To call 2025 a good year for heavy music would be an understatement. I mean, you can just look over this list and see there were a ton of great heavy albums that dropped last year.
Then, there were all the incredible heavy metal tours that trekked across the globe during 2025. Frankly, I think there’s already a chance for 2026 to beat it, and there are a few bands I think you should keep your eyes (and ears) on…
The (John) Candy
The (John) Candy is such a hard band to describe. I think I love them because of my affinity for sample-core, like Killwhitneydead. But I’ll be damned if these Orange County, California dudes don’t riff with the best of ’em.
“The (John) Candy started in Orange County, California, in 2005 with a simple goal of marrying hardcore music with a cacophony of John Candy movie quotes,” reads the band’s Spotify bio. “The idea was borne of a deep affection for 80s/90s pop culture and the man himself, as well as deep seeded heavy music roots for all members of The (John) Candy. A three-song EP entitled “Hi Kids!” was independently released, and the band faded into obscurity.”
Also, as an 80s/90s kid, I love the pop cultural references that cram into their songs. Where else are you gonna hear “Angel of the Morning” smashed into a song that also samples Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Andrew W.K.? Nowhere.
The band had a big 2025, and I expect 2026 to be bigger (you hear me, fellas? I expect it), so be sure to keep your eye on The (John) Candy. Tell ’em “the moose out front” sent ya.
Stomach Book
I’m a sucker for, well, a lot of things, honestly, but one of them is chaos-core jamz. I come from the era of Fear Before the March of Flames (I’ll mention them again later in this article, coincidentally) and I Set My Friends on Fire.
While hyper-pop at heart, Stomach Book offers a cinematic take on this. It’s very quirky, bizarre, and off-center, with occasional bursts of madness.
Stomach Book was one of the artists I listened to most last year, and I have my 15-year-old son, Ridley, to thank. He introduced me to the band, and they’re essentially all we listen to when we’re driving around or hanging out. (They will be his first concert ever when we see them in Portland in April!)
The band’s 2025 album, Goodnight Hypnopomp, is an exciting musical journey that won’t be like anything else you’ve ever experienced. Make sure to check out their upcoming tour and catch a show if they’ll be playing near you.
I Promised The World
No band is making this kind of metalcore anymore. Like, even the bands that literally started this sound are not doing it like this anymore. (A case could probably be made for Killswitch Engage, but that’s not the conversation we’re having right now, so stop trying to distract me.)
I Promised The World are out here crafting melodic metalcore that rivals most of the s*** I listened to as a teenager and thought was perfection. From the riffs to the sweeping sing-scream vocals. These guys are doing it, and doing it so much better than their forbearers.
The band recently signed to Rise Records, and their new self-titled EP is out now. Go jam that and make sure to watch for show announcements on their social media.
Crippling Alcoholism
Every time I tell one of my friends that they should listen to Crippling Alcoholism, they ask why they should “listen to a band named after my drinking habits.” Because they’re f***ing dope, Bill. That’s why.
Crippling Alcoholism is not only a brilliantly confrontational name for a band; it’s based on a true story. The band’s founding vocalist, Tony Castrati, formed Crippling Alcoholism in 2022 after what their new record label, The Flenser, called a “particularly destructive episode of alcoholism.”
Musically, I’ve seen the band described in too many ways, so let me add to the confusion. If I were trying to get someone to listen to Crippling Alcoholism (and I am), I would say they play a blend of ambient dark pop with a splash of chaos (think Fear Before…) and some gothic soul (Tom Waits?).
The band released their new concept album, Camgirl, in September, but I only discovered it in the past few weeks, and I have been obsessed. There is a brand new LP version of the album on the way, as well as some other killer merch. Click here to pre-order.
Worm
Black metal has had a fascinating evolution over the past decade or so. One thing that’s really lacking, in my opinion, has been the symphonic elements and macabre romance, à la 1990s Cradle of Filth.
Enter: Worm. Emerging from Florida’s Everglades with their debut album, Gloomlord, in 2020, the band has undergone a wild and fascinating transformation over the years. You could define their early stuff as blackened death metal, but with their forthcoming album, Necropalace, they fully enter their Cruelty and the Beast era.
These kinds of theatrics are part of what made the second wave of black metal so enticing. The imagery. It was candle pentagrams and blood and flesh and corpse paint and bones and swords, and so much more. But behind that, you had some of the best musicians on the planet playing dark, fast, and unholy heavy metal. This is Worm in 2026.
I may or may not have already had a chance to hear Necropalace, and it may or may not already be one of the best metal records of the entire year. You’ll just have to find out for yourself when the album is released on Friday, February 13.
The post 5 Heavy Bands You Should Definitely Be Watching in 2026 appeared first on VICE.
