EXHUMED – Red Asphalt

vote
7.5

• Bands:
  EXHUMED
• Duration: 00:36:00
• Available from: 02/20/2026
• Label:

• Relapse Records

Streaming not yet available

With “Red Asphalt” – a concept album about life on the road and the dangers of the road – Exhumed don't just get back in motion: they hit the gas and take the fast lane of their imagination, leaving behind a trail of riffs, fumes and still-hot asphalt. The Californian group's new work ticks all the boxes to be immediately recognizable as an integral part of its artistic journey, but it does so with the energy of a band that refuses to turn experience into routine. After thirty-five years of career, the risk of relying on autopilot would be more than understandable; Matt Harvey and his companions, however, continue to demonstrate that they care about their heritage and, above all, a genuine love for the sonic language that they have always carried forward. More than a simple act of continuity, “Red Asphalt” sounds like a declaration of presence: “We are still here, and we have no intention of pulling over”.

There are no sudden swerves or radical deviations, but the album confirms itself as vital and compact, the result of a close-knit group that today finds its true creative driving force in teamwork. The compositions are signed by Harvey, bassist/vocalist Ross Sewage and guitarist Sebastian Phillips, each author of a handful of songs. This subdivision works like a rotation of engines under the bonnet: it keeps the tension high along the entire tracklist and guarantees an internal variety which, despite starting from known bases, avoids the sensation of a gear that is too constant and predictable. Each composer can concentrate on a few pieces, refine them carefully and fill them with ideas, instead of dispersing inspiration over too long a path.

The chassis remains that of the classic Exhumed brand death-grind, regularly strengthened by thrash grafts that pop up like familiar road signs along the way. Yet the album almost never smells of tired craftsmanship: the variety of plots, the conscious use of references and a smoother production compared to the previous “To the Dead” are striking, capable of making the sonic impact compact and frontal, like a night race with the headlights on, without sacrificing roughness and aggression. Among the most successful episodes, the lashing “Shock Trauma” travels at high speed, weaving homages to Gary Holt and Bill Steer as if the guitars were tracing incandescent lines on the asphalt. “Shovelhead” sinks into a riffing that clearly recalls the Carcass of the “Heartwork” era, while “Signal Thirty” at a certain point is crossed by a solo motif with a specific weight Boltthrowerianinexorable like a heavy vehicle launched downhill. The very short “Symphorophilia” explodes like a sonic collision without warning, as rapid as it is overflowing, and “The Fumes” closes the album with a thrash/punk tone that openly smells of Sodom, leaving behind an acrid and familiar trail.

Overall, “Red Asphalt” is configured as a race that flows without tiring, familiar and lively at the same time. Perhaps Exhumed are no longer the band destined to land the all-encompassing coup that redraws the map of this particular subgenre, but they continue to travel on solid tracks, transforming each new release into a manifesto of passion, coherence and attention to detail. And, once again, finding them along the way – and getting invested – remains a pleasure.