OV SULFUR – Endless

vote
7.0

• Bands:
  OV SULFUR
• Duration: 00:45:57
• Available from: 01/16/2026
• Label:

• Century Media Records

Ov Sulfur are the band of Ricky Hoover, a leading figure of 2000s deathcore known for Suffokate (certainly not a front-row band but which still enjoyed moderate success among fans) and also for his ultra-dilated lobes, a sort of meme closely associated with the scene.
The singer left the band in 2012 to dedicate himself to his career as a hairdresser, going through an impressive physical transformation (including lobe reconstruction) which, through power lifting, transformed him into a sort of Tim Lambesis with tattoos on his face.
With the resurrection of deathcore and the incredible popularity of its symphonic drift, Ricky returned with Ov Sulfur, who presented themselves well in 2013 with the debut “The Burden Ov Faith”.

This second recording chapter follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, moving quite easily into 'blackened' and symphonic deathcore territories, but also dropping the mask in easier and metalcore episodes.
The long “Vast Eternal” is the track where the blackened side emerges most evidently, with a cold and nihilistic epic, the typical oppressive atmosphere and the sense of drifting that assails the listener. The melodic “Forlorn” and the claustrophobic “Bleak” follow closely, with sections that clearly recall the masters Dimmu Borgir but also Fleshgod Apocalypse and Anaal Nathrakh in the symphonic scores of “Seed” and “Evermore”.
The straightest, old-school and ignorant deathcore finds its outlet in “Dread”, whose hostility peeks out with a brutal focus on the groove and the successful participation of Josh Davies from Ingested. “A World Away” (feat. Alan Grnja of Distant) is also definitely worth mentioning, with successful vocal exchanges that definitely make it fun.

In “Endless”, however, there are also several examples of melodic refrains of a clear melodic metalcore nature: we are talking about predominant melodies, catchy hooks, open harmonies in open contrast with the heavy parts. “Wither”, for example, is emotional, melodic, with high and painful vocal lines shared between Ricky Hoover and guitarist Chase Wilson.
The aforementioned “Evermore” has an anthemic and open chorus copied/pasted from any Killswitch Engage clone band, while in the more classic metalcore tradition as the final song we have a melodic, soft and singable acoustic ballad, “Endless//Loveless” a headache totally out of context with its commercial radio atmospheres, capable of reminding us (tragically) of Breaking Benjamin.
Already the lack of homogeneity of the proposal and the mixture with deathcore make Ov Sulfur unclean to the ears of black metallers, now it is clear how episodes of the aforementioned “Endless//Loveless” can throw even the most intransigent deathcorers, with dilator and basketball shorts, into despair.

The band knows what it's doing, Hoover delivers an impressive and charismatic performance and overall “Endless” remains a good listen, with truly valid peaks and a fairly enjoyable blending of genres; However, it is necessary to close both eyes to episodes that really undermine the authenticity of the proposal, and which cost half a point in the final balance.
Given that the target is made up of younger listeners accustomed to mixing genres, we are sure that Ov Sulfur, riding the Lorna Shore wave, will be able to continue to do well and make themselves known; in all honesty, however, we hope that in the future they will save themselves some drift, gaining credibility and sonic compactness.