Signs of the Swarm

“I realized I scream things I’m too chickenshit to talk about,” admits Signs of the Swarm vocalist David Simonich. It’s a surprising admission for a band as self-assured as the Pittsburgh titans, especially when one hears sixth LP To Rid Myself of Truth: a title that exemplifies yet sounds a hell of a lot cooler than the quoted confession, and an album that exudes confidence. The growth is palpable as Signs of the Swarm are reunited with producer Josh Schroeder (Lorna Shore, Mental Cruelty, Varials, King 810) to continue molting their slamming deathcore exoskeleton. That metal metamorphosis reveals a band now as indebted to Meshuggah, Gojira and Fear Factory as any of the deathcore bands they grew up on—now peers. It’s not to say they don’t still slam with the best of them—and Simonich’s gargling, acidic growls out-monster his peers—but the focus has evolved into a modern metal paradox: chorus-driven deathcore. In an era where “look-at-me” moments are prioritized to appeal to shrinking attention spans, Signs of the Swarm’s pursuit of substance over style of the month is as refreshing as it could be surprising. “I know it’s ironic given ‘the part’ of ‘Amongst the Low & Empty’ that blew up, but we’ve never had ‘Tik Tok’ as our goal,” admits main writer (and drummer) Bobby Crow of his double bass maelstrom. “For that song, it was simply what I felt it needed, which is why there are less PARTS on the new album, but that overwhelming energy is everywhere.”