Psycroptic have been a cornerstone in the tech death scene since the turn of the century. Their 2003 classic, The Scepter of the Ancients, is a legendary record that helped define the genre.1 Since then, these Tasmanian devils have churned out seven albums of inventive tech death, setting a standard that few have matched and even fewer have surpassed. 2015’s self-titled release marked the point at which Psycroptic truly settled into their modern form. And although Kronos’ review of follow-up As the Kingdom Drowns found it to be the stronger record, I’ve always had a soft spot for the self-titled effort. 2023’s Divine Council, on the other hand, was a record that proved to be comparatively modest. Enter The Pulse of Annihilation, the group’s ninth record.2 With Kronos relinquishing his tenured stewardship of the quintet’s output, he now passes the scepter to me.
From the flashy, virtuosic riffage of Joe Haley’s guitar work, to brother David Haley’s impossibly precise drumming and Jason Peppiatt’s steadfast bark, every element on The Pulse of Annihilation is undeniably Psycroptic. The caravanning acoustic passages that helped define the group’s self-titled record resurface again on “A Sword of Me” and “Our Pillars Fall,” providing moments of calm before torrents of syncopated riffing and lightning-fast scales slam the accelerator to the floor. “To Embrace This Curse,” “Annihilation Pulse” and “Gathering a Venomous Herd” remove subtlety altogether, immediately launching into frenetic picking and turbocharged double bass patterns that aim to tear your face off and succeed in spades. Returning from Divine Council is the twin vocal attack of Peppiatt and Jason Keyser (Origin), who once again split the record’s roars and growls. Fortunately, the dramatic clean belting that occasionally felt forced on prior records has been dialed back, allowing the vocals to sit more naturally within the material, even if they remain far from The Pulse of Annihilation’s main attraction.
Psycroptic have always placed their trust in Joe Haley’s inhuman ability to write some of the most badass riffs on the planet, and The Pulse of Annihilation is no exception. His fretwork twists and turns through cuts like “Foraging the Crown,” “No Blade of Grass,” and “To Embrace This Curse,” darting in multiple directions at once while locking into his brother’s rhythmic prowess. And just when the material threatens to disappear into a maze of technicality, Haley reels it back with a steady stream of memorable, hook-laden phrasing. “Gathering a Venomous Herd” is a legit Song O’ the Year candidate thanks to the guitar work alone, giving bands like Gorod a run for their money. Its serpentine passages, mechanical bends, squeals, and hammering scales unfold with surgical precision, creating a labyrinth of thrashy Revocation-esque shredding that never gets old. Likewise, the rhythmic pummel of “To Embrace This Curse” is impossible to ignore, as Haley unleashes a barrage of intricately woven guitar patterns that pound your ears to dust with sheer groove.
But the real secret sauce to The Pulse of Annihilation is its consistency. In fact, this is one of Psycroptic’s most consistently entertaining records of their modern era. While still operating within relatively traditional song structures, the material on The Pulse of Annihilation feels leaner, more urgent, and more energized than much of Psycroptic’s recent output. Transitions feel smoother, and the arrangements flow more naturally rather than being stitched together. It’s as if they stripped their sound back to its essentials, allowing their chemistry to guide the songwriting rather than getting lost in excess. That said, not every track hits with quite the same force. Mid-album cuts like “Our Pillars Fall” and “No Time for the Weak” don’t quite hit as hard as The Pulse of Annihilation’s stronger tracks, but they’re far from filler. Both songs still showcase noticeably sharper pacing and construction than much of Divine Council, and there’s more than enough creativity on display to carry you through to the title track “Annihilation Pulse.”
If Divine Council left you wondering whether Psycroptic were beginning to plateau, The Pulse of Annihilation puts those concerns to rest. By tightening their songwriting and focusing on groove without sacrificing their trademark technicality, Psycroptic have crafted one of the most rewarding releases of its modern era. After more than two decades in the game, The Pulse of Annihilation proves that these Tasmanians have plenty left in the tank and they’re showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade
Websites: psycroptic.bandcamp.com | psycroptic.com | facebook.com/psycroptic
Releases Worldwide: July 17th, 2026
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