In May 2025, British tech metallers Perpetual Paradox released ‘Ash & Blood’, an absolutely face melting single which provided the first taste of their forthcoming full length. In terms of all round heaviness, this was a track that didn’t hold back. Unlike some extreme acts, though, this band clearly understood the need for other elements in order to maintain long term interest. Against the extreme riffs, the track also found time for a more melodic thrash influenced interlude and contrasted the aggressive edge with some finely tuned prog metal theatrics.

Approximately six weeks on, the band have returned, and ‘Backbone of Existence’ continues their intense musical assault in an equally impressive manner. The track doesn’t even break in the listener with any kind of intro. Crashing in with a full compliment of pneumatic drums and melodic hardcore vocals, there’s an intense edge from the outset, and although the riff in hand is a dead ringer for ‘Ashes of The Wake’ era Lamb of God, Perpetual Paradox handle everything with brilliant precision and a huge amount of confidence, making an obvious influence work for them in its own right.

As before, things aren’t content to settle there. This track moves into a more melodic interlude where traces of Fear Factory colour a more melodic vocal, whilst the riffs – albeit somewhat slower – continue to crush their audience. Switching the tempo yet again for more of a hardcore section allows for a melodic death metal vocal to take centre stage, before the more melodic hook makes a return to end the number with a very strong climax. Despite sounding like three very different ideas colliding to create the ultimate in metal workouts, everything here works brilliantly, reinforcing any ideas that this up and coming band deserves to break through in a big way.

Check out the new video below. Perpetual Paradox’s new album ‘Deathwish’ is released on Friday 27th June.