Since the release of breakout 5th LP Amongst the Low & Empty, Signs of the Swarm have been going from strength-to-strength, especially of late. A hugely successful North American headliner was bisected with the release of their fastest-streaming song EVER in standalone single “IWONTLETYOUDIE” before the “Faces of Death Tour” continued the streak overseas. It happened despite co-headliner Veil of Maya heading on hiatus a mere 5 weeks prior.

With Signs of the Swarm taking up the headliner mantle solo and scouring for another band (Denmark’s Cabal came in clutch), it’s clear Signs of the Swarm perform well under pressure. After writing breakout 5th LP Amongst the Low & Empty almost entirely in-studio, they geared up to do it again. This stint’s 7-week lead time—PLUS the in-studio time—was a veritable vacation for the band, with the addition of guitarist/backing vocalist Carl Schulz adding a whole other set of riffing hands (and vocal chords) to the band. It was plenty of time for the now-quartet, rounded out by bassist Michael Cassese, to craft metal exactly as they think it should sound.