UNDER AEGIS is a phenomenal Progressive Djent Metal band who kick ass and take no prisoners. Their brutal sound – forged from explosive guitars, buzzsaw bass lines, speaker-blowing drums and fierce vocals – is a full-frontal assault on the ears, while their provocative lyrics call out societal evil, hypocrisy and bullshit. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based foursome released their monumental EP [Extinct] in 2016, followed by the scathing single “Sedated” in August 2017, both of which I reviewed on this blog. They’ve now dropped a brand new single “Point Blank,” delivering more of their signature face-melting metalcore we’ve come to expect.

Photos by Luke Steffens

Along with their new single, UNDER AEGIS also has a charismatic new vocalist Carl Martin (who also mixed the track).  He sounds amazing whether he’s aggressively singing and rapping in clean vocals or ferociously screaming guttural metalcore. Rounding out the band lineup are the talented original members Bao Vo on guitar, and brothers Avery Gaitens on bass and Parker Gaitens on drums.

The powerful track is brutal yet melodic, with relentless wailing riffs and Avery’s bone-crushing bass providing a fitting backdrop for Carl’s furious vocals. Through it all, we hear Bao’s eerily beautiful recurring guitar riff that seems to rise out of the maelstrom, while Parker pummels his drum kit with all the strength he can muster. The three minute fifteen second long track leaves us drained but still wanting more. It’s awesome.

My take on the song’s meaning is that we’re all brain-dead and living a hopeless existence in a dystopian society fed a steady diet of pernicious misinformation and thought-control. Carl snarls and growls the bleak lyrics:

The only plan that will meet our demand is when we don’t exist.
Our lives are staged, stuck in a cage.
Projecting conscience in our brains.
When will you begin to conceive it as fake? Everyone is the enemy.
Point blank to the side of our head
they pull the trigger but they didn’t know we’re already dead.
Sweet dreams when they fill us with lead
I’d rather die alone than live with regret.
No life is the ultimatum when you follow in the trail of misinformation.
Every opportunity becomes an altercation, but according to the facts on foreign relations,
It’s inevitable that we can’t change the way the world sways upon the main stage,
and they don’t really give a fuck what we say
they can have the world and we’ll take the day.
Cut the fucking strings, the operation of change is in motion.
So take a shot at me point blank and watch expression leave my face.
I’ve always wanted to escape this fucking place.
Dissemination’s upon us, we live a lie, it’s larger than a nation.
Point blank to the side of our head
they pull the trigger but they didn’t know we’re already dead, so fuck it.

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