It’s been three tough years since Aerosol Jesus’ debut EP Failure introduced us to one of the heaviest groups in the UK underground, a band who forego metal’s tough-guy façade in favour of a barefaced look at internal torment that feels palpably vulnerable. Even for a genre in which catharsis is a major motivator for countless artists, the band’s sheer passion proved frighteningly intense, uncomfortable to endure not because of incessant gore or pitch-black nihilism, but because it’s so undeniably human, unashamedly battling with personal demons that many of us commonly opt to bury beneath the surface.
With everything that’s happened in the world since their debut, it’s felt like an exceptionally long wait for new music, which is finally arriving on 23rd April in the form of Survive, but it seems like the band need this release just as much as their listeners. Opener ‘Cowards’ lurches out of the gate with a riff capable of grinding mountains into dust and a throat-shredding shriek that seems to grab you by the scruff of your neck and beg for help.
It’s undoubtedly the group’s most direct and antagonistic track to date, one that sets the intensity high before the band settle into a more dynamic yet no-less unflinching approach. Developing on ideas heard on Failure, the record features a dynamic blend of tar-drenched sludge, biting black metal and expressive post-hardcore. The sheer harrowing might of this ultra-heavy, maximalist sound is truly astounding, and by refusing to firmly plant its feet in one particular style it takes on an unsettled, scattered aura that embodies the fraught nature of their lyrics.
Closer ‘Drown’, featuring Bismuth’s Tanya Byrne, is already streaming, but for another taste of the album you can now check out the ultra-heavy ‘Cowards’ below! Enjoy.
In the interest of full disclosure, it’s worth noting that Failure was the first release we put out via Astral Noize Records – the reason being that we thought it was fucking awesome. Now that our label has taken a backseat and the band are working with the stellar Sludgelord Records, we’re continuing to support them because they’re still a great band that deserves your support. With that out of the way, go pick up your copy of Survive by clicking here.
Words: George Parr
