Full of Hell's "Coagulated Bliss": A Masterclass in Evolving Extreme Metal

Full of Hell, hailing from Ocean City, Maryland, has been a relentless force in extreme music for 15 years. Across five full-length albums, numerous collaborations, and a barrage of EPs and splits, they’ve consistently pushed boundaries, evolving at breakneck speed. Their sound, a chaotic blend of grindcore, harsh noise, and death metal, has become increasingly complex and technically proficient, yet always retaining its raw, visceral core. Listening to a Full of Hell track often feels like being caught in a storm of distorted guitars and abrasive noise, anchored by Dylan Walker’s ferocious vocals that seem to tear through the very fabric of the music. They are a band that attacks with coiled intensity, moving at alarming speed and leaving devastation in their wake.

Now, with their latest offering, “Coagulated Bliss,” Full of Hell have reached a new level of sonic mastery. Having forged their own unique soundscape, they now navigate it with newfound confidence and exploration. “Coagulated Bliss” is unmistakably Full of Hell, yet it marks a significant departure from their previous work. These tracks are leaner, more focused, and surprisingly, more open and structured. While the album doesn’t abandon the extreme harshness, relentless energy, and dark intensity that define Full of Hell, it channels these elements into more traditional song formats. In fact, some melodies might even linger in your head long after the sonic assault ends. This is a remarkable and unexpected evolution for a band renowned for constant metamorphosis, and it feels like the culmination of everything Full of Hell has explored to date. Guitarist Spencer Hazard explains, “I wanted to try to take every aspect of what we’ve done from previous releases and integrate it into this one.” This evolution is something that guitar players, especially those interested in extreme and experimental music, will find particularly compelling to dissect and analyze – even if transcribing guitar tabs for Full of Hell’s intricate chaos might seem like a daunting, yet rewarding, challenge.

The seeds of “Coagulated Bliss” were sown during the creation of “When No Birds Sang,” their collaborative album with shoegaze band Nothing. This experience opened Full of Hell to the power of classic pop songwriting and the importance of letting a song guide its own direction. “That was a good experience of learning how to find what actually services a song,” Hazard reflects. This newfound appreciation for songcraft doesn’t mean Full of Hell has gone soft. Instead, it’s allowed them to refine their aggression. Walker also acknowledges the influence of their work with The Body, helping him “recognize that there was value in pop music.” As a result, “Coagulated Bliss” showcases some of Full of Hell’s most potent songwriting to date. The unrestrained frenzy of albums like “Garden of Burning Apparitions” and “Weeping Choir” has been replaced by a richer, denser sound, less ornamented yet paradoxically heavier than ever. For guitarists studying extreme techniques, the shift in Full of Hell’s approach offers a fascinating study in controlled chaos and impactful songwriting within the genre.

The songs on “Coagulated Bliss” feel monumental, earth-shattering. “Gelding of Men” is a prime example, where the band relentlessly hammers on a single chord at a mid-tempo pace, punctuated by bursts of horns, creating a crushing, hypnotic effect. The track’s sheer force is a testament to the band’s ability to generate immense power through focused repetition. Then there’s “Doors to Mental Agony,” which opens with a stomping, almost groove-laden riff, perfect for inciting a circle pit, before detonating into a grindcore explosion in the chorus and then slithering away on a dissonant, unsettling riff. The title track itself demonstrates their dynamic range, shifting between a thick, rhythmic groove, accented by cowbells and Walker’s tormented screams, before erupting into a punishing chorus and then reverting back to a danceable, albeit warped, rhythm. These tracks highlight the band’s mastery of dynamics and their ability to blend seemingly disparate elements into a cohesive and devastating whole. Guitarists analyzing these tracks will find a wealth of techniques and approaches to explore, even if readily available Umbra Vitae Guitar Tabs (for a band with similar intensity, though different style) might be more easily found for initial practice.

While the emphasis on songwriting makes “Coagulated Bliss” their most grounded album, it’s also their first to directly confront the realities of the world around them, specifically the often-overlooked darkness within small-town America. Three of the four band members grew up in Ocean City, and the album reflects the disillusionment with the “American dream” as experienced in these environments. “The American dream is small towns,” Hazard observes. “But anyone that’s grown up in a small town realizes it’s just as fucked up in a small town as it is in a big city—if not more, because it’s more condensed.” This thematic shift adds another layer of depth to their already intense sound.

Dylan Walker’s lyrics, previously known for their “fantastical, metaphorical shit,” are now stark and direct on “Coagulated Bliss.” The album title itself encapsulates the idea of the destructive pursuit of happiness, whether through addiction, greed, or other obsessions. “Your happiness is just out of reach and you don’t know why,” Walker explains. “Too much of this bliss, you think you’ve found your endpoint, but it’s really just this small, tiny, little thing that’s going to ruin your fucking life. And that could be anything.” The lyrics are deeply rooted in personal experience, painting vivid pictures of despair and decay. Lines like “A hundred dead ends, a thousand dead friends” from “Doors to Mental Agony” are raw and unflinching. The album is filled with images of corpses, failures, and the grim realities of life on the fringes.

Despite the album’s bleakness and Walker’s unflinching portrayal of the world’s ugliness, it doesn’t stem from misanthropy. While lines like “humanity to blame” in “Gasping Dust” might suggest cynicism, the album is actually born from disappointment and a profound sorrow. “There’s not a lot of anger, to be honest,” Walker clarifies. “I’ve never felt anger when we’re playing, ever. It feels like electricity that’s built up in my body that has to get out. But I feel more profoundly sorrowful than I ever do anger.” This underlying sorrow adds a surprising emotional depth to the album’s aggression, making it all the more impactful.

In a world seemingly spiraling into chaos, Full of Hell have found their place. “We’ve shed any kind of ‘do we belong in this space, what do people expect of us,’” Walker states. “The joy is in the pursuit.” By loosening their grip on expectations, they’ve paradoxically created music that feels more authentic and visceral. “People tend to burrow themselves so deeply into things they love,” Walker says. “It’s too much of a good thing, and it almost cheapens it.” By stripping back some layers and focusing on the core of their songwriting, Full of Hell haven’t just found a new path forward; they’ve proven that sometimes, less is truly more, and that restraint can amplify intensity. For guitarists seeking to push their own creative boundaries in extreme music, Full of Hell’s “Coagulated Bliss” serves as a potent example of evolution and refinement within chaos. While specific guitar tabs for Full of Hell might be scarce due to their complex and often improvisational nature, exploring the broader landscape of extreme metal, including bands like Umbra Vitae, can provide valuable context and inspiration.

“Coagulated Bliss” was expertly recorded at Developing Nations in Baltimore by Kevin Bernstein, mixed by Taylor Young at The Pit Recording Studio, and mastered by Nick Townsend. Full of Hell is composed of Spencer Hazard (guitar/electronics), David Bland (drums/vocals), Samuel DiGristine (bass/sax/vocals), and Dylan Walker (vocals/electronics/lyrics), with Gabriel Solomon joining on guitar after the album’s completion. “Coagulated Bliss” is out April 26 via Closed Casket Activities.

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