Australian technical death metallers PSYCROPTIC will release their long-awaited new full-length, The Pulse Of Annihilation, on July 17th via Metal Blade Records.
To coincide with the announcement, the band has unveiled the album’s blistering first single, “Gathering A Venomous Herd,” alongside an accompanying music video.
Watch/stream “Gathering A Venomous Herd” here:
For more than twenty years, PSYCROPTIC has remained one of technical death metal’s most respected and relentless forces, earning acclaim through unmatched precision, progressive songwriting, and a refusal to stagnate creatively. With The Pulse Of Annihilation, the Tasmanian outfit enters a bold new era as their first release under the Metal Blade banner.
At the center of the album is guitarist and primary songwriter Joe Haley, whose evolving compositional approach continues to push the band forward. While PSYCROPTIC’s trademark technical intensity remains intact, the new material emphasizes stronger thematic cohesion, sharper riff construction, and more deliberate pacing.
“The Pulse Of Annihilation is the culmination of everything that has come before,” says Haley. “We never force anything stylistically and just let the songs manifest of their own accord — maintaining progression while remaining very much PSYCROPTIC. I feel this is our most epic, thrashing, technical while grooviest release yet.”
The album once again features the dual-vocal attack of Jason Peppiatt and Jason Keyser of Origin, expanding on the collaborative dynamic first introduced on Divine Council. Peppiatt’s growls collide with Keyser’s aggression and complexity to the band’s intricate compositions.
According to Haley, lead single “Gathering A Venomous Herd” encapsulates the album’s relentless energy perfectly.
“This one’s a tricky one and total wrist splitter,” he explains. “It’s a mega non-stop riff fest.”
Bassist Todd Stern adds: “It’s a knuckle-dragger. I love when we can just cool out at this tempo. All my favorite PSYCROPTIC songs have this kind of ‘bounce’ to them that allows for just endless head-banging and leaves room for massive vocal passages.”
Produced once again by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, The Pulse Of Annihilation delivers a crushing yet articulate sonic experience, balancing razor-sharp technicality with overwhelming weight. Drummer David Haley’s surgical precision, tightly controlled guitar work, and thunderous low end ensure the album maintains both clarity and brutality throughout.
The album artwork was created by Belial Necroarts, known for work with Gaerea and In Aeternum.
The Pulse Of Annihilation will be released on digipak CD, digital formats, and multiple vinyl variants including:
- World Ablaze (Tiger’s Eye) – US
- Sleepy Hollow (Radioactive Dust) – US
- 180g Black – EU (Limited to 500)
- Barren Waste (Swamp Green Gold Melt) – EU (Limited to 250)
- Fires Of Time (Gold Black Splatter) – EU (Limited to 250)
The Pulse Of Annihilation Track Listing
- Ashes Of A New Dawn
- Gathering A Venomous Herd
- A Sword Of Me
- No Time For The Weak
- Our Pillars Fall
- Annihilation Pulse
- No Blade Of Grass
- To Embrace This Curse
- Forging The Crown
In support of the release, PSYCROPTIC will tour Australia alongside Rivers of Nihil with support from Growth and Slaughtercult before heading to Japan for a series of shows with Rivers Of Nihil and The Zenith Passage.
PSYCROPTIC lineup:
- David Haley – drums
- Joe Haley – guitars
- Todd Stern – bass
- Jason Peppiatt – vocals
- Jason Keyser – vocals