REVIEW: Sylosis - The New Flesh
- Kelly Gowe
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
There are heavy bands, and then there is SYLOSIS. For nearly two decades, JOSH MIDDLETON’s riff machine has been operating at a level most bands do not even attempt to reach. After 2023’s A Sign Of Things To Come reminded everyone exactly why they matter, SYLOSIS are now gearing up to drop their seventh studio album, The New Flesh. If the title track cracked the sky open last year, new single Erased kicks the door clean off its hinges.
Let’s start there. Erased feels urgent in a way that only deadline pressure can produce. The band have said, “Erased was one of the last songs to be written for the album. As we were approaching the deadline to get everything submitted there was a pressure there that really helped shape this song into something special.” You can hear that tension baked into the riffs. It is tight, coiled, and constantly threatening to spill over. When the chorus hits, it is massive without feeling forced. It is one of those moments that will absolutely detonate live, especially with the UK and European run culminating at O2 Kentish Town Forum. What makes Erased stand out is how naturally it balances precision and power. The main riffing has that unmistakable SYLOSIS bite, technical but never indulgent. The middle section, which the band call “one of our favourite middle eight sections that we've ever put together,” genuinely earns that confidence. It shifts gears without killing momentum, adding texture rather than just piling on weight.
If Erased is anything to go by, The New Flesh is shaping up to be a serious statement. The record opens with Beneath The Surface, which wastes no time getting straight into punishing grooves and rapid fire aggression. Across the tracklist, titles like All Glory, No Valour, Spared From The Guillotine, and Circle Of Swords hint at themes of conflict and consequence, while closer Seeds In The River promises something more expansive and cinematic.
What sets SYLOSIS apart in 2026 is that they do not just rely on brutality. Yes, the riffs are destructive. Yes, the drumming is relentless. But there is melody threaded through it all, and a level of song writing maturity that keeps things from becoming one dimensional. The press notes describe the album as “brutality and catchiness in perfect symbiosis,” and that feels accurate. Hooks are embedded inside the chaos, not awkwardly bolted on top. There is also a sense of momentum behind this release that cannot be ignored. A full UK and European headline tour alongside REVOCATION, DISTANT, and LIFE CYCLES, followed by a North American run with BLEED FROM WITHIN and GREAT AMERICAN GHOST, signals a band operating at full throttle. These are not small rooms, and these are not small line ups. SYLOSIS are stepping into 2026 with serious intent.
If there is any critique to level at this stage, it is more of a challenge than a flaw. SYLOSIS have set their own bar dangerously high. When you are this consistent, the expectation is constant evolution. From what we have heard so far, The New Flesh sounds harder and sharper than its predecessor, but the full picture will depend on how deeply the album explores the dynamics hinted at in Erased. Right now though, it feels like SYLOSIS are not just maintaining their legacy but actively reinforcing it. The New Flesh has all the makings of a record that will dominate setlists and year end lists alike. If you want skull rattling, technically sharp, emotionally charged modern metal that refuses to water itself down, this is it.
Score: 9/10
The New Flesh will be released on 20th February via Nuclear Blast Records.
Words: Kelly Gowe
Photos: Jake Owens
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