Shortly after debuting on Century Media Records back in 2023, Deathcore outfit Signs Of The Swarm have put forth their latest installment under that label with To Rid Myself Of Truth.

Photo credit: Alberto Villalobos

And though there are positives to be gleaned from listening through, there are also quite a bit of the same negatives carrying over from their previous work. 

Despite sharing space with guest features by the likes of Will Ramos (Lorna Shore) and Phil Bozeman (Whitechapel), the record consistently feels flat-footed and sounds like a project that was submitted at the last second.

It may be a sign of what Deathcore has become today, or it may be a sign of how disillusioned or out of touch this author is (both of which are equally likely), but To Rid… is injected with much too many moments of breakdowny sequences which seem inserted solely to show other bands you can play the hardest or heaviest.

As mentioned earlier, there are strong moments. “HELLMUSTFEARME” has a solid structure and robust staying power. “Fear And Judgement” is equal parts punchy and stanky in all the best ways. And “Forcing To Forget” at times flirts with Metalcore tendencies, and is laborious and plodding (in a favorable way).

Yet, even the guest appearances don’t feel like they add to the breadth of the work. Though certainly not getting in the way, it reinforces the lackluster nature of what Signs Of The Swarm have brought with this newest long player.

Now again, for the more well-informed or well-inclined fans of the scene, there is a never-ending churn of heft and bombast amongst the tracks. But there is really nothing in the way of innovation or risk-taking. 

If that’s your cup of tea, don’t let me piss in your Cheerios. However, in the current musical climate, bands must push the envelope further if they want to penetrate the increasingly homogenized landscape of extreme music.

Buy the album here:
https://signsoftheswarm.bandcamp.com/

6 / 10
MATT COOK
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