For nearly two decades, Whitechapel has been a dominant force in deathcore and extreme metal, continually pushing their sound into darker, heavier, and more experimental territories. With their ninth full-length album, Hymns in Dissonance, set for release on March 7, 2025, via Metal Blade Records, the Tennessee heavyweights strip away any lingering melody from past releases and dive headfirst into pure, relentless brutality. Described by guitarist Alex Wade as their "heaviest album to date," Hymns in Dissonance is a concept-driven assault that revisits the merciless intensity of their early years while forging new depths of sonic malevolence.
Thematically, Hymns in Dissonance crafts a twisted narrative centered on a cult leader gathering followers to enact a ritual of destruction. Vocalist Phil Bozeman’s storytelling has always been a crucial element of Whitechapel’s evolution, and here, he weaves a macabre tale of corruption, violence, and apocalyptic devotion. The album’s title plays into the concept perfectly—hymns traditionally evoke harmony and peace, but these tracks revel in dissonance and chaos, representing the seven deadly sins through a progressively sinister journey.
Sonically, Hymns in Dissonance is a towering monolith of aggression. While the band’s past two records, The Valley (2019) and Kin (2021), leaned into atmospheric and melodic elements, this album dials back the introspection in favor of sheer, unrelenting force. The guitar work from Wade, Ben Savage, and Zach Householder is some of the most ferocious of Whitechapel’s career, utilizing deep, grinding riffs and unsettling progressions. Bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Brandon Zackey provide a punishing rhythm section, with Zackey's relentless blast beats and surgical precision adding another layer of intensity.
The album opener, "Prisoner 666," immediately sets the tone with an ominous introduction that erupts into a crushing display of Whitechapel’s signature sound. Echoing the ferocity of This Is Exile (2008), the track seamlessly blends groove-laden chugging with frantic tremolo-picked passages. "Hymns in Dissonance," the title track, follows with a disorienting mix of chaotic riffing and Bozeman’s guttural roars, painting a vivid picture of the cult’s indoctrination.
One of the album’s standout moments, "A Visceral Retch," channels pure death metal energy, incorporating Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffs and gruesome lyrical imagery that perfectly encapsulates the sin of gluttony. Elsewhere, "Diabolic Slumber" leans into blackened death metal influences, shifting tempos unpredictably while evoking a sense of eerie stillness before descending into pure auditory hell.
Instrumental interlude "Ex Infernis" serves as a haunting transition, preparing the listener for the album’s final descent into madness. The latter half of the record only intensifies, with "Hate Cult Ritual" harkening back to Whitechapel’s earliest work, utilizing Drop A tuning to amplify its bone-crushing weight, and with a guitar solo to boot. The closing track, "Nothing is Coming for Any of Us," is an unrelenting finale, shifting into lower tunings and suffocating atmospherics, leaving listeners with an overwhelming sense of impending doom.
Phil Bozeman once again proves why he is one of the most formidable vocalists in metal. His performance on Hymns in Dissonance is nothing short of monstrous, from his signature deep growls to an expanded range of high-pitched shrieks and mid-range roars. The album’s narrative allows Bozeman to explore different vocal deliveries, embodying both the cult leader and his followers with distinct tones. He describes the recording process as “a new-age feel to a classic sound,” refining his techniques while embracing the raw aggression that defined Whitechapel’s earliest works.
For the first time, Whitechapel opted to produce the album entirely in-house, with Householder taking the lead. Having closely studied longtime collaborator Mark Lewis over the years, Householder steps up to deliver a polished yet savage production. The mix is intentionally suffocating, ensuring that every note hits with maximum impact. Guitar tones are thick and unrelenting, drums are razor-sharp, and the low-end frequencies hit like a sledgehammer. The decision to shift down to Drop F tuning for select breakdowns adds an extra layer of crushing heaviness, solidifying Hymns in Dissonance as one of the band’s most physically punishing releases.
With Hymns in Dissonance, Whitechapel reasserts their dominance in the extreme metal scene. The album is a relentless exercise in brutality, conceptually rich and musically devastating. Longtime fans will appreciate the nods to their deathcore roots, while newcomers will be drawn in by the sheer force of their sound as a whole. While Kin and The Valley showcased the band’s ability to evolve, Hymns in Dissonance proves that Whitechapel can return to their most vicious form without sacrificing depth or storytelling.
For those who have been yearning for a Whitechapel album that captures the sheer savagery of their early days while refining their craft to new levels of sonic violence, Hymns in Dissonance is a dream—or rather, a nightmare—come true.
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