VISCERA/// has been delivering beautifully disturbing music for the past 26 years. Hailing from Cremona, Northern Italy, the four-piece is finally back after almost a decade with their fourth full-length album, “4. Assets for Psychedelic Warfare,” set for release via Time To Kill Records on July 24, 2026. The opus has had a rather difficult labor, as its creation began before the pandemic (and we all know how hard it hit that specific part of the country) and endured three different lineup changes. While the album was recorded with Marcello Bellina on guitars, the band’s current incarnation has since welcomed Riccardo Brembilla into the fold. Deeply reflecting the tragedy of life itself, the album proves just how honest and raw the band’s attitude toward music remains, marking an interesting step forward compared to its predecessor.
As challenging as it may be to pin down their sound, labeling their music as “experimental post-metal” might be a wise choice. From the unconventional, chaotic extremity of their debut “Cyclops” to the psychedelic, arena-rock-infused current era, passing through a more sludge-oriented mid-phase, the band has always managed to explore the darkest corners of heavy music with an open mind. Listening to their latest evolution, it’s hard not to notice a subtle yet distinct nod to mid-career SONIC YOUTH, specifically the dissonant, magnetic textures of “Daydream Nation” and “Goo,” in the way they manipulate noise and unexpected melodic structures. It proves that, after twenty-six years, their boundary-exploring nature remains entirely intact.
Take “Radiant,” an eight-minute journey that perfectly showcases the band’s ability to flirt with discomfort within an immersive, intense atmosphere, now also visualized in its official music video. Driven by clean vocals from start to finish, the track highlights their determination to push further into relatively uncharted territory. While Mike has delivered excellent clean vocals in the past, “Radiant” is simply in another league. Here, his performance transcends standard metal singing; his storytelling skills drag the listener into an unsettling, claustrophobic world of mental weariness. This is brilliantly captured when he delivers lines like, “How can you act so lame and casual / when standard bliss is the best case scenario?” By replacing their historical sonic aggression with this kind of eerie, cynical vulnerability, the band creates a tension that feels far more threatening than any standard guitar distortion, proving that true heaviness is often psychological.
While “At the Buddhafield” offers a brief breathing room as an atmospheric interlude, it is “The Messiah Complex” that serves as the definitive summary of what VISCERA/// represent nowadays. Moving almost like a multi-part suite, the track features an intricate, ever-shifting web of guitars spun by Mike and Marcello, perfectly anchored by the relentless rhythm section of Gian Lorenzo on bass and Federico on drums. It is a performance that constantly catches the listener off guard, completely defying categorization; yet, its contrasting, fluid shades blend seamlessly into a cohesive whole.
With “El Magico,” the band restores a sharp level of aggression that directly echoes their earliest years. However, this is far from a nostalgic throwback, as the violence here is filtered through decades of experience, revealing a mature, calculated approach where they channel their bite with absolute precision. The same command over pacing drives the single, “Autoberserk,” which has also been unleashed alongside a striking official music video. While it delivers an immediate, rhythmic punch (a sort of twisted “gutter arena rock”), it cuts straight to the point without relying on pure sonic overload. This mastery is especially evident when the track abruptly drops into a long, silent void, only to resurface with a hidden, ghost-track-like instrumental outro. Far from a mere gimmick, this sudden silence acts as a sensory reset, making the final, instrumental tail of the song feel devastatingly bleak and melancholic.
26 years into their journey, VISCERA/// prove that they are still light-years ahead of the curve. “4. Assets For Psychedelic Warfare” successfully expands their extreme music foundations without losing an ounce of their trademark grit, offering a sound that is simultaneously hallucinatory and melancholic. This is far from an easy listening experience, but it is undoubtedly one of the most compelling and forward-thinking statements you will encounter this year.
Tracklist
- Wipe Out
- Agents Of Kali Yuga
- Radiant
- At The Buddhafield
- The Messiah Complex
- El Magico
- Autoberserk
Lineup
Michele Basso – vocals, guitars, electronics
Riccardo Brembilla – guitars
Gian Lorenzo Cantù – bass
Federico De Bernardi di Valserra – drums
Label
Time To Kill Records
