On July 29, the multi-national band Punished will release their debut EP, The Absent, and today we bring you the premiere of the EP’s title track.

Though the name Punished may be a new one to you, the band’s line-up includes former Ulcerate vocalist Ben Read as well as Serocs guitarist Antonio Freyre, plus guitarist/bassist Aldo Mora and drummer Ignacio Rizo. In addition, the EP includes guest vocals by Josh Smith (Serocs), Antti Boman (Demilich), Phil Tougas (Chthe’ilist/First Fragment), and our very own NCS comrade Austin Weber (whose vocal turn appears near the end of the song you’re about to hear).



L-R: Antonio Freyre, Ben Read, Ignacio Rizo, Aldo Antonino Mora

The title track is brutal, technical, inventive, and unpredictable — a bombastic and brain-twisting death metal thrill ride guaranteed to get your pulse pounding. The thundering drums provide the song’s turbocharged propulsion, accompanied by bounding bass notes, and against that spine-shaking rhythm section the guitarists maniacally dish out a kaleidoscopic panorama of dissonant, disorienting riffs and leads. The vocals are as inflamed and as dynamic as the instrumental acrobatics, ranging from deep bestial growls to ravenous howls and skin-splitting shrieks.

At one point, the song changes without warning into something gliding and almost dreamlike, but it’s a brief diversion, long enough to catch a breath before the band resume their head-spinning roller-coaster ride. “The Absent” is so full of crazed instrumental twists and turns that you may not realize until the song is over that it has infected you with strains of melody, which continue running through your head after the track ends.

The Absent was reamped and mixed by Ryan Harvey. It will be released by the band on July 29 through Bandcamp, and a full stream will be premiered next week. For more info, follow this page:

https://www.facebook.com/punishedmx/