Sometimes (most times) I feel riddled with imposter syndrome. I love music and have been listening to it as long as I can remember, however, writing about music is a new venture and challenge for me. Am I making the correct comparisons? Am I accurately describing and delineating the sounds I’m hearing? Am I full of shit and will people find out I’ve actually been faking it all along? I know, I know – it seems a bit extreme. But when presented with the newest release from one of the preeminent bands in heavy music today – a band whose output rivals all other acts in heavy music both in quantity AND quality – it’s easy to feel unqualified to describe what a true masterpiece Coagulated Bliss is. Challenging, chaotic, dissonant, emotive, daring. These are a few of the adjectives that are the canvas upon which we will flesh out the totality of this spectacular release from the Ocean City, MD group.
Full of Hell has carved a path for themselves in that they are expected to be unexpected. Yes, at their center is a love letter to grind and blackened core but this is only the mere foundation upon which they build a formidable and unscalable structure. Coagulated Bliss continues that path and on its way seems to strip back in an almost rawer way what Full of Hell is most known for in recent years.
Case in point is the 1-2-3 pinfall count consisting of “Half Life of Changelings”, “Doors to Mental Agony”, and “Transmuting Chemical Burns” to start the album. It is the contunation of a consistency to stay true to grind, blackened hardcore, powerviolence, and d-beat. Somehow, within this familiarity, is a sense of innovation. And then, “Fractured Bonds to Mecca” begins. The song’s intro begins with a drum machine pattern that is absolutely a tip of the cap to Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer”. The pounding continues as the song dives into the murky, muddy deep end and threatens to pull you in by the throat.
The title track, “Coagulated Bliss” is a prime example of opposition to “Fractured Bonds to Mecca” with a repeating verse riff that would’ve felt right at home on Hot Damn! era ETID. The song itself simply drives forward with foot planted firmly to the floor. In the hands of lesser bands this song would seem formulaic but Full of Hell imbue it with a frenetic auditory violence that most surely will lead to physical violence when heard live.
“Bleeding Horizon” serves as a rest stop upon this maniacal journey as it’s placed dead center in the album. That isn’t to say you will be able to relax during it as the song is a droning, cascading dirge while lyrically promising that your bleak future is guaranteed. Dylan sounds even more discontent and angered:
Nothing to strive for
Nothing to be
Not much left to hold onto
Existential thief
As somberly as “Bleeding Horizon” ends with clean guitar tones flourishing a thoughtful chord, a 3 count on the drum sticks kickstarts the punishment and it continues for the duration of Coagulated Bliss as Full of Hell ceases to relent. Calling upon Ross Dolan of Immolation, a tour de force in death metal is demonstrated in 69 seconds with “Gasping Death” – the brevity being another of the previously seen threads Full of Hell weaves into their chaos tapestry.
In what is my favorite collab track of the year, Jacob Bannon assists with guest tortured screams on album closer, “Malformed Ligature”. Humbly observing, this might be the closest we’ve gotten to Converge of Hell or Full of Converge as this song is a rollercoaster of emotions; a budding, excitable intro slams into a chaotic verse at home on You Fail Me devolves into a hypnotic bridge/outro ending with…is that a saxophone? I’m not sure how or when brass and woodwind instruments started making their way into grind and grind adjacent bands, but I am fucking here for it.
Full of Hell has always struck me as one of those bands that people find difficult to grasp onto. I consider that a testament to their longevity; not in a gatekeeping, cringey way but in the sense that they’ve stayed true to what makes them who they are as a band. I would never claim that this album is any less challenging or captivatingly crushing, but Coagulated Bliss feels welcoming in a way. It is also very cohesive and even in its short run time presents a nuanced demonstration of heavy music. After 30+ releases, Full of Hell feels as though they have just begun and have more to say. Let’s enjoy the fucking ride.
- Fav song: “Malformed Ligature”
FFO: grindcore, Old Bay, chaos, blackened hardcore, powerviolence, boardwalks, bloody lips, d-beat
Follow this fucking link to listen and while you’re there, fucking buy something from the band:
Windmills, Spinkicks, Headbangs, Push Pits 
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