Terminal Filth – Traces Towards Oblivion EP

Berlin’s Terminal Filth have been on the rise since the very beginning of their musical journey. The stenchcore band drew attention with their incredible debut full-length, Death Driven, back in 2022, demonstrating an untouchable approach to this decades-old subgenre. This year’s mini-LP, the destructive Traces Towards Oblivion, finds Terminal Filth at their ugliest and most dominant yet.

The record comprises just four songs—20 minutes in total—but that’s more than enough to hook anyone. Terminal Filth, masters of their craft, conjure a rotting yet rich atmosphere through their remarkable guitar tone, production, and ability to capitalize on tempo changes. In this new outing, they’ve fashioned a crushing, crunchy sound that flirts with death metal akin to early Bolt Thrower or Hellshock, without fully surrendering to that direction. Traces Towards Oblivion is a stench/crust crusher that continually pushes its limits with every spin.

Perhaps there’s no better example than the closing track, “Last Journey,” which manages in just four and a half minutes to create an ominous, claustrophobic vibe packed with massive riffs and gloomy segments over relentless d-beat. Earlier, the opener “Tomb Womb” drags listeners into a maelstrom with its buildup and that rhythmic explosion around the two-minute mark. Terminal Filth have put together a tightly packed record where every second, every guitar part, and every creative choice truly matters. Coupled with that, the striking artwork and overall layout of the EP set a chaotic black-and-white tone.

Terminal Filth continue refining the foundation of their sound, as heard in “Plague After Plague,” which hits without regard for human life. Meanwhile, themes of desolation, capitalist alienation, religion, war, and a general sense of doom cast their apocryphal shadow across the album. The band channels rage and futility in their mid-tempo passages, only to explode into violence when they speed up. From Amebix, Sacrilege, Chaotic End, and Deviated Instinct to Filth Of Mankind, Fatum, Hellkrusher, Swordwielder, Instinct Of Survival, and Rigorous Institution, stenchcore in its various forms remains relevant—reflecting the concerns of the lower classes and staying true to its DIY ethos. With Traces Towards Oblivion, Terminal Filth have crafted a cataclysmic record, a force to be reckoned with, and one of the best EPs in the genre.