Today, death metal titans Shed the Skin reveal the new track “The Carnage Cast Shadow.” The track is the first to be revealed from the band’s highly anticipated fifth album, The Carnage Cast Shadows, which will see release later this spring via Hells Headbangers. Hear Shed the Skin‘s “The Carnage Cast Shadow” in its entirety HERE at Hells Headbangers‘ official YouTube channel.
By now, Shed the Skin should require little introduction. Hailing from the metal hotbed of Cleveland, Ohio, Shed the Skin are a veritable hydra-head of underground experience: drummer Kyle Severn (Incantation, Perdition Sect), guitarist Matt Sorg (Ringworm, Perdition Sect, Soulless, ex-Blood of Christ), vocalist/guitarist Ash Thomas (FaithXtractor, Crucified Mortals, Surgikill, The Vladimirs), and bassist Ed Stephens (Ringworm, Shok Paris, Vindicator, Vanik). And while the band formed as a tribute to fallen friend and bandmate Tom Rojack of Blood of Christ, Shed the Skin have taken on a life of their own over four albums for Hells Headbangers – 2016’s Harrowing Faith, 2018’s We of Scorn, 2020’s The Forbidden Arts, and 2022’s Thaumogenesis, notwithstanding their Rebirth Through Brimstone debut EP in 2014 – which have reaped acclaim for their acute balance of death metal’s old school and its newer one, remaining crushing and compelling every step of the way.
Now approaching their fifth album, Shed the Skin‘s classicist-into-modernist formula has become the band’s calling card of sorts. And yet, where the aforementioned Thaumogenesis saw an ever-so-subtle transformation – tweaks of recording and cover artist, namely, but even within the songwriting itself – their forthcoming The Carnage Cast Shadows continues this positive trend. Recording once again with Noah Buchanan (Nunslaughter, Midnight, Kurnugia) at Mercinary Studios and utilizing Justin Meyers of Dark Art & Craft (Axioma, Ancient VVisdom, Perdition Sect) for the cover art, one could say that The Carnage Cast Shadows solidifies Shed the Skin‘s “second era,” so to speak, but the results are just as powerful and punishing as ever. Still 100% SATANIC DEATH, as they intended from day one, the quartet display a dazzling variety of songcraft whilst remaining deadly focused. The riffs slash and surge, this time with a touch more (DARK) melody to their buzzsawing; Severn’s drums anchor this more-streamlined attack with a dervish-like mix of speed and stomp, and even some pummeling D-beats mixed in for good measure; and solos dot the sonic landscape with drama and memorability, playing counterpart to that palatable melodicism. The production, like its predecessor, is impeccable across The Carnage Cast Shadows, maximizing Shed the Skin‘s latent power and proving that that clarity’s more crushing than ever. Like previous records, lyrical concepts are provided by Incantation‘s Chuck Sherwood: 11 new death hymns telling tales of demons, nightmare creatures, vile omens, and sacrificial / burial rites from various cultures.
What results is perhaps Shed the Skin‘s most savage and brutal record yet, given the wealth of respectable refinements to an already-noble foundation. Another masterclass of pure ‘n’ proud DEATH METAL, the 11 songs comprising this album are The Carnage Cast Shadows!
Release date, cover, tracklisting, and preorder info to be announced shortly. For more info, consult the links below.
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