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Though longtime masters of the vile art known as death metal, Defiled aren’t relics or custodians for the old-school. Since 1992, the living legends have shared the stage with Morbid Angel, Mayhem, Cannibal Corpse and Incantation, but their upcoming ninth album continues to take the genre in dark but unexpected directions. On Altered State, they deliver a dizzying blast of death metal straight from the future.
“While rooted in death metal’s formative years, the record pushes far beyond genre orthodoxy”, Metal Injection wrote upon the album’s announcement.
Defiled have released a music video for the second advanced single from Altered State. With its slippery groove, “Obsession” turns more heads than the occult.
“Altered State is an expansion of our last two albums, The Highest Level and Horror Beyond Horror”, Defiled guitarist and founding member Yusuke Sumita says. “It centers on altered states of human consciousness. Each song explores different forms of extreme psychology or mental manipulation”.
“‘Obsession’ delves into the fascinating story of Jack Parsons”, Sumita continues. “He was a pioneer of rocket fuel technology for NASA but also deeply immersed in the occultism of Aleister Crowley. The dramatic and tragic nature of his explosive demise felt deeply metaphorical to me. It compelled me to weave the intensity of his story into the lyrics of this song. I hope you find it a compelling journey!”
Watch the music video for “Obsession” below:
Tracklist:
01. Dazed in Blindness (2:59)
02. Altered State (3:05)
03. Obsession (3:04)
04. Portal (3:39)
05. Necro-Force (2:31)
06. The Degradation (3:51)
07. Genocidal Stage (2:27)
08. Metamorphosis of Evil (3:11)
09. The Ultra Death (2:42)
10. Zombified (2:17)
11. Lunatics (3:07)
12. Prophecies (3:29)
13. Demolition (3:25)
14. Apocalyptic End (3:25)
Altered State comes out June 12, 2026 on Season of Mist.
Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/defiledalteredstate
Available formats
CD Digipack
12” Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12” Vinyl Gatefold (Transparent Yellowish-Green)
After hearing them pound out three albums in four years, metalheads would be forgiven for assuming Defiled had reached the highest level, that there were no horrors left for them to reveal. Altered State quickly quiets any further foolish suspicions. “Obsession” locks into a nasty groove, only for Sumita and fellow axesmith Shinichiro Hamada to shred through a labyrinthine of treacherously technical riffs.
“The music on Altered State is a combination of old-school death metal, technical-thrash riffs and the rhythmic changes of progressive rock”, Sumita says.
Defiled are still guided by the underground spirit, but “Obsession” delves deeper into their psychic perception of our warped reality. Bassist Takachika Nakajima and drummer Keisuke Hamada pound out rhythms that are truly twisted. “Obsessed by a dark vision”, Shinichiro Hamada growls. With one final headbanging twist, he and his bandmates descend into psychological hell. “Let the psychic flame burn”.
Watch the music video for 'Portal' below:
ONLINE
LINEUP
Yusuke Sumita - Guitars
Keisuke Hamada - Drums
Shinichiro Hamada - Guitars
Takachika Nakajima - Bass
BIOGRAPHY/LOGO
Defiled is a long-running Japanese death metal band formed in Tokyo in 1992. Emerging during the early wave of extreme metal in Japan, the band quickly established itself as one of the country's most relentless and uncompromising acts, drawing heavy influence from early American death metal pioneers such as Morbid Angel and Death.
After a series of demos in the early ’90s, Defiled released their debut full-length Erupted Wrath in 1999, showcasing a raw and aggressive sound rooted in complex riffing and brutal intensity. The follow-up albums Ugliness Revealed (2001) and Divination (2003) further cemented their reputation in the underground scene, both in Japan and internationally.
Following a quieter period in the mid-2000s, the band returned with renewed force through In Crisis (2011), demonstrating a more refined yet still ferocious approach. Over the next decade, Defiled continued to evolve while maintaining their old-school core, releasing critically respected albums such as Towards Inevitable Ruin (2016) and Infinite Regress (2020).
In recent years, Defiled has experienced a strong resurgence, delivering a steady stream of high-quality releases including The Highest Level (2023) and Horror Beyond Horror (2024). Their sound remains rooted in technical brutality, characterized by intricate guitar work, relentless drumming, and a dark, oppressive atmosphere.
With over three decades of activity, Defiled stands as one of Japan’s most important and enduring death metal bands, maintaining a cult status within the global underground while continuing to push their sonic extremity forward.
DISCOGRAPHY
Defeat of Sanity (EP) (1994)
Erupted Wrath (1999)
Ugliness Revealed (2001)
Divination (2003)
In Crisis (2011)
Towards Inevitable Ruin (2016)
Infinite Regress (2020)
The Highest Level (2023)
Horror Beyond Horror (2024)
Altered State (2026)
GENRE/COUNTRY
Death Metal
Japan
