Review: “Four Nails” by Survivalist

They may have only released their critically acclaimed album “A Place For Those Who Suffer Alone” via Seek & Strike Records in January but that hasn’t stopped Belfast heavy hitters Survivalist committing another four cuts to tape with the live arena in mind. After all, the quartet have already shared stages with many of their heroes in Thy Art Is Murder, Kublai Khan and Distant to name but a few. That has been achieved with style and grace as vocalist Gavin Sharp, guitarist Nick Butcher, bassist Lee Shaw and drummer Rhys Fraser have crafted a sound that falls into the space between Deathcore, Metalcore and Groove Metal to create what they like to call “groovecore“. Add to that themes of mental and physical health alongside view of the state of world address and they have a sound that resonates in unflinching emotional honesty and long may that continue.

Starting as they mean to go on Survivalist confront the lasting impact of domestic abuse and growing up in a broken home, examining how formative experiences can shape a person without defining who they become with “House Of Hate“. Bombastic bass and groove laden riffs follow a brutal roar from Sharp that gets the party started in savage style as quartet pick up from where they left “A Place For Those Who Suffer Alone” as if they never left the studio. Hardcore style gang chants and DJent fuelled riffs with bursts of blast beats make the track an absolute firecracker as the band bring the heat. The stylings continue into the lethal dose of hatred that is “Compass Rose” which has a bit of Hacktivist flavour in the riffs as well as a few repeated scream-a-long vocal lines which are going to go down a storm live. The opening cut is like getting kicked by a horse before it bolts from the stable and this second one is like getting kicked by a Kangaroo in the Australian outback.

Did anyone who wasn’t in the military know what a “Claymore” was before Arnold Schwarzenegger used them in 1985’s Commando? Down tuned distorted chugs and an anthemic chorus make this one a heavy hitter as Sharp mixes up the brutal barks with some cleaner harsh vocals for fun. Matching the vocal intensity with shifting tempos and rhythmic battery means you get potent mosh parts that slap but the spaces in between are just as important. Attention has been paid to the finer details and that has paid off handsomely here. Fleeting glitch-y guitars, bass rumbles, programming and sonic breaks all add up in the nuance column so while there are no haunting keys or virtuoso solos to appreciate, there are plenty of moments that will keep you engaged outside of the restless and relentless pummelling groove. Each of those feels like a nod to one of the bands myriad of influences with the Australian Nu-Metalcore scene being part of that.

Exploring the anger, grief and uncertainty surrounding cancer “Infinity” offers pure catharsis from violent anguish as Sharp spits blood and venom over the kind of infectious riffs that will keep you coming back time and time again. The lyrics resonate with a miserable bleakness that serve as a reminder that you that you need to live your life before its taken away from you. A neck snapping classic from front to back “Four Nails” is an explosive affair that is perfectly timed to maintain perpetual forward motion and see Survivalist on European tours in next year [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. House Of Hate
2. Compass Rose
3. Claymore
4. Infinity

“Four Nails” by Survivalist is out 13th November 2026 via Seek & Strike Records