Body Prison – Everything You Never Wanted To See (Album Review)

Body Prison – Everything You Never Wanted To See
Released: February 28th, 2025

Lineup

Daniel Macdonald (Dmac) // Vocals
Tom Cadden // Guitars
Nicholas VanVidler // Bass
Frankie Demuru // Drumer

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Body Prison’s upward trajectory doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Their first release UNTIL MADNESS was a deathcore debut that demanded attention. Their solid sound created a foundation that they’ve capitalised on, playing shows to incredible audiences since. They’ve since played with the likes of SPITE and Bodysnatcher as well as opened Good Things Fest 2024 in Melbourne. Every turn out for them has been a party, as these guys love to get personal and give back to the scene. This is one of those Melbourne bands you NEED to get behind if you’re into heavy music, as they’re kicking 2025 off right with the release of their monstrous sophomore offering Everything You Never Wanted To See. Since multiple returns to UNTIL MADNESS, I’ve been craving more of Body Prison’s iconic style and this album truly delivers.

Body Prison waste no time kicking off this record with ‘ARTIFICIAL IMITATION’. The themes of digital obsession and loss of human connection tie in with the near oppressive soundscapes echoing through the belting deathcore instrumentals. The halfway point of this track pumps the brakes only slightly, before the first dramatic breakdown sends my neck into oblivion. Dmac’s disgusting (in a good way) gutturals give way for Tom Cadden’s identifiable guitars and trilling riffs. Already I’m having the time of my life with this record.

Lead single ‘HAPPY’ takes me to a happy place. As we discussed with Nicholas VanVidler, this track has been a long-time inclusion of the setlist, and I was stoked for it to finally see the light of day. Dmac hits faster lyrics with breakneck speed, while giving time for the catchy chorus to consume you as the band beats you with multiple breakdowns. Nicholas described ‘HAPPY’ as the instrumental equivalent of doing meth, and I can only imagine that Body Prison have nailed the brief.

‘CRUELTY LOVES COMPANY’ slithers and constricts the listener. Imagery of snakes and venom accompany brutally spiteful music, with blast beats a plenty courtesy of Frankie Demuru. The lyrics call for the personification of cruelty to suffer, and this callout will absolutely fuck live. I can see a room of people chanting “Suffer in unity, suffer with me” in a mess of bodies. You can feel the hate in the music, and the venom in Dmac’s words, which when unified creates an explosive energy that doubles as a winning formula for a song.

Latest single ‘WOUNDS WILL HEAL’ has been on repeat since it’s release, striking an intentional emo chord. The dark tonality of the production and sensibly paced vocals adds to a sense of desperation and yearning for comfort. Instrumentals are peeled back for one of my favourite lyrics of this record “I feel I can finally breathe again”. I’ve had some rough days this month, and screaming this in my car on the drive home hits so fucking hard. The final breakdown of this track is still as punishing as ever, as the acceptance of the fact that time heals all wounds eventually consumes the listener. ‘WOUNDS WILL HEAL’ is an emotional punch that will stick with me for some time, and it’s great to see the band continue to take steps to ensure each track is unique.

‘TONGUE TEARER’ targets the powerful liars at the top of the food chain, highlighting the hypocrisy they provide and the vengeance they deserve. The violent imagery is accompanied by equally violent tunes, as well a tough as fuck feature from Nathaniel Smith of LUNE. Nathaniel’s screams compliment the relentless gut punches from this song well as I end this playthrough slightly more radicalised. The instrumental ‘INTERMEZZO’ is defined as a piece of entertainment between performances. In this case operatic melodies punctuate this fun little intermission, showcasing the impressive instrumental talent on display.

Do you know any egotistical two-faced assholes in your life? ‘INEEDAHOLIDAY’ is your anthem to cut sick and spin kick them. I must give credit to Nicholas’ dense as hell bass riffs throughout, he and the band deserve the clout unlike the targets of the song. The recurring theme of vengeance hits home in this confrontational track, which knocks over anything standing. The anthemic call to speak out against the track targets is catchy and invigorating throughout.

‘BODYBAG’ is Body Prison at their most hateful. This hectic mix showcases just how much music a deathcore song can have in a little over two minutes. It batters the senses with imagery that communicates a violent fantasy, synergizing with the crazy pacing at work here. At over the halfway mark of this album, the vision of Everything You Never Wanted To See is unfolding and it’s a damn joy to behold so far.

The next song in the tracklist features KMAC2021, a YouTuber and musician who adds some vocal variance to ‘SLAVE’. Body Prison’s emphasis on mental prisons is the focus of the song writing here, utilizing KMAC2021’s vocals during an extended breakdown between the sustained power of the band’s instrumentals. The extended pacing of the final third of the track ensures that every drum hit, and every bass riff hits like a tonne of bricks in the best way possible.

When I first saw the track listing of Everything You Never Wanted To See, I could not contain my excitement at this next feature. Body Prison have recruited Amariah Michelle Cooke and Kira Neil from Future Static to lend their voices to ‘CIRCLE THE DRAIN’. The idea of a collaboration between two of my favorite bands led me to wonder how and if this would be pulled off. I am so fucking pleased to say that they have knocked this out of the park. Flourishes in the production felt inspired by 2023’s Liminality, and the guitars feel slightly stripped back to allow all three vocalists to shine. Kira beautifully tells of the cyclical loop of addiction and relapse, as she hauntingly spins DMAC’s stunning screams into a moment of weakness. The brutality of ‘Circle The Drain’ is continued as Amariah expresses a hopeless entrapment and a guttural cathartic outburst before a final breakdown brings this fantastic talent filled track to a close.

Thick bass riffs and fast paced vocals lead the charge into ‘NEW HIGHS’, a track that showcases Body Prison’s technical mastery over tempo even further. The instrumentals are aggressive, yet the production provides what almost feels like a breather to reflect on the continued themes of addiction before Victor Kaas of Eyes adds his brutal screams. After Victor’s feature, the tempo of the song is contained once more to enhance the incoming breakdown.

Nicholas begins the final song on this album with instantly engaging bass riffs, giving more space to absorb the track dynamic. This allows ‘UNCANNY VALLEY’ to feel appropriately eerie and tragic. The interplay between melancholic overtones and amped up aggression demands the final reflection of oneself before the album ends. Through this reflection, one perceives everything they never wanted to see.

Body Prison’s sophomore album is a triumph of intensity and emotion. They have refined their sound and created a piece of work that is punishing and cathartic. Trademark unrelenting aggression, raw lyricism and masterful collaborations are ingredients for success. From the sheer brutality of ‘BODYBAG’ to the haunting vulnerability of ‘WOUNDS WILL HEAL’ and the gut-wrenching weight of ‘CIRCLE THE DRAIN’, every track is a testament to their evolution. This album is an experience that needs to be felt as much as it is heard.  

Rating: 9.5/10
Everything You Never Wanted To See is out February 28th, 2025. Pre-save here
‍Review by Tyler Lubke @huntsman421