Metalcatto
You might be right thinking that suddenly I’m picking short albums. I’m too busy changing diapers right now, but that doesn’t stop me from reviewing some Core/Tech Death stuff like Perpetual Paradox‘s May Misery Befall You—the title is clearly uplifting. I’m usually not the biggest fan of so many breakdowns, but we have to talk about them sometimes. Let’s begin.
So yes, Misery is good at portraying that level of oppression. There are a few seconds here and there when you feel you’re going to be launched into an Ov Sulphur track, but no—you get hit on the face by those disgusting breakdowns. There’s not much else to bring up. There’s consistency to an idea here, and though nuance is scarce, you get the technicality you need from an album of this kind. The riffs are tight, the drums are punchy, and the overall atmosphere is thick enough to choke on.
Since everything fits perfectly in the Core/Tech Death realm, what you get is rather dynamic songwriting, where things change quickly in no time. This thing only has five tracks that get straight to the point. So in that sense, you won’t get exhausted by so much barking and the classic sound wall. I’m being a bit cautious with my praise today, and it’s not because my kid puked all over the carpet last night—there are valid reasons.
As I said, Misery is what you expect from a band that wants to break you with the weapons mentioned above. So I’m left wanting to be properly surprised. Also, maybe the band can take more risks in future releases, where they’ll take more time to develop a more tension-and-release type of album. It’s not easy, but the chops are there, so why not use them? The foundation is solid, but the ambition feels held back.
Alright, so if you like hostility with a pinch of sad feels, then this is what you want on a rainy day or a lonely night. It really won’t take much of your time. Sure, it’s not breaking any rules, but you get to smash your head against the wall with a respectable soundtrack. What else can one ask these days?
Label: Bleeding Art Collective
Release date: August 28th, 2026
Website:https://www.facebook.com/Perpetualparadox/
Country: UK
Score: 3.0/5.0
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