It’s been quite a while since new material from the fierce band SYLOSIS graced these ears. The last album, 2023’s A Sign of Things to Come, landed with all the subtlety of a dump truck crashing through an office building window. Absolute greatness, I tell ya.
Fast forward roughly three years, and the band has returned with The New Flesh, which just dropped via Nuclear Blast. This record is like a tightly coiled Egyptian asp, not unlike the ones that were guarding the Ark of the Covenant.
Across these 11 tracks, the sense of danger is constant. No prisoners are taken here, and the head-crushing riffs come fast and often. No prisoners are taken here, but the head busting is in abundance fo’ sho’. And that, my friends, makes me grin like a resident of Arkham Asylum.
Things kick off with “Beneath the Surface” and “Erased,” two tracks that immediately set the tone. But the real standouts for me come in the form of “Lacerations” and “Spared From the Guillotine.” Both absolutely rip and feel tailor-made for anyone looking to push a little harder in the weight room.
Then there’s “Mirror Mirror,” another monster that should absolutely destroy in a live setting. I can already imagine the pit opening up from here to Timbuktu!
The band shifts gears with “Everywhere At Once,” a lush and emotional track reflecting Josh Middleton’s thoughts about leaving his young children behind while touring. As a father myself, this one hits close to home. It’s also a beautifully constructed song that shows the band’s range.
“Circle of Swords” opens up a can o’whoop ass like Steve Austin about to drop his signature Stunner, while closer “Seeds in the River” wraps things up with authority.
Bottom line: The New Flesh strikes fast and hits hard, just like Cobra Kai. SYLOSIS has delivered another ferocious record.
STANDOUT TRACKS: “Everywhere At Once,” “Mirror Mirror,” “Lacerations,” “Spared From the Guillotine”
RATING: 9/10
—THE MAESTRO
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