Formed in London in 2018, to say that Red Method come laden with pedigree would be something of an understatement. Born from acts such as The Defiled and Meta-Stasis, Red Method have roots that dig deep into the UK metal scene. Yet, their musical lineage also brings a weight of expectation, a certain standard the band will be expected to maintain, but if Red Method are feeling the pressure then it doesn’t show because the band have been busy honing their signature sound, a heady mix of nu metal, groove, death and industrial, that’s just as visceral as you’d expect. Their 2020 debut album, For The Sick, garnered the band great reviews and they finally follow it up with As In Life, a six track EP that will only increase their standing in the metal community.

Since Red Method dropped their debut album there has been significant changes in their line-up, most notably the departure of four founding members. Such a seismic shift in personnel could have one of two outcomes; it could either lead to the band’s demise or could have a rejuvenating effect, and I’m pleased to report that in the case of Red Method, it is very much the latter. That the band have a renewed sense of urgency becomes immediately apparent on opening track ‘Counting Corpses’. There’s no time wasted on fancy preambles or elongated introductions, arriving with a hammer-smashing-skull type of riff, Red Method immediately make their presence felt with a groove laden sound that swings from speaker to speaker, and with wrecking ball force. Some hip hop styled scratching adds to the feeling of excitement, but be under no illusion, this is a heavy metal track (with the emphasis on heavy) and is packed full of pounding drums, soaring guitars and caustic vocals. In fact, ‘Counting Corpses’ is, like the whole EP, overflowing with neat ideas; operating as a sextet means that the band attack from several angles, the effect being disorientating (in the nicest possible way, of course) and akin to standing in the eye of tornado with songs such as ‘Dispose Of Me’ swirling around the listener like a friendly spectre.

Clocking in at around thirty minutes makes As In Life a fairly long EP (and is longer than many hardcore albums) and with only one of the six songs under five minutes in length, things tend to veer towards the epic. Yet they never feel forced and the tracks tend to grow organically; they’re almost progressive in their composition, insofar as they are songs of many suites, they are built upon shifting sands and in constant motion and that ensures the likes of (the aptly-titled) ‘Detonate’ never become stagnant or staid, whilst the inventive use of spoken word samples gives songs such as ‘Becoming The Sickness’ a three-dimensional, cinematic feel.

After the blood-soaked attack of the preceding five songs, final track ‘The Revolting Self’ closes the EP on a more sombre, thoughtful note and one which offers no clue as to what musical territory the band might explore next. But for now, here’s a Code Red warning.

• As In Life is released via Depraved Records on 17th July 2026.
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Track List:

1. Counting Corpses
2. Dispose of Me
3. All For One, None For All
4. Detonate
5. Becoming The Sickness
6. The Revolting Self