Cryptopsy Photo by Maciej Pieloch — Defiled Photo by Shigenori Ishikawa
This December, death metal juggernauts CRYPTOPSY return to Japan—and they’re not coming alone. Joining them for two exclusive Tokyo dates is the country’s own DEFILED, bringing their chaotic and cerebral brand of old-school death metal to the stage at Shibuya WWW X, Tokyo.
For over 30 years, CRYPTOPSY has been a benchmark for technical extremity and live ferocity. Their recent shows across North America and Europe have only deepened their reputation as masters of the form, earning headline-level praise even as part of packed festival bills. Now, they return to Tokyo for a long-awaited encore after a blistering 2024 appearance, promising another two nights of head-spinning brutality and feral precision.
DEFILED, born in the shadows of Tokyo, step into the spotlight as hometown support. Their latest album Horror Beyond Horror is a swirling vortex of jagged riffs, warped time signatures, and dystopian narratives. Unbound by genre trends, their sound is raw, technically unhinged, and wholly singular: equal parts violence and intellect.
Together, CRYPTOPSY and DEFILED form a double-bill built to devastate. Fans of extreme music can expect two nights of surgical ferocity, punishing grooves, and the kind of live energy that leaves stages in ruins.
TOKYO SHOW DATES: 11 December: Shibuya, Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya WWW X 12 December: Shibuya, Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya WWW X
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, DEFILED have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, DEFILED have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from levelling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, DEFILED evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, DEFILED have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their old-school roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the title track, which cements DEFILED’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, DEFILED stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, DEFILED is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Tokyo’s death metal stalwarts, DEFILED, are set to embark on their “Smoke and Mirrors” Tour 2025 this May, delivering their signature blend of old-school brutality and technical prowess to fans across South Korea and Japan. This tour supports their latest album, Horror Beyond Horror, released through Season of Mist.
Known for their unfiltered aggression and complex compositions, DEFILED has carved a niche in the death metal scene since the early ’90s. Their latest offering, Horror Beyond Horror, continues this legacy with tracks like “Smoke and Mirrors” and “To See Behind the Wall,” showcasing their ability to merge relentless riffs with intricate song structures.
Japanese & Korean fans can catch the band during the following dates:
16 May: Anyang, KR @ Purple Hall 17 May: Suwon, KR @ Alleyway Taphouse 18 May: Seoul, KR @ Club Victim (with Massacre) 19 May: Incheon, KR @ Gong-Gam Bar 23 May: Tokyo, JP @ Holiday (with Massacre)
To See Behind The Wall (2:45) Total runtime: 41:08
Cover Art by Wes Benscoter
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, DEFILED have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their old-school roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the eponymous “Horror Beyond Horror”, a track that cements Defiled’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Production Credits: Sound Engineers – Shinichiro Hamada & Keisuke Hamada Produced by Yusuke Sumita Mixed & Mastered by Kenji Kikuchi at Studio Nest, Chiba, Japan
After carving out three albums in almost as many years, even the band’s most disciplined disciples can be forgiven for believing that Defiled had reached the highest level of old school death metal. But on their new album, the Japanese samurai wield deadly lessons that only a true legend can master.
“‘Horror Beyond Horror’ again finds Defiled stuck on the upswing”, Decibelwrote in their 8/10 review.
In customary fashion, this fall, Defiled have been ushering in Horror Beyond Horror with a lengthy tour of Japan. This Friday, the band will bang heads with their fans in Bangkok alongside Batushka and Malevolent Creation.
“Malevolent Creation are death metal pioneers”, says Yusuke Sumita, who’s been Defiled’s guitarist since the band started in 1992. “In the late ’80s and early ’90s, they gave us an idea for how to smoothly transition from thrash metal to death metal. We’re excited to meet our maker soon”.
Following two added dates in Cambodia and Vietnam, Defiled will return home to Tokyo for a second round with Malevolent Creation before capping off another gloriously hellish year in their 30-year history alongside Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter.
“As a Japanese death metal band, we wanted to reflect on where our scene started”, Sumita says. “Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter are legends who built the Japanese death metal scene in the early ’90s. We are honored to have them return to share the stage with us. We want the young Japanese metalheads to come to this show. Don’t miss it”.
Horror Beyond Horror Asia Tour 2024 November 29 – Bangkok, Thailand @ Mr. Fox Livehouse w/ Batushka + Malevolent Creation November 30 – Phnom Penh, Cambodia @ Cloud Bar December 1 – Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam @ Saigonkick Bar December 6 – Tokyo, Japan @ Garrett w/ Malevolent Creation December 8 – Tokyo, Japan @ Earthdom w/ Hellchild + Satanic Hell Slaughter
Horror Beyond Horror will ring in metalheads’ ears deep into the new year. Defiled will kick off 2025 with a rip-roaring date with their fans in Machida. Then come March, the band will host Left to Die for back-to-back sick and screaming tributes to Death’s first two classic albums.
“Of course we are inspired by the masterpiece ‘Leprosy'” says Sumita. “Rick Rozz taught us ‘evil dive bomb arming’ through this album. Because of Rick, both guitarists in Defiled worship Kahlers. We’re very honored to support Left to Die’s show in Tokyo”.
Horror Beyond HorrorJapan Tour 2025 January, 26 – Machida, Japan @ Classixx March 13 – Tokyo, Japan @ Space Odd w/ Left to Die + The Convalescence March 14 – Tokyo, Japan @ Space Odd w/ Left to Die + The Convalescence
Tracklist1. Smoke and Mirrors (2:35) [WATCH] 2. Horror Beyond Horror (4:01) [WATCH] 3. Syndicate (3:59) 4. The Alchemy (2:47) 5. Demagogue (2:13) 6. The Terminal Phase (2:18) 7. Trojan Horse (2:35) 8. Spectrum of Fear (2:30) 9. The Crook and Flail (3:08) 10. Replicator Dynamics (2:42) 11. Equinox (3:04) 12. The Chains (3:16) 13. Psychopomp (3:14) 14. To See Behind The Wall (2:45) [WATCH]
Cover Art by Wes Benscoter
After they first took to the stage in 1995, Defiled needed nearly a decade before finally erupting with wrath on their debut album. But ever since the band’s lineup solidified around original member Yusuke Sumita, they haven’t stopped to look back and admire all the ugliness they’ve revealed. Horror Beyond Horror comes hot on the heels of the album they released just last year, which Metal Injection listed as one of the can’t-miss releases of 2023.
Like a poisonous dart, Defiled come shooting out of the shadows on Horror Beyond Horror. Blast beats pummel at unforeseen angles amidst “Smoke and Mirrors”. “Every lie has been revealed”, fearless frontman Shinichiro Hamada shouts, taking aim at perpetual frauds and tyrannical technocrats. The band charges into the pit behind bassist Takachika Nakajima’s greasy groove, which is snapping plenty of necks on their current Japanese tour.
“We wanted this album to be natural and realistic”, Sumita told New Noise. “We did not use any editing or artificial techniques in the recording process”.
With 30 years and eight albums under their belt, Defiled know where to stick the blade on Horror Beyond Horror. The album’s title track shreds through the corrupted torment of mind control with riffs that are honed from the jagged influence of ’80s thrash and hardcore. “The time has come”, the band spit at their captors with utter disgust. “Death strikes you with derision”.
Defiled aren’t afraid to crack open people’s skulls, either. Horror Beyond Horror descends deeper and deeper into the psychological shadows the further you go down the track list. “Syndicate” conspires around a greasy, pit-dwelling breakdown but drummer Keisuke Hamada never stops chopping up the tempo. “The path to your elimination”, Shinichiro Hamada cries, digging in amidst a flurry of blast beats during the album’s final boss “To See Behind the Wall”. Whether they’re slicing, dicing or leaping into a furiously fast solo, the band’s riffs take no prisoners.
“We still love death metal and are very proud to be recognized as a death metal band”, Sumita tells Antichrist Magazine. “At the same time, it’s clear from our songs that we do not follow trends. Who would be interested in a Japanese bands that follows Western trends? We have our own perspective, and we have been going our own way for many years now, and we are convinced that we are on the right path”.
On Horror Beyond Horror, Defiled unleash the kind of old-school ass-kicking that only true masters can deliver.
More praise for Horror Beyond Horror
“The one-two punch of tight musicianship and an inclination to pummel into submission without the need for flashy antics makes for a dazzling experience” – Ghost Cult
“It’s phenomenal what they’ve done and can do in the realm of death metal” – Distorted Sound
“Encapsulates both the oldschool familiarity and the modern aesthetics of death metal” – Metal Trenches
“By the time you’ve become deep within the album, you’ll be wondering just what else they can possibly jut up when they’ve already hit you ten or eleven times already with completely unique songwriting” – Razors Edge
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, Defiled have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their oldschool roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the eponymous “Horror Beyond Horror”, a track that cements Defiled’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Production Credits Sound Engineers – Shinichiro Hamada & Keisuke Hamada Produced by Yusuke Sumita Mixed & Mastered by Kenji Kikuchi at Studio Nest, Chiba, Japan
For the past three decades, Defiled have kept their blade sharp. Ever since Tokyo’s underground lost their minds over the band’s grotesque arsenal of finishing moves, Yusuke Sumita and his death metal samurai set off on a war path that’s left nothing but inevitable ruin in their raw wake. They’ve ransacked Milwaukee Metal Festival and joined forces with their fellow legends in Mayhem, Incantation, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse.
Having now churned out three albums in almost as many years, metalheads can be forgiven for believing that Defiled had already reached the highest level. But the Japanese legends have topped themselves again on their eighth album. Horror Beyond Horror comes out this Friday, September 20, but you can hear all 14 slicing and dicing songs today by listening to the full album stream on Season of Mist’s YouTube channel.
After they first took to the stage in 1995, Defiled needed nearly a decade before finally erupting with wrath on their debut album. But ever since the band’s lineup solidified around original member Yusuke Sumita, they haven’t stopped to look back and admire all the ugliness they’ve revealed. Horror Beyond Horror comes hot on the heels of the album they released just last year, which Metal Injection listed as one of the can’t-miss releases of 2023.
Like a poisonous dart, Defiled come shooting out of the shadows on Horror Beyond Horror. Blast beats pummel at unforeseen angles amidst “Smoke and Mirrors”. “Every lie has been revealed”, fearless frontman Shinichiro Hamada shouts, taking aim at perpetual frauds and tyrannical technocrats. The band charges into the pit behind bassist Takachika Nakajima’s greasy groove, which is snapping plenty of necks on their current Japanese tour.
“We wanted this album to be natural and realistic”, Sumita told New Noise. “We did not use any editing or artificial techniques in the recording process”.
With 30 years and eight albums under their belt, Defiled know where to stick the blade on Horror Beyond Horror. The album’s title track shreds through the corrupted torment of mind control with riffs that are honed from the jagged influence of ’80s thrash and hardcore. “The time has come”, the band spit at their captors with utter disgust. “Death strikes you with derision”.
Defiled aren’t afraid to crack open people’s skulls, either. Horror Beyond Horror descends deeper and deeper into the psychological shadows the further you go down the track list. “Syndicate” conspires around a greasy, pit-dwelling breakdown but drummer Keisuke Hamada never stops chopping up the tempo. “The path to your elimination”, Shinichiro Hamada cries, digging in amidst a flurry of blast beats during the album’s final boss “To See Behind the Wall”. Whether they’re slicing, dicing or leaping into a furiously fast solo, the band’s riffs take no prisoners.
“We still love death metal and are very proud to be recognized as a death metal band”, Sumita tells Antichrist Magazine. “At the same time, it’s clear from our songs that we do not follow trends. Who would be interested in a Japanese bands that follows Western trends? We have our own perspective, and we have been going our own way for many years now, and we are convinced that we are on the right path”.
On Horror Beyond Horror, Defiled unleash the kind of old-school ass-kicking that only true masters can deliver.
Cover Art by Wes Benscoter
Tracklist1. Smoke and Mirrors (2:35) [WATCH] 2. Horror Beyond Horror (4:01) [WATCH] 3. Syndicate (3:59) 4. The Alchemy (2:47) 5. Demagogue (2:13) 6. The Terminal Phase (2:18) 7. Trojan Horse (2:35) 8. Spectrum of Fear (2:30) 9. The Crook and Flail (3:08) 10. Replicator Dynamics (2:42) 11. Equinox (3:04) 12. The Chains (3:16) 13. Psychopomp (3:14) 14. To See Behind The Wall (2:45) [WATCH]
In customary fashion, this fall, Defiled are welcoming Horror Beyond Horror with a tour of Japan. Watch these legends shred through “Horror Beyond Horror”, “Smoke and Mirrors”, “To See Beyond the Wall”, “Syndicate” and other nasty rippers off their new album for the very first time.
The band also have two very special shows planned for later this year. In November, they’ll bang heads with fans in Bangkok alongside Batushka and Malevolent Creation. Then, to cap off what’s already shaping up to be another gloriously hellish year in their 30-year history, Defiled will share the stage with Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter in a joint celebration of Japan’s historic death metal scene.
“As a Japanese death metal band, we wanted to reflect on where our scene started”, says Yusuke Sumita, who’s been Defiled’s guitarist since the band started in 1992. “Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter are legends who built the Japanese death metal scene in the early ’90s. We are honored to have them return to share the stage with us. We want the young Japanese metalheads to come to this show. Don’t miss it”.
Horror Beyond Horror Japanese Tour 2024, remaining shows: September 20 – Osaka @ Hokage September 21 – Hikone @ Benihana September 22 – Nagoya @ Studio 246 September 23 – Tokyo @ Earthdom September 24 – Yokohama @ El Puente September 25 – Fussa @ Chicken Shack September 26 – Utsunomiya @ Beat Club September 27 – Nagano @ Rosebery Cafe September 28 – Niigata @ Rocka September 29 – Sendai @ Solfa September 30 – Fukushima @ 559 October 25 – Kofu @ Kazoo Hall October 26 – Tokyo @ Earthdom October 27 – Matsudo @ Dugout 2
Defiled Live in Bangkokwith Batushka + Malevolent Creation
November 29 – Bangkok, Thailand @ Mr. Fox Livehouse
Defiled Live in Tokyo with Hellchild + Satanic Hell Slaughter
December 8 – Tokyo, Japan @ Earthdom
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, Defiled have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their oldschool roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the eponymous “Horror Beyond Horror”, a track that cements Defiled’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Production Credits Sound Engineers – Shinichiro Hamada & Keisuke Hamada Produced by Yusuke Sumita Mixed & Mastered by Kenji Kikuchi at Studio Nest, Chiba, Japan
Defiled have long since mastered the vile art of old-school death metal. Ever since they first erupted with wrath out of the Tokyo underground at the tail-end of the ’90s, Yusuke Sumita and his band of bloodthirsty samurai have left nothing but inevitable ruin in their wake. They’ve toured with fellow legends like Mayhem, Incantation, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse, leading crowds from as far away as Milwaukee Metal Festival to lose their sanity.
After their last album, it’s understandable if metalheads believed that Defiled had reached the highest level. But now, just one year later, the Japanese legends have topped themselves once again with their upcoming eighth album. Horror Beyond Horror is the kind of good ol’ fashioned ass-kicking that only a true master can deliver. As demonstrated by its flying and furious title track, the band’s reign of total dominance is endless thanks to their bottomless arsenal of finishing moves.
After 30 years of slicing and dicing, Defiled know where to stick the blade. The band’s new title tracks shreds through the psychological horrors of mind control with riffs that are honed from their sharp influence of ’80s thrash and hardcore. “The time has come”, frontman Shinichiro Hamada spits at his captors with utter disgust. “Death strikes you with derision”.
With three albums now under their belts in the past four years, Defiled certainly don’t have the patience to suffer any fools. Halfway through its brutal punishment, “Horror Beyond Horror” is whipped along by a squealing whammy bar and blast beats that are more piercing and precise than a firing squad.
But the band aren’t afraid to crack open people’s skulls, either. “What sets Defiled’s old-school approach apart from the plethora of modern imitators is a refined sense of songcraft”, says Lambgoat. It still cuts to the raw truth, but “Horror Beyond Horror” is also thick with stomach-churning tempo twists. Just as they seem to settle into a skull-crushing groove, the band fly off the rails with more fret-ripping madness. And yet – amidst the song’s deranged lunacy, Defiled never fail to lure you back into the pit.
“Waiting for the slaughter” Hamada growls in hungry anticipation of the raw, chopping breakdown.
“We are very excited to play songs off Horror Beyond Horror for fans in our home country”, says guitarist Yusuke Sumita. “If you’re in the area, be sure to join us. See you on the road”.
The video for “Horror Beyond Horror” was filmed in March 2024. It was filmed and edited by Seaside 99 Works. Special thanks to Hirohisa Saco at Studio Tranbanero.
Cover Art by Wes Benscoter
Tracklist1. Smoke and Mirrors (2:35) [WATCH] 2. Horror Beyond Horror (4:01) [WATCH] 3. Syndicate (3:59) 4. The Alchemy (2:47) 5. Demagogue (2:13) 6. The Terminal Phase (2:18) 7. Trojan Horse (2:35) 8. Spectrum of Fear (2:30) 9. The Crook and Flail (3:08) 10. Replicator Dynamics (2:42) 11. Equinox (3:04) 12. The Chains (3:16) 13. Psychopomp (3:14) 14. To See Behind The Wall (2:45) [WATCH]
In customary fashion, this fall, Defiled are welcoming Horror Beyond Horror with a tour of Japan. Watch these legends shred through “Horror Beyond Horror”, “Smoke and Mirrors”, “To See Beyond the Wall” and other nasty rippers off their new album for the very first time.
The band also have two very special shows planned for later this year. In November, they’ll bang heads with fans in Bangkok alongside Batushka and Malevolent Creation. Then, to cap off what’s already shaping up to be another gloriously hellish year in their 30-year history, Defiled will share the stage with Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter in a joint celebration of Japan’s historic death metal scene.
“As a Japanese death metal band, we wanted to reflect on where our scene started”, says Yusuke Sumita, who’s been Defiled’s guitarist since the band started in 1992. “Hellchild and Satanic Hell Slaughter are legends who built the Japanese death metal scene in the early ’90s. We are honored to have them return to share the stage with us. We want the young Japanese metalheads to come to this show. Don’t miss it”.
Horror Beyond Horror Japanese Tour 2024 September 13 – Okayama @ Digvuilt September 14 – Hiroshima @ Leo September 15 – Karatsu @ Yggdrasil September 16 – Fukuoka @ reflex September 20 – Osaka @ Hokage September 21 – Hikone @ Benihana September 22 – Nagoya @ Studio 246 September 23 – Tokyo @ Earthdom September 24 – Yokohama @ El Puente September 25 – Fussa @ Chicken Shack September 26 – Utsunomiya @ Beat Club September 27 – Nagano @ Rosebery Cafe September 28 – Niigata @ Rocka September 29 – Sendai @ Solfa September 30 – Fukushima @ 559 October 25 – Kofu @ Kazoo Hall October 26 – Tokyo @ Earthdom October 27 – Matsudo @ Dugout 2
Defiled Live in Bangkok with Batushka + Malevolent Creation November 29 – Bangkok, Thailand @ Mr. Fox Livehouse
Defiled Live in Tokyo with Hellchild + Satanic Hell Slaughter December 8 – Tokyo, Japan @ Earthdom
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, Defiled have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their oldschool roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the eponymous “Horror Beyond Horror”, a track that cements Defiled’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Production Credits Sound Engineers – Shinichiro Hamada & Keisuke Hamada Produced by Yusuke Sumita Mixed & Mastered by Kenji Kikuchi at Studio Nest, Chiba, Japan
Though they’ve more than earned their distinguished title as the samurai of death metal, Defiled have never had the patience to suffer any fools. For the past 30 years, Yusuke Sumita and his lethal band of warriors have been on a war path, leaving nothing but inevitable ruin in their grimy wake. They’ve conquered crowds from across their native Tokyo all the way to Milwaukee Metal Festival while touring with their fellow legends in Mayhem, Incantation, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse.
Now, just two years removed from reaching the highest level of straight-forward, bone-crushing death metal, Defiled have topped themselves once again on their upcoming eighth album. Horror Beyond Horror is the kind of good ol’ fashioned ass-kicking that only a true master can deliver. It slices and dices from all directions, but their new single cuts straight to the bloody truth.
Ever since they clawed out of Tokyo’s underground back in 1992, Defiled have carved out a reputation as one of the world’s finest practitioners of relentlessly raw death metal. “Those who prefer the schools of olde should be right at home”, Lambgoat wrote in praise of their last barbaric offering.
But Horror Beyond Horror proves that Defiled can still inflict maximum punishment in ways that are strangely satisfying. Like a poisonous dart, the band come come shooting out of the shadows on “Smoke and Mirrors”. Blast beats pummel at unforeseen angles, only to shift around every corner into a dizzying flurry of drum fills.
“Smoke and Mirrors” will toy with even the most decorated of battle vests, but Defiled know when it’s time to vanquish foes with a brutal finishing move. “Every lie has been revealed”, fearless frontman Shinichiro Hamada shouts, taking aim at perpetual frauds and tyrannical technocrats. Upon getting the signal from Hamada’s screaming whammy bar, the band charge straight into the pit of battle with a grisly, grease-slicked groove that will snap plenty of necks on their upcoming Japanese tour.
“We are very excited to kick off our tour in support of our new album in our home country”, says guitarist Yusuke Sumita. “If you’re in the area, be sure to join us. See you on the road”.
The video for “Smoke and Mirrors” was filmed at Katakai Pier in Kujukuri, Chiba, Japan in May 2024. It was directed and edited by Seaside 99 Works. Special thanks to Kujukuri Gyogyou Kumiai.
In customary fashion, this fall, Defiled are welcoming Horror Beyond Horror with a tour of Japan.
Don’t miss the chance to watch these legends shred through “Smoke and Mirrors”, “To See Beyond the Wall” and other nasty rippers off their new album for the very first time.
Horror Beyond Horror Japanese Tour 2024 September 13 – Okayama @ Digvuilt September 14 – Hiroshima @ Leo September 15 – Karatsu @ Yggdrasil September 16 – Fukuoka @ reflex September 20 – Osaka @ Hokage September 21 – Hikone @ Benihana September 22 – Nagoya @ Studio 246 September 23 – Tokyo @ Earthdom September 24 – Yokohama @ El Puente September 25 – Fussa @ Chicken Shack September 26 – Utsunomiya @ Beat Club September 27 – Nagano @ Rosebery Cafe September 28 – Niigata @ Rocka September 29 – Sendai @ Solfa September 30 – Fukushima @ 559 October 25 – Kofu @ Kazoo Hall October 26 – Tokyo @ Earthdom October 27 – Matsudo @ Dugout 2
More praise for Defiled
“The one-two punch of tight musicianship and an inclination to pummel into submission without the need for flashy antics makes for a dazzling experience” – Ghost Cult
“Encapsulates both the oldschool familiarity and the modern aesthetics of death metal” – Metal Trenches
Cover Art by Wes Benscoter
Tracklist1. Smoke and Mirrors (2:35) 2. Horror Beyond Horror (4:01) 3. Syndicate (3:59) 4. The Alchemy (2:47) 5. Demagogue (2:13) 6. The Terminal Phase (2:18) 7. Trojan Horse (2:35) 8. Spectrum of Fear (2:30) 9. The Crook and Flail (3:08) 10. Replicator Dynamics (2:42) 11. Equinox (3:04) 12. The Chains (3:16) 13. Psychopomp (3:14) 14. To See Behind The Wall (2:45) [WATCH]
From the depths of Tokyo’s darkest alleys, Defiled have emerged once again, claws sharpened, eyes bloodshot, ready to unleash a fresh dose of unadulterated savagery with their latest full-length studio album, Horror Beyond Horror. Marrying the grotesque with technical prowess, these samurais of sickness are poised to carve another notch into the archives of death metal’s sordid history.
Since crawling from the primordial soup of the underground scene in the early ’90s, Defiled have forged a path littered with broken souls. Their journey of destruction first sank its teeth into the international jugular with Erupted Wrath, mixed by the masterful Jim Morris in Tampa, Florida. This brutal assault opened gates to a global bloodletting, from leveling stages in South Korea to crushing skulls at the Milwaukee Metalfest, and not even the November to Dismember fest could foresee the carnage they’d bring.
Commandeering the technical tightrope between anarchy and precision, Defiled evolved, much like an aberrant spawn isolated on the Galapagos, grotesque yet ultimately superior. Their subsequent onslaughts — Ugliness Revealed, Divination, and the sheer violence of In Crisis — built a monument to atrocity that ascends to new heights with Horror Beyond Horror.
Taking no prisoners in their three-decades-long campaign of terror, Defiled have become the indestructible behemoth of Asia’s death metal scene, powered by the relentless engine of their oldschool roots and the twisted wreckage of technical thrash and progressive rock innovation.
But enough with the history lesson, you came here for the carnage, didn’t you? Horror Beyond Horror is a 14-track massacre, riddled with riffs sharp enough to slit your throat and a rhythmic onslaught that’ll pulverize your pathetic bones. Each track, from the visceral “Smoke and Mirrors” to the haunting “To See Behind the Wall”, is a calculated strike, precision-engineered to leave no survivors. Let’s not forget the eponymous “Horror Beyond Horror”, a track that cements Defiled’s legacy as harbingers of the apocalypse.
With a sound as raw as exposed nerve endings and as unrefined as a mass grave, Defiled stands defiantly apart from the polished poseurs and shameless sellouts. They don’t peddle in cheap gimmickry or nostalgia; they deal in the currency of pure, unfiltered destruction. As they look out upon the charred landscape of the genre they’ve helped to define, Defiled is not content to rest on their laurels. Horror Beyond Horror sees them, once again, ascending to the blood-soaked throne of death metal sovereignty.
Production Credits Sound Engineers – Shinichiro Hamada & Keisuke Hamada Produced by Yusuke Sumita Mixed & Mastered by Kenji Kikuchi at Studio Nest, Chiba, Japan
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