Review: “The Killing Streets” by No Worth Of Man

If you asked vocalist Peter Gale, guitarist Alex Punchard and drummer Gareth Lucas back in 2016 where they saw No Worth Of Man a decade further down the line you can bet your bottom dollar that none of them would have said playing Reykjavik Deathfest or being signed to Brutal Records. They probably wouldn’t have dared to dream that far ahead so if you’d have told them that not only would they have achieved both of those targets but also have a record mixed and mastered by Fredrick Nordstrom (Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames) they probably would have laughed out loud. The truth is often stranger than fiction however and with tales of vampires in Miami in 1985, “The Killing Streets” is that album…

Perhaps it won’t come as a surprise but “The Killing Streets” is not in point of fact a wholly new album from No Worth Of Man. Instead its the combination of four songs from their previously released EP “What’s Your Damage?” with five fresh cuts to keep you bleeding like Leona Lewis. Not that that is an issue of course, the EP is a mighty fine piece of work in its own right and such tactics have been employed previously by artists and labels a plenty all over the globe since the dawn of time.

The album starts with the pounding drums and death growls of “I Defy” which sets a powerfully haunting tone as the bass rumbles with seismic force, the band pushing into Extreme Metal territory with consummate ease. Churn and burn riffs from Punchard match the ferocious vocals stride for stride making your brain aware that you’ve found a formidable adversary. “Those of Our Kind” then brings in the weighty riffs of early Lamb Of God with lethal grooves that bulldoze down the ear canals, the trio of vampire hunters searching for their prey, armed with silver bullets. As an opening pair, the new cuts are right up there with the most brutal offerings the band have every produced, their style very much in keeping with those of the EP that came before it. The crushing groove laden monster that is “Into the Dirt” then rises from the blue lagoon with the sound of a thousand lost souls trapped in a plague wind for accompaniment. That creates a dark, moody atmospheric for Gale to deliver the lyrical narrative over in throat splitting style, his caustic vocals giving the best of them a run for their money. The ghostly sounds flow through “Mondo Decay” as well, the worship of old school Machine Head riffs evident in the verve and swagger of this one as is the vocal prowess of Gale. He’s an unstoppable force of nature who deserves a lot of credit for his storytelling capabilities as much as his bloodcurdling approach.

There is a pomp and circumstance to the rise and fall of “Death Reflections” which is once again front loaded with barrelling muscular guitars and pummelling kit work, the drum sound being particularly impressive. It’s one of those tunes that is almost impossible not to bang your head to and while it doesn’t do anything you might not have heard elsewhere before, it is done so well that you can’t help but crack a smile. Unflinchingly created without compromise, No Worth Of Man have refined and redefined their sound do deliver a more satisfyingly powerful crunch on these new songs. “Alamus” feels like the conjoined twin of its predecessor, the howling winds of plague emanating from the throat of Gale with a couple of more Traditional Heavy Metal orientated riffs from the 90’s rising to the surface before the urgent and sinister “The Hands Resist Him” burns with mid-tempo chug. There are nuanced moments of intricate melody in all of these tracks, the haunting moments of those one never far from the pounding rhythms. The trio have clearly put a lot of effort into meticulously crafting every detail of every song at that is something that has paid of handsomely here.

There is air of early 90’s familiarity to the guitar work of “An Unpaintable Soul” as Punchard keeps the flow steady without ever bursting into the face melting solo that you are often left feeling he’s on the verge of producing. Instead the trio stick to the abrasive rhythmic battery, smashing skulls with their vampire killing creativity all along the way. It has to be said that you’re going to want to examine the lyric sheet on this one because while Gale’s vocals are clean enough to be decipherable throughout, there is so much going on with the rest of the soundscape, its easy to get distracted. The crowning glory of the album is the brutal “Kill of Gold“, a track with a couple of savage breakdown sections that hit harder than a left hook from a prize fighter. It’s very much the missing piece of the puzzle and feels like the culmination of a decades work, perfectly paced with an earworm riff and weighty dynamic to be the push that makes you want to move. The best thing about this album is that it grows on you with multiple listens, each one bringing something new that you didn’t hear before so if at first you don’t succeed with it, persist because it is one that is seriously rewarding [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. I Defy
2. Those of Our Kind
3. Into the Dirt
4. Mondo Decay
5. Death Reflections
6. Alamus
7. The Hands Resist Him
8. An Unpaintable Soul
9. Kill of Gold

“The Killing Streets” by No Worth Of Man is out 13th February 2026 via Brutal Records