Review: “Decomposition” by Pythonic

The depression sessions have well and truly begun for Saskatoon Canadian Death Thrash purveyors Pythonic as with their sophomore EP “Decomposition” they explore themes of corruption, drug addiction, toxic relationships… and summoning the devil. Written primarily by vocalist Morgan Warriner with contributions from former bassist Alex Conley, it finds the band in ascendancy with their second release in fifteen months having previously kept fans waiting for nine years for any recorded material. Lead guitarist Ryan Hunter and rhythm guitarist Vincent Kohut are the last men standing from the original line up, bassist Max Hiske and drummer Jayden Warriner their latest rhythm section. Mixed and mastered by Reid Paraszczynec (Wasted Heretics, Augurium, Singularity) at Lucid Distortion Audio, the record is adorned by artwork from Danya Lawton.

The band comment: “The intro riff just makes it the perfect fit for the lead spot. The sick new lyrics tell of backstabbing friends, the emotional toll it causes, and the unmasking of those backstabbers. A story most people can relate to. The ending of the song definitely is the best part, though. You have the grouped up vocals that transition right into Ryan’s solo. That solo is so masterfully clean you’ll want to just keep replaying it. You also have the rhythm behind it all, which just keeps your head bobbing along. Mix it all together and you’ve got a certifiable banger on your hands” 

The first thing that grabs you about this second stab in the dark from Pythonic is Warriner’s shrill screams which are as nasty as a low budget horror movie from the 1980’s but in a good way. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a death growl of course but it’s not all that deep, his preference being to shred your ear canals as he screeches like a lunatic awaiting asylum on opening gambit “Guiltfeeder“. A track with a sinister urge and classy bit of lead towards the end from Hunter, it’s something that has that classic Morbid Angel about it while there can be little doubt the band love a bit of Swedish Death Metal. Taking a driven Thrash direction “Conceit” is a blood and thunder affair with short bursts jack hammer footwork as Warriner decimates the ear drums with another caustic rant. Make no mistake there is plenty of finger pointing raw attitude in these tracks so you know Warriner has made a few enemies on his journey down the left hand path. His death growled part on this one is a metaphorical crowbar to the minds eye as he produces something so unexpectedly powerful that it will make your eyes water. Once again Hunter finishes the track with some sinister leads, something which works incredibly well given the blunt force trauma of the majority of the track.

There are gang chants during “Pills“, a track with a slow crush during the chorus that bursts into Death Grind frequencies during the verses with slick transitions making it very palettable indeed. This time out the solo in the final third feels a little Hair Metal inspired and is the polar opposite of the ferocity of what comes before it but that’s not a bad thing because as we all know, variety is the spice of life. A hummable dark melody introduces “Liturgy” which also has a classy spoken word before the occult ritual unfurls its wings and to be fair, summoning the devil has never sounded so good. The group vocal parts are immense, pushing the narrative perfectly and as for the main riff, it’s seriously addictive. Fists in the air and chants of “March!” breathe life into “Collateral“, an anthem of rebellion against a corrupt system based on corporate greed and politicians who would sooner receive an envelope full of cash that do something about the toxic waste being pumped into the water supply. Warriner calls for revolution as the band provide fuel for a circle pit in Melodic Death Metal with a sprinkling of melancholia… [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Guiltfeeder
2. Conceit
3. Pills
4. Liturgy
5. Collateral

“Decomposition” by Pythonic is out 19th December 2025 and is available over at bandcamp