THE ACACIA STRAIN

For the longest time, THE ACACIA STRAIN were the absolute best at what they did. Ostensibly part of deathcore's early evolution, these Massachusetts marauders stood measurably apart from the rest of the nascent scene, dropping albums like 2006's seminal "The Dead Walk" and its monstrous follow-up "Continent" (2008): both subtly revolutionary amalgams of the hardest hardcore and the nastiest metal, delivered with evangelical zeal. But over the years that followed, founding frontman Vincent Bennett became visibly disheartened at all the generic swill that he found himself wading through as his band toured relentlessly and accrued a devoted fan base. In recent times, THE ACACIA STRAIN have relinquished any lingering connection to any easily identified scene and have instead become one of heavy music's most creatively contrary bands. Particularly since 2019's "It Comes In Waves", Bennett vision has broadened and sharpened, his band's personality growing more obstreperous and belligerent in tandem with their leader's refusal to simply churn out beatdowns and two-step riffs for the benefit of an audience with low expectations. While still firmly rooted in punishing hardcore, records like 2023's dual-identity splurge "Step Into The Light" and "Failure Will Follow" were as atmospheric and diverse as those earlier releases were brutal and myopic. "You Are Safe From God Here" continues that new tradition.

THE ACACIA STRAIN were always sincerely heavy, but the stakes have been raised over the last few years. A curious overture, "eucharist i: Burnt Offering" is terrifying: a blend of slithering, slow-motion sludge and explosive, swivel-eyed 'core that encapsulates the band's current state of mind. What follows is a rollercoaster of visceral horror. "A Call Beyond" is a blur of split personality extremism and low-end rumble, with changes of pace that feel untamed and dangerous. "Swamp Mentality" echoes that schizophrenic approach, with grotesque death-piles of riffing that end with an abrupt implosion. "The Machine That Bleeds" pulls off the same trick, but with more mosh-friendly meat for the faithful and a closing riff that promises to knock out a few teeth. These songs fly by in record time, shocking in their savagery but constructed with great economy of impact. "Mourning Star" is a disorienting ambush, with Bennett losing his mind over a bewildering maze of riffs and grooves; "I Don't Think You Are Going To Make It" is a jarring flare of hopelessness, set to a constantly surging wave of noise that accelerates at the perfect moment, leaving nothing but bloody carnage in its wake; and "Acolyte Of The One" is disgustingly heavy and dissonant, a barbaric swell of overdriven guitars and startling tempo shifts consuming everything in its path. Bennett has stated that this album delves further into his own personal feelings than any previous effort, and the tension and turmoil that oozes from every fucked-up, riff-built monstrosity is palpable.

The jolting surprises and prevailing air of madness continue to the record's last breath. After several more stunted eruptions, "eucharist ii: Blood Loss" is the moment that exerts the most emotional and creative weight. 14 minutes long and caked with grotesque distortion, it paints vivid but vile pictures of mortality's misanthropy. Bennett's incensed screams echo out over a bedrock of insidious, scabby-handed doom before the madness fades away replaced by a wistful, atmospheric interlude that provides an ambient launchpad for THE ACACIA STRAIN's multifarious, climactic assault. Coming after a flurry of short, sharp slaps to the forehead, this expansive, hallucinatory epic is a startling revelation, and the guest vocals of BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT's Sunny Faris only add to the purposeful disquiet. Walls of discord disintegrate before our ears, followed by further acts of mindful violence, as brief flashes of skewed melody worm their way through the chaos. Warped and crushing, but somehow eerily beautiful, it is one of the most original and affecting metal moments of the year. A triumph for intelligence and individuality, but also an album that will cheerfully smash your skull in.