In Oblivion

Born out of Hudson Valley's ever-evolving scene in 2018, Age of Apocalypse has proven themselves to be the next evolutionary step in bringing metallic hardcore with sung vocals to a modern era. The band is set to release their second full-length LP In Oblivion through Closed Casket Activities, due out May 23rd. The record takes everything that caught the world's attention on 2022’s Grim Wisdom and triples down on it all, showing their penchant for writing genuinely huge metallic hardcore epics without eschewing any of the frenetic energy inherent to the genre. In Oblivion was produced by Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, God's Hate) and partially recorded at The Pit. Young's work both as a musician and his clear history in playing hardcore centered around clean singing comes out in spades, as In Oblivion manages to help progress this dynamic into a new era. The record features guest appearances from Colin Young (Twitching Tongues, Holy Blade), Shaun Alexander (Demonstration of Power), and Graham Sayles (High Vis), marking the first time the band has incorporated guest vocals on a release. Singer Dylan Kaplowitz has truly come into his own as a frontman as his voice soars to operatic heights in one moment, crashing down to hellish lows in screaming the next. Opener "Mortal Coil" shows Kaplowitz standing comfortably next to what Steele, Caputo and Jenkins were doing in the 90s, while bringing his own flair and emotive ability to the forefront. The rest of the band flourishes equally, as Jack Xiques' riffs blend together everything from Stigmata, Section 8, Randy Rhoads and Paul Gilbert into a singular, thrilling sound. While many have tried and failed to bridge the gap between clean vocals and hardcore, Age of Apocalypse have taken the throne as modern masters of the sound. Having already played with the likes of Sunami, Mindforce, High Vis, Indecision, Earth Crisis and more, 2025 will prove Age of Apocalypse is here, and there's no end in sight.