Pegah
Kiritsis (meaning “small master” in Greek) is a U.S.-based band that thrives at the volatile crossroads of Doom, Sludge, and Hardcore. Their sound is defined by harsh, shouted vocals, crushing low-end guitars, and a raw, unrelenting emotional intensity that mirrors the gravity of their themes. That tension isn’t just audible—it’s woven into the album’s visuals and symbolism. The cover features a stark, medieval-style etching: a crowned figure seated on a throne, confronted by a peasant or servant raising a hand (and possibly a weapon). This imagery reflects the infamous Tony Kiritsis hostage situation, which the band explicitly references. It’s a symbolic clash of power and desperation, of the oppressed seizing control by force—a perfect visual prelude to the chaos that erupts in the music.
The album opens with a jarring narrative clip—a real news broadcast detailing Tony Kiritsis’s brutal hostage stunt, where he wired a shotgun to his victim’s head. Disturbing? Absolutely. Effective? Unquestionably. It’s a plunge into darkness before the instruments even kick in. And when they do, it’s a storm of tight, low-end riffs, violent drums, and vocals that sound like they’re tearing through flesh. “Locusts” cranks the intensity higher with frenetic guitars and pummeling drums, channeling pure frustration and simmering societal rage. “Pissant” shifts into a more melodic, percussive groove, its rhythmic twists tailor-made for stage-diving chaos. “It Ain’t Easy” slows the tempo but not the torment, dragging Doom-laden riffs through mud while the vocals morph into a guttural lament—less confrontation, more internal collapse.
Then, just as you settle into the suffocating weight, “Like The Taste” sucker-punches you with a tempo spike so sudden it feels like a crowd-killing riff materializing mid-air. “Thieves and Fools” dials back the speed but not the venom, its vocals now a full-throated indictment of systemic rot. The pacing is deliberate, the blows calculated. “Never Coming Home” opens with eerie restraint, the title’s despair etched into every note—the vocals here aren’t just layered over the music; they’re chained to it, howling in lockstep with the rhythm. By the time “Deny, Defend, Dispose” arrives, the album’s thematic noose tightens: this is the sound of being crushed by the very structures meant to protect you. The finale doesn’t fade—it implodes, leaving only void.
Naming the band after Tony Kiritsis isn’t just a reference; it’s a manifesto. This album doesn’t explore violence and desperation—it weaponizes them. The result is a 32-minute chokehold of psychological tension, moral murk, and real-world dread, where Sludge’s suffocating weight collides with Hardcore’s razor-edged fury. There’s no breathing room. No filler. Just a relentless, bloodied-knuckle journey that dares you to look away—and guarantees you won’t.
Label: Wise Blood Records/Pout Records
Release date: 4 April, 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kiritsis/61568755588694/
Country: USA
Score: 4.0/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 