Youthful deathgrind practitioners Knoll crashed onto the metal scene’s radar last year with a pair of excellent releases—their debut LP Interstice and a split with fellow Memphis sludge outfit Autolith—in 2021 but their momentum didn’t halt there. In between two lengthy US tours, Knoll found the time to record their second LP, Metempiric. The album builds on everything established on Interstice and undoubtedly confirms the sextet as a must-watch force in extreme metal, starting with new single “Felled Plume.”
As the second song on Metempiric, “Felled Plume” helps set the tone for the record in a flurry of spastic, technical, noisy deathgrind. At the 45 second mark, Knoll slow things to a crawl only to give the listener sonic whiplash when they shift gears back to full speed. Vocalist James Eubanks is on fire throughout, jumping between a piercing shriek and low guttural roar. The fuzzy video that accompanies “Felled Plume” complements the song and further underscores that visual aesthetic that Knoll have laid out.
“’Felled Plume’ is equal parts a lament of epiphany and a lapse in the illusion of guidance,” Eubanks tells Decibel. “It is the first piece released off of Metempiric and a continuation of visual woes with our friend Frank Huang.”
Metempiric is confirmed for independent release on June 24. Find pre-orders and more via Knoll’s webstore.
