Maryland’s grindcore band Full of Hell are set to release their new 10” EP, Broken Sword, Rotten Shield, on May 16, 2025, through Closed Casket Activities. The seven-track effort, produced by Kevin Bernsten (Misery Index, Pig Destroyer) at Developing Nations, is a blistering meditation on love, loss, and grief, wrapped in a fantasy-tinged narrative of dog knights and noble quests. The lead single, “Knight’s Oath,” is streaming now with a music video directed by Sam DiGristine and Patrick Costello. Pre-order the EP, available in multiple vinyl variants, at fullofhell.com or closedcasketactivities.com.
Following the acclaim of 2024’s Coagulated Bliss—named Decibel Magazine’s best grindcore record of the year—Broken Sword, Rotten Shield balances Full of Hell’s signature suffocating heaviness with bleak melodies and reflective moments. Vocalist Dylan Walker describes “Knight’s Oath” as capturing “absolute dedication to your charge, be it a person or tenet, and the ignominy of sudden defeat,” serving as a metaphor for the grief of losing animal companions. The video’s surreal tale of anthropomorphic warriors underscores the EP’s themes of honor and sorrow.
Tracklist:
- Broken Sword, Rotten Shield
- From Dog’s Mouth, A Blessing
- Corpselight
- Lament of All Things
- Mirrorhelm
- Knight’s Oath
- To Ruin and the World’s Ending
The EP arrives just before Full of Hell’s North American co-headlining tour with Harm’s Way, featuring Kruelty, Jarhead Fertilizer, and Clique, including stops at Bowery Ballroom (NYC, June 2) and Amityville Music Hall (June 4). Tour dates are listed at fullofhell.com. Stream “Knight’s Oath,” pre-order now, and brace for impact!