Profane Usurpation

Welcome Tokyo-based KRUELTY to Closed Casket Activities. Their new 12” EP, Profane Usurpation, out November 22, takes their formative mission further: across “Absolute Terror,” “Profane Usurpation,” “Bloodless Mankind,” and “No Fear of Judgement,” nails a very specific genre chemistry. Says Zuma: “Death metal, grindcore, hardcore, and punk, all existing in one record, is an ideal form for any old school, heavy music fans.” Their primary influences include Finnish death metal, from Rippikoulu to Purtenance and Convulse. Heavy and mosh-y ‘90s hardcore acts from the U.S. and Japan — like All Out War, Next Step Up, No Retreat, and Dyingrace — are also reflected in Zuma’s songwriting. For Profane Usurpation, KRUELTY augmented their core sound with more grindcore and crust punk, with punk riffs and blast beats evoking the L.A. grindcore heroes Excruciating Terror. Aggressive music leader Taylor Young — who’d worked with them since their debut record, 2020’s A Dying Truth — produced Profane Usurpation; the band recorded the album between Los Angeles and Tokyo. After a two-album stint on Profound Lore — and a touring schedule bringing them to the United States (with Dying Fetus), Europe, Asia, and Australia (with Gatecreeper) — KRUELTY now strike back with this profound four-song statement.