Obsidian Coffin Awards 2025: End-Year Honors | Recommendations

2024 is dead, and 2025 is still yelling. With the Obsidian Coffin Award, Death Arts 13 slams the door on the music that eats, bleeds, and doesn't give up. This is for the horror-soaked punk, goth, and other outsiders doing everything on their own terms. These are the songs that haunted our nights from 2024 to today, the albums that ripped through our speakers, and the artists who defied convention.

We want to make some recommendations for you before Halloween. Keep in mind these are the recommendations for this year from the team.

Cover of the Year: Calabrese – “Mother of Mercy” 

Newcomer of the Year: Toria and The Terror

Track of the Year: Evelyn’s Casket – “Afterlife” 

Goth Band of the Year: MACHINE 13

Goth | Post-Punk Track of the Year: AFI- Behind the Clock

Metal Band of the Year: Spiritbox

Music Video of the Year: The Koffin Kats - Way Out There

EP of the Year: Blitzkid-Lycanthro-EP

Album of the Year: Hellgreaser-Hymns of the Dead

Halloween Track for the Year: Hellgreaser-“Her Other Side (feat. Nim Vind)” 

Most Underrated Artist of the Year: The Creepy Crawlers

Most Theatrical / Stage Presence- GRAVE CORPS

Best Collaboration –De La Rocka -"Invasion of the Robots" feat. Vic Victor

Best Reissue / Remaster –Nim Vind- Sagittarius A

Best Visual / Artwork-Rise From Your Grave : The New Flesh Reborn & Los Morts

We couldn't decide so we gave the award to both bands.

These picks aren’t the final word—they’re just the Death Arts 13 team shouting out the albums, tracks, and artists that haunted us, blew us away, and kept the darkness alive from 2024 through today 2025. The Obsidian Coffin Awards are our recommendation, our salute, and our little graveyard of favorites—but the real power’s in your ears. Listen, scream, bang your head, and decide for yourself what deserves to rise from the coffin next.