Sea Sleeper – Burden of Antlers
Release Date: 18th September 2026
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Progressive Death Metal, Post-Metal.
FFO: Cattle Decapitation, Car Bomb, Mastodon.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Burden of Antlers is the second album by Portland-based progressive death metal / post-metal / maybe even deathcore outfit Sea Sleeper, and their first since their 2021 debut. Heavy and abrasive, this 4-piece drive each and every riff deep into your head, leaving no synapse un-molested!
‘Machines of the Bombing Run’ is the opening track, setting a high bar that, to be honest, the boys never surpass. Supreme in its heavy delivery, it is augmented by the disturbed vocals, vocals that are incredibly reminiscent of Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation fame. I had to check the names of Sea Sleeper to check that he didn’t have a guest appearance! The clean vocal opening sample belies the utter devastation the heavy riffs wrought. This is a signal of intent by Sea Sleeper.
It is followed by the sinister progressive post-metal leanings dealt by ‘Manifestor’, a track that has Shane Cooley giving his drums a severe thrashing. The heaviness is different to the opening track, but the vocals are just as intense, and you never really settle down whilst it plays. ‘Lunar Degenerates’ features clean vocals, offering a bit of yin to Jesse Cooley’s tortured squealed yang. The thought enters your mind that this album will never let you settle!
And it doesn’t. The aggressive heaviness continues throughout, never quite matching the ferocity of the opening track. ‘Abysmal Trench’ explores narcissism and mortality and is more level in its delivery. The title track has a proggy underbelly but still rattles a supreme bass-run, maintaining the heavy.
I could go on, but the upshot of the review will be that this is a good album. An album that you want to flash the horns to, but the moment never feels right, as the controlled, occasionally restrained aggression is paramount. It is always there in some manner, like that comforting thought in the back of your head that makes you smile, even though you don’t know why.
The only perplexing thing about Burden of Antlers is the fact it is self-released. There is no record company pushing this, so Sea Sleeper are fighting this battle on their own.
Album number 3 will have a label behind it!
(4 / 5)
