REVIEW: Eyesawgod - Genocide Gospel [2026]
Artist: Eyesawgod
Album: Genocide Gospel
Eyesawgod find themselves in a precarious position upon the release of their anticipated debut full length, Genocide Gospel. Emerging relatively early on in the grand scheme of the MySpace revival, the band’s early work was just that—a heavily nostalgic take on deathcore’s “greatest generation,” influenced heavily by the likes of early-career Suicide Silence, Whitechapel and Thy Art is Murder. This was at such a time in the revival that has now persisted throughout the lion’s share of the 2020s, and it’s easy to say now—in hindsight—that while it was a strong dose of nostalgic fun, it didn’t do a lot more than that (which isn’t inherently bad). But now, a couple years and a couple dozen revival acts later, there exists a growing divide between bands that simply repurpose 20 year old breakdowns and bands that strive to do a little more with their version of deathcore’s more primitive and primal sound. Enter Genocide Gospel. In a word, Eyesawgod’s debut LP is raw. Stripped down and gritty production adds heft and grit as the band move ever so slightly away from the mid-to-late 2000s in search of making a more lasting and unique impression upon the listener. Does it work? Let’s dig in and figure it out.
Eyesawgod’s instrumentation and production are carefully tethered, and they aren’t for everybody. If you’re one of those people who felt that the Count Your Blessings re-recording was necessary (intentionally distinct from good), then you probably won’t be the biggest fan of the choices made with the recording and production throughout Genocide Gospel. There is very little glitz or glam, and much much more grit and earthy density. This lends weight to the already kiloton cuts like introductory salvo “Warmonger,” and immense single “2:42 The Veil.” Here, girthy chugs dig into the listener’s head like sledgehammers while explosive and loud percussion roars underneath with the subtlety of a nuclear warhead. These moments channel just as much early-to-mid 2010s “Facebook downtempo” (bear with me here) as they do MySpace deathcore, and the change of pace is welcome. This is in sharp contrast to songs like “I’ll Show You God” and “Lacrimosa,” that see sharp riffs segue between lurid, looming breakdowns—and even if the homage to deathcore legacy acts seems a little on the nose in both examples, the point still hits home with lethal precision. With these two relative extremes defined, Eyesawgod spend most of their time between the two, blending moments of riff-driven energy with a cornucopia of devastating breakdowns. While this doesn’t really see Eyesawgod reinventing the wheel, it does see them tackling more diversity and intensity than before, tackling both more intricate and more immolating instrumentation both.
Eyesawgod match the fervor and ferocity of their musicianship with a strong vocal presence. Shrill high screams and blistering, robust bellows dominate Genocide Gospel, and in keeping with songs like “Gaza” (reimagined from their initial EP), the band lean heavier into overt political messages throughout much of the release. “Drop Safe Derelict” is an outstanding song from a vocal perspective, with outstanding energy, range and cadence absolutely stunning the listener. Likewise, “Bulletproof Broken Hearts” and “In Gethsemane” see a strong slew of screeching screams and gurgling growls alongside an immense instrumental performance. “Lacrimosa” is home to an overt nod to Oli Sykes’ Count Your Blessings-era lyricism with a tongue-in-cheek twist, and stands as probably the most overt “MySpace” tinted new track that Eyesawgod bring to Genocide Gospel, making it not only immensely fun but one of the most engaging tracks on an otherwise strong record.
So, as it stands, Genocide Gospel doesn’t completely dispel the revival roots that define Eyesawgod, but it does feature several songs and stylistic choices that see them grow beyond being just another revival-era band. With production and lyrical subject matter that likens them to King Conquer and a penchant for fun, bouncy breakdowns and grooves that wouldn’t be out of place in 2008, Genocide Gospel is a riveting debut LP that hints at a strong future for Eyesawgod as they continue to grow and evolve into their own more distinct sound and style. There are moments that veer dangerously close to “revival-slop” (a term I admonish but does get a point across), but these are increasingly few between, especially in comparison to many of the group’s peers. Admittedly, the production will alienate some—but I’d argue that it manages to avoid the common pitfall of “revival band nerfs their own production to sound nostalgic” and leans more into replicating the primal, sweaty intensity of a live performance. Some will be quick to write it off, but those who connect with it will likely find it adds to the overall experience of getting tactically nuked by the over-the-top tendencies Genocide Gospel boasts proudly.
8/10
For Fans Of: King Conquer, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Molotov Cocktail, Restricted US
By: Connor Welsh