I’ve recently decided to devote more attention to self-released projects. Some of the most interesting metal exists far outside the usual channels, grinding away in the shadows while willing listeners dig beneath the surface for uncut gems. Saskatchewan, Canada’s Destroy My Brains has been doing exactly that since its 2017 self-titled debut, following it with 2017’s Worthless EP and three additional full-lengths: InsignifiCan’t, Lifeless and Tormented. Together, the initials of those releases spell “Wilt,” which is the title of Destroy My Brains’ fifth album. Wilt brings a nine-year creative arc full circle and promises to be as rife with hate, desperation, and hunger as the Wendigo on the cover.1 Are you ready to get your brains destroyed?2
Wilt quickly establishes itself as a far more vicious beast than its predecessors. Where earlier releases wielded a Crowbar to bludgeon listeners, Wilt is less interested in forcing its way through the back door than going straight for the jugular with an unrelenting assault. Opener “OCI (Obsessive Compulsive Imploder)” evokes the cavernous heaviness of Conan, particularly through Jarret Beach’s acidic, piercing vocal shrieks, while breakdowns, filthy chords, and blast beats blur the line between sludge and death metal. Jadan Paluck’s drumming drives much of Destroy My Brains’ sound, with his tight tom work and frenetic rhythms on cuts like “Wilt,” “Decontribute”3 and “Avulsion” standing apart from sludge’s customary thunder. His performance injects a distinct edge and fuels much of the album’s aggression as the guitars alternate between doomy crawls and groove-laden chugs. The hardcore influence of Snapcase (“Burn the Virgin”) and the corrosive sludge of Buzzov•en (“Downgrade”) also leave their mark, adding some variety to Destroy My Brains’ abrasive and confrontational approach.
Wilt succeeds in plowing you over with unequivocal hate and hostility for close to an hour, but several tracks sprawl beyond what their ideas can support. Relying on extended intros and lengthy runtimes that test patience, tracks like “Decontribute,” “Burn the Virgin,” and “Avulsion” lock into muscular grooves built on churning riffs and crusty chords that deliver some of the record’s most memorable hooks. However, much like the rest of the record, these songs demonstrate that Destroy My Brains is capable of delivering the goods when operating with discipline, but too often allows its strongest material to drift beyond its natural limits. Wilt’s excess reaches its zenith on the self-titled fourteen-minute closer, which again contains worthwhile ideas but lacks the focus necessary to justify its length. “OCI (Obsessive Compulsive Imploder)” and “Downgrade” are the only tracks that run less than seven minutes and, while more succinct, I found myself distracted by the uneven production, which emphasizes Paluck’s drumming and Beach’s shouts more than anything else.
Production woes have historically challenged Destroy My Brains, and Wilt is no different. Though clearly improved from past efforts, Wilt’s production still turns many of the album’s assets into distractions. It captures the performances well, but the mix often feels unbalanced and dominated by an overbearing bass drum that pushes the guitars further into the background than they should be while overwhelming everything else. This is immediately apparent on “OCI (Obsessive Compulsive Imploder)” which tests the resilience of one’s speakers with its pounding double-bass. As Wilt progresses, its production issues become increasingly difficult to ignore, with late tracks “Spill” and “Downgrade” sounding noticeably rougher than the songs preceding them and Beach’s shrieks becoming tiresome. Speaking of which, Beach’s vocals will undoubtedly be Wilt’s most divisive element. His vitriolic delivery is equal parts vicious and intensely grating, particularly as he spits venom about heavy subjects like trauma, abuse, psychological collapse, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Destroy My Brains certainly has potential, and there is some good material to be found here. The performances are sound, yet Wilt suffers from many of the same maladies that plagued past releases, with bloat and production woes consistently rearing their ugly heads throughout the album. While these are common growing pains for bands, Destroy My Brains has now had five albums to course correct and is still working out kinks. Wilt is an album I sadly won’t pick back up for future listens, though I’ll be curious to see where their path leads next.
Rating: Mixed
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: destroymybrains.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/DMBdestroymybrains
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026
The post Destroy My Brains – Wilt Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
