The Lead Sheet ~ 12/9/25

The Lead Sheet is your guide to this week’s new music - taking a look at newly released albums, who made them, and how listeners are responding.

Irish singer-songwriter Dove Ellis makes an exciting debut album with Blizzard, a ten-track bedroom-pop piece. Known for his powerful vocals and blending of genres, Ellis’ first full LP is an immediate success. Blizzard, however, contrasts his iconic powerhouse live shows with subdued intimacy; the album is emotionally led and focuses on love, memory, and the human experience, beautifully painted through Ellis’ soulful and raw voice. The album is receiving fantastic reviews from fans and critics, who commend the artist for creative use of a diverse range of instruments, (all played by Ellis) that flesh out the album with layers of color. The piano driven “Heaven has no wings” is a standout single, full of depth and richly stacked harmonies, summarizing the album’s core mood. 

Twenty-one year old rapping sensation Redveil released his fourth studio album, Sankofa this week to positive critical reviews. The young artist has been making waves for his lush, well-developed sound, and curation of genres that lend freshness to his work. While Sankofa is entirely self produced, it is Redveil’s most intensely collaborative project to date, including a full choir, live session musicians, and featured artists like Smino and Carolyn Malachi. Musically, Sankofa (the title of which comes from a Ghanaian proverb, paraphrased- it’s okay to backtrack for things you’ve forgotten) is a blend of neo-soul, jazz-rap and rock, and the incorporation of live, symphonic instruments like flutes and trumpets give the album an overall professional polish. Critics are calling it one of the best albums of the year, and Redveil is clearly only just getting started with a promising career in music production.

Thomas Raggi is one of the most promising young talents in rock music today, co-founding the globally popular Italian rock band, Måneskin. Raggi is a guitar prodigy, known for astonishing technical prowess on the instrument and clever approach to contemporary rock sound. This week he released his debut solo project, MASQUERADE, which was produced in part with legendary Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who speaks highly of the young talent, calling him “tremendously professional”. MASQUERADE is eight tracks of pure rock n’ roll, with a killer lineup of features; Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alex Krapanos from Franz Ferdinand, and more all lend their talent to the album, and pass the rock baton to a well deserving new voice. MASQUERADE is well received by critics and general listeners, who find the album boldly captures classic rock with contemporary flair. 

This week, veteran Belgian black metal band Enthroned released their twelfth studio album, titled Ashspawn. Enthroned began in underground metal culture in 1993, and quickly established itself as one of black metal’s essential longstanding groups. The band is known for intense, violent sound, and Ashspawn is no different. The new LP focuses on the concept of spiritual death and rebirth, with the intent to infect and transform the audience, rather than just be listened to. Enthroned’s drummer, Menthor, (Manuel Rodrigues) produced the album and insisted on recording using vintage gear, to encapsulate the group’s live sound in the LP. The album’s nine tracks surge with energy, with face-melting guitar solos, blasting beats and progressive cadences. Critics praise the new project for its complexity, immersion and authenticity, and fans of the group agree Ashspawn is a high point in their discography. 

Perhaps the most interesting new album this week is Hello Flower by a band called Joanna. The reason being that Hello Flower took thirty-six years to release after it was originally recorded in 1989. The time-capsule album was never published, and it was only stumbled upon recently by a friend of the band’s manager, collecting dust in an attic somewhere in Manchester. Hello Flower however is an important missing link in rock history, as Joanna was paramount in forming the “Madchester” rock genre and cultural scene, often playing with groups like The Stone Roses. Unfortunately, Joanna never secured a record deal, and their recorded demos were lost to time until only recently. Hello Flower transports the listener to the club scene of the late 80’s, fusing indie-rock with britpop against highly danceable tempos. Listeners appreciate the authentic and nostalgic album, particularly for its bass-forward grooves, but also agree if it weren’t for the backstory, Hello Flower isn’t particularly mindblowing. 

Dove Ellis - Blizzard

December 5th, 2025

Black Butter, AMF Records

Redveil - sankofa

December 4th, 2025

Fashionably Early Records

Thomas Raggi - MASQUERADE

December 5th, 2025

Epic, Sony Italy

Enthroned - Ashspawn

December 5th, 2025

Season of Mist

Joanna - Hello Flower

December 5th, 2025

New Feelings Records