Review: “Nothing” by Sterilizing The Deceased

“This EP has the real and raw emotion behind it, unlike some other previous pieces of work, as we were finding our sound. What I want people to take away from this album after listening to it is a personal reflection on oneself. Never straying too far from your path by getting lost in the darkness. Also, realizing other people in this world are dealing with the same pain you might be experiencing, and it’s okay to feel like that, just know there is always a way out back into the light.” ~ Angelo Vespucci, vocals

Adorned by chilling artwork by Caelan Stokkermans (A Wake in Providence, Worm Shepherd, The Acacia Strain) which depicts a demon forcing a poison chalice on a resisting figure in a metaphor for battling addiction and the constant struggle to reclaim control, “Nothing” is a third EP from Cleveland Ohio Progressive Deathcore quintet Sterilizing The Deceased. While its not been declared a concept record, overarching themes of addiction, loss and recovery are contained within its four walls, offering something raw and reflective to muse upon. Mixed and mastered by Sammy Morales (Dragoncorpse, Hate Within, Rings of Saturn) the expectation is of something deeply personal and ferocious with it from a band who draw influences from their peers in bands like Reflections, Chelsea Grin and Lorna Shore.

For those not in the know, Sterilizing The Deceased have been terrorising the underground Metal scene for the past decade, rising to prominence with EP “Forgotten” in 2015. Interwoven with themes of drug addiction and suicide, this new record details the personal battles of vocalist and lyricist Angelo Vespucci in middle ground between fiction and non-fiction using metaphors as he stares into a cursed mirror to free himself from the darkest of nightmarish visions. After a skull splitting opening verse frontloaded with heavy hitting staccato riff breaks and blood curdling vocals “Recovery” then introduces the kind of vibrant Metalcore lead guitars you might expect to find on an August Burns Red track. Refusing to give an inch with the harsh unclean vocals, those lush tones are perhaps what the band refer to when they call themselves a progressive act and in truth while you might not have expected them on the first listen, they grow on you over several. Plunging the surroundings into eternal darkness “Self Meditated” offers up polyrhythmic leads and Slam inspired vocal throat gratings between violent chugs. Hostile and yet surprisingly groovy with some eerie moments, its disturbing before the quirky twin peaks like moment of clarity before hitting you with a sucker punch you knew was happening but weren’t sure quite when.

Moving into Technical Deathcore territory the pulverising title track “Nothing” is the metaphorical equivalent to throwing gasoline on an already raging inferno. You may find yourself instinctively shielding yourself from the intensity, the down tuned guitars and thunderous percussion matching the ferocity of the vocals by reaching Thrall for an earworm of a grand finale that you’ll have joy filled nightmares about. Bone rattling from the very start “Unconscious” flips the script, stepping away from the Thrall momentarily before bringing it back in caustic style. The sonic abrasions are the equivalent of having your ear canals sand blasted with a couple of rampaging moments of tempo shift giving a nice contrast. Harrowing lyrical narratives are the stock in trade of Sterilizing The Deceased and “Awake” is no different, despite having a soaring guitar solo and leads that run throughout. The DJent fuelled groove of this one is neck snappingly good, a vision in blood and thunder that has been matched by the bands skull execution. If you need a new nightmare, this is it [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Recovery
2. Self Meditated
3. Nothing
4. Unconscious
5. Awake

“Nothing” by Sterilizing The Deceased is out 1st August 2025 and is available over at bandcamp.