heavy-metal-darkness: Pile Of Knives | Driven By The Blade

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Pile Of Knives | Driven By The Blade | Been There Scene That Records

Release Date: October 31^st, 2025

Format: Digital/CD

Genre: Death Metal

Country: United States

Eastern Pennsylvania has its own storms, and Pile Of Knives is one of them. The band rose from the Pocono Mountains after its core members, Chett Kolakoski, Lee Messerschmidt and Dylan “Pickle” Jaludi, reunited years after their run in Existence. What started as casual playing turned into a complete rebirth. With Jay Stromeyer taking over bass and Bryan Martinez joining on vocals, the band began forging its identity with a mix of brutal death metal, slam and beatdown intensity. Their first EP, “No Light”, arrived in 2024 and immediately put them on the radar of listeners who enjoy heavy, groove-loaded brutality. The new EP, “Driven By The Blade”, continues that course. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by Shaun Werle, with drums tracked at Soundmine Recording Studio. The visual side comes from Giancarlo Bruno, and lyric videos were made by Jon Lievano. “Kukri” includes guest appearances by Anthony Bacola on acoustic guitar and Ben Karas on violin, small touches that add character to the chaos without softening it.

“Driven By The Blade” pushes the band in a harder direction. Pile Of Knives works with straightforward violence, strong rhythm movements, and an energy that goes straight for the skull. The sound borrows from the brutal stomp of Skinless and Internal Bleeding, the twisted aggression of Dying Fetus and Origin, and the street-level ferocity of Crawlspace or Shattered Realm. They rely on thick riffs, sudden drops, filthy turns, and a vocal attack that lands raw and hostile, matching Martinez’s horror-leaning themes.

The EP moves with focused pressure. The guitars fire in steady waves, chunky and hostile, while the drums keep everything locked in a punishing march. There is no hesitation in the delivery. Every section strikes with direct force, switching from stomping patterns to faster assaults with no wasted motion. The production stays heavy and earthy, never polished, which suits the band’s approach. The bass rumbles under it all, giving the material extra punch. The guest touches on “Kukri” act like unexpected accents, more like fresh scars than soft moments, and the shift strengthens the EP instead of derailing it.

“Driven By The Blade” lands as a confident step from a band still early in its run but already sure of its direction. It is straightforward, violent, and built for loud volume. Fans of crushing grooves and no-nonsense death metal will find plenty to grab onto. It avoids atmospheric storytelling and complicated structures. It hits hard, keeps hitting, and stops the moment the job is done. That direct nature is its advantage.

Score: 7.0