As always, the deathcore scene is flooding with new tunes. If you're new to my heavy little column, I've introduced a little chitty chatty about gnarly breakdowns and blastbeats as a Deathcore Connoisseur, or at least that's what Editor Paul 'Browny' Brown thinks of me.
I wanted to add a bit of live flavour to this column, so first of all - I saw Boundaries play live for the first time a few weeks ago. Whilst not exclusively deathcore, and moreover quite eclectic, the sheer ferocity of these guys at Melbourne's Forum was delectable; big AOTY material from these boys too.
Anyway, here's a handful of blistering breakdowns and ballistic audio I discovered over the past few weeks, including another international band I saw for the first time in recent weeks. Read about that one further below; spoiler alert - I am quite fondue of these guys.
Signs of the Swarm - 'IWONTLETYOUDIE'
It's already been a minute since this one dropped, but definitely worth a mention. They've released five records already, but it was really Signs of the Swarm's most recent effort Amongst the Low & Empty that set them apart in this animalistic era of deathcore. Following the 2023 record, the Pittsburgh demons are back with new single 'IWONTLETYOUDIE' and all I can say is David Simonich is an absolute beast (check out his one-take vocal with CaliberTV to get the full sense of it).
Simonich matches the demonic energy from their latest record with crunchy gutturals adjacent to a bundle of anxious riffs flooded by blast-beats. Signs of the Swarm will send you into an absolute tizzy with a multi-dimensional breakdown at the halfway mark with a tornado of bass and pandemonium.
Rollover Dispatch - 'Charcuterie Whore'
Supergroup fanatics - this one's for you. SPITE's Darius Tehrani and PSYCHO-FRAME/Moodring's Hunter Young have bumped fists to create new outfit Rollover Dispatch. The pair debuted first single 'B.F.D.' and turned some heads. Second ever single 'Charcuterie Whore' carries a similar energy to PSYCHO-FRAME EPs Automatic Death Protocol and Remote God Seeker with unforgiving screams across a full vocal range, with Tehrani and Young complementing each other's strengths.
With more death metal seeping into these musicians' respective native bands, this experimental tune showcases their ever-so-obvious roots and influences. Could this deathcore duo be the next Darko US (more on them later)?
Cabal - 'Still Cursed' feat. Aaron Matts of ten56.
Who doesn't love a tasty CABAL tune? The Dane group recruited their European peer Aaron Matts from ten56. to pick up the ante. 'Still Cursed' is a filthier spawn from CABAL's Magno Interitus magnum opus. With chesty gutturals from frontman Andreas Bjulver and a hearty yin to his yan from Matts, CABAL use velocity and sudden silences to powerfully shift the intensity as the track progresses.
It's been a hot minute since the aforementioned CABAL record, and after catching them downunder in 2023, we simply can't wait any longer to see what they have in store in 2025; it ought to be a follow-up LP.
Paleface Swiss - 'Hatred'
And this is the band I am so fondue of. Paleface Swiss finally played to Aussie audiences on In Hearts Wake's Incarnation tour. The multi-lingual modern deathcore group played bangers from their fabulous back catalogue, including their mighty album Fear & Dagger.
On the back of their Aussie trip, Paleface Swiss released new track 'Hatred' about a month ago. Frontman Marc Zelli is characteristically animalistic on this tune vocally, however instrumentally and structurally it was a lot of the same in terms of recent releases. It still hits you like a punch in the face and has just the right level of aggression, but nothing reinventive - which most fans might find quite ok.
Zeolite - 'Oozing Black'
It's been a while since we've heard from local Melburnians Zeolite. The brutal quartet have returned after some time away since 2021's Proselytism. The record blew us away and so we're delighted to hear them return.
After igniting our ears with delightful death on 'Abyss' a little while ago, Zeolite have now shard demonic single 'Oozing Black'; an eclectic release showcasing their fusing of dark and heavy sub-genres. From death metal and deathcore to droney and doomy black metal, the Victorians are showcasing a stunning reappearance to digital music platforms. If you're looking for something mildly different and refreshing, this is it.
Molotov Solution - 'Devour The Children'
I can't believe I'm saying this but Molotov Solution are back. There is seriously nothing off the table in terms of reunions after the last year or so. The Las Vegas heavyweights released a handful of crushing records in the early 2000s and toured extensively with their emergingly modern deathcore sound. From going on hiatus all the way back in 2012, we never thought these guys would come back with new music, but that day has indeed come.
Molotov Solution have released murderous new track 'Devour The Children', their first delivery of new music in 13 years, which is quite remarkable. The epic comeback lasts an impressive five minutes and contains all the elements you've been dreaming of and missing since they left the scene. After an eerie 30 seconds or so, grimy riffs kick in with renowned vocalist Nick Arthur (who's stepped in for Thy Art Is Murder before) purging a gruesome effort across a blast-beat hurricane.
With ebbs and flows across a melodic feast of riffs and drums, Molotov Solution prove they are back in a big way, baby! Will this be the start of a brand new album campaign, or will this be a sporadic return like we've seen from bands like Breakdown of Sanity? Time will tell.
Darko (US) - 'Blood Host'
I love the Darko recipe. They go - Dethmask EP release, then completely different LP; and all in the same year. Rinse and repeat - it's the best. Following Darko's third full-length Starfire earlier this year, the Chelsea Grin duo are undoubtedly chasing a Christmas/New Year EP release to stick to their 'two releases a year recipe'.
With Dethmask Pt 2. prodding us into 2023, Darko are ready to do the same (it seems) with new single 'Blood Host', which sonically fits the bill of their EP series, counter to the ontological direction of their LPs, including both Starfire and Oni. The Halloween release is once again paired with a carefully directed horror short-film by Norbert Crowfield, the culprit of several of the band's gruesome releases.
'Blood Host' is a five-minute slammer with femme robotic intro 'this is the final form, Dethmask' before Darko's berserk mayhem appears all at once. Tom Barber is really menacing on this tune, with his darkest gutturals in fine form across Josh 'Baby J' Miller's Dethmask branded industrial metal and drum n' bass mixing. Don't be misled, this track is blisteringly heavy. Barber continues to dabble in the different corners of his animalistic vocal range and aims to shock. As blastbeats fly across a dramatic riff, the two carry us home with unpredictable rhythm and hyper-sensory chaos.
Thy Art Is Murder - 'Through Blood I Purify'
Lastly, if you're not across the new Thy Art Is Murder single 'Through Blood I Purify', you're missing out. The song marks their first taste of new music since frontman Tyler Miller took over the reign (of darkness) from CJ and is proving to be a worthy replacement and driving force for Thy Art's successes going forward.
Anything worthy of a mention that I missed? Hit me on socials.
Words by Ricky Aarons (@rickysaul90)
