Someone needs to check what’s in the water in the Hudson Valley, New York, and how many gems that scene has produced over the last several years. Age of Apocalypse has dropped their sophomore full-length, In Oblivion (Closed Casket Activities), which does not disappoint. Ten tracks with epic sing-alongs and bone-snapping breakdowns will crush your soul, but you want more.

“Mortal Coil” opens In Oblivion with an infectious chorus you will sing for days and a breakdown that you see coming, but still catches you off guard. This sets the bar for the rest of the record, and Age of Apocalypse delivers on each track afterwards.
“Gilded Hatred” comes packing heavy with riffs and two-steps to keep the mood up, just to beat you down with a negligent breakdown and outro. It speaks to their creativity to smash all of these elements into a sub-three-minute window and simultaneously make it so catchy.

“Equalizer” might have the toughest verse riff and most catchy chorus hook on the whole album. The guitar solo in the middle of the track adds further spice to the level of epic already instilled from the verse and chorus.

Having only recently got into Age of Apocalypse (it took a bit for the vocal style to tickle that part of my brain), In Oblivion is a fantastic starting point for any new fans, and fans of old will be ecstatic with the progress forward. The features on the record are also well done by giving the guest vocalist a blank canvas to work with, and they each nail their spots. Overall, this is an album that will define the middle of 2025 and, for sure, will get high praises at the end of the year as well.

Buy the album here:
https://ageofapocalypseny.bandcamp.com/album/in-oblivion

9 / 10
TIM LEDIN
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