This is the sixth album from US deathcore band Signs of the Swarm.
From 2017’s The Disfigurement of Existence to 2019’s Vital Deprivation, to 2021’s Absolvere to 2023’s Amongst the Low & Empty, Signs of the Swarm have been reliably pumping out solid deathcore material for fans of the style to lap up. Which brings us nicely to this year’s To Rid Myself of Truth; 40 minutes of new material, and another dependably good slab of heaviness.
To Rid Myself of Truth still beats with a heart of deathcore, as you’d expect from Signs of the Swarm, but they’ve continued to broadened their scope somewhat to include more industrial, metalcore, and djent elements. The end result of this is an increase in hooks and memorability, adding to the deathcore flavours that were already present.
The songwriting is more considered and cohesive this time around. The band have focused on the songs themselves in their totality, as opposed to their constituent parts, taking a holistic approach to the entirety of each track. This has borne fruit, and Signs of the Swarm bite down on it hard.
The songs are on heavy groove and deathcore dynamics, focusing on getting crowds moving and pits erupting when played live. The breakdowns are slow and crushing, and the blast beats ferocious and barbed. It’s mostly mid-paced though, with huge chunky guitars that pulverise and smash.
The production of To Rid Myself of Truth is probably my favourite the band have had. Everything sounds clear and heavy – you can even hear the bass detailing, which is always good to hear. There are four guest vocalists too, three of which come from bands I know, (156/Silence, Lorna Shore, and Whitechapel), and one I don’t, (Prison).
It’s another solid outing for Signs of the Swarm, one of their better ones, in fact. Onto the gym playlist it goes!
Wonderbox Metal 