Within the fast and chaotic world of metal something had been stirring. Deep within the bowels of Finland's underground hellscape of extreme metal and punk rock formed a band from a group of friends with a similar passion for that hard hitting metal sound and drive for a better world. With a mutual adherence to the DIY mentality and as the precarious era of the great pandemic ravaged the world, so too was UNEARTHLY RITES formed within that same year of 2020.

Sick of the destructive corruption of capitalism and greedy interests that destroys nature and humanity, UNEARTHLY RITES strikes back with their raw and powerful sound. Influenced by their roots of environmental activism this group forges the crude raw sound of crust and grind and synergises it with the heavy brutality of old school death. To tease their sound, the band independently released their first EP “Unearthly Rites” which later got them the attention of the L.A based record label Prosthetic Records. Now under a label, they released their latest debut full length album “Ecdysis”. With nine solid tracks of raw aggression this album is 34:13 minutes that gets your heart racing unapologetically. For a band that's only a few years old, I am looking forward to it, so let's dive in.

At a first glance at the simple yet effective artwork they chose for the album, it's very apparent as to the overall theme and you can see those influences portrayed here. A simple black and white image that shows the industrialization that pollutes our world and with the dead body and skeletal remains, I assume represents the killing of humanity. Less is more and this gets right to the heart of what I imagine to be the theme of their album. A solid bass riff rings out over a strange and eerie distortion as a heavy drum sound echoes out a simple roll as distorted feedback reverberates louder. The Drums pick up slightly as the feedback continues. Creating an ominous and dark industrial-like feel as “Hellscape” starts the album off and sets the overall tone. Really good intro to the album with some simple but creative instrumental

“Deep Drilling Earth’s Crust” begins with sluggy bassy riffs before breaking off into a higher tuned speed rift that quickens the pace briefly before breaking into some inhuman growls paired with that sludge sound. This track has a raw sludge-like bass undertone that picks up before slowing back down and has some tasty guitar playing that is absolutely disgusting. You can definitely hear the raw putrid crust. “Capitalocenic Nightmare” Is another heavy hitting track that starts with some great distorted feedback before pulverizing you with that aggressive raw sound. Again, the monstrous vocals hit so well. The drowned out distortion in the breakdowns add to the edge of the track. Perfectly placed time signatures with high screeching guitars to low grimy bass and heavy drum kick. This track is absolutely disgusting in such a good way.

“Fuck Ecofascism” starts off fast carried heavy bass kicks before hideous vocals come in and set the pace. But before you can process the brutality, the Track picks up into some ragged like distorted fast paced riffs before slowing back down into a sludge like sound. The rawness and aggressive sound of this album and how it was mixed and mastered really drives home the theme for “Ecdysis”. The production of the album is just so raw that it works. Fast high pitched screaming guitar that coats the thick bass chords in a distorted wall of sound before slowing into a grimy sludge crustcore tone that pairs with some truly disgustingly inhuman vocals. Though each song differs very slightly, it fits the overall grind crust feel. Less is more in this case and it works. 

“Doomed” closes off the album with a thick base intro that leads into some heavy distorted guitars before those putrid vocals kick in. A relatively slow and sludged pace before switching into a heavy fast paced tone that carries on in an onslaught before slowing down again into a drowned out wall of distortion that's broken through by a higher toned guitar that resonates with the lower sludge like undertones. UNEARTHLY RITES is definitely a band to keep on your radar as they are just getting started and with a sound like this, they won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I am excited to see what these crazy Finns release next. If you love thick distortion, grimy riffs, putrid vocals and have a love for death and crust, you need to get their album “Ecdysis” in your collection and keep an eye on this band. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this album.