Photo by Kevyn Reece
Texas death thrashers I AM today unleash a video for “Surrender To The Blade.” Now playing at Decibel Magazine, the track comes off the band’s Eternal Steel full-length, set to drop September 9th via MNRK Heavy.
Across three full-length slabs of bludgeoning intensity and snarling rage, I AM puts a Southern stamp and revitalized swagger into deathcore, a subgenre rarely as raw, energized, and diverse as this band. In the spirit of fellow Southern icons Pantera and newer Texan heroes Power Trip, the band channels discontent and anger into empowering anthems, as likely to inspire a grueling workout as to incite the pit. Reminiscent of the combination of death metal heaviness and thrash metal speed found in the early catalog of Sepultura, I AM mines the heaviness of Morbid Angel and the dexterity of the Big 4 to create something groundbreaking of their own.
Comments guitarist Tom Reyes of the band’s latest single, “Surrender To The Blade,” “When I sat down and that first riff came out, immediately the idea was to just make a metal head banging anthem. Nothing flashy or complex, we just wanted it to sound huge and capture a good groove. [First single] ‘The Iron Gate’ was a newer direction for us, so with each step in that direction, we wanted to compliment a twist on our heavy roots. Actually, the verse riff was meant for a song on Hard 2 Kill — hats off to anyone who can guess which one — but it ended up being a much better fit for this song. Then [founding vocalist] Andrew [Hileman]’s lyrical concept fit perfectly with the instrumental. You hear the first riff and it’s a no brainer; it’s a raising-your-sword-for-battle-type of anthem.”
Adds Decibel Magazine, “‘Surrender To The Blade’ offers a solid preview of what’s in store for I AM’s third full-length, a strapping mix of deathly growls, thrashy riffs, and a concussive rhythm section. Eternal Steel is pretty much everything the title and cover promise. And there’s a fucking three-headed black panther on the cover!”
Watch I AM’s “Surrender To The Blade” video at THIS LOCATION.
View the band’s previously released video “The Iron Gate,” at THIS LOCATION.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Randy Leboeuf (Kublai Khan, Sentinels, The Acacia Strain), Eternal Steel combines the onslaught of the band’s well-received Hard 2 Kill (2018) full-length with the primal bite of Life Through Torment (2017) into a singular statement of intent.
Eternal Steel will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digitally. Find preorders at THIS LOCATION.
Brandishing a unique blend of furious thrash and death metal like a weapon of mass destruction, I AM is purely no-nonsense in their patented “Texas Death” assault. Armed with riffs, speed, and overwhelming power, “I AM writes songs that make you want to move” (Decibel Magazine).
I AM has earned a reputation for devastation in the live environment, converting doubters and curious onlookers alike into diehard believers with sweat and determination. And across the two most recent records, they established themselves as a band who never writes the same song twice. Eternal Steel songs like “Iron Gate,” “Infernal Panther,” “Queen Incarnate,” and the title track are demonstrative of the diverse extremes on offer. Menacing moods, blistering thrash, and crushing death collide all over the record. The lyrics harness the power of dark subject matter in ways that serve and inspire the listener. “For example, the topic of ‘fear’ is addressed in the song ‘The Primal Wave,’ but in a way where that fear is used to fuel you to overcome obstacles,” Hileman explains.
The death n’ roll groove of Obituary, the street-smart violence of Cro-Mags, it all coalesces into something fresh, exciting, and distinctly I AM. Hearkening to the past of classic metal with a hard shove forward into
I AM:
Andrew Hileman – vocals
Tom Reyes – guitar
Chris Burgess – guitar
Erik Rodriguez – bass
Brandon Busa – drums
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