This year will mark 18 years since the seminal Cancer Bats formed. After six albums, the band has cemented their heavy wild sound. Psychic Jailbreak (Bat Skull Records / New Damage Records) marks the first album since the departure of founding member, Scott Middleton, last year. The main question on every fans’ lips is whether this change in the lineup also marks the departure of their signature sound that has been developed over the years.

To cut a long story short, it hasn’t. The frantic, chaotic energy that makes Cancer Bats the fantastic band they are today hasn’t left at all. Kicking straight into fifth gear with ‘Radiate’, the band launches head first into a frenetic buzz of heavy, crunchy guitar riffs next to vocalist Liam Cormier‘s iconic screaming voice. The band may be a three-piece now, but that has clearly no effect on their ability to create utter filthy noise. 

Unlike their previous work in the former album, The Spark That Moves, the Southern rock inspiration shines a lot brighter throughout Psychic Jailbreak with moments reminiscent of Every Time I Die‘s 2021 release Radical. This is utmost shown during track ‘Hammering’, where Cormier’s uses spoken word as the song slows down before catapulting themselves into heavy bone-crunching riffs that’d even compulse your nan to headbang along to it.

Despite the departure of Middleton late last year, the band have once again proven why they’ve risen to the ranks they have in the heavy scene. Psychic Jailbreak may only clock in at just over half an hour, but the band do more within this short amount of time than most do with double the playtime. 

With festival season on the horizon imminently, the trio are bound to explode on the circuit. Expect mosh pits everywhere.

Buy the album here: https://www.cancerbats.com/

9 / 10

CHARLIE HILL