Ocean City, Maryland's JARHEAD FERTILIZER — Dave Bland [drums, vocals], Sam DiGristine [guitar, vocals], Brandon Brown [guitar, vocals], and Vinny Vitilio [bass] — will drop their new album Carceral Warfare on December 8 via Closed Casket Activities. Get it here. [[ADD LINK]]
Today, the band has shared two tracks: "Mark of the Beast" and "Street Successor." Listen here.
The album's subject matter and theme are deeply personal — they depict an eternal struggle set in the walls of a celestial prison based on the experiences of Bland's late father.
"Growing up, I watched a lot of crazy shit," he states. "My dad was an ex-convict, and that's where the prison idea came from. I was surrounded by that lifestyle. Many of the lyrics compare earth to a prison, and they explore all the atrocities of man. My relationship with my father definitely influenced the band, and this album is almost like me getting to tell his story since he passed away two years ago."
After a series of fan favorite EPs, 2021's Product of My Environment affirmed Jarhead Fertilizer as an undeniable underground favorite.
Throughout 2023, the band recorded Carceral Warfare at Developing Nations with producer Kevin Bernstein behind the board. This time around, the musicians nodded to influences as diverse as extreme metal a la Mortal Decay, Lucifer's Hammer, and Demilich to jazz drummers such as Billy Cobham and Tony Williams, Memphis hip-hop legends Three Six Mafia, as well as acts such as Techno Animal and The Prodigy.
"It's also the first time we experimented with putting samples in the middle of songs," adds Bland. "They don't hear that much in death metal. The samples aren't just for noise or texture. They're actually a part of the songwriting."
The album artwork is also an important aspect of the story. "It's graffiti-style with oil painting, so it's grimy and angelic," says Bland. "The prisoners are winning this riot, but there are these beautiful angels unaffected by the chaos in the fray. One lady is blowing a horn, signifying one of the seven horns before the end times. It's a final warning. There are eight horns at the end of the album. You can wonder, ‘'s it over, or is there life still left?'"
This sort of visceral vision makes Carceral Warfare unforgettable.
"We want to leave you speechless," Bland finishes. "We don't want you to get up and change the song. We want you to sit and think about what you heard."
Jarhead Fertilizer remain on the road through late December. All dates are below.
JARHEAD FERTILIZER ON TOUR:
WITH PHOBOPHILIC + BACKSLIDER:
11/28 — Philadelphia, PA — Kung Fu Necktie
11/29 — Brooklyn, NY — Saint Vitus
11/30 — Cambridge, MA — Middle East / Upstairs
12/1 — Portland, ME — The Space
12/2 — Montreal, QC — Cabaret Room at Foufounes Electriques
12/3 —Toronto, ON — Garrison
12/5 — Cleveland, OH — No Class
12/6 — Indianapolis, IN — Black Circle
12/7 — Milwaukee, WI — X-Ray Arcade
12/8 — Chicago, IL — Reggies Rock Club
WITH PHOBOPHILIC + CROWNOVHORNZ:
12/9 — Kansas City, MO — MiniBar
12/10 — Denver, CO — Hi-Dive
12/11 — Albuquerque, NM — Sister Bar
12/12 — San Diego, CA — Brick By Brick
12/13 — Oakland, CA — Stork Club
12/14 — Los Angeles, CA — Knucklehead Bar
12/15 — Mesa, AZ — The Nile Underground
12/17 — Austin, TX — 13th Floor
12/18 — Denton, TX — Rubber Gloves
12/19 — Houston, TX — White Oak / Upstairs
12/20 — New Orleans, LA — Santos Bar
12/21 — Atlanta, GA — Boggs Social & Supply
12/22 — Nashville, TN — DRKMTTR
