On March 27th, Growth are going to release one of the most face melting albums of 2026. I'm going to say that it's progressive death metal but you're going to do me a favor by not imagining folk interludes and flutes but rather incredibly intense blast-beats, more guitar licks than the lizard section at the zoo, brutally guttural vocals and then yeah, some really interesting ideas from across a wide range of genres which can be called "progressive". Deal? Deal. Now, instead of a premiere we have something broader for you today - a deep dive into what makes Growth tick as a band. And when I say "broader", I mean fucking broader as the band have done my favorite maneuver when submitting this Anatomy Of by running with it.
Fun fact - we give bands a goal for length of submission for these posts but we don't really limit them. 9/10 bands paint within the lines and that's great; less work editing. But 1/10 take the format and understand the assignment by really diving deep into what makes their music tick. That's what Growth have done. Which I should have expected, really, considering that Under the Under (that's the album dropping on March 27th, remember) is also very maximalist. Anyway, here we are. Down below is first a link to the band's Bandcamp, you can check out a tune or two from the new release and pre-order it, and then some excellently eclectic choices for influences that made the album....grow. Sorry. Let's go!
BEN (guitar)
Gorrch - Introvertere [2020]
Absolute masterpiece in relentless intensity, insanely sharp and chaotic rhythm, creative and unique angular riffing and melody. It's been a long time since a release has had such a profound impact and influence on me. There is an underlying sense of dark catharsis to the EP, big moments that hit hard, tapping into a feeling rarely sonically captured, a ferocity that makes you want to tear your skin suit off.
Bedsore - Dreaming the Strife of Love [2024] The perfect blend of lush 1970's prog and synth seamlessly intertwined with death metal. The album is an amazing epic journey worthy of praise and admiration for how far death metal and progressive music can be pushed. It flows effortlessly from heavy to psychedelic to 1970's prog jams and balladesque synthscapes yet never feeling forced. Every piece, every movement, every detail has its place.
TRISTAN (guitar/bass)
Mastodon - Leviathan [2004]
The second this album was released I was hooked! So many different tonal flavors in quick succession, classic metal harmonies, sludge metal riffs, progressive song structures and odd riff accents that had me completely intrigued. Bran's drumming was mind blowing as it just gave so much momentum to the music, in a constant flow with the rest of the music. I’ve always enjoyed bands that bring together their collective influences more than any purists in any genre. After years of being of obsessed with Neurosis, there was also a familiar sense with some of their heavier moments and desire to ignore genre specific boundaries too. The country riff in ‘Megalodon’ was directly responsible for the clean country riff we have in our song ‘Our Lady Of The Hanging Heart’, a nod to the disregard for genre based boundaries.
Gojira - From Mars to Sirius [2005]
I had passively listened to The Link prior to this album release in a local music store, but never really sat down and genuinely listened to Gojira. The store owner insisted that I buy this next album of theirs. My very first experience hearing it was riding my bicycle to work up this absolutely massive hill, the end of ‘Ocean Planet’ kicked in as I reached the top. I was exhausted but just taken aback by what I was hearing.
They utilised their death metal influences into a more angular yet melodic sound that really resonated with me. I could hear the Chuck Schuldiner influence, feel the immense weight from the union of the Duplantier brothers in tandem in the heavily syncopated sections. From simple ideas twisted into irregular rhythms, to a constant force of energy; all the while retaining a strong emotive core to their sound. That’s something that prevented a lot of death metal from genuinely connecting with me. They could still infuse melody and incorporate a more dynamic approach to song writing that really gave the material a lot of power and memorability.
NELSON (drums)
Decapitated – Organic Hallucinosis [2006]
Decapitated’s Organic Hallucinosis has been a major touchstone for me both musically and personally. There’s a unique chemistry on this record that comes from the fact that Vogg (guitar) and Vitek (drums) were brothers, and I’ve always believed my brother and I share a similar kind of intuitive musical connection. You can hear that connection in every moment: Vitek’s drumming is fluid yet relentlessly intense, constantly shifting without ever losing the groove, while Vogg’s riffing feels both mechanical and alive. My brother and I had the rare privilege of supporting Decapitated when they toured this album, just months before Vitek tragically passed away, and that show remains one of the highlights of my career. Experiencing those songs live, delivered with such precision and conviction, cemented Organic Hallucinosis as a formative influence and a benchmark for what a truly great death metal album should sound like.
The Dillinger Escape Plan – Miss Machine [2004]
I didn’t get into The Dillinger Escape Plan until around Ire Works, and I’ve grown to love a lot of their albums, but I always come back to Miss Machine. There’s something about the way this record balances complete chaos with melody that keeps pulling me in. Chris Pennie’s drumming is a huge part of that impact—his ability to snap between angular, rapid-fire rhythms and sudden pockets of groove are a massive inspiration for me. The album thrives on unpredictable time signatures, jagged rhythmic turns and that sense of controlled volatility that defined Dillinger at their best.
But what makes Miss Machine so compelling is how all that intensity is balanced with moments of genuine melody and space; tracks like "Sunshine the Werewolf" and "Baby’s First Coffin" show how effortlessly they could turn from manic, complex passages into something catchy, atmospheric, and surprisingly memorable. That contrast—wild, boundary-pushing chaos placed right alongside strong hooks and bold melodic ideas—is what keeps me returning to Miss Machine.
LF (Vocals)
Unto Others – Strength [2021]
Unto Others remain one of the most enjoyable bands I’ve heard in the last decade. A brilliant mix of Killing Joke, Bay Area thrash, and bitter cynicism. That “sunglasses at night” style nihilism that’s refreshing and woven with humor black as tar. I love a band that can juxtapose an uplifting song passage with the most morose lyrics, and Unto Others do that perfectly. Like listening to your heart slow down on a bright summer’s day. They reminded me how throwing harmonies in the mix will serve to deepen the gloom; a technique we’ve been leaning into heavily.
Crippling Alcoholism – With Love from a Padded Room [2024]
Somehow, a band germinates from a Reddit forum and reignites the torch I thought Scott Walker was buried with. This one landed at just the right time for me during our writing process: Under the Under is about reflection, and ostensibly so is Padded Room. However, where we wanted to describe a kind of upward spiral and map a journey out of hell, Crippling have used their craft to drag the listener through the back halls of Bedlam. Expect a series of vignettes telling you how 12 figures wound up strapped to sensory boards rotting in their cells, or worse. This one will haunt you. An engine fuelled by Swans, Birthday Party, and the contemporary American Gothic of concrete and poisoned water. An engine that spits out smog and murder ballads. I have strongarmed this album into the ears of almost everyone I know and you’re next. Lucky you.
NICK (bass)
Ulcerate – Cutting the Throat of God [2024]
When I was writing the bass parts, I was listening to a range of bands that aren’t strictly metal, particularly The Drones and Tropical Fuck Storm. The only exception was Ulcerate’s album Cutting the Throat of God.
At the time, I was still experimenting with different approaches to writing bass for Growth. The way the bass on Cutting the Throat of God weaves prominently through the guitars — reshaping their context rather than just supporting them — really validated the direction I wanted to take it. Hearing that encouraged me to go further and push beyond what I might otherwise have limited myself to.
Cutting the Throat of God feels like a dark, sombre ocean washing over you, even during its more intense moments. That contrasts starkly with the more frenzied and jagged material on much of Under the Under, yet there’s still a strong foundational kinship between them. That combination of parallels and differences made it the perfect album for me to be listening to during that period.
When it comes to bass tone, bands like Decapitated and Meshuggah are never far from my mind. Compositionally, though, Ulcerate was a major influence in pushing me to explore and define a distinct identity for the bass in Under the Under.