Signs of The Swarm "To Rid Myself of Truth"
In a genre saturated with brute force, the true measure of a band's greatness is its ability to infuse that violence with meaning. For years, Pittsburgh's Signs of The Swarm have been masters of devastation, but with their fifth full-length album, To Rid Myself of Truth, they have weaponized their vulnerability. This is not merely a collection of heavy songs; it is a harrowing, claustrophobic, and impeccably crafted journey into the heart of personal damnation. Set to be unleashed on August 22nd under the banner of Century Media Records, the record transcends the traditional confines of deathcore, delivering a punishingly honest and emotionally resonant experience that stands as the band's undisputed magnum opus and an essential benchmark for modern metal. With a total of eleven powerful tracks that create a devastating look inwards for 38:35 minutes. So without any more delay, lets dive in.
The album artwork for To Rid Myself of Truth is a stark, haunting, and deeply symbolic piece that perfectly encapsulates the album's themes of internal struggle and desolation. The color palette is almost entirely monochromatic—stark whites, deep blacks, and shades of grey—which enhances the feeling of bleakness, hopelessness, and emotional emptiness. With the central focus being that of an angel adorned with horns with his hands placed in a power position, angels gather behind his wings. Two three headed dogs possibly touching on the ancient Greek concept of the guardians of death and the inevitability of death and that boundary. Two golden skeletons emerging from the dark space behind pierce the main horned angel. The logo of the band sits above within the center while the album name sits below center in a custom deathcore font and both are in a saturated gold color. Possibly A.I, But the image works for the album I believe.
“To Rid Myself of Truth”, the title track serves as the perfect entry point into the album's maelstrom. It is a showcase of the band's evolved identity in its purest form. Bobby Crow’s drumming provides a relentless, technically dizzying framework for Carl Schulz's labyrinthine riffs, which shift seamlessly from frantic panic to ground-shaking breakdowns. Above it all, David Simonich delivers a career-defining performance, his voice a vessel of raw anguish. The track embodies the album's core conflict, musically mirroring a mind at war with itself, making it the perfect thematic and sonic anchor.
“HELLMUSTFEARME” is a ferocious, white-knuckle sprint of pure deathcore aggression. Acting as a counterweight to the more atmospheric and emotionally complex tracks on To Rid Myself of Truth. This song is a direct and unapologetic assault on the senses. From the moment it begins, the track is defined by its relentless tempo. Crow's drumming is a highlight, delivering a punishing barrage of machine-gun blast beats and intricate fills that drive the song forward with unstoppable momentum. From the moment it begins, the track is defined by its relentless tempo. A solid start to the album so far that carries the listener deeper in.
“Clouded Retinas”, which features Will Ramos of Lorna Shore on the track, is quite possibly the heart of this masterpiece and pulls you in and holds you there with a relentless torrent of aggression that blasts your senses in all the right ways. This track is a masterclass in controlled chaos and a showcase for the album’s collaborative genius. The interplay between Simonich and Ramos is nothing short of a vocal duel for the ages. Their distinct styles intertwining to create a symphony of inhuman sounds.
The musical technicality on Signs of The Swarm's To Rid Myself of Truth is a defining characteristic, showcasing a band operating at the absolute peak of their instrumental and compositional abilities. It's a precise and deliberate style of chaos, where every intricate element serves the album's suffocating and aggressive atmosphere. Such interwoven intricacies that have been executed with precision. Each song hits hard but with its own unique soundscape that carries you through the album which further emphasizes the band's skill and being a powerhouse within Deathcore. With multiple featured artists on this album and the synergized elements with doing so makes this album a must listen.
”Forcing To Forget” offers an amazing element of clean singing that blends beautifully together with the emotional torrents of deathcore. With a simple guitar chord progression that breaks into some clean vocals before the onslaught of emotion and dynamic soundscape. This song hits so hard and is executed flawlessly. Such raw emotions interwoven into intricate technicalities. The melodic guitar that resonates under aggression is powerful. “Creator” Is a powerful end to such an intense album. From start to finish it's a powerful torrent of emotional chaotic aggression. Simonich begins with his deep inhuman screams that build into a dynamic soundscape as the track builds up in its ferocious intensity. The break downs hit so good and there is a lot of intricate technicality within this track. With a Final drum roll it fades into a pleasant resonance of ambience.
To Rid Myself of Truth is a landmark achievement. It is the breathtaking result of a band daring to look inward and finding a new level of heaviness in their own honesty. By channeling their personal demons into a sonically devastating and emotionally complex narrative, Signs of The Swarm have crafted more than just their best album—they have delivered one of the most vital and punishingly profound statements in modern deathcore. When this album is unleashed upon the world, it will not only be heard; it will be felt. It is a brutal, necessary, and unforgettable masterpiece that you should get into your collection immediately.
SCORE: 10 / 10
