No rest for Eaten by Sharks!
Following their debut album in 2022, Matt Sherriff (vocals), Chris Chaperon (guitar), Dan Okowinsky (guitar), Tyler Abrams (bass), and Justin Whitehead (drums) have signed with CDN Records for the release of its follow-up, The Undertow of Hate.
We kick things off with the melody of Vessels Torn, which quickly turns dissonant before giving way to massive, aggressive deathcore topped with visceral screams that will bring everyone together, both in the low and high registers, but which also make room for some highly polished lead parts before joining in. The devastating groove quickly returns to the fray and assaults us all the way through to In Tidal Chaos, the next track that follows more or less the same path, giving us a brief respite before drowning us in thick, choppy riffs. The final solo leads into Capsized, a track that will undoubtedly be a formidable weapon for upcoming live performances with its vengeful influences paired with screeching harmonics, then we continue with the unsettling opening moments of Bodies Overboard, the next track, which is sure to hammer us once it’s over. Lead guitars, rhythm sections, and screams take turns keeping us on the edge of our seats until Treading Water takes over with a well-judged touch of complexity that blends perfectly with the simpler yet extremely violent roots. Also worth noting is the power of the final scream, followed by Dragged Under, which turns up the heat and delivers explosive patterns before an overwhelming mosh part that colors the song’s conclusion and promises to snap necks, before letting Becoming Chum follow suit and return with a simpler yet equally effective touch. A few slowdowns are to be expected, but the track remains catchy, just like Crimson Tide, which doesn’t hesitate to layer on its unsettling harmonics while pounding away at a brisk pace. Yet the album is already drawing to a close with Surfaced Remains, an intro that’s half-angst-inducing, half-melancholic, starting underwater before washing ashore with the waves and bringing the album to a close.
Eaten by Sharks clearly has no intention of giving us much of a breather with The Undertow of Hate, which hits relentlessly, firing off its riffs like fully loaded harpoons! There’s no doubt these compositions will hit the mark no matter where you are!
85/100
