To quote an esteemed colleague of mine, when I first heard Pupil Slicer’s debut album Mirrors way back in 2021, my tits were blown clean off. Deeply personal, ferociously heavy, delicately melodic and a brand new twist on the grindcore formula, it was an album that immediately resonated with me from the instant I first listened. To say that I have been looking forward to Blossom is an understatement, but the questions had already begun to perk up in my mind: how do you top something that is so universally acclaimed, especially with your sophomore release? Has all the musical creativity and personal depths been plumbed?
In case you were sleeping under a rock for all of 2021 (and who could blame you, really?), Pupil Slicer came out of nowhere with a debut album that propelled them into the illustrious ranks of those who are making grindcore the next most interesting genre under the metal umbrella. Their mathcore elements and technical dissonance blended extremely well with frontperson Kate Davies’ naked discussion of anxiety, depression, isolation and oppression in a way that is raw and unrelenting, but one that I feel is necessary. But the question always remains: how do you move on from a record that was a person baring their soul to the world, as well as a musical introduction? Well, the answer is to push your own boundaries and do something pretty damn different. Blossom sees the trio expand their sound with heavier emphasis on clean vocals and electronics, without sacrificing the chaos that is essential to their sound. Lyrically, it moves away from personal narratives, instead opting to tell an original science fiction/cosmic horror story that touches on themes of despair, reincarnation, the nature of reality and the fascination with hell. It is always an ambitious thing to zag on the masses when everyone thinks you’re going to zig, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Pupil Slicer, and pull it off they do.
Blossom effortlessly blends the elements necessary to take Pupil Slicer to a wider audience with the things that make them unique. Immediately present is the work that Davies has done with her vocals. Her cleans are leaned on much more heavily, and her growls sound much more defined and savage. She effectively moves between the two ends of the spectrum, and it’s quite impressive how much a simple change in her vocal style can change the dynamics of the song on a dime. Similarly, the chaos that is central to Pupil Slicer is still present, albeit now it comes and goes in waves in between, god forbid, actual hooks and catchy choruses. Don’t think for a second that Pupil Slicer have sold out, though. This is still a plenty heavy record, and if anything, the guitars becoming more focused allows bassist Luke Fabian to stand out more underneath, holding down polyrhythms and flourishing with slaps, pops and melodic lines. One listen to “No Temple” proves this a band that hasn’t lost one micrometer of their edge. The electronics are not overwhelming, either; rather they underpin the melodies or add dramatic flair in accordance with the story being told. They help sell the whole thing, and it really lets the concept land home. Overall, Blossom is an album that shows tremendous growth from a band that seems to still have the world poised at their feet. It takes a lot of lyrical and musical prowess to go from confessional to fictional, but Pupil Slicer are so goddamn creative that they manage to not only do just that, but also potentially outdo themselves.
Does Blossom live up to the hype? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. They haven’t lost one single bit of themselves, but they’ve managed to both expand and refine their sound into something that is sure to keep them in the upper echelon of the metal scene. There doesn’t seem to be anything that they are incapable of pulling off. Now the question becomes “what next?” I suppose we just have to give them time to answer.
-Ian
Blossom is out June 2 on Prosthetic Records. For more information on Pupil Slicer, visit their Facebook page.
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