28 March 2025
The only track currently authorized for radio/podcast play is “Crab Walk”.
THE SLIME, a Toronto-based hardcore/crossover band, is back with their new album Crab Walk to Oblivion, set for release on March 28, 2025. Known for their energetic blend of hardcore, thrash, and punk, the band has cultivated a reputation for intense live shows and a sound that marries the old school with the new. The album, produced by Dylan Frankland at Wychwood Sound and mastered by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios, is a sonic assault that pushes their experimentation to new extremes.
With a fierce running time of 15 minutes and 48 seconds, Crab Walk to Oblivion is a tightly-packed burst of hardcore intensity. The album kicks off with “Washout Revenge,” a no-holds-barred punk track about societal outcasts seeking revenge, before moving into “Sludge,” where heavy, sludge-laden riffs transition into off-kilter rhythms. Tracks like “Moving Target” and “Russian Roulette” reflect the band’s deep well of influences, from thrashy metal to old-school hardcore. “Moving Target” tackles the rise of right-wing ideologies during the pandemic, calling out hypocrisy, while “Russian Roulette” presents a grim anti-war narrative, imagining the horrors of modern combat.
A recurring theme in the album is the collision of pop culture references with deeper societal critiques. “Crab-Walk,” inspired by The Exorcist, paints a vivid picture of innocence lost and societal exploitation. The song’s frenetic energy builds to a thrashing climax, encapsulating the album’s chaotic spirit. Meanwhile, “Velociraptor,” inspired by Jurassic Park, channels the novel’s critique of human hubris and greed into a blistering track driven by a powerful bass riff. Other songs like “Orange” and “Blood Island” carry heavy thematic weight, with “Orange” calling out the legacy of colonialism in Canada’s residential school system and “Blood Island” critiquing modern neo-colonialism through the lens of expatriates exploiting foreign lands.
Despite the album’s often dark and heavy themes, THE SLIME inject moments of humor and self-awareness into the mix. “Bumblebee” stands out as a tongue-in-cheek reflection on the weird world of being in a band, while “Nude” brings a more uplifting, posi-hardcore vibe, exploring themes of vulnerability and self-acceptance. The tracklist is rounded out with shorter, explosive cuts like “Beyond Dead,” which distills life-after-death themes into a 39-second onslaught.
Since forming in 2019, THE SLIME has become a notable force in the Toronto punk scene, playing alongside acts like THE CASUALTIES and DAYGLO ABORTIONS. Their sound, described as a fusion of classic hardcore and thrash with an experimental edge, has continued to evolve with each release. Their earlier records, Bitter Dream and Living on Borrowed Slime, laid the foundation for the sonic evolution on Crab Walk to Oblivion. Drawing from eclectic influences like horror films, B-movies, and even genres like exotica and afrobeats, the band injects their unique sound with a gritty, rebellious edge. For fans of heavy, thought-provoking music that doesn’t shy away from humor or self-reflection, Crab Walk to Oblivion is the next chapter in THE SLIME’s relentless rise.
About THE SLIME:
Sliding in on an underground river of ooze in 2019, Toronto’s THE SLIME is bringing frenetic thrashing hardcore to an alley near you. This raw, no-holds-barred outfit has carved a name for itself with its aggressive, distorted sound that blends old-school hardcore punk with crossover thrash. With a few EPs under their belt, including 2022’s Living on Borrowed Slime through Cursed Blessings Records, THE SLIME has been making waves in the hardcore scene, drawing praise from fans and critics alike. Loud Enough Magazine called their music “a great little piece of punk hardcore crossover, with plenty of energy and attitude. It’s stripped back but packs a wicked punch.” The Heavy Melody echoed that sentiment, describing the band as “a raw onslaught of rowdy old-school hardcore punk and crossover thrash, perfect for assorted weirdos and rejects craving authentic punk energy.” O Sub Solo even went so far as to call their sound “an explosion of energy with a powerful and visceral hardcore sound.”
THE SLIME’s unique style is a fusion of anthemic and aggressive hardcore punk, “the way the subgenre was meant to be played,” according to IdiotEQ. Their distorted sounds, disparate influences, and disturbed ramblings corrupt innocent minds with gangrenous grooves. Fans of rare 80s hardcore, crossover thrash, bizarre horror films, and copious amounts of beer will feel right at home in their chaotic live shows.
The band has toured across Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario, leaving a putrid trail wherever they play, sharing stages with legendary acts like THE CASUALTIES, DAYGLO ABORTIONS, RANDOM KILLING, and TRIGGER HAPPY. Their live performances are notorious for bringing a wild, high-energy experience to audiences, ensuring that no one leaves without a bruise or a smile. Look for new tunes from this quartet any day now as they continue to corrupt minds and venues alike with their infectious, hardcore spirit.
Album Credits for Crab Walk to Oblivion:
Producer: Dylan Frankland
Recording Studio: Wychwood Sound
Engineer: Dylan Frankland
Mixing: Dylan Frankland
Mastering: Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios
Album Cover Artist: Andrew Wright
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