UK heavy metal heavyweights Sylosis have released their latest track ‘Erased’, from upcoming studio album ‘The New Flesh’.
The band, formed in Reading in 2000, have thus far released 6 studio albums, with their last major output being 2024’s EP ‘The Path’. After their fourth LP, 2015’s ‘Dormant Heart’ , the band’s future was in limbo. Frontman Josh Middleton was drafted in as UK scene cohorts Architects’ new guitarist, in the wake of the tragic passing of their lead guitarist and head songwriter Tom Searle. Since leaving Architects and directing his focus back to Sylosis full time in 2023, the music from Middleton and co. has come thick and fast, always exceedingly heavy. So far this is the second single from the new album, following on from title track ‘The New Flesh’, which came out in November.
Sylosis have long been a pillar of the British metal scene, a benchmark of how complex and creative extreme music can aspire to be. Their sound tends to fall somewhere on the heavier end of thrash metal, though as time has passed they have adopted punky rhythmic elements, and their last two singles show traces of slowed-down groove akin to Pantera. With ‘Erased’, they channel this sound into a crushing 4 minutes and 6 seconds of pummeling beats, chugging guitars and anthemic vocals, building up to a sludgy, satisfying ending.
The hallmark of their sound has typically been vocalist, lead guitarist and chief songwriter Josh Middleton’s harsh screams, pounding riffs, and wailing guitar leads, coupled with the brutally precise drumming of Ali Richardson, also of Scottish band Bleed From Within fame. However, following the departure of long-time rhythm guitarist Alex Bailey last year, they underwent a reshuffle, with bassist Conor Marshall moving to rhythm guitar and touring guitarist Ben Thomas taking on permanent bass duties.
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Middleton, who as sole founding member, has typically been the creative director of the band, appears to be loosening the reins somewhat for ‘The New Flesh’. In an Instagram Q&A post with all of the band members, he expresses that it is “the most collaborative album that we’ve done” and describes the recording process as being “super fun”, with all 4 members tracking it together.
One major focus of ‘The New Flesh’ is an emphasis on taking it from the studio to the stage. In a statement published by the band’s record label, Nuclear Blast, the band wrote “The New Flesh, and the songs that will follow from the album, have been written with the live environment in mind. There is an energy running through these songs that we’ve never felt on a Sylosis album, until now. We’ll see you all in 2026.”
To that end, they will be touring Europe and the UK in support of the album. The album’s release coincides with the first British date of the tour, both falling on the 20th of February this year. They will be playing the O2 Kentish Town Forum in London on the 20th, O2 The Ritz in Manchester on the 21st, and The Academy in Dublin on the 22nd of February. ‘Erased’ is available now on streaming, with physical and digital versions of album ‘The New Flesh,’ available for preorder through Nuclear Blast’s store and the band’s own website.
