heavy-metal-darkness: Pyrexia | Unholy

Saturday, October 18, 2025

Pyrexia | Unholy | Time To Kill Records

Release Date: August 28th, 2025

Format: CD/Digital

Genre: Death Metal

Country: USA

When you talk about American death metal, especially the New York breed, Pyrexia’s name is carved deep into its history. Formed back in the early 90s, they came up alongside the brutal wave that produced Suffocation and Internal Bleeding. Their sound was never about subtlety, but about raw, physical impact. After several releases that built their underground reputation, “Unholy” arrives as a re-recorded and refined version of their 2018 album “Unholy Requiem,” this time through Italy’s Time To Kill Records, bringing the album to listeners worldwide with a sharper attack and heavier presence.

“Unholy” wastes no time proving what Pyrexia is all about. Relentless death metal built on massive riffs and merciless drumming. It’s pure assault all the way through, packed with low-end crunch and pit-ready intensity. The sound is heavier, clearer, and more crushing than its earlier incarnation. Chris Basile’s guitar tone grinds with industrial precision, while Matt Johnson’s drumming keeps the whole structure locked into a war rhythm.

Guest appearances strengthen the album’s impact. Ron Kachnic from Malignancy adds extra aggression on “Unholy Requiem,” Devin Swank from Sanguisugabogg adds guttural firepower on “Wrath,” and Doug Cerrito (Suffocation, Hate Eternal) brings that old-school pedigree to “The Anointed.” These appearances feel natural, like old comrades returning to the battlefield, reinforcing Pyrexia’s roots in death metal’s brutal lineage.

Vocally, Jim Beach keeps things on the edge of human endurance, growling through lyrics that dive into the darker ends of biblical imagery and human corruption. There’s no search for melody, no theatrical detours, just pure, direct aggression. The bass tone from Shaun Kennedy has a thick, metallic pulse beneath everything, and the production finally gives the band the ferocious sound they’ve always deserved.

“Unholy” runs just under half an hour, and in that time, Pyrexia delivers exactly what their legacy demands. Fast, heavy, and merciless death metal. There’s no filler or fancy tricks, only seasoned brutality from musicians who know their craft. It’s a modern presentation of the classic New York sound, violent, precise, and raw enough to make your speakers bleed.

Score: 8.0