Album Review: Pupil Slicer – Mirrors (Prosthetic Records)

Hailing from London in the UK, Pupil Slicer are preparing to release their debut album, Mirrors, via Prosthetic Records on March 12th 2021. Combining all the sharp edges of angular mathcore with the bonecrushing intensity of grindcore, Pupil Slicer are guaranteed to leave their mark on 2021.

Mirrors is the sum of all Pupil Slicer’s brutality, like a chainsaw buzzing though flesh or the rampage of a starving beast as it finds a late-night campsite. The chaos is immense and immeasurable. Just know that rivers of blood will flow.

The combination of mathcore intensity with grindcore energy makes for a frenzied listen. One that sees these lunatics throwing their absolute all into something with pure savagery at its core. It’s almost impossible to keep up at times, such is the rampant speed and in your face attack. Stabbing Spiders, Panic Defence, Vilified, Worthless, Interlocutor and Save the Dream, Kill Your Friends are the shorter end of Pupil Slicer’s stick.

Each one, a ferocious hammering that never seems to lose focus or sound like they might be running out of energy. These are the more grinding efforts and the varying lengths reflect that.

Around those are numerous efforts that show off a fair bit more of Pupil Slicer’s depth. From the moody and doomy touches of Martyrs to the battle between sharp guitars and meaty drums in L’Appel Du Vide. To the inferno of noise that erupts from Husk’s riffs like a lanced boil to the brazen, dark, melody moments and stompy groove of Wounds Upon My Skin. Wow.

Hell, it’s all preparation for what comes at the end of this album. Two behemoth offerings; Mirrors Are More Fun Than Television and Collective Unconscious. The former, about 7 minutes long, and Pupil Slicer at their most refined albeit as chaotic as always. It might be the best written track on the album purely because it sees them put a foot into deathcore territory while being super-dark.

The latter, the finale, is a touch shorter but still passes the 6-minute mark and begins to show post-style signs throughout. In particular within the guitars melodies and rhythms. A surprising closer but an interesting one none the less.

Remove those last two tracks and we have a blood-thirsty beast of an album. One that fans of extreme and the UK underground will adore. However, with those two tracks, and the expansion of what Pupil Slicer are capable of, turns it up a notch. They prove there’s much more to this band and that their future is very exciting.

Pupil Slicer – Mirrors Full Track Listing:

1. Martyrs
2. Stabbing Spiders
3. L’Appel Du Vide
4. Panic Defence
5. Husk
6. Villified
7. Worthless
8. Wounds Upon My Skin
9. Interlocutor
10. Mirrors Are More Fun Than Television
11. Save the Dream, Kill Your Friends
12. Collective Unconscious

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram