Review: “Provoked, Unhinged” by Pieced Up

Cape Coral Florida quartet Pieced Up appeared on our radar thanks to their single “Uragiri” surpassing 30k YouTube streams in little over a month. Prior to that they’d tested the water like a 12 year old cannon balling into a swimming pool with a pair of singles in “Rat Sick” that features a guest appearance from Dickie Allen of Infant Annihilator fame and “Swing or be Swung’d” that features members of Caught Cold and Spirit Gun. So it’s safe to say that this band like to get their friends involved. Debut EP “Provoked, Unhinged” was recorded, mixed and mastered by Bodysnatcher drummer Chris Whited (Sorroweaver, Traitors) of 1776 Recordings, with instruments Re-amped by Phil Pluskota (Misery Signals, Betrayer) at Sonic Assault Studios and both of them having already proven themselves over many records to be a Wizards behind the boards.

The guests on “Provoked, Unhinged” are something of a curiosity on paper, they all have history together in the Florida Deathcore scene and the fact that they’ve all pitched in on this is something that might have only been possible due to Chris Whited’s involvement and we say might only because he’s the one person that actually connects them all together. It might have been someone else’s idea entirely. The only person who is missing from this who’s who is Tyler Shelton of Traitors. Strangely enough Slam Worldwide YouTube channel describes the band as ‘General Metal‘ on their music videos, despite all of the Deathcore guests and when the material hits, it’s easy to see why. The guitar tone hits like the heavier end of Metallic Hardcore with flavours of Kublai Khan on the introduction to destruction that is “PUFU” and while the whole thing judders and creeks like a water tower in a tornado, the heaviest aspect is the blood spitting vocal that reaches Slam ferocity before it breaks off. “Hellbone” is surprisingly reminscent of the no defunct Extortionist thanks to the swirling dark moods and violent intent of the lyrical flow, the false ending coupled with the brutal stuccato riffage is choice, a real call to the that has the urgency you need to set it off. Japanese for “A traitor, betrayer, turncoat, or backstabber“, the big pre-release single “Uragiri” is a classic finger pointer of a track with a name attached to it as the vocalists to head to head and roar their way through it like a hot knife through butter. Dropping in and out of Downtempo with consumate ease it packs a serious punch. Saving the most eyebrow raising cut until last, “Concrete Casket” brings together James Mislow, lead vocalist of King Conquer from 2009–2013 and 2014–2017 with his partner in crime Jared Smith who was also lead vocalist in the band between 2007 and 2009. If the previous cuts didn’t spit enough venom to separate flesh from bone, this one has is a classic tag team move that absolutely decimates the opposition without blinking. You’re going to want to throw yourself and your friends around to this [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. PUFU
2. Hellbone (ft. Ray Macier of Dealey Plaza)
3. Uragiri (ft. Kyle Medina of Bodysnatcher)
4. Concrete Casket (ft. James Mislow and Jared Smith of King Conquer)

“Provoked, Unhinged” by Pieced Up is out now