A new deathcore act from Florida, Tracheotomy bring much more to the table than a simple label description might provide. Certainly when using the term deathcore as a genre tag. What makes the fresh act really stand out is the fact that instead of sounding like the standard deathcore act that relies solely on big breakdowns and over-the-top vocals, Tracheotomy instead feel more mature and refined – leaning into more intentional fusions of hardcore, brutal death metal, and even some tech death. Something that makes Fixated Propensity for Destruction sound absolutely menacing for the short time that it sticks around for.
With a short, 5-song EP (with “Maimed” as a short, crunchy build-up to start), Tracheotomy doesn’t waste much time in delivering their opening statement. “Deliberate Dehumanization” offers much to be excited about. Frantic speeds and pounding drumbeats and some complex, tech-death riffing, a plethora of extreme vocals, and a crushing breakdown that rolls in at just the right time. There’s an urgent ferocity to the band’s sound, something that “Repercussions” really leans into. Whether it’s a pulverizing breakdown or a blistering speed run, Tracheotomy’s mixture of different sounds makes it much easier to dig into their sound. The more up-front hardcore influence on the beginning of “Endure the Plight,” makes for a marked change of dynamic when they take off into more brutal death and tech-infused elements, only to swing back around with a breakdown later. To close out the EP, “Phosgene Blood Stream” gets a more ‘epic’ beginning before the intensity explodes, offering another change of pace they could easily capitalize more on with their next release.
For a new act, there’s a lot to like about Tracheotomy if you want something brutal and destructive. Fixated Propensity for Destruction delivers all of the carnage that you’d expect from a deathcore release, but does so in a way that’s more varied and complex, revealing the band’s more diverse influences without wearing them completely on their sleeves. A promising debut for sure.