Ocean City, Maryland’s Jarhead Fertilizer has shared two new tracks, “Mark of the Beast” and “Street Successor,” from its new album, “Carceral Warfare,” due Dec. 8, 2023, via Closed Casket Activities. Pre-order the album here, and listen to the new songs below.
The album’s subject matter and theme are deeply personal, depicting an eternal struggle set in the walls of a celestial prison based on the experiences of drummer/vocalist Dave Bland’s late father.
“Growing up, I watched a lot of crazy shit,” Bland said. “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, Jarhead Fertilizer released the full-length “Product of My Environment” in 2021. 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; jazz drummers such as Billy Cobham and Tony Williams; Memphis hip-hop act Three Six Mafia; and acts such as Techno Animal and The Prodigy.
“It’s also the first time we experimented with putting samples in the middle of songs,” Bland said. “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 also is an important aspect of the story.
“It’s graffiti-style with oil painting, so it’s grimy and angelic,” Bland said. “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, ‘’Is it over, or is there life still left?'”
“We want to leave you speechless,” Bland finished. “We don’t want you to get up and change the song. We want you to sit and think about what you heard.”
“Carceral Warfare” track listing:
“Blood of the Lamb”
“Street Successor”
“Cell Warrior”
“Torture Cage”
“Parasitic Pathology”
“Wrath of Judas”
“Mark of the Beast”
“Hysteria”
“Carceral Warfare”
Jarhead Fertilizer will remain on the road through late December. All dates are below.
With Phobophilic and 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 and 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
