Stygian - Dreadlands

                                                                                                 
STYGIAN – DREADLANDS

                                                                                          
Release date: July 4th, 2025
Label: Time To Kill Records
Genre: Blackened crust / death / thrash / hardcore
Rating: 8/10


Introduction

Emerging from Ravenna, Italy, Stygian steps into the blackened underground with Dreadlands — their full-length debut released July 4th, 2025 via Time To Kill Records. Combining elements of black metal, crust punk, death metal and hardcore, the band presents a grim, ritualistic take on extreme music that is both visceral and textured.

Lyrically, Dreadlands draws from spiritual and cultural collapse, contrasting ancient natural beliefs with the violent legacy of organized religion. Sonically, it's a dense, relentless journey that embraces chaos without losing clarity — raw yet calculated, brutal yet melodic.

With ten tracks and a runtime just under 40 minutes, Dreadlands doesn’t waste time. Instead, it drags you deep into a scorched, decaying landscape where blastbeats, haunting atmospheres, and thrashing riffs reign supreme.


Conclusion

With Dreadlands, Stygian delivers a debut album that is as raw as it is thoughtful — a visceral collision of thrash, hardcore, blackened atmosphere, and moments of unexpected melody. What stands out isn’t just the aggression, but the control behind it. This isn’t chaos for chaos’ sake — it’s composed rage, ritual, and catharsis.

The band demonstrates impressive range across the ten tracks: from the frantic thrash of “Falling God” to the haunting calm of “Burning Mires,” and the unhinged dynamics of “Spirit in the Mist.” They shift confidently between brutality and bleak beauty without ever losing identity. The production supports this with clarity and weight, letting the guitars cut, the drums punch, and the vocals howl with conviction.

Dreadlands isn’t just a statement — it’s a promise. A promise that Stygian is a band with vision, craft, and something genuinely intense to offer. For a debut, it’s remarkably self-assured, and while there’s room to evolve, this record already burns with purpose.


Final rating: 8/10

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