Flush It Friday: It’s Kinda Like… Imagine a Stoner Emo Band Playing Symphonic Beatdown?
Yeah, I think that’s what our band sounds like.
It’s Friday. You know what that means. We’ve got 5 itty bitty reviews before we get to Flushin’. I know I say this a lot, but that’s because it’s true: there is some good shit in here.
Wythersake – At War with Their Divinity
Scarlet Records | March 21, 2025
Blending together the brute force of early Hypocrisy, the manic blackened urgency of Dimmu Borgir, Rotting Christ’s ethos, with just a dash of Scepticflesh’s theatrics, Wythersake’s At War with Their Divinity is an exciting and energized album. I put “symphonic” in parentheses because the keys and synths are flourishes, intricate filigree, not guiding principles; instead, you have balanced, raging compositions. Standout “Devour the Throne of Grace” even sounds like Countless Skies with those droplets of piano that add so much emotional depth. Perhaps it’s simply the fallacy of the novice, but colour me surprised this hasn’t received more attention.
Bronco – S/T
Magnetic Eye Records | February 28, 2025
Toke’s 2017 Orange is one of my favourite pieces of southern-fried sludge of the last decade. In 2021, guitarist Tim Ryan suffered serious injuries in a horrific motorcycle accident, injuries from which he is recovering with the help of successful GoFundMe campaigns. Tim’s bandmates reconvened and formed Bronco, named after vocalist/bassist’s artist name. Rather than rehash Orange—which would have been okay with me!—the new trio took a different direction, landing somewhere between ASG and Sourvein. Still sludgy, still southern-fried, yet there’s an understandably melancholic bluesiness to Bronco, one that often pushes the band into more traditional doom territory.
Demonic Death Judge – Absolutely Launched
Suicide Records | April 30, 2025
The 6th full-length from these Finnish stoners, Absolutely Launched, to quote Spear, “sounds exactly like the cover art looks.” And how’s that? Righteous as hell. From opener “90s Violence” through “Dead Dogs” to standout “Spliffhanger,” the whole album is like shooting giant bags of Maui Wowie out of a t-shirt cannon. The sheer velocity and fun of the sticky dankness is unavoidable. And, look. I’m a Natural Wine Guy. Once or twice a week, I walk to my local natural wine store where they give my dog treats and sell me wine I show off to friends and lovers alike.
Turnover – Peripheral Vision 10th Anniversary
Run for Cover Records | May 2, 2025
Back in April 2024, I wrote about Peripheral Vision. Now, it’s getting the anniversary treatment. The bonus material comprises the delightful Humblest Pleasures EP, unnecessary instrumentals, and 6 alternative versions. What the instrumentals and alternates get wrong is the importance of Austin Getz’ vocals to the success of Peripheral Vision. In the alternates, his voice is subdued by effects, stripping the songs of their infectiousness. Similarly, the guitars are woozier and artsier, and this, too, diminishes their sparkling verve. The “Take My Head” alternate works best because it sounds most like the original. An uneven tribute to a near-perfect record.
Cycle of Abuse – Hated and Faded
Heavy & Fast | December 24, 2024
Ah, what would Friday be without some extreme knuck-if-you-buck ignorance? Philly beatdown with the kind of album cover Three Six Mafia would’ve released had they stayed a horrorcore group and not ended up winning an Oscar. Each snare hit lands like a cement block. Each slam-adjacent breakdown hammers you deeper into the ground. Just in case you were worried or even on the fence, rest assured that “Taste the Steel” does, in fact, include the sound of a gun cocking and being fired. All that’s left to say? WAS LOS ALTER. UNS MACHST DU NIX VOR. DEIN LEBEN IST EINWITZ.
And now we Flush!
Not enough bad songs in this week’s TMP. Let’s Stick to the program next week, yeah? Roldy always unearths a gem, even on lighter weeks in TTT.
Aaron with a great review of the last 15 years of the The Melvins and a generous 3 Flaming Toilets for their latest album.
Adam Schwartz saw, photographed, and interviewed Goetia, and, folks, it’s all pretty dang cool.
Toilet Radio 558 wherein Jordan posits, “Maybe he had to eat his way out of a cornfield,” and Joe rightfully belly laughs.
Stevo serves Employed to Serve three flaming bowls for their latest.
Sepulcustracean with 10 albums from 1991-2025 that are worth your time.
Iron Lung is back, and so is Aaron to give ’em 4 hot ones for Adapting // Crawling.
Surprise, surprise! I talk about books and feelings while reviewing the brilliant new Tómarúm.
Stevo joined the legions at Roadburn and reported back.
Roadburn Festival 2025 Report: My Experience as a First-Timer
Look at all that music being discussed. The Bowl runneth over with priceless gemeralds. Anyone else got a fun weekend ahead? I sure do, and I hope you do. Let us know along with your GBUs. Mwah!
