Degenerate – Rituals Of Rage

Founded in 2016 Degenerate was born from a vision of creating a modern hybrid of thrash and melodic death metal. In other words; this, at the time duo, should create music that is raw, intense and uncompromising. After the release of one EP as a duo, the band’s line-up was assembled with two like-minded musicians. Current line-up is comprised of: Rens Hilgers (vocals & guitars), Bas Bloos (drums), Daniel Ruiz (guitars) and Filip A. Filipczuk (bass).

In 2019 the band from The Netherlands released their highly anticipated debut called Devastation Ahead. Fueled by the overwhelming response to Devastation Ahead, the band channeled their energy into writing and recording new material. Now jumping into 2025 where this Dutch quartet returns with sophomore full-length titled Rituals Of Rage.

Rituals Of Rage consists of ten tracks with playing time of app. 41 minutes, where every highly energetic track showcases Degenerate’s precision and intensity.

Track Listing:

01. Servitor
02. Xenon Equilibrium
03. The Cult
04. Illuminate
05. Sentence of Death
06. Claymore
07. Faceless Violence
08. The Blacksmith
09. Rituals of Rage
10. The Desert

Degenerate is certainly a force to be reckoned with, fusing intricate and complex riffs, technical drumming, melancholic solos and guttural & aggressive vocals, handled by frontman and founding member – Rens Hilgers. The songwriting is consistent, blending aggressive intensity with melodic elements, atmospheric sections, and catchy choruses, resulting in a varied and potent sound, which adds to the emotional impact of the lyrics. The album’s production (mixed and mastered by Mendel bij de Leij) emphasizes the dual guitars and powerful drums.

Rituals Of Rage is fierce, energetic and powerful, and it will definitely get you thrashing and headbanging whilst listening to it. Their style resonates with fans of (old) Sepultura, Death, Children Of Bodom, At The Gates, Soilwork, The Haunted, and to those who like aggression but also more melodic take on their metal. In other words; whether you’re a veteran metalhead (such myself) or new to the genre, Degenerate delivers a sound you can’r resist. It’s aggressive, emotional, technical and undeniably varied & powerful, to my satisfaction!

There are no songs that really stand out in comparison to the others, making it rather impossible to choose a favourite, but I would encourage you to watch “Faceless Violence” official music video below and learn more about this ten-tracker sophomore opus here at band’s bandcamp.