Scourge Release Monstrous New EP, 'God Is Dead'

If you're looking for something fuck-off heavy to check out this week, you can't miss the latest from Scourge. 

To say that Scourge love their breakdowns really would be the understatement of the century. Each of the five songs found on the Melbourne outfit's newest release, 'God Is Dead', feature some ludicrously heavy drops and vile breakdowns held within their collective runtimes. The kind that are just so obnoxiously over the top you can't help but appreciate and respect them.

With their new EP, Scourge delivers a brutal, slamming mixture of deathcore, metalcore, and beatdown more than well enough; making something decent and worthwhile from something that can often be so fuckin' generic and forgettable. From the guttural and contorted vocals of frontman Dane Evans, Wojtek Tomczyk's and Liam Brown's low-tuned chugs and crunchy guitar riffs, the insanely heavy bass tuning and looming sub drops throughout, the occasional sharp burst of blast beating fury, the odd two-step groove or the indeed massive breakdowns on offer; these guys do not give a single shit for pleasant niceties with the musical content of 'God Is Dead'. And the very same goes for the release's lyrical content too.

Of course, with a moniker like 'God Is Dead', these songs do take on many religious motifs on top of the violent lyricism. Some far more obvious than others, albeit. For instance, the first-off-the-rank track is the short but devilish heavy-hitter, 'Golgotha (Genesis 7:23)', which is in reference to the very location outside of Jerusalem that Jesus was crucified. As for the Biblical passage also mentioned in the track's title, (and according to the Bible's New International Version), Genesis 7:23 states that "Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark". Which is a very fitting apocalyptic telling for the kind of heavy music that feels and sounds like the end-of-days has actually arrived. On the other end of this EP in what is its evil finale, we have 'Stabat Mater (Revelation 12)', named after a 13th-century Catholic hymn regarding Mary and her internal suffering at seeing Christ upon the crucifix. (I mean, she was his mother, after all). Of course, the book of Revelations is a doomsday scenario incarnate, which provides a glorious rapture-like setting for this EP's final moments of hellish, groovy brutality.

Now, typically, a good heavy release these days comes complete with a couple solid guest spots, and 'God Is Dead' indeed delivers on this front. Lending a vehement hand on the third track, 'Glory To The Snake', is Bobak Rafiee of Justice For The Damned fame. Another guest spot and some added lyrics also arrive on the aforementioned 'Stabat Mater (Revelation 12)', with Graves vocalist Rhys Benn adding his own filthy vocals to the imposing fray. And both guest vocalists fit perfectly within Scourge's own heavy framework, bolstering the songs instead of taking away from them - like all good features should do.

However, if there was one true standout moment for me to pick out from 'God Is Dead', it'd have to be from the three-minute mark onwards of 'Stabat Mater (Revelation 12)'. At this point in the crowd-killing closer, their deathcore/beatdown sound completely falls away to reveal a soft, acoustic guitar section with solemn, melancholic crooning vocals lamenting the figurative (or even literal) blood on one's own hands. From this very surprising passage of quieter sonic intimacy, Scourge's regular programming resumes shortly afterward but thankfully in a suitable and stronger fashion; all because of the previous, ligter "non-metal" dynamic that preluded it. More of this kind of songwriting in the future, please guys!

'God Is Dead' was, of course, written by the band themselves, with co-writing from former band member Mikey Arthur (who some will know as the vocalist for fellow Melbourne group, The Gloom In The Corner), as well as Belle Haven and Better Half guitarist, Christopher Vernon, who also produced the EP. Then, from that solid collaborative foundation, engineer Zach Jones took to covering the mix and master duties, helping to give the record the mighty punch that it currently has.

Man up and stream 'God Is Dead' below and be sure to buy a copy of the EP here.

Check out Scourge's upcoming national headline dates With Apate and Vaela below and suss the event page here. 

FRI AUG 25TH - SYDNEY AA - CHATSWOOD YOUTH CENTRE

SAT AUG 26TH - MELBOURNE AA - WRANGLER STUDIOS

SUN AUG 27TH - ADELAIDE AA - THE PRODUCERS BAR

FRI SEPT 1ST - BRISBANE 18+ - THE BRIGHTSIDE

SAT SEPT 2ND - BRISBANE AA - THE SPACE, NORTHLAKES