Poison the Well are a hardcore band from the US and this is their sixth album.
When such an iconic band releases a brand new record 17 years after their last one, it’s a time of expectation, hope, and excitement, but also concern, and even suspicion. Can Poison the Well come close to their previous quality levels? Will time have dulled their unique edge? Do we need another Poison the Well album?
In order – yes, no, yes.
The Poison the Well sound is alive and well on Peace in Place, although this statement does require a bit of clarification. After all, this is a band who boast more than one single version of themselves.
Peace in Place brings together a few different Poison the Well eras, blending their earlier heaviness with their latter day melodic atmosphere. If you’re a fan of the band, as a rough overview of where Poison the Well sit in 2026, these new songs sit somewhere in between Tear from the Red and You Come Before You, rather than the band’s last couple of records – Versions and The Tropic Rot. Having said that, you can feel the influence of the full Poison the Well discography across Peace in Place, with some receiving greater weighting than others.
The opening cut Wax Mask begins in a way that’s happily reminiscent of Botchla from the classic Tear from the Red. Everything Hurts could have been lifted from Versions, while Drifting Without End channels The Tropic Rot. Closer Plague Them the Most is aggressively metallic, yet shot through with moments of delicate fragility – there’s an argument for this track being a culmination of the Poison the Well style, at least in some respects, while also manifesting a new side to explore the band’s heaviest and most hostile aspects. Overall, Peace in Place has more in common with the band’s earlier work than their later output, yet still carries strengths from all.
So, a success for Poison the Well, and a big treat for the listener – new and existing alike. This is a band that have always understood the power of combining emotion, hooks, and meaty riffs, and the importance of doing so well. Peace in Place continues Poison the Well’s winning streak in accomplishing their sonic alchemy with skill and aplomb.
If you’re a fan of heaviness born of metalcore that’s twinned with post-hardcore emotion and atmosphere in the most exquisite of ways, then Peace in Place is not to be missed.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 