Fleshwork
Fleshwork brings Pupil Slicer’s strange ideas into a more direct attack. The London trio keep the abrupt rhythms, harsh vocals and uncomfortable textures of their earlier work, but the songs have a firmer shape. There is still plenty of detail beneath the weight, especially in the bass playing and the electronics placed around the guitars.
“Heather” starts without a long introduction. Its main riff has a clear hook before the feedback and sharper vocal delivery make the sound rougher. Kate Davies gives the music a cutting edge, while new bassist Luke Booth adds a more fluid presence underneath. The stronger melodic movement in the riffs helps the songs remain distinct even when the performance is at its most abrasive.
“Gordian” and “Sacrosanct” pack several ideas into short spaces. Clean vocal passages and electronic touches break through the harder playing, providing detail without taking away its force. “Innocence” changes the pace, using a slower, heavier pattern before the arrangement becomes more intense. These are useful shifts in a record that could easily have become one continuous rush.
The title track makes the groove central. Its large, repeated riffs are supported by synth details low in the mix, giving the song more depth than its blunt impact first suggests. “Nomad” brings faster black-metal elements into a broader post-hardcore shape, while “White Noise” opens another route with clearer melody and a lighter atmosphere. Those tracks show that direct songwriting does not have to mean a narrower sound.
“Cenote” gives the album its longest closing statement. Across roughly eight minutes, it develops post-rock textures, darker metal passages and a more unsettling atmosphere. The scale feels earned because the music has somewhere to go, rather than simply adding another stretch of punishment.
This remains an intense listen with limited room to relax. Some of the contrasts are small details inside very dense arrangements, so they can take time to become clear. Even so, Fleshwork is a strong balance of force and structure. Its riffs and rhythms hit hard, while the bass, melodic turns and electronic touches give listeners good reasons to look beyond the immediate aggression.
