If this EP had been released just a day later, it would be a 2026 release, too bad it was not delayed until a few days into 2026. TerrorVerse is a brand new technical brutal death metal band hailing from Houston, Texas, and this little ditty of an EP is exactly what the doctor ordered. Especially when we have either full-time or live personnel from Desecrate the Faith, Cerebral Incubation, and Skeletal Remains.

John Hull – Bass, Vocals (backing), Matt Kilner – Drums, Kyle Currie – Guitars (lead), Casey Bryant – Vocals have created a brutal five-song EP in the name of Apotheosis. “Violent Power Cycle” opens with a spoken word section, which is very long, at a minute in length. Then the pop pop with the drums and right into a killer blast beat. Vocals are enunciated quite well and are delivered in a powerful, gruff delivery. There is some very cool technical guitar riffing happening, with a pinch harmonic here and there thrown in to slice you in half. The riffing is super-fast over the blast beats, and we get a nifty guitar solo as well. Drum rolls are fast and precise. The only thing is, I do wish more of an organic sound had been delivered with the double bass drums. These drums, while triggered, have the typewriter sound, which I am not the biggest fan of. When double bass drums are recorded/produced more organically, you feel it in the chest cavity as your body explodes.

“Sanctus Exanimatus” starts ferociously fast. Not a good thing while you are eating a sammich for lunch. I finished my sammich in 0.0 seconds, while listening to this, then began eating my fingertips. How I finished this review, you certainly do not want the details on that. At the 2.35 section, some well-placed gutturals and absolutely pummeling grooves take hold of you and give you a helicopter whirlwind beatdown. Some start and stop riffing over the groove makes things exciting. This tune is so damn brutal…it absolutely rules.

 

“Deus Grotesk PT1 (Swallowing Nails)” opens with more spoken word moments than into some kick ass grooves and wild guitar pinch harmonics, and creative drum patterns. The growl at the 2.23 section is lethal as the groove continues alongside pinch harmonics and pummeling riffing, and a blast here and there thrown in. Atmospherics ignite to slow things down, and the groove continues with a jump up and down tempo. This part showcases more of the band’s technical prowess, especially the guitar solo around the 4.15 mark. This slower, more ethereal section continues for a bit and reminds me a bit of The Faceless (whatever happened to them??). The slow atmospherics take us to the end with the spoken word clips inserted for good measure.

“A Remote Killing” starts with a long spoken word clip and then viciously rips your face off, and there is no subtlety here, folks. Monstrous riffing, isolated riffs, and some classic tempos, taking us back to the early 90’s. More blast beats and gutturals, and the guitar solo, towards the end of the song, is piped in pretty high in the mix, just to say Hi…look at me. It’s a tight solo, too.

Apotheosis is a real, solid debut release for TerrorVerse. Because of their technical nature, I could see those moments and the atmospherics expanded upon on a full-length album. For now, this is to wet our whistle, and they are a promising young band. I mentioned a few things earlier that I was not the biggest fan of, so I won’t be redundant. The artwork goes along with the grotesque lyrical content of killing and brutality. Don’t be dumb and ignore this band. This EP will slam you into the ground!

 

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