The Skinny: Hells Headbangers has set June 24th as the international release date for Shed the Skin’s highly anticipated debut album, Harrowing Faith. Late in 2014, Hells Headbangers released the quintet’s first recording, the Rebirth Through Brimstone 7″, and the buzz built about this “new” American death metal band. But Shed the Skin, in fact, include a number of considerable scene veterans: among them, Kyle Severn of Incantation on drums, Matt Sorg of Ringworm on guitars, Ash Thomas of Vladimirs and Faithxtractor on vocals, and Ed Stephens from Vindicator on bass.
With all that combined experience, it’s no surprise that Harrowing Faith is as massive as it is. Just like Rebirth Through Brimstone, the more fully fleshed-out Harrowing Faith is 100% DEATH METAL but does not bow to any one era, “school,” or region: simply, this is masterful songwriting coupled with utterly crushing production, all while proudly being “just” death metal. Granted, there’s a fine number of balances across the album – melodic vs. gutted, blastbeaten vs. doomed-out, headbanging vs. skullcrushing – but everything is done in service of the song. Each one explodes from the speakers and twists ‘n’ turns in ways unique to it, with all 12 tracks combining to create a swift but immediately memorable experience.
Harrowing Faith Track Listing:
01. Plasmic Flames
02. Daimonic Adytum
03. Harrowing Faith
04. Putrid and Pious
05. Unbound Revenant
06. Warband Under the Baphomet
07. CSUM
08. Alpha and Omega
09. Cambion
10. Inhuman Accretion
11. Innermost Sanctuary
12. Execration Divine
