REVIEW: Pupil Slicer - Fleshwork

Britain’s PUPIL SLICER have been a whirlwind of underground heavy music for a number of years now, so with the release of their third LP Fleshwork they’ve really become a part of the furniture. Having already passed through searing grindcore on the outstanding debut release Mirrors, and a more conceptual melodic metalcore record with their fantastic sophomore release Blossom, it’s time to see whether an album that was meant to be the best of both worlds has really hit the nail on the head, or whether SLICER will be going back to the drawing room.

Before digging into individual tracks, let’s the record as a whole. Trying to bridge the gap between the first two LP’s is no mean feat, what with the vast scope seen between not only the premise and intent of each, but also the nearly entirely disparate sonic styles. However, Fleshwork does a remarkably good job of not only melding the two, but also advancing both in a manner that feels both meaningful and deliberate. This record sounds something akin to a CONVERGE record that has spent an awful lot of time in the presence of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, but with a more overt focus on making the listener uncomfortable within their own skin. To sum it up rather succinctly, the band commented about the themes within; “How much pain can you inflict on yourself and others before you cease to be human? There is no limit; all of the worst things to happen to the human race have been caused by its own members.”

That said, digging into the record does jar even the most prepared. Early single Heather kicks the door in on an abrasive ride that makes it to 36 minutes, and acts as the salt before the wound of Gordian takes the listener for a violent sprint into Sacrosanct. The opening trio is a razor-sharp barrage of blackened, bloody metalcore that pulls no punches and furiously romps into action. It’s particularly gratifying to hear the refreshed lineup firing on all cylinders - KATE DAVIES is as good as they have ever been, both on guitar and vocally, whilst JOSH ANDREWS and LUKE BOOTH run amok on drums and bass respectively.

The midfield trio of Innocence, Black Scrawl and Nomad don’t allow much breathing room either - on a nine track record, it’s remarkable the potency PUPIL SLICER have attained at keeping the listener’s attention even without much let up - the momentary let up on Innocence being the most notable thus far, but even that is eventually let go and sent into the void by an unholy sonic amalgam, which will doubtlessly be an incredibly cathartic moment to play live.

The final three tracks are a separate entity. The eponymous Fleshwork acts like some sort of industrial behemoth enacting grave vengeance upon an entire civilization, with a gargantuan riff leaving us entirely at the behest of the band, whilst White Noise does allow for time to survey the wreckage. Finale Cenote is an uncomfortably epic eight minutes - blending the unsettling atmospherics of NINE INCH NAILS’ most unhinged moments with black metal, post-metal, and a decent dose of that Converge-esque sound, it closes the record superbly, leaving things feeling just a half-step away from resolved in an altogether perfectly thematic manner.

Dealing with the oppression of those who are poor or queer, disabled or people of colour, Fleshwork is a grandiose work which, quite frankly, our government would do well to take heed of. Combining delicate subject matter, overpowering musical excellence, and a level of abrasion that, whilst not completely unheard, feels like a level above anything we’ve seen from the band in the context it’s provided. A powerful, poignant, and potent effort from Pupil Slicer.

Score: 9/10

Fleshwork was released on November 7th 2025 via Prosthetic Records.

Words: Jasmine Longhurst

Photos: Pupil Slicer