After a 23-year hiatus, Dripping, the New Jersey experimental slam/brutal death metal band, return with Archaic Scriptures of Epistemology, released on May 9, 2025, via Maggot Stomp. This five-track EP, clocking in at a dense yet fleeting 20-odd minutes, is a triumphant resurrection of the band’s signature blend of chaotic brutality, cosmic weirdness, and genre-defying ambition. Featuring an all-star lineup and guest appearances from heavyweights like Devin Swank of Sanguisugabogg, this release not only lives up to the band’s cult legacy but stands as one of their finest works, a testament to their enduring relevance in the underground.
From the opening notes of “Echoes of Interdimensional Planetary Disturbance,” Dripping plunges listeners into a vortex of unrelenting aggression and psychedelic disorientation. The track’s hurricane-force blast beats, courtesy of drummer Will Hanson, collide with Sebastian Russo and Ed Morris’s dissonant, razor-sharp riffs, while Don Campan’s guttural roars and eerie wails evoke a sense of interstellar dread. The band’s hallmark use of bizarre samples—think warped ambient drones and fleeting snippets of cosmic noise—creates an unsettling atmosphere, as if the music is broadcasting from a derelict spaceship. It’s a fitting reintroduction to Dripping’s “New Jersey drug metal” ethos, where technical precision meets drug-fueled surrealism.
The standout track, “Catastrophic Celestial Amputee,” featuring Devin Swank, is a masterclass in controlled chaos. Swank’s visceral vocal delivery complements Campan’s low-end growls, while the song’s slamming breakdowns hit with the force of a collapsing star. The guitars weave intricate, almost progressive patterns before erupting into bone-crushing riffs, showcasing the band’s ability to balance technicality with raw heaviness. The alternative mix of this track, included as the EP’s closer, leans harder into atmospheric elements, with a muddier production that amplifies its otherworldly vibe—a nod to fans who crave Dripping’s experimental edge.
“Passing Through the Spheres of Abstract Thought” and “Reflecting Identities,” both featuring live contributions from Diego Sanchez and Clayton Mead in Los Angeles, capture the band’s raw energy in a live setting. These reimagined versions of earlier material (echoing their 2002 debut, Disintegration of Thought Patterns During a Synthetic Mind Traveling Bliss) retain the original’s frenetic pace but benefit from modern production. Recorded and mixed by Derek Roddy in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and mastered by Sam Cesnak at The Infernal Crypt, the EP boasts a crisp yet punishing sound. The bass, handled by Julian Guillen, rumbles with tectonic force, particularly in the staccato slams of “Reflecting Identities,” where the drums’ bass-boosted thump recalls the band’s early influence from rap’s low-end obsession.
What sets Archaic Scriptures of Epistemology apart is its refusal to conform to brutal death metal’s often predictable formula. Dripping‘s experimental streak—evident in their use of bizarre samples, progressive song structures, and thematic fixation on space travel and existential horror—feels as fresh today as it did in 2002. Tracks like “Echoes” and “Spheres” incorporate ambient interludes and melodic fragments that evoke Demilich or Lykathea Aflame, yet the band’s penchant for sudden, jarring slams keeps the listener on edge. This unpredictability, paired with the EP’s concise runtime, ensures it never overstays its welcome, though some may lament its brevity.
If there’s a flaw, it’s that the EP’s ambitious scope leaves you craving more. At just five tracks, it feels like a tantalizing glimpse of what this revitalized lineup could achieve on a full-length. The production, while powerful, occasionally buries the vocals in the mix, particularly in the live tracks, where the intensity of the instrumentation overshadows Campan’s nuanced delivery. Still, these are minor quibbles in an otherwise stellar release.
Archaic Scriptures of Epistemology is a love letter to Dripping‘s dedicated fanbase, who’ve waited over two decades for new material, and a bold statement for newcomers. The band’s gratitude to fans, family, and past members shines through in the EP’s passionate execution, while their nod to Chris Canella at Dean Guitars underscores the community that’s kept their flame alive. For fans of experimental slam and brutal death metal—think Cephalotripsy, Abominable Putridity, or even the avant-garde leanings of Portal—this is essential listening. Dripping has not only returned but reclaimed their throne as purveyors of the weird, the heavy, and the unapologetically chaotic.
Rating: 8.5/10
Key Tracks: “Catastrophic Celestial Amputee” and “Echoes of Interdimensional Planetary Disturbance”
For Fans Of: Sanguisugabogg, Demilich, Cephalotripsy, Portal
Stream It: dripping3.bandcamp.com/album/archaic-scriptures-of-epistemology
Follow: @drippingnj