Death Blooms - Shut Up
8Overall Score
Death Blooms - Shut Up8

Death Blooms, Shut Up
Adventure Cats

Death Blooms definitely aren’t shy, are they… They’re back with Shut Up, a track as unforgiving as its title would suggest, to herald the new that their debut album is finally on the way. We saw their penchant for a harsh title that hits the nail on the head last year with Fuck Everything, and their record looks to follow suit, titled Life Is Pain. It’s not positive, but it’s not meant to be – Death Blooms are doing what they’re best at, which is ripping through a track as ferocious as any you’ve ever heard and unleashing an onslaught of every big feeling you’ve ever had, so you can let it all out too.

Frontman Paul Barrow doesn’t hesitate in his lyrics, an assault of ‘SHUT THE FUCK UP’s and ‘I’M SICK OF ALL YOU MOTHERFUCKERS’. Shut Up rails against pretentiousness, superiority, and people who think they can put others down – and it’s impossible not to listen when it’s backed up with such a colossal instrumental. Death Blooms merge their torrential riffs with punishing density, guitar lines clamouring for attention but all ultimately coming together to form a dizzyingly intense listening experience. It’s a fun one to picture live – Download Pilot’s ‘reverse headline’ set proved to Death Blooms fans and a whole horde of new ones that they’re listening to one of the buzziest new live bands about, and Death Blooms look set to cement that on upcoming tours with Blood Youth and Trash Boat, too.

This album’s been a long time coming – it was recorded prior to the pandemic, so we can’t wait to see what takes on new resonance in light of what we’re living through. One thing is for certain, though, and it’s that Death Blooms are ready to unleash something extreme. Bring it on.

Life Is Pain is out October 22nd.