It’s probably not fair to say we are in the back half of the year, since July is basically over at this point and we’ve already put out a mid-year round up list, but you know what?  Time is a flat circle, and in my mind, we are just now entering the back half of 2026, and what a back half it is.  There are a lot of really exciting releases coming up between now and Christmas, so stay strapped in and hungry.  Perhaps chief among them, and for sure kicking off the list, is the newest from Tasmania’s Psycroptic, The Pulse of Annihilation.

One thing that I have always appreciated about Psycroptic is that they do tech death [improv guy voice] *~*a little bit differently*~*.  Of course, they are known for the frantic, highly dextrous and incredibly deft musicianship on display, especially that of the sibling duo that founded and spearheads the band, the brothers Haley (that’s Joe on guitar and David on drums, for the uninitiated).  Lots of tech death bands can do that, but that’s not to put a damper on the praise due to Psycroptic; rather, it’s important to note that they can do all that and make it accessible for the masses by injecting their riffs with a serious dose of knuckle-dragging, dumb-guy trogolodyte cool factor that other bands that solely focus on technicality miss out on.  That being said, The Pulse of Annihilation might be their most obtuse, beat-you-over-the-head release yet.  “All my favorite Psycroptic songs have this kind of ‘bounce’ to them that allows for just endless head-banging and leaves room for massive vocal passages…Meathead Monday,” says bassist Todd Stern.  And speaking of vocal passages, The Pulse of Annihilation continues the dynamic partnership of the Jasons that began on 2022’s Divine Council: longtimer Jason Peppiatt and Jason Keyser of Origin fame.  Not since the heyday of metalcore have the dual vocalist setup been utilized so well: Peppiatt’s roar and Keyser’s shriek blend together and compliment each other effortlessly, but more importantly, nobody has to fight for space in the song, even considering the complicated and technical riffs these vocals are layered over.  Everything fits together into a caveman-esque, brain melting kaleidoscope.

“The Pulse Of Annihilation is the culmination of everything that has come before,” remarks principle songwriter Joe Haley.  “We never force anything stylistically and just let the songs manifest of their own accord…I feel this is our most epic, thrashing, technical while grooviest release yet.”  Emphasis in particular is on the groove this time around.  I feel like tech death gives an impression that it always has to be Archspire levels of 6,000 BPM blasting and neoclassical shred work (don’t get me wrong, I love that shit to death), but on The Pulse of Annihilation, Psycroptic lean into the mid-tempo, thrashy and much more groove-oriented version of themselves that, invariably, is going to get the circle pit schmoving.  Take lead single and Certified Wrist Splitter “Gathering a Venomous Herd”; the opening riff wouldn’t be out of place nearly 40 years ago, if not for the flashy pyrotechnics on the tail end, but the two-stepping drums behind the pre-chorus are eternal pit-openers.  Mid-point “Our Pillars Fall” opens acoustically, with just enough of a breather before launching back into a lock-step groove full of menace and atmosphere without sacrificing any of the technicality you’re probably looking for, and “To Embrace This Curse” features maybe some of the coolest riffs not just on this album, but of this year in general.  Practically every song on here shoots for a solid middle ground between technical ferocity and grandiose catchiness, and Psycroptic thread that needle with expert precision.

The Pulse of Annihilation is Psycoptic’s Metal Blade Records debut, and I cannot think of a better home for them.  They are practically household names at this point in their tenure, and it’s great that they’ve found a home that lets them lean in and do their thing.  Psycroptic have been around for more than 25 years, but The Pulse of Annihilation feels like the start of something new for them, and it’s certainly another banger of a release from a band that never seems to strike out.

— Ian

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The Pulse of Annihilation is available now on Metal Blade Records.  For more information on Psycroptic, visit their official website.