On Broken Sword, Rotten Shield, Full of Hell sharpen their blade with purpose. This latest EP is a blistering meditation on love, loss, and the crushing inevitability of grief. Through a fantasy-tinged lens, the band crafts a world of dog knights and noble quests, only to tear it all down in a violent reckoning with mortality. As vocalist Dylan Walker explains, these symbolic protectors—pure-hearted and loyal—stand in for the real-life companions we lose, and the void left behind when they’re gone. Following the overwhelming acclaim of 2024’s Coagulated Bliss—named Decibel Magazine’s best grindcore record of the year—Full of Hell continue their creative streak with a record that’s both conceptually rich and sonically devastating. Produced by Kevin Bernstein (Misery Index, Pig Destroyer), Broken Sword, Rotten Shield balances suffocating heaviness with moments of bleak melody and reflection, reaching a thematic and emotional climax in the track, “Lament of All Things.” The EP’s lead single and video, “Knight’s Oath,” captures the tragic beauty of unwavering devotion, portrayed through a surreal tale of anthropomorphic warriors driven by honor and grief. Meanwhile, the title track lays bare the record’s core idea: that in the face of time and death, all living things are rendered equal. Out via Closed Casket Activities, Broken Sword, Rotten Shield arrives just ahead of a major North American tour with Harm’s Way, Kruelty, Jarhead Fertilizer, and Clique. It’s a record that expands Full of Hell’s world while digging deeper into what’s always driven them—confronting pain with absolute honesty, and turning it into something crushingly real.
