Metal is a genre that requires a lot of admin to follow. Tastes and trends move at a “blink and you’ll miss it” pace, with things constantly shifting between pushing the genre forward and harking back to the way things were. By the time you’ve wrapped your head around one style, genre, album, scene or guitar tone (delete where appropriate), there will be six more ready to break your brain. In fact, by the time you’ve read this first paragraph, another two subgenres will probably have been created somewhere on Bandcamp.
With all this in mind, we have a new release from Belfast metal heavyweights Survivalist: their first major release since their 2021 debut, VII.
Survivalist will be no strangers to anyone even loosely following the Irish metal scene. They have steadily built a solid following throughout the UK and Europe, sharing stages with metal powerhouses such as Thy Art Is Murder, Chelsea Grin, Polaris and Atreyu, to name but a few.
So, going back to my first paragraph, how does a modern metal band cope with an ever-changing landscape of subgenres and styles? The answer: you incorporate all of them, and you do it really well.
A Place for Those Who Suffer, Alone starts with its title track and lead single. After some industrial-sounding synth ambience, accompanied by what sounds like tortured screams in the background, the first screams from vocalist Gavin let you know instantly that this will not be a peaceful listen. The guitars are crushing, the drums drill down into your very core, and blast beats and double kicks rain down like machine-gun fire.
Radio Bleed brings in more groove, with an opening riff that wouldn’t sound out of place as the soundtrack to slaying demons with a super shotgun.
Failure of Being is the first song to feature a guest vocalist, with producer Josh Robinson stepping into the vocal booth. The album then rages on with more guest appearances, including Alex Kohler of Chelsea Grin fame on the doom-laden Deathbed. The next feature also marks a drastic shift, as Speak Up (Louder) dives into grime with Kid Brookie. Death growls over grime beats might throw some people, but it reminded me of Soul Glo’s 2022 rager Diaspora Problems.
The album continues to weave through styles, from the oppressive doom of Ruined by Grief to the black-metal-tinged I, Tyrant. Everything the band touches is excellently performed and makes perfect sense within the context of the song and its themes. Even with its more out-there moments, Survivalist still feel in control and know exactly what they’re doing.
How Do I Stop Thinking About Death, the album closer, is a sombre affair that shows that even without the wall of death-metal guitars and screams of the damned, Survivalist can still create atmospheres that crush, bringing the album to an anthemic close.
A Place for Those Who Suffer, Alone shows Survivalist ducking and weaving through a litany of styles and subgenres. At times it can feel like it might spin out of control, but through masterful precision the band manage to keep it between the hedges and stick the landing.
Welcome back, lads. Don’t let it be too long before the next big release.
