You Are Safe From God Here by The Acacia Strain as reviewed by Mark Jenkins. "A vicious, unapologetic juggernaut that pummels you into the dirt with its deathcore-meets-punk ferocity"

You Are Safe From God Here by The Acacia Strain.

This album is a vicious, unapologetic juggernaut that pummels you into the dirt with its deathcore-meets-punk ferocity, and it’s got the tracklist to prove it. If you’re ready to get your face melted in a basement show haze, this is the soundtrack to your descent.

Kicking off with “eucharist i: BURNT OFFERING,” The Acacia Strain unleashes a sonic crucifixion, blending their signature bone-rattling breakdowns with a raw, almost crust-punk snarl. Vincent Bennett’s vocals are a guttural assault, spitting vitriol over riffs that feel like they were forged in a furnace of despair. “A CALL BEYOND” follows, its relentless chugs and dissonant screeches evoking the chaotic spirit of early Dillinger Escape Plan, but with a heavier, more apocalyptic edge. By the time “SWAMP MENTALITY” slithers in, you’re knee-deep in sludgy, swampy grooves that ooze with the gritty defiance of a punk squat—think Eyehategod’s doom-laden attitude meets hardcore’s urgency.

The standout “THE MACHINE THAT BLEEDS” (Feat. Brody King + Colin Young) is a masterclass in controlled chaos. The guest vocals add a layer of unhinged aggression, like a bar fight breaking out in the middle of a Hatebreed set, with breakdowns so heavy they could collapse a cathedral. “MOURNING STAR” slows the tempo to a menacing crawl, its atmospheric noise tangents dripping with the eerie vibe of a Godflesh experiment gone rogue. “I DON’T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT” is pure, in-your-face punk rage, all speed and spite, while “ACOLYTE OF THE ONE” leans into deathcore’s theatrical brutality, with riffs that hit like a spiked bat to the chest.

“AEONIAN WRATH” and “HOLY MOONLIGHT” keep the momentum crushing, the former delivering a relentless barrage of blast beats and the latter weaving in haunting, melodic undertones that feel like a nod to the blackened edges of the genre. “SACRED RELIC” is a slow-burner, its hypnotic repetition building to a climax that’s both punishing and cathartic, while “WORLD GONE COLD” channels the existential dread of classic Crowbar, wrapping it in The Acacia Strain’s signature nihilism. Closing with “eucharist ii: BLOOD LOSS” (Feat. Sunny Faris), the album goes out in a blaze of apocalyptic fury, Faris’s contribution adding a searing, almost ritualistic intensity to the final act.

This record is a middle finger to polish and pretence, embodying the DIY ethos of the underground zine scene—grimy, stapled-together, and fiercely authentic. It’s the kind of album you’d find championed in a photocopied fanzine at a crusty dive bar show, where metalheads and punks collide in a sweaty, chaotic pit. You Are Safe From God Here doesn’t just demand your attention; it rips it out of you with bloodied hands. 10/10 spiked gauntlets or moshpit murders—crank it loud and let the world burn.

https://theacaciastrain.lnk.to/YASFGH

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