PUPIL SLICER – Fleshwork
Prosthetic Records
8,5/10,0
Brief:
Fleshwork is the latest release from PUPIL SLICER, and it sees the mathcore trio emerging refreshed, reinvigorated, and ready to step things up several gears. During the pandemic, PUPIL SLICER offered up their debut album, Mirrors – a gnashing, feral affair that thrust them into the spotlight thanks to their discordant, angular DIY efforts. Sophomore album, Blossom, put more emphasis on songwriting and slicker production values as the PUPIL SLICER show truly hit the road. Fleshwork deftly combines the best bits of their previous releases, retaining the hook-laden song structures yet refusing to compromise on the acerbic energy that lured eager fans in from the very beginning.
This iteration of PUPIL SLICER ushers in new talent in the form of bass player, Luke Booth, whose contributions rounded out the writing process neatly. This rejuvenated lineup sought to retain the melodic elements of Blossom whilst simultaneously pushing their sonic boundaries to the extreme. The result is a more organic sound, energized by incandescent fury that embraces imperfections as a sign of life. Recording and mixing took place in early 2025 at Nø Studio in Manchester with producer Joe Clayton at the helm. Grant Berry handled mastering.
Describing Fleshwork as “conceptual” but specifically not a concept album, PUPIL SLICER leans into creating an all-encompassing industrial hellscape; a perfect setting to explore the societal machinations that dehumanize and devalue the poor, disabled, queer, and people of color for political and financial gain. Drawing on personal experience, vocalist and guitarist Kate Davies details the disconnect and discomfort of navigating this life, and the substantial human, day-to-day cost of doing so.
Over the course of the nine songs unfolding, the imagery of the oppressive machinery falls away to leave behind only the personal, human elements. What starts as the smallest of sparks roars into a chthonic inferno, demonstrating the impact of and on one solitary human as the weight of subjection turns to ash. Fleshwork serves as a cathartic conduit for those who are “othered” by a society distinctly lacking in empathy, as PUPIL SLICER champions their own brand of “trans inclusive radical hatred.”
Atop a solid rhythmic foundation courtesy of drummer Josh Andrews, PUPIL SLICER has crafted a primal yet intricate display of aggression. Relentless industrial sounds give way to melody and earworm-worthy hooks that endure.
Whilst the band continues to draw influence from the likes of Nine Inch Nails and Oathbreaker, as well as lyrical and tonal inspiration from film, anime and video games (specifically Chainsaw Man, Mouthwashing and NieR among others), on Fleshwork they’ve created a monster entirely of their own design. This beast could only have been formed by the minds and bodies of those who have already walked the treacherous, dystopian path that they are now illuminating for others.
This era of PUPIL SLICER isn’t just a continuation: it’s a rupture, a scream from the margins, a refusal to be palatable, and it’s exactly what heavy music needs right now.
[Edited Press Release]
Tracklist:
- Heather
- Gordian
- Sacrosanct
- Innocence
- Black Scrawl
- Nomad
- Fleshwork
- White Noise
- Cenote
Main Focus Tracks:
- Sacrosanct
- Innocence
- Fleshwork
Other Recommended Tracks:
- Gordian
- Black Scrawl
- Nomad
- Cenote
Line-Up:
Kate Davies – vocals, guitar
Josh Andrews – drums
Luke Booth – bass, backing vocals
Comments:
“Fleshwork” is an album that stands out as a major work of post-metal in 2025, making Pupil Slicer one of the most daring bands on the modern scene.
Contacts:
Video:
Selected Discography:
Mirrors (2021)
Blossom (2023)
Fleshwork (2025)
Photo Credit: Derek Bremner