It’s been four whole years since we last got a full-length record from the deathcore heavyweights Chelsea Grin. “Eternal Nightmare“, the band’s first record with Tom Barber as the new vocalist, was nothing short of a triumph for the band. It displayed the strength of the band to move forward as a complete and unified force, despite any outside opinions regarding the lineup, or the musical direction being taken. With that being said, it’s hard to believe that anyone would be unhappy with the material Chelsea Grin has put out since 2018. The live footage of the group playing “Hostage” at Vans Warped Tour in 2018, for example, has been watched nearly 5 million times. That’s not too bad, don’t you think?
Fast forward four years, and we’re on the cusp of being dealt a powerful blow of new material from the three-piece. Stephen Rutishauser, David Flinn and Tom Barber have put together two full-length records, titled “Suffer In Hell” and “Suffer In Heaven“, with the first part released this past November and the second coming in March, respectively. From what listeners have heard so far, it seems that most, if not everyone, can not wait. The opening track to “Suffer In Hell“, “Origin Of Sin“, is a massive symphonic frenzy showing just how dark and gothic the group is keen to get, whilst “Forever Bloom“, featuring the late and legendary Trevor Strnad, shows off the straight up face-melting death metal riffs that sound just as fun as they are wild.
Sonic Perspectives writer Josh Muncke sat down with vocalist Tom Barber to talk about both upcoming albums, the last four years, spirituality, the true inspiration of his lyrics, and what it was like having Trevor Strnad appear on a Chelsea Grin track. Enjoy their chat below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, Sonic Perspectives is on Facebook, Flipboard, Twitter and YouTube, where you can be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.
