“Sawed off, there’s 1,000 ways to bleed.”
Sydney’s To the Grave have had a notable journey so far. Once known for lyrics steeped in criticism of global regimes, the band has since shifted its focus toward militant veganism, advocating for total animal liberation. The accompanying soundscape for earlier works such as Epilogue was a fairly standard modern deathcore affair, with guttural, inhuman vocal Olympics and heavily down-tuned eight-string guitars. Yet, as the Australian deathcore fanatics have fully embraced their militant agenda, the sound backing it up has not stagnated; rather, it has changed dramatically, opting instead for a stripped-back old-school deathcore approach with clear roots in vegan hardcore to boot. The culmination of this unexpected but most welcome switch-up has resulted in Still, a laser-focused seven-track affair that is sure to convert die-hard fans of older renditions of deathcore into the fold.
“Forced Diet Reassignment” is a blunt, no-nonsense introduction to a newly revitalized To the Grave. Straightforward and animosity-driven lyrics directed toward consumers and butchers worldwide make up this minute-and-a-half opener, enhanced by its ‘old but gold’ approach to deathcore. Vocalist Dane Evans has especially matured here, focusing less on modern vocal trends and instead fusing MySpace-era deathcore and hardcore stylings to create a much more palatable frontier for those who tire of modern trends. “Sawed Off” is another cut whose elements pay tribute to hardcore, with groove-laden hardcore riffs reminiscent of groups such as Guilt Trip in its opening segments.
From here, Still begins to carve a truly destructive path, as the visceral but brief “Show Them the Bodies” segues into “Hunt the Hunters”, one of my favorite deathcore tracks of the year thus far. Dissonant deathcore rhythms and leads give way to haunting samples and a crushing final breakdown that is sure to create carnage in a live setting. “Emesis System” is yet another brief affair that barely eclipses the one-minute mark, which harkens back to some of the hardcore-centric grooves found in the earlier tracks.
“DNA” serves as the spiritual closer for Still, with all of its many expertly crafted elements on display in full force. This penultimate cut has everything you could want and more, as elements of the band’s previous work as well as their recent output come together to form a climactic send-off before heading into closing Cannibal Corpse cover “Death Walking Terror”. This surprising tribute retains all the death metal refinedness of the original, only with Evans’ particularly brutal vocal arsenal leading the assault, making for not only a wonderful tribute but an excellent addition to To the Grave’s discography.
The same notion applies to Still as a whole, as it not only serves as a continuation of the prior Everyone’s a Murderer, but also nurtures their newfound grassroots deathcore sound and secures the band’s place in the hall of triumphant deathcore revivalist groups. I’m excited to see where the Aussies will take things from here.
8/10
Still releases Friday, August 1 via Unique Leader Records on all streaming platforms.