Within Destruction - ANIMETAL
- Samuel Stevens
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Slovenian sonic anarchists Within Destruction have never been shy about pushing the envelope, and with their sixth studio album ANIMETAL, which will be released on April 11, 2025, via Sumerian Records, they launch headfirst into a world where anime aesthetics, brutal breakdowns, and electronic chaos collide with a refined sense of melody. As the band themselves put it, ANIMETAL is the culmination of everything they’ve been experimenting with since stepping away from pure deathcore—and it sounds exactly like that: loud, weird, confident, and completely unhinged in the best way possible.
Opening with the title track “ANIMETAL,” the band makes their mission statement clear—this is not just an album; it’s a cybernetic fever dream of destruction and self-discovery. With glitchy synths, razor-edged guitars, anime samples, and soaring choruses layered over guttural growls, the track sets the tone for what’s to come: an album that refuses to pick a lane and instead obliterates all of them.
The previously released “DEMON CHILD” and “KANASHIBARI” remain standout moments on the album. “DEMON CHILD” is a volatile mix of trap beats and slam riffs, with vocalist Rok Rupnik delivering a masterclass in dynamic intensity. “KANASHIBARI,” on the other hand, showcases the band’s flair for atmosphere, dipping into eerie ambient, trap-esque passages before slamming into breakdowns that sound like they were ripped straight from a boss fight.
But what makes ANIMETAL feel truly special is its total and complete unpredictability. The two tracks like “BITTER EMBRACE” and “SEPARATE” double down on the emotional weight, pairing heartbreak-laced lyrics with infectious clean vocal hooks that wouldn’t feel out of place in a J-rock ballad—yet never sacrifice the band's heaviness in any sort of way. Whereas the track, “CYBERGIRL,” is utterly pure chaos at its core: a futuristic love song from a dystopian virtual world, complete with a breakdown that feels like it might short-circuit your headphones, and a flourishing guitar solo to boot.
“INCOMPLETE” and “STAY 4EVER” bring an almost pop-punkish and emo energy into the album's eclectic mix, layering shimmering synths and melancholic melodies over pounding drums and detuned guitars without, once again, sacrificing their metal roots. It’s the kind of thing that might’ve seemed unthinkable on an album like DEATHWISH, but here, it feels earned—a natural extension of the band’s evolution rather than a gimmick.
The last two tracks on ANIMETAL, “TORMENT” and “A LOVE THAT SLOWLY DIED,” dig deep into lyrical vulnerability, exploring grief, emotional numbness, and existential dread with anime-inspired narratives and evocative metaphors.
There will undoubtedly be listeners who miss the pure slam brutality of Within Destruction’s early days, but for those willing to embrace their ever-morphing identity, ANIMETAL is a boundary-shattering triumph. It’s cinematic. It’s theatrical. It’s emotional. It’s absurd. And somehow, it all works.
ANIMETAL is Within Destruction’s most daring and cohesive work to date—a futuristic love letter to chaos, heartbreak, and anime tropes, wrapped in distortion and digital noise. It won’t be for everyone, but for those who get it, this is an exhilarating ride worth repeating.
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