The Danish death metal/metallic hardcore powerhouse Lifesick has roared back with Loved By None, Hated By All, a gripping, relentless work that drives home their raw perspective on life's grit. Released on November 1, 2024, via Metal Blade Records, this album is Lifesick's darkest, most unforgiving record to date, drenched in turbulent themes and brutal soundscapes that confront the listener with a pummeling intensity. Lifesick’s abrasive sound pulls from Swedish death metal with modern hardcore breakdowns, fusing into an experience that feels like being caught in a storm of anguish and defiance.
The record’s production journey was meticulous and collaborative. Engineered by Jacob Bredahl, Loved By None, Hated By All took a new direction in songwriting by inviting Bredahl to Lifesick's rehearsal space. Bredahl’s feedback and the band’s openness to refining their approach have paid off in a tighter, more dynamic sound. This effort was further bolstered by Taylor Young’s mixing and dark industrial enhancements from the noise collective John Cxnnor, who infused each track with brooding textures that magnify the album's suffocating atmosphere.
From the outset, Loved By None, Hated By All feels like an uncompromising manifesto against society's darker sides. The opener, "Death Wish," throws listeners headlong into the abyss, setting the tone for the unyielding aggression that follows. “Legacy of Misery,” the album's single, stands out as a haunting anthem of resistance and camaraderie for the outcast, featuring a gripping vocal contribution from Andreas Bjulver of Cabal. With its groove-laden riffs and rallying chorus, it’s a track that embodies Lifesick's mission to unite those who find strength in shared pain.
Tracks like “Peace Through Superior Firepower” and “Poems For My Funeral” channel the cold weight of despair into cathartic aggression, while the title track, “Loved By None,” distills the album’s thematic core, exploring feelings of isolation and betrayal. Every song brings an aural assault, but it’s the album’s overall cohesion that stands out—each track’s distinct contribution adds to the album’s layered intensity. The chilling samples and sound design by John Cxnnor enhance this cohesion, creating a dismal atmosphere that binds these songs together like chapters in a bleak, compelling novel.
The album's closing track, “Straight Jacket,” drives home the band's disdain for conformity, unfiltered and raw. Lifesick’s message is dark but feels almost comforting in its honesty, offering a voice to those familiar with life's harsher edges. While Lifesick’s sound may be too intense for some, Loved By None, Hated By All will resonate deeply with fans of unrelenting death metal and metallic hardcore. For those who find beauty in heaviness and solace in music that confronts the world’s darker realities, this album is a must-listen.
Ultimately, Loved By None, Hated By All is an unforgettable journey through life’s turmoil, told with a brutality that only Lifesick could deliver. It’s both a triumph and a lament, a testament to resilience amidst adversity.