Edge of Paradise’s Margarita Monet Shares Her Top Albums of 2025
(Editor’s note: Looking back on 2025, there were so many good albums released that we decided to reach out to some of today’s artists and get them to weigh in on their favorites. What follows is Edge of Paradise’s Margarita Monet’s Top Albums of 2025.)
Architects – The Sky, the Earth & All Between
I’ve recently discovered this band, and listening to their discography, I really admire that they keep pushing the boundaries of their sound. Their new album The Sky, the Earth & All Between really takes you on an exciting ride, it’s fueled with emotion, it’s modern sound incorporates really cool elements and textures, and the cinematic scope of it, accompanied by the music videos, just makes it an awesome experience! I also think it’s really interesting, how they use electronic elements throughout the songs, it’s a really cool way to compliment the instruments without overpowering, but adding that modern, genre bending edge.
What I also love about them is that they go pretty deep with the lyrics, touching upon relevant topics of our society as well as humanity. I love that you can listen to these songs purely for the sheer enjoyment of them, but if you really lean in, they also make you think. They invite you to observe, reflect, and keep contemplating long after the album ends.
Nine Inch Nails – TRON: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
I had to include this, because I love Nine Inch Nails and I love movie soundtracks! I actually haven’t seen the movie yet, I was trying to, but we had the tour coming up, and while I was chasing time, I would turn up this soundtrack in my car and it would always get me pretty fired up!
I admire Trent Reznor for transcending traditional boundaries with everything he does, he builds worlds with music. And with Atticus Ross as his partner in this, you can really tell that he takes Trent Reznor’s vision to the next level with production! And also, seeing what they did with the recent tour, the spectacle of it, and showing different sides of the songs, their big hits, performed completely different, it was super cool to see and hear!
Pop Evil – What Remains
What Remains by Pop Evil is definitely heavy, full of big riffs and a dark tones. It’s very raw and explosive! I like that this band keeps experimenting and pushing their sound forward. I also really love the empowering message from this, overcoming your own shadows, being resilient in this crazy world, always coming out on the other side. And this is really what music is for, to keep our spirits strong and unbreakable, and I really felt that with this album! When I first started listening to heavier music in college, they were one of the first bands I discovered, I really liked their anthemic sound. And it’s really cool to see them evolve, and always keep moving forward, with whatever shifts life throws their way.
Ghost – Skeleta
I’m a big fan of lyrics that take you to the depths. The introspective nature of this album is thought provoking and in a relevant way. Especially in the world where we are so consumed by the outside forces, the constant stream of ads, news, and just constant noise, and not the good kind… it really pulls us away from our own humanity, and this album touches upon really asking ourselves those questions, what is our meaning, what do we believe in. And of course, it’s top notch production, clear vision, it all comes together to take you on a journey! I have yet to see this band live, would be awesome to tour with them some day!
Edge of Paradise – Prophecy
And of course, I had to include our own album Prophecy, which was released in 2025. This record became my entire world for the last two years, from writing it, to building its universe, to performing it on tours around the world. It holds so much meaning for me because during its creation we went through so many transitions, challenges, and turning points. Those moments can either break you or make you stronger, and Prophecy became a reminder that we always choose the path forward.
This album also encompasses our previous releases, after introducing implications of technology, AI on our evolving society on a grander scale, for the first time, I really take a a stance for the human spirit. To emphasize the importance of holding on to what makes us human, our fire, our creativity, our sense of wonder, hope, and belief. Musically, it’s our heaviest album yet, but it also contains some of our most vulnerable themes and moments. That collision of vulnerability and strength is, to me, the real power of being human!
