VILE RITES: Progressive Death Metal Trio Unveils âOnly Silence Followsâ Video; Senescence Full-Length Out Now Carbonized Records

Photo by Hannabal Rosabal

Progressive death metal trio VILE RITES is pleased to unveil their video for âOnly Silence Follows.â The track comes off their Senescence full-length, released earlier this month on Carbonized Records.

VILE RITES uses a hypnotic amalgamation of aggressive riffing, swirling rhythms, wide dynamic range, and dark psychedelic ambience to take the listener on a cerebral journey into the esoteric. Drawing inspiration from events in nature, VILE RITES creates a visceral and kaleidoscopic experience that feels like wandering alone in the forest at night.

Guitarist/vocalist Alex Miletich elaborates,Â ââOnly Silence Followsâ is inspired by the relationship between predator and prey in nature. The constant anxiety of the prey, and the constant hunger of the predator. The first half of the song focuses on the suspense the prey feels as they are frozen with fear from the killer lurking in darkness while the second half of the song dives into the idea of the acceptance of death and the fact that the predator must kill to survive. While it is difficult to sum up every way that I internalize the symbolism of this dichotomy, I think the overarching idea is fear versus acceptance and understanding. While the relationship between predator and prey is often perceived as brutal and it is easy to villainize the predator, our human perceptions cannot always be imposed on the world around us. The predator and prey are dependent upon each other to continue the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. We are just as much a part of this âYin and Yangâ relationship as any animal, and we often forget that our human nature is just as brutal as that of the lion or wolf.â

Watch VILE RITESâ âOnly Silence Followsâ video at THIS LOCATION.

The VILE RITES name and idea was originally conceived in early 2017 in Portland, Oregon by vocalist/guitarist Alex Miletich. In this early stage of the band, the music had more of a thrash focus, harkening to the pioneers of tech thrash, such as Coroner and Annihilator and the only other member was Miletichâs longtime friend and bandmate, Tyler Becker (Toxic Holocaust).

After relocating to Santa Rosa, California in 2018, and parting ways with Becker, Miletich began searching for new members to complete the band. During this period of transition, Miletich also picked up a seven-string guitar and started taking the compositions in a heavier direction, discarding the material written in Portland. After writing some of the material that would end up on The Ageless EP, Miletich met drummer Aerin Johnson in mid-2019 and they began fleshing out the songs. The bandâs lineup was finally completed with the addition of Stephen Coon on bass and synth in early 2020, just as the COVID pandemic shut the world down. The pandemic brought the bandâs progress to a screeching halt, and everything was essentially put on pause until they were able to meet in person again later that year, finally able to hammer out the finishing touches on the EP.

In 2021, the band entered Earhammer Studio with Bay Area legend, Greg Wilkinson, to record their debut EP, The Ageless. After a well-received release through underground label, Desert Wastelands Productions, VILE RITES began making live appearances up and down the West Coast and immediately started working on their debut full length album, Senescence. After two years of grinding away, VILE RITES returned to the familiar Earhammer studio to work with Wilkinson again. By spending more time in the studio this time around, the band was able to actualize their true vision for VILE RITES.

Senescence is a forty-minute journey of mind-bending psychedelic death metal that takes its listeners through everything from cavernous darkness to soaring ethereal ecstasy with surprises around every corner. The record features stunning cover art by Justyna Koziczak with logo, additional art, and album title lettering by Karmazid.

Senescence is available on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats. Find US orders HERE, EU orders HERE, and digital orders HERE.

Fans of Opeth, Gorguts, At The Gates, and ’70s prog, psych, and experimental music, pay heed.

Clocking in around the forty-minute mark, the songs onÂ SenescenceÂ become progressively more ambitious the further into the album the listener goes, ending on the one-two punch of âTranscendent Putrefactionâ and âBanished To Solitude.â While still rooted in the expected death metal, both tracks explore dynamics and incorporate softer parts that slow VILE RITES down and allow the band to revel in the atmosphere (and guitar solos) theyâve created.â â Decibel Magazine

âVILE RITESÂ had already foreshadowed a world class effort with their debut EP and in that sense Senescence doesnât disappoint for a second. Theyâve gone from somewhat stiff-jointed âold schoolâ-tinted progressive death insight towards something decidedly more present in its voice and purposed in movement. To say theyâve come into their own here just yet might be presumptuous, Iâm not sure theyâre done peeling back all of the layers but, here theyâve managed to sort out one of the best death metal records of the year.â â Mystification âZineÂ

âLoaded with mind-bending stanky riffs, soaring solos, and glistening proggy diversions, Senescence is a must-listen for all fans of the OSDM revival movementâ¦â â Angry Metal Guy

âSenescence is satisfying and enjoyable. Itâs a record that provides a rich deathly landscape for the listener to explore. Thereâs a wealth of depth and detailing to work your way through as the bandâs music washes over you with progressive grace.â â Wonderbox Metal

ââ¦an impressive display of technical and progressive death metal that didnât stray too far from the path, but just far enough to allow the listener to gain a greater understanding of the possibilities that are out there.â â Metal Temple

âWhile not as progressive as some of their contemporaries, VILE RITES is still a band that knows how to keep listeners on their toes through a mix of technical and progressive riffing. The level of musicianship on the album is obviously high, and with Senescent, the band has offered the death metal community a taste of what is to come for, hopefully, many years.â â Metal Epidemic

VILE RITES:
Alex Miletich â guitars, vocals
Stephen Coon â bass, synth, field recordings
Aerin Johnson â drums