My final two lists are both top 25 lists. First, I have my favorite individual songs of 2015 list that is populated by those tracks that made me come back for more, or, heaven forbid, I actually played them without playing the rest of the album. So, here are my favorites.
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25. Subsignal – “A Myth Written on Water”
Delicate beauty
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24. 5R6 – “Potion”
Grungy instrumentals
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23. Wilderun – “The Faintest Echo”
Incredible melody
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22. The Gentle Storm – “Heart of Amsterdam”
Fun, and just a great song
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21. Transience – “Nails”
Gritty and proggier than expected
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20. Gazpacho – “Know Your Time”
Inquisitive
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19. Seven Steps to the Green Door – “Still Searching”
Glorious harmonies
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18. Hillward – “When It All Comes True”
Love the melodies on this one
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17. Abigail’s Ghost – “Thereafter”
Incredible guitars
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16. Arcane – “Promise, Part 1 and 2”
Winding instrumentals, and, well, Jim Grey
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15. Nordic Giants – “Illuminate”
Hauntingly beautiful
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14. Borealis – “My Peace”
Awesome riffage
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13. Leprous – “The Flood”
Brilliant structure and anticipation
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12. Transport Aerian – “Black”
Perfect build up
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11. Susanne Sundfor – “Memorial”
Wonderful interlude and towering voice
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10. Steven Wilson – “Ancestral”
One of the best last few minutes of the year
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9. Kingcrow – “Adrift”
Near a perfect song
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8. Steve Hackett – “Black Thunder”
Diversity and a powerful message
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7. Osta Love – “Green Hills of Home”
Fantastic build up and delivery on the harmonies
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6. Riverside – “Caterpillar and the Barbed Wire”
Duda’s trademark sadness and questions
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5. Earthside – “Mob Mentality”
Over the top awesome
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4. Lifesigns – “Different”
A surprise live favorite
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3. Osta Love – “The Sea”
The most evocative song of the year
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2. Lonely Robot – “Godless Sea”
Profound and so very spacey
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1. Riverside – “Found (The Unexpected Flaw of Searching)”
A song that reached my heart and also contains my favorite solo of the year
The PROG Mind 