5th February 2025

Review: “Midwest Devastation” by Kill Your Abuser

What better title for a Midwest Deathcore record than “Midwest Deviation“? Having put themselves on the map in December 2023 when they shared “Love is the Law“, a cut which features both Taylor Barber of Left to Suffer and Johnny Ciardullo of Carcosa it was only a matter of time before we got something more substantial from Kill Your Abuser. Hailing from Carbondale Illinois, the quartet are masterminded by vocalist, guitarist and producer Jackson Bradley. He’s joined by guitarist Quinn Schweitzer, drummer by Zaya “Isaiah” Parrish and bassist Jack Yeager in the group, the later not being credited on their debut EP, which is mixed by Scott Seigel (Diesect, Woe Is Me, Everglade). They love the My Space era…

Wasting no time with an introduction piece to set the tone or create an atmosphere, harsh vocals appear within the first second of the first cut, the curiously titled “New Era of Devastation (empathyrunsout)“. Within the first verse Kill Your Abuser move seamlessly between Blackened Deathcore and Nu-Metal and back again, almost immediately bringing 1999 era Slipknot to mind as an inspiration, especially with the drum sound. Parts of that sound programmed, parts human but overall it works incredibly well, especially when the Extortionist style riff comes in towards the end. A furious vent of the spleen with enough control and cleaner parts to have greater accessibility than most, it’s a solid start with a welcome dose on nostalgia about it. A couple of Slam vocal parts from Bradley during “In the Darkness Bind them” confirms his prowess as a frontman, on this one he spits and snarls his way through the lyrical narrative against a backdrop of chord progressions that have plenty of Groove about them without necessarily feeling that heavy. But variety is as they sat the spice of life. By the time “Pelican’s Peak” hits the Kill Your Abuser style is established, Bradley sounding like a serial killer as he schizophrenically rants and raves through the lyrics sheet. Groovy guitars with plenty of chug and a heavy in the mix drum sound make “Rivers Run Red” worthy, the Metallic Hardcore inspired breakdowns a tasty treat before the downward spiral into almost feral screams. The blood gargling moments at the start are an interesting choice, Bradley’s vocals often being the most dynamic and expressive part of the sound, the stripped back sonic abrasions allowing him plenty of place to play. A speak and spell announces “you are now listening to 618 Deathcore” before an atmospheric riff ushers in “Wolf Mode” with a little more urgency. Driven my a storyline about ascending to the throne of wolves with a feverish bloodlust, this one has all the verve and swagger that you’d expect in the riff department but surprisingly none of the breakdowns. Overall an easy to listen to record which is good fun but perhaps lacks a couple of real gut punch moments to bring home the bacon [7/10]

Track Listing