meat
We were struggling for adjectives and comparisons for Jinzo when we were thinking about it, but when we revisited their Bandcamp, we saw the clown-core tag, and everything snapped into place. The feeling of having some kind of discordant, potentially spectacular incident occur at any second is a great comparison for the band’s tense, elaborate compositions. It’s like the circus. But way better.
11 Catholics / Prinze Jr. – Split
The last couple of years have seen some incredible splits, and this one offered indispensable insight to two of the scene’s most talented acts. Catholics showed off production leaps that expanded their cinematic Midwest sound, while Prinze Jr. showed that they’re more than a shred-y face with some really memorable takes.
10 Fallfiftyfeet – Counterfeit Recollections
Fallfiftyfeet is certified sick from the hardcore community at large, and their latest shows off an entirely different side than some might have expected. If you’re looking for a white-hot melting pot of mathcore, shoegaze, nu-metal, and more, Counterfeit Recollections is one of the year’s most memorable offerings.
9 Blackshape – Prismer
Salt Lake City has some pretty powerful undercurrents going as far as its heavy music scene goes, and Blackshape has been looming over much of the competition with their uniquely adventurous, semi-conceptual take on cinematic post-metal.
8 Model/Actriz – Pirouette
As we were concluding this list, there were a handful of deeply dark records competing for a spot, all of which we knew everybody loved. There was Haunted Horses, the new Chat Pile, Agriculture, and so many more, but when we finally listened to Pirouette with headphones on, we were stunned. Yes, it’s a dance record, and a club-y one at that, but the syncopated interplay between the noise-y guitars and the off-beat drum grooves under manically entrained vocals are worth trying, even if it’s only for a night.
7 Post NC – Greatest Xmas Hits Vol. 2
If CHON were to have done the soundtrack instead for the new Tron instead of Nine Inch Nails, it would sound like Post NC’s Greatest Xmas Hits Vol. 2. Honestly that’s probably all we have to say to sell it if you know what’s good for you, and at the very least it’s the best Christmas album in math rock.
6 a.m. overcast – Junk Drawer
It might sound stupid, but after hearing Junk Drawer we had a minor revelation about a.m. overcast in general – the project may or may not have a strong resemblance to Raisin Bran, or whatever your local equivalent might be. You see, the crunchy corn flakes are the guitar and drum parts, and the raisins, which you love of course, are the saccharine vocal lines. But most importantly, it’s incredibly addictive and refreshing.
5 wthAura – Keep Going
This one stuck with us with its unnatural but organic feeling atmosphere. It wasn’t robot or cold, just like math rock made on another planet. If you’re looking to trance out on something progressive, electronic, and emotive, and you’re tired of your old favorites, this one might creep up on you too.
4 Fayzz – Patch
Fayzz is a band from Chengdu, China that mixes bits of jazz and math rock to orchestrate a retro-futuristic sound that’s hard to describe. It’s spacious in the truest sense of the word without becoming post-rock, and it doesn’t slouch in the rhythm department either when everyone kicks in, but honestly our favorite moment in Patch is when they go full-on jungle in “Hollow.”
3 Stereosity – New Life Will Grow
One of this year’s most pleasant surprises in math rock just came a couple of months ago in the form of New Life Will Grow, an emotional math rock record that brought new fans in by the drove. It’s like Cuzco meets Save Us From the Archon, and if that doesn’t excite you, we don’t know what you’re even doing reading this.
2 we used to cut the grass – #2
We swear, this record landed at the #2 spot entirely incidentally. That being said, it is the kind of record that seems so have a synchronistic edge on the competition with so much attention to rhythmic detail as it orchestrates jazz, math rock, drumline brass ensembles, and more.
1 AAA Gripper – We Invented Work for the Common Good
Probably the only record on our list as snotty and depraved as Mclusky, this sprawling, spider-y celebration of noise goes for listener’s jugulars without hesitation, but just enough UK post-punk charm to keep the audience from summoning the authorities.
0 imperial triumphant – Goldstar
We couldn’t even believe this album came out this year, but considering it’s sheer outlier factor, if that’s the case it has to go mentioned here. Goldstar is a masterclass in technical symphonic black metal that, at times, feels like John Williams being possessed by Krallice or Cannibal Corpse.
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1 Bleary Eyed – Easy
This shoegaze record has a lot of math rock in its DNA, with tons of pedal play and experimental song structure. If you ever wondered what Tera Melos, Adebisi Shank, and Superheaven would sound like if they were thrown into a musical blender, tracks like “Easy” and “Jersey Shore” will show you that it can be, and has been done to great effect.
2 Rolo Tomassi – In the Echoes of All Dreams
Seemingly out of nowhere the progressive mathcore luminaries launched back into action with a new EP this year which was heavy as hell, but also hooky and head-scratching on the level of Car Bomb and Gojira. We doubt it’s a fluke, so we’re really looking forward to the next chapter of a band not afraid to balance all of the above while attempting something new.
3 Cardiacs – LSD
Exponentially progressive is one of the few human phrases that really work for Cardiacs, where every second of every song from the band feels like a stepping stone to the next. It always makes sense, it’s just that it’s always been surreal, always followed a stream of consciousness in the form of late great frontman Tim Smith. But with Mike Vennart and several others rounding out the ranks, they’ve been able to create something faithful to their discography but new for themselves at the same time.
4 MSPAINT – No Separation
The only thing we wanted from this EP was more – every single moment feels perfectly tuned to the band’s unique sense of vision on No Separation, which has some of the band’s best songs yet like “Wildfire” and “Angel.” It might show off a slightly softer side of the band, but it’s just as interesting, and we’re anxiously awaiting whatever’s next from them if this is a sign of what’s to come.
5 Drill for Absentee – Strands of A Lake Vol 1 and 2
DFA continue their raging resurgence with the second volume of Strands of A Lake, which we already loved, but the second half adds a lot of oomph with tracks like “7riangles” and “Desert Flame.” In fact, when you consider that the new version features Vol 1 as well, it’s almost like having a full album from the band, with two distinct halves.
6 Amateur Takes Control – A Pale Decrepit Dot
This cinematic post-rock smoke show from Singapore feel a bit like the missing link between bands like Caspian and Russian Circles. It’s got the articulate scope of the former with the aggression of the latter, with a bit of Kowloon Walled City in there too. But even without comparisons, the album more than holds it’s own in the post-everything space, even with a crowded release schedule in 2025.
7 Stress Positions – Human Zoo
Two years ago, Stress Positions’ Harsh Reality blew us away with insane punk performances on every front, and this year’s Human Zoo only exceeded our expectations with faster, more blistering assaults. But it was also uniquely focused on topics still resonant, if not even more resonant, making it an intentionally painful yet thrilling reminder of humanity’s footprint in 2025.
8 They Are Gutting A Body of Water – LOTTO
These established purveyors of beautifully artificial and angular noise have been on our radar for a while, and their last couple albums have been brilliant. Lotto continues in the vein of their best, but also opens up to more traditional emo, shoegaze, grunge, and post-punk, ultimately resulting in what just might be TAGABOW’s best record yet.
9 Zach Hill and Lucas Abella – Bag of Max Bag of Cass
Zach Hill takes us further down his uniquely terrifying rabbit hole with a capable foil in the form of Lucas Abella. At times it sound like if you put every Aphex Twin song on at the same time at 400% speed. If Undo K from Hot was chaotic neutral to you, you might perceive this bag in particular to align more with chaotic evil with it’s nonstop degradation, but it’s a brand of insanity you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, and underneath, it’s very, very math rock.
10 Dewlap – The Arizona Purchase
This Kansas outfit put out two fantastic math records this year, and we had to spotlight this one yet again for it’s harsh and grind-y yet immediately hook-y prog… math… punk… thing. We don’t know what it is, really, but we know that if you’re into math rock, the odds are you’ll really like both records.
11 Irk – The Seeing House
As far as what we were able to listen to, Irk’s The Seeing House was one of the year’s most intense and cathartic records. If you can’t wait for new Loathe, and you wouldn’t mind dashes of both Refused and Intronaut, this one is sure to satisfy.
12 Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Do It Computer Boy!
Twin-guitar in your post-hardcore, you say? And it’s math rock? And midwest emo? Yep, this album checks a lot of boxes, but it’s also a deeply emotive and beautiful work that caught us by total surprise.
13 Right Chipper – The Chip
We want to say we saw this wild ripper coming, but even listening to it now it still feels like a massive leap for the already capable D.C. duo. It even has unexpected heavy moments like in “Mycelium,” which is likely to be a fan favorite.
14 Granite Hands – Soi Cowboy
This dramatic shift into acid math with a heavy dose of the future-funk Brainfeeder Records sound was a real treat, and opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the project.
15 Stick Men – Brutal
This post-King Crimson outfit is of course heavily focused on orchestrated low-end, but Brutal is honestly the first time we just ‘got it.’ In a sense that means we’re not really qualified to say, but it feels like something newcomers can get into for the first time while also pleasing fans of the band’s established sound.
16 SUPERWORLD – Surefire
This screamo-meets-math-rock-meets-post-punk EP made a big impression in the space of three songs, and we’re all ears whenever they put something else out. It’s grating, explosive, and piercing, but it’s also beautiful. It’s like something between The Armed and Defeater.
17 Parachute Day – Seasonal Expression
This bouncy prog wonderland was a much needed burst of energy for those first couple cold months of 2025, and now that we’ve thawed out, we actually like it even more. Yes, it’s cold again, but it shouldn’t matter when the record helps generate warm, fuzzy, vaguely metallic feelings. Maybe that’s what Seasonal Expression is all about?
18 Ando San – OH KAY
Ando San has essentially spearheaded prog-hop the past couple of years, and he’s made a lot of headway for himself in every arena he’s set his mind to. But rather than spread out, for OH KAY he went for tightened, almost thematic feel to it on the flows and the instrumentals, so in the end it’s hardly any wonder the EP seems to be his most successful effort yet.
19 Squid – Cowards
Somehow Squid’s Cowards didn’t retain its momentum in the press this year, but in some ways, that’s how you know it’s good. That’s the case with this one at least, as the band’s third record harkens back to the scope of their debut but using the tricks picked up on O Monolith.
20 Bursting – S/T
This debut hit us over the head with its ambitious wrangling of post-hardcore, grunge, math rock, and experimental who-knows-what. That being said, the ambition could have gone sidewise without focus, and Bursting’s S/T shows a tremendous amount of that as well, almost hitting its stride near rarified Faraquet and/or Exotic Animal Petting Zoo territory, but with hints of Incubus.
21 Lucius Fox – The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
This gorgeous and shred-tastic record brought us a lot of joy a few months back, and we kept returning to it thanks to its massive dynamic and feel-good disposition. One moment it’s serene, genuinely transportive ambient music, then the next it’s literally a mile-a-minute guitar metal battle, and that’s a one-two punch we can’t get enough of.
22 DRŤ – Oči bez bielok
Just trust us, okay? We found this one on accident, and at first we thought it was something we’d be able to get thirty seconds of before making our minds up if it was exploring or not. Instead, we found ourselves desperately dodging phone calls at work to take in whatever this album was throwing at us next. In a way it reminds us of Alaska-era Between the Buried and Me, but it also has it’s own thing going on with it’s ashen, Slovakian metal aesthetic. Still, any fan of weird mathematical metal will kick themselves for not having listened to it sooner if they haven’t already.
23 Kaschalot – Anemoia
It shouldn’t always be the goal, but finding originality in post-rock and math rock can be difficult unless you’re really dedicated to following your own path. That being said, Estonia’s Kaschalot have somehow found this Town Portal meets early ASIWYFA thing that feels really fresh and expressive, and it’s one of our highest recommendations of the year.
24 We Contain Multitudes – Minako
We Contain Multitudes feels like a math rockers dream that somehow got refracted into reality, and their debut, funnily enough, feels like a band coming to life. Luckily, you’re dealing with some of math rock’s finest, and things escalate quickly throughout, but you also get to hear them jamming out and having fun. In a year that was heavier than hell, albums like Minako can inspire a celebratory feeling that’s hard to find and even though there’s no particular order to this year’s Top 75, it makes absolute sense to end it with this life-affirming powerhouse of a record.
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