After a shaky, snowy start to the year, Bryn and Jaff are back!! They're kicking off 2026 with a truly artistic bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from California....and Bryn brings a fancy new piece of wine tech to elevate their drinking experience!!

You'll hear about Mozart's love of arses, Ozzy's new autobiography, the first Damnation announcement of 2026.....and there's a throwback to the infamous Italy episode!

And on top of all that, there's been some exceptional releases already this year......especially for the black metal fans out there!!

This Weeks Releases

Alter Bridge - Alter Bridge (00:35:05)

Napalm

https://alterbridge.bandcamp.com/album/alter-bridge

Ellende - Zerfall (00:46:43)

AOP

https://ellende.bandcamp.com/album/zerfall

Miasme - Keep Them At A Distance (00:55:57)

Self

https://miasme.bandcamp.com/album/keep-them-at-a-distance

Fuath - III (01:02:53)

Northern Silence

https://fuath.bandcamp.com/album/iii

The Ruins Of Beverast - Tempelschlaf (01:09:15)

Ván Records

https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/tempelschlaf

Sinister Feeling / Heavens Die - Split (01:15:18)

Delayed Gratification

https://delayedgratificationrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-4

Big Shipping - Nobody Asked For This (01:23:28)

Freakscene Records

https://bigshipping.bandcamp.com/album/nobody-asked-for-this

Oraculum - Hybris Divina (01:30:15)

Invictus Productions

https://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/hybris-divina

Ectovoid - In Unreality's Coffin (01:33:37)

Everlasting Spew

https://everlastingspew.bandcamp.com/album/in-unrealitys-coffin

Zu - Ferrum Sidereum (01:37:02)

House Of Mythology

https://zuband.bandcamp.com/album/ferrum-sidereum

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And here it is.....after 49 episodes, 53 bottles of wine and 300 albums.....it's time for Bryn and Jaff to share their TOP TEN ALBUMS OF THE YEAR!!

Jaff puts Bryn's wine knowledge to the test once again, there's the return of a certain infamous Chilean cowboy and there's even a festive whisky to finish off the year in style.....sorry about the slurring...

It's now time for Bryn and Jaff to eat, drink and be merry, but they'll be back in the new year to do it all again....CHEERS!!

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And, here it is! The first of a two-part episode where Bryn and Jaff give you the rundown of their top 20 albums from 2025.....

In this episode they'll share each of their #20 - #11 albums, whilst sipping one of the most unapologetically glamorous drinks they've tried this year....and Jaff has devised a little game to test how much they've learnt about wine!

Expect some obvious choices, some less-obvious.....and some absolute wildcards as we race ever closer to the end of the year!!

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In the midst of a UK tour promoting their new record, titled 'Rot' (Church Road Records), the UK blackened sludge/noise band Believe In Nothing called in for a chat. Bryn and Jaff discuss the band's journey to this point, the themes behind 'Rot', future plans for the band, and wider music with Caine Hemmingway (vocals). In a break from form, and due to the fact that it wasn't even 10am, there was no wine to be found anywhere, preferring a good old cuppa and some chuckles along the way.

Link to Bandcamp

https://believeinnothing.bandcamp.com/album/rot

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As the year draws to a close, Bryn and Jaff finish off their wine journey by heading to Sicily to try a Nero D'avola, a grape they haven't yet experienced....

There's also some fake news, Biffy Clyro's visa cock-up, the announcement of the new Bristol Extreme Fest......and an unusual outburst about potties.....all perfectly normal occurrences here at Tasting Notes HQ...

Bringing the grand total of albums reviewed this year to 300 (which is quite an achievement) there's a flurry of solo black metal projects, another post-punk album and many more!!

This Weeks Releases

Blut Aus Nord - Ethereal Horizons (00:30:34)

https://blutausnord.bandcamp.com/album/ethereal-horizons

Corpus Delicti - Liminal (00:41:54)

https://corpus-delicti.bandcamp.com/album/liminal

Nordicwinter - Solitude (00:58:33)

https://nordicwinter.bandcamp.com/album/solitude

Ergot - Decade (01:05:44)

https://ergot.bandcamp.com/album/decade

Harifa - As The Pale Sun Fades (01:14:05)

https://harifa.bandcamp.com/album/as-the-pale-sun-fades

Excide - Bastard Hymns (01:22:33)

https://open.spotify.com/album/7MArk2Th9cUnucBRan1dez?si=35eka10SS6W7FkSNozWyeg

The Ominous Circle - Cloven Tongues Of Fire (01:32:47)

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/cloven-tongues-of-fire

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Spanish Garnacha is the order of the day this week! Bryn and Jaff dust off their cowboy hats and take a trip to North-East Spain to rub shoulders with some gunslingers...

Grown men chuckling at the word 'windy', a lady with a garden in her face, Sue Pollard getting 'earthy', Croatian parking tickets, Thom Yorke busting some funky moves and another wave of ArcTangent band announcements.....this episode has it all!!

Unbelievably for this time of year, there's still some really fantastic releases crossing our paths and we've got another nine for you to dive into this week!!

This Weeks Releases

Locusts and Honey - Shadow Of My End EP (00:31:52)

https://locustsandhoney.bandcamp.com/album/shadow-of-my-end

Sedna - Sila Nuna (00:40:03)

https://sednablack.bandcamp.com/album/sila-nuna

Morbikon - Lost Within The Astral Crypts (00:49:43)

https://open.spotify.com/album/78Ou9Eu8hBunocVOIpx3fO?si=hUxerldpTOWzi7RZAIe8NQ

Decrepit Altar - Egregious Defilement EP (00:57:58)

https://mesacounojo.bandcamp.com/album/egregious-defilement

Knives - Reglitter I EP (01:04:34)

https://open.spotify.com/album/5DfX7LUs3b4WShqRGfcNUO?si=7utPIBTZSxW52nMqB0HEgg

Sun Of The Dying - A Throne Of Ashes (01:10:45)

https://sunofthedying.bandcamp.com/album/a-throne-of-ashes

Mondrary - No Better Than Man (01:20:10)

https://mondrary.bandcamp.com/album/no-better-than-man

Truth x Da Beatminerz - Nostalgia ThEraPy 2 (01:29:19)

https://truthemcee.bandcamp.com/album/nostalgia-therapy-2

Def Leppard - Diamond Start Heroes Live From Sheffield (01:33:48)

https://open.spotify.com/album/6AQEyriCWFJUgdWtFWpOpJ?si=z3DusB17T4-4amlk4sLvkw

Civil Service - Dark /// (01:39:11)

https://civilservice.bandcamp.com/album/dark

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South Africa is the location of the week, where Bryn and Jaff find themselves drinking a Syrah from a small winemaker in the Bovlei Valley.

There's more pointless facts from Doctor Dave, Metallica's transition into a family friendly 'party band', Bryn's mother-in-law gets a mention.....and Jaff has some interesting facts about mines!

And there's still some great albums being released, from jazzy oud compositions to groovy black-metal.....there's plenty to get stuck in to!!

This Weeks Releases

Ghold - Bludgeoning Simulations (00:29:30)

https://ghold.bandcamp.com/album/bludgeoning-simulations

Veilburner - Longing For Triumph, Reeking Of Tragedy (00:39:35)

https://open.spotify.com/album/63S4d16L63tu5j36JuZjbT?si=j2EFzQgnSRW0CpXSrPEQdQ

Wun Two - Pumpkin Tales (00:51:39)

https://wuntwo.bandcamp.com/album/pumpkin-tales

Dhafer Youssef - Shiraz (00:59:37)

https://actrecords.bandcamp.com/album/shiraz

1914 - Viribus Unitis (01:10:01)

https://x1914x.bandcamp.com/album/viribus-unitis

Lamp Of Murmur - The Dreaming Prince In Ecstasy (01:21:27)

https://lampofmurmuur.bandcamp.com/album/the-dreaming-prince-in-ecstasy

Ragana and Drowse - Ash Souvenir (01:28:17)

https://ragana.bandcamp.com/album/ash-souvenir

Bell Witch / Aerial Ruin - Stygian Bough Vol 2 (01:38:12)

https://bellwitch.bandcamp.com/album/stygian-bough-volume-ii

Thumbsucker / Atomçk - Split (01:43:49)

https://thumbsucker.bandcamp.com/album/thumbsucker-atom-k

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The guys are back in the Mendoza province of Argentina to try a superhero inspired, hand-pruned Malbec....and it's pretty bloody good!

There's a full run-down of the Damnation shenanigans, thoughts on the Hellfest lineup, James Hetfield in an inflatable kangaroo costume, a mouthful of marbles....and (for some unknown reason) the chance to own some of Bryn's hair.

It's been a busy few days so there isn't the usual juggernaut of new releases being discussed, but they did still find the time to recommend five albums that you should all go and listen to!

This Weeks Releases

Believe In Nothing - Rot (00:39:48)

https://believeinnothing.bandcamp.com/album/rot

The Devil's Trade - Nincs Szennyezetlen Szép (00:54:08)

https://thedevilstrade.bandcamp.com/album/nincs-szennyezetlen-sz-p

Kauan - Wayhome (01:05:13)

https://kauan.bandcamp.com/album/wayhome

Agnostic Front - Echoes In Eternity (01:15:27)

https://agnosticfront.bandcamp.com/album/echoes-in-eternity-explicit

Aldorfrea - Bloody Battles (01:25:06)

https://aldorfrea.bandcamp.com/album/bloody-battles

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