“They have died a thousand times, and you shall die a thousand more.”
While it certainly doesn’t feel it, it’s been seven long years since deathcore titans Fit For An Autopsy, Thy Art Is Murder and The Acacia Strain graced us with The Depression Sessions. An EP of great magnitude, predictably so given the pedigree of those behind it, the 2016 release has proven to be a fan favourite over the years, despite its short length. It was always left a lingering possibility in the collective core fan consciousness that such a collaboration between these artists could happen again, but as the years ticked by, the prospect seemed increasingly unlikely. That was until just a month ago, when it was revealed that The Aggression Sessions was due for release on such short notice that it left many fans, myself included, shouting “WHAT?!” at their screens.
Seven years on, however, the landscape of core-adjacent subgenres is quite radically different. With fresh blood and newer sounds dominating the market, and having since seen equally radical shifts within the bands included themselves, a question was posed: will The Aggression Sessions seek to shift the focus toward a newer, more revitalised sound, or will they instead opt to recapture the magic of the era of the original EP? The answer is complicated.
See, this time around, the line-up is slightly different. Taking the place of beatdown veterans The Acacia Strain are relative UK metalcore newcomers Malevolence. While their sound is certainly fierce enough to stand up on a bill with Fit For An Autopsy and Thy Art Is Murder, there was an air of uncertainty in my mind as to just how well they would fit in amongst the overarching sound of the EP. Despite that, though, both of the OGs returning from the original Sessions hold steadfast in their ferocious, gloomy deathcore sounds, providing superb performances throughout.
As is the case for each act here, Fit For An Autopsy’s contributions to the EP come in the form of a new original, and a classic cover. “Hellions” leads the charge, standing as an absolute mammoth of a track. Featuring typically world-class performances from all involved, it’s clear from both this track and their 2022 effort Oh What The Future Holds are a different breed amongst the flock of modern deathcore. Further, their choice to cover At The Gates’ iconic “Under A Serpent Sun” proves to more than pay off, doing the original justice and then some.
Thy Art Is Murder’s contributions begin with “Until There Is No Longer”. This may be a bold claim, but I believe this song to be one of the Aussie unit’s strongest cuts since they’ve crafted since 2012’s seminal Hate. Dynamic, balls-to-the-wall heavy, and featuring one of vocalist CJ McMahon’s most varied performances to date, “Until There Is No Longer” is not only the The Aggression Sessions’ downright strongest track, but is far and away one of the best songs I’ve heard out of the genre in 2023. Not only this, but their cover of Cannibal Corpse’s “Hammer Smashed Face” stands as one of the most faithful and well-executed death metal covers I’ve ever heard – and one that certainly demonstrates McMahon’s chops in classic death metal style.
Lastly, we arrive at Malevolence’s contributions to The Aggression Sessions. A significant curveball in sound for the EP, the Sheffield quintet do admittedly seem quite out of place. “Waste Of Myself”, a fairly standard-fare heavy Malevolence number, kicks off their portion at the EP’s midpoint, and switches out the pacey deathcore style of the previous tracks with a riffy metallic hardcore cut. It also briefly features their now-signature Pantera-esque clean vocals. While this track is certainly a serviceable metal track, it feels like Malevolence missed the memo a tad. This could not be more evident, too, on their alt-metal rendition of Anastacia’s 2004 pop rock hit “Left Outside Alone”. If you want a litmus test of if someone can stomach Malev cleans, this cover would be it, essentially being exposure therapy for those who aren’t down with the sound. While not strictly awful, and compositionally standing quite strong, it is just odd, especially when stacked up against the remainder of the EP’s tracks.
All in all, The Aggression Sessions is an exercise in extremes. Both harbouring some of the best metal I’ve heard all year, and some of the most mind-boggling, it’s easy to leave this thing a tad confused. That being said, it’s undeniable that Thy Art Is Murder‘s and Fit For An Autopsy’s contributions here are stellar, even if the inclusion of Malevolence’s ill-fitting and strangely-executed sound puts a bit of a damper on the experience as a whole by its conclusion. At the end of the day, it’s still an incredibly enjoyable listen, and all we can do is hope that 2030 doesn’t see the release of The Redemption Sessions, featuring Sleep Token covering “With Arms Wide Open”.
7/10
The Aggression Sessions is due for release this Friday, April 7th via Nuclear Blast, and you can pre-order the EP here.