We have quite a treat for the extreme metal fans of the world today. If you’re not familiar with the name “Woundvac”, now is the time to get acquainted because you’ve entered their domain with little chance of return. This is a beast of a four-piece band aiming for the domination of the metal underground with all the subtlety of a freshly lit nuclear weapon. They could easily be placed among the strongest extreme metal acts out of Arizona today. Much like the sight of Summer days in the surrounding desert landscapes of Phoenix, this band is unforgiving and easy to get lost in.
Woundvac have been wreaking havoc for a couple years now, launching a handful of devastating releases since their inception in 2014. More specifically, this band has laid out a number of independent 7″ EPs and Splits with bands such as Glitterbomb and Column III. Most recently, they hit the world with the release of “Terrorizing The Swarm”… which is the exact topic of today’s review!
“Terrorizing The Swarm” is the band’s first full-length project boasting a total of 13 extreme metal tracks that are sure to get the blood pumping at a quicker BPM. This is all laid out across the course of a 30+ minute runtime with no breaks to speak of. …It’s great…
Better yet, the LP is out now! So, if you’d like to add this monstrosity to your music collection, you may do so by picking it up on platforms such as Bandcamp (which includes a very nice merch run!) and iTunes. You can also stream the full experience on platforms such as Spotify or on YouTube right here:
The album starts with the sound of soldiers marching… which is appropriate because the music you’re about to listen to is very violent! From the outset, the sounds on “Terrorizing The Swarm” are, well… terrifying. This is a storm of savage energy like being caught in a warzone for half an hour straight. There’s something quite primal and satisfying about listening through to the battle’s bloody conclusion. It’s all enough to desire a swift application of the repeat button. That opening sound of soldiers marching seems to represent an army of good kicks about to land on the listener’s chest after starting this album. Ooof!
For the most part, this LP comes across with deadly consistency. Every track pushes the gas pedal into the floor as the album progresses from the opening “Terminus” to the ender “Origin”. In that span, there are a great number of tracks that deserve attention. “Clear The Board”, “Inside The Ash”, and “Death Sedation” are all total rippers. Previous singles like “Sentient Cancer”, “They Eat Their Own Young”, and “Rumination” settle in quite well with their updated approaches among the list of new tracks. Numbers like “Denuded” and “Crux” function like the treads of a slow moving tank… absolutely crushing. It also has to be said that the final three numbers “Defiance Bleeds”, “Bone of the Dead”, and “Origin” make for a spot on ending trio to this record, summing up the experience brilliantly. Honestly, for the sake of not giving too much away, that’s barely scratching the surface. It’s highly recommended listener’s just wrap their ears around “Terrorizing The Swarm” from start to finish for a good shot of adrenaline!
In terms of instrumental and vocal delivery, this whole band functions together as a single mind. The playing is tight and thematically consistent. There’s clearly a lot of talent here but nothing feels overcooked or pretentious. It’s a great mix of skills and heavy musical approaches to bring a solidified listening experience that might just rupture eardrums.
Speaking of the experience itself, one of the main takeaways from this album is….. FUN! “Terrorizing The Swarm” proves to be an enjoyable listening experience for a myriad of reasons and I’m quite sure all these tracks would evoke bloody good times in just about any mosh pit. Some tracks had me grinning like an idiot by just how on edge and in-your-face they were.
The production squeezes out every drop of blood from the sheer aural assault this LP launches. It’s not the prettiest but it’s very real, very raw, and very fitting for a release such as this. Better yet, I’d say there have been notable improvements from the band’s previous releases on this front. And, naturally, improvement is always a good thing.
I don’t have any exact criticisms of this record. If anything, maybe select tracks are just more noteworthy than others but they’re all worthwhile and flow quite well together in the end. Also, for the sake of objectivity… If the idea of a consistently violent extreme metal record happens to turn anyone off… well, you’ve come to the wrong place.
When the dust settles and final body counts are left as statistics, this is a gory mass made of greatness. The album is raw to its very core but its substance comes from this. There’s not a shred of mercy to be found among its 13 blood soaked tracks as unrefined adrenaline surges through every sinew of what is “Terrorizing The Swarm”. Based on sheer enjoyment and execution, I have no qualms giving this one a higher score between an 8 and a 9. Any and all love this record receives is well deserved!
Speaking of which… I’d like to end the core part of this review with an incredible comment the band recently received on the “Terrorizing The Swarm” album stream… This pretty much says it all by stating, “As I skim through and listen for minutes at a time….everything sounds like I am halfway through a fist fight I’m winning. This is gnarly as all hell. Like a thrashing fuck fueled war baby!”
Yes… Yes, indeed…
Keep in mind, this album is currently available for streaming and purchase across the interwebs. Once again, some locations of availability are Bandcamp (with that merch!) and iTunes. Streaming services include Spotify and YouTube which can be found through the album video provided up north on this page!
If you’d like to link up with Woundvac and see what projects are coming next, you can follow along with the band over on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also keep on top of updates by checking out their official website. Speaking of what comes next… That’s quite the dangerous and exciting prospect coming from Woundvac! This band also seems to be quite prolific so stay tuned and duck for cover!
For the Arizona natives and surrounding states, it’s worth noting that Woundvac have an upcoming show at Club Red in Mesa, Arizona. This will be taking place on June 8th with a number of quality extreme metal bands in this mix. The show is being held for the release of Lago’s new album “Sea of Duress” (definitely another band to check out)! They’ll also be playing Pub Rock in Scottsdale on July 11th with Negative Approach and Dayglo Abortions! Should make for some good times if you happen to be looking for a show in that area.
Until then… Give this album and Woundvac’s discography a go and stay metal, my friends \m/
Links: Facebook // Bandcamp // Official Website // Instagram // Twitter
