Psycho-Frame – Salvation Laughs In The Face Of A Grieving Mother
Release Date: 25th April 2025
Label: Sharptone Records
Order/Stream
Genre: Deathcore, Progressive Deathcore.
FFO: Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Mugshot, Peacemaker, Mauled.
Review By: Mike Leighton
At the forefront of the modern deathcore scene, the sleeping giants Psycho-Frame are set to shake the earth with their upcoming full-length album, Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother, this Friday, July 25! Personally, I’ve let these guys slip under my radar for too long, but after some peer pressure from close friends, I finally took a headfirst dive into their previous efforts, and I was blown away by what I heard. Never did I ever think peer pressure could feel so good! So, when I got the chance to review their first full length album, I jumped on the opportunity. I was extremely excited to hear the sonic growth that has come with each release since their consecutive 2023 EPs, Automatic Death Protocol like Remote God Seeker and the Feed single! With Salvation Laughs in The Face of a Grieving Mother, Psycho-Frame have yet again proved not only that they are here for the long haul, but also that you can have that “deathcore revival” sound without sacrificing quality production. At the helm we have Michael Sugars and Colter Cuthbertson on vocals, then Hunter Young on guitars and backup vocals, Aiden ‘Dave’ Bessent and Jordan Crain on guitars and Leo McClain on drums!
First track, Blueprints for Idol Genocide, was one of a string of singles that dropped prior to the album release. This track is the summation of what Psycho-Frame used to be and what they are becoming. As an ideal single, it contains all the elements a deathcore fan and a fan of Psycho-Frame could ask for. Heavy juxtaposition between high screams and low gutturals, punching guitars, pelting drums, and even a Resident Evil 7 sound bite! The track lays the groundwork for the rest of the album, setting the pace and preparing the listener for a non-stop sonic assault. Another one of the singles, Black Wave II (Feat. Moodring) is a killer track, starting off with some brief electronics before jumping right into the meat of the piece. Highlighting that this band is not one to mess around, Black Wave II has a great groove to the guitars while being absolutely intense. Halfway through the album, we get to I Won’t Be There To Watch You Go. One minute and fifty-three seconds of raw, unadulterated deathcore, the song starts and ends before I got a chance to realize what was going on. Most times bands will use an interlude, or slower track to break apart the first and second half of an album, but Psycho-Frame breaks up the assaultive Salvation Laughs In The Face of a Grieving Mother with an even heavier track before leading into the second half.
Moving on, we have my favorite three song run of the album: Filleted and Fucked, God Is Busy, and Still Water Salvation. Filleted and Fucked [S.O.L.] starts off with a cacophony of sounds ranging from people screaming, a blade being sharpened, and a woman slowly speaking before leading into some of the craziest riffs I have heard all year! This track is nonstop heavy with a dash of terror, blending the two perfectly. This track features some of the best vocal deliveries from Sugars and Cuthbertson; highlighting the fact that their back-and-forth vocal style really adds a refreshing element to the music. (I can’t wait for everyone to hear this one!) Leading seamlessly into God Is Busy, Psycho Frame changes up the tempo a bit to give us something new to chew on. Another track where the instrumental composition meshes very well with the vocal offering from Sugars and Cuthbertson. This track, much like Blueprints for Idol Genocide, is a near perfect example of the Psycho Frame style of deathcore, and I am very excited to potentially hear this one live in a few weeks! Before leading into an insanely nasty breakdown, we get another perfect soundbite from the movie “The Iceman.” God Is Busy is my favorite track on the record, and I am excited to hear what other people think! Next track, Still Water Salvation, starts off with a bell and a breakdown, which really gets the blood flowing! This track is so fast and heavy it really is hard to keep up with mentally, but once again I think it blends perfectly with the two prior tracks. The instrumental offering of Young, Bessent, Crain, and McClain in this track once again highlights the level of expertise that each member brings to the table, and is yet another reason Psycho-Frame is one to look out for in the future of the scene.
Salvation Laughs In The Face Of A Grieving Mother, Psycho Frame’s first full length LP, drops this Friday, July 25, 2025. If you haven’t heard them yet, this album is a must-listen for any fan of the genre and is bound to raise the bar of expectations for deathcore releases going forward. It’s going to be a tough competition this year, but I think Psycho-Frame has a good chance of winning my album of the year with this one; it’s definitely top three!
(5 / 5)
