VCTMS - Pain Processing II (2026)

Easily standing out from the very crowded Metalcore scene, today we have VCTMS and their latest EP, “Pain Processing II”. Featuring seven short but sweet tracks, this release unleashes around 25-minutes of chaotic and crushing music. With a plethora of guest appearances, this EP keeps the band steamrolling momentum going with a hefty dose of brutality.

Setting the mood with the pummeling of “twenty/eight”, John Matalone and company unleash all hell with crafty riffs and hellish vocals. The riffs are thick, but the tempo changes are what keep the listener engaged with contrived but highly effective songs like “Victim/mentality” and “Burning Bones”. These songs feature “Austin Hays of Heavy//Hitter and Ben Hoagland of Extortionist respectively, adding that extra edge to keep things brutal and dissonant.

Shaking things up a bit, “bed_of_nails”, has nice contrast between harsh vocals and clean hip-hop passages, alongside some monstrous breakdowns, smoothing the transition to the funky tempos of “devil's // speak”, featuring guest Nathan Johnson of Fox Lake. Blending everything from hip-hop, darkwave, industrial, post-hardcore allows VCTMS to create very unique and powerful songs that keep things brutal like “trauma/response” and also show versatility and more restrained elements like the epic closer “clip my wings”.

Overall, “Pain Processing II” is a very effective EP that showcases VCTMS and their whole musical range. With brutality at its core, the band’s sound is one of the most expansive in the scene, allowing them to experiment in short bursts with all kinds of influences and elements. If you are looking for something dissonant, crafty, and at times weird, this EP will certainly satisfy your cravings.

Rating: 91/100