Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
With the release of The Acacia Strain’s thirteenth studio album, they are proving continuously to be one of the best acts heavy music has to offer. While many describe them as deathcore, metalcore, or hardcore, to me they defy traditional genre labels and do their own thing flawlessly and seemingly effortlessly. Since the release of …And Life Is Very Long back in 2002, they have pushed the envelope and continue to do so today with the release of their new record You Are Safe From God Here. It’s a twelve-track punch-in-the-face that explores themes of self-aware depression and a world crumbling around us. Prior to its release, three singles were released (“A CALL BEYOND,” “SWAMP MENTALITY,” and “HOLY MOONLIGHT”), all of which set my expectations high, but the record still managed to exceed them.
It begins with the track “eucharist i: BURNT OFFERING,” showing off chuggy guitar riffs and Vincent Bennett’s guttural vocals that throw you right into the thick of it. It’s an extremely heavy song, one bound to create a violent battlefield at their shows following the record’s release. Two tracks later, we get “THE MACHINE THAT BLEEDS,” featuring Brody King and Colin Young from influential hardcore acts God’s Hate and Twitching Tongues. Their strong vocal performances fit in great with the album’s sound and solidify The Acacia Strain’s adaptable nature in the heavy music scene, seamlessly moving through deathcore and hardcore.
A large portion of the world tends to look to religion to find hope. The Acacia Strain reminds us that you are safe from God at their chaotic shows and while experiencing their simultaneously nihilistic and hopeful music. This is showcased nowhere better than on the record’s standout track, “WORLD GONE COLD.” Lyrics like “The older I get, the less I want to be around” and “The only reason I’m not dead is because I don’t know what comes next” are driven home by Bennett’s intense vocals, emphasizing the relatable nature of the track and the album’s themes as a whole. While these tracks have extremely negative lyrics, the hopefulness comes in with their relatability. As someone who suffers from constant depression and anxiety, these songs remind me that I am not alone and that coming together as a community with others who feel the same can bring one great solace in the face of a world that does its best to bring you down.
The album is then finished off with the nearly fourteen-minute behemoth of a track, “eucharist ii: BLOOD LOSS,” featuring Sunny Faris, quite possibly the band’s saddest song to date. It mixes together the group’s heavy guitar tones with ones that are somber and ethereal. This, combined with Faris’s delicate vocals, creates one of the most unique and emotional tracks they have ever released. It ties up the album’s themes and heaviness to an apex that can be described as beautiful in its relentlessness. You Are Safe From God Here is not only my favorite record to be released in 2025; it’s one of the best albums The Acacia Strain has ever released, and it’s a standout in an excellent year for heavy music as a whole.
Disappointing / Average/ Good / Great / Phenomenal
You Are Safe From God Here is out now.
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Daniella Pasquarelli | @lady_0f_shallot
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