Jesus Wept - Dispossession

Jesus Wept Veer Towards Madness, Lament "Dispossession" of the Self (Early Track Stream)


Melodic death metal takes a lot of forms, but one form that’s never gone out of style is the type that revels in filth, delighting in the cognitive dissonance that interlacing neoclassical melodies with harsher accompaniment creates. Though the origins of this style start with bands like Carcass, who took their surgical gore obsession beyond its death-grind roots to more melodic destinations, bands like Detroit’s Jesus Wept improve on its traditions, crafting devastating death metal that incorporates swaggering, unclean malice as well as blistering technical chops. Well-versed in slipping into slower, stomping grooves, the band’s death-‘n’-roll sections show off not only their bluesy streak, but their love of classic heavy metal as well, giving their most righteous riffs the breathing room they deserve.

On their new EP Psychedelic Degeneracy, Jesus Wept offer ominous riffs and strangely delicate solos while experimenting with abnormal melodies and just how nasty-sounding their vocals can get—the result is a thrill-packed joyride through the gutters of death metal. We’re premiering a single from the EP now, which musically indulges in unhinged revelry but draws inspiration from the very real, very shitty mental conditions that the last few years have created.

Chris Colaianni, vocalist, comments:

“Dispossession” was written in quarantine during the height of the pandemic. A lockdown that was supposed to last a few weeks had turned into seven months with no end in sight. That November, a close friend of the band made the decision to take their own life and several weeks later, my grandfather passed away following a short, aggressive battle with cancer.

The state of the world already had me feeling quite bitter and despondent, but this almost perfect storm of death really put me over the edge – not just the literal death of a loved one, but the figurative death of a life and world I once knew. Days started blurring together and I felt like I was being forced to live at the behest of external forces I couldn’t escape from. I had no idea when, or if, these circumstances would ever improve. I was self-medicating a lot. It was just a bad time.

“Dispossession” touches on the reality of being plagued by those feelings of seemingly never-ending uncertainty, anger, paranoia, grief, and sorrow, while also exploring the loss of individual autonomy and control. “Life is not your own.”

Psychedelic Degeneracy releases March 11th via Redefining Darkness Records.