It took not even 24 hours for 2025 to turn into a violent, emotional grind. We barely made it out of the starting gates before carnage sprouted again, misinformation was spread, lies by soon-to-be leaders were spewed. Fucking America. That wasn’t limited to the United States, but that’s where we are, so it’s front of mind.

Long-time Cincinnati death metal power FaithxTractor certainly wasn’t reacting to those specific events on their fifth album “Loathing & the Noose,” but the tracks were a product of anger, grief, rage, and misery. It might not point to any particular event or ethos, but it does mine those same emotions and channel them into almost 38 minutes of power. Multi-instrumentalist Ash Thomas (who has a massive resume with other bands such as Crucified Mortals, Acheron, Apaugasma, Estuary) and drummer Zdenko Prado (also of Estuary) destroy the senses early and often, taking each song to its obvious extreme necessary to shed infected blood.

“Noose of Being” opens with melodic riffs, the pace viciously ripping, howls striking as a gnarly pace sinks in its teeth. The growls are deep and acidic, the fiery pace attempts to consume bodies whole, and the soloing burns and ends everything in ashes. “The Loathing” is savage as it combusts, fast and fiery as the leads increase the heat. The playing, while violent, also is a rush of color, your extremities left tingling as the war machine gears up for a final battering. “Fever Dream Litanies” trudges, the drums battering without mercy, a death fury achieved as the guitars begin to breathe fire. Howls lather as the pace quickens again, the speed and ferocity bowing out in strange vibes. “Flooded Tombs” ignites, growls retching, driving through a start/stop attack that increases the misery. Dark energy explodes as the guitars take up blades, hammering out into madness.

“Ethos Moribund” winds through shadows, finger-taped guitars getting blood flowing, snaking through blood, eventually crushing bone and wills. Raw howls reach out through tornadic heat, the leads add to the temperature, and everything comes to a vicious end. “Caveats” begins with whispers circling as piano notes drip, then we’re off in full gallop, the growls marring the senses. The guitars glow and gut while the drums blast anew, pointed wails getting iced over by freezing keys. “Beholden to the Nightmare” goes for the throat, the guitars taking on the burden, growls burying dreams in synth glow. The power punches as things turn ashen and dark, the growls pummeling to an abrupt end. “Cerecloth Vision Veil” closes the record, entering amid steam and slow-driving muck, building intensity as the guitars spiral into oblivion. The playing lathers as the mood grows eerie and icy, the playing punches, and a sense of sorrow permeates as the last gasps fade away.

A record full of rage is something that might hit the spot for many listeners as we enter into 2025, and FaithxTractor have more than enough to scratch that miserable itch every time. “Loathing & the Noose” wastes no time taking care of business as its eight songs rip by in no time, landing with explosive power with every listen. This is death metal that’s here to lay waste and express fury through grief, something that can find a landing spot with almost everyone. 

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Faithxtractor

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.us/?product_cat=&s=reda209&post_type=product

Or here (Europe): https://redefiningdarkness.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/