Album of the Week – August 24, 2026

In this week’s entry of Roland’s pick for Metal Album of the Week series, I wanted to highlight an album that took months to finally enjoy after its release date, and for good reason!

Album: “Cutting the Throat of God”
Band:  Ulcerate

They hail from Auckland in New Zealand, and this album will make you levitate and distort your reality.

Read on to learn more!

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Here’s another band that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.

In fact, I have enjoyed virtually everything Ulcerate has ever released. That’s a rare thing for me to say about any band. There may only be one other band out there whose entire discography I enjoy to the same degree. And that will be a future Album of the Week entry.

My introduction to Ulcerate came through “The Destroyer of All”. I still remember hearing it for the first time and thinking it was some of the heaviest and most unique music I had ever encountered. And that’s saying something!

For those who have listened to Ulcerate before, I probably don’t need to spend much time explaining why they’re special. Their approach to death metal is entirely their own. The combination of dissonance, atmosphere, crushing heaviness, and seemingly impossible musicianship creates a sound that is instantly recognizable.

Nobody sounds quite like Ulcerate.

And yet, somehow, after an already incredible discography, they managed to release “Cutting the Throat of God”

The moment I finally heard it, it became my favorite Ulcerate album.
I was completely blown away.

Now, here’s the funny part.
It took me roughly seven months to listen to it after it was released (As I mentioned in the intro).

Why? Simple!

Based on everything I had heard about the album, I knew I wanted my first experience with it to be special. I didn’t want to listen to a single song here and there. I didn’t want to put it on while cooking or running. I wanted to sit down, clear my schedule, and let the entire album hit me in one uninterrupted listen.

The problem was that I never seemed to find the right time or the right headspace.
Until the summer of 2024.

When that moment finally came, I sat down and listened from beginning to end in my studio monitors.
And wow! What an experience!

I may have been late to the party, but I’m glad I waited because “Cutting the Throat of God” feels like an album that demands your full attention. This isn’t background music. It’s the kind of record that pulls you into its world and refuses to let go until the final note fades away.

When I told one of my friends and bandmates that I had finally listened to it, his response was immediate:

“You have some serious self-control, my guy.”

I suppose he had a point.

Most people would have listened on release day.But for an album like this, the wait was worth it.

To my ears, “Cutting the Throat of God” is Ulcerate’s most atmospheric and mesmerizing album to date. At times, it almost feels as though they’ve abandoned technical death metal entirely. But the more I listen to it, the more I realize that’s not true at all.

The technicality is still there. The difference is that it has been redirected.

Rather than using technicality as the focal point, Ulcerate channels it into atmosphere, dynamics, and emotional impact. The musicianship serves the songs rather than drawing attention to itself. The result is an album that feels more immersive, more expansive, and somehow even more unique than anything they’ve done before.

The hooks are subtle. The textures are massive. The atmosphere is suffocating.

And the songwriting is simply incredible.

This is one of those albums that gets under your skin and stays there.
Every time I revisit it, I discover something new hiding beneath the surface.

Intense. Intentional. And completely unlike anything else.

If you’ve ever seen Ulcerate live, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. They’re one of those rare bands that feels genuinely unique, both on record and on stage. Their take on death metal exists in a category all its own.

I still remember the first time I saw them live. It was at Maryland Deathfest 2014 in Baltimore.

My friend and I were immediately sold on attending the festival the moment Ulcerate was announced. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the lineup was fantastic. But for us, Ulcerate was the main event.

Everything else was a bonus. And they delivered!

That performance cemented my admiration for the band and remains one of my favorite live memories.

More than a decade later, they’re still finding ways to surprise me.
And that’s perhaps the highest compliment I can give any artist.

As for my usual production notes: The production on “Cutting the Throat of God” deserves special recognition.

Honestly, I don’t hear anything that I would change about this album. The mix is exceptional, the overall tonal balance is excellent, and every element feels exactly where it should be. There’s a subtle dip in the midrange that contributes to that polished “smiley-face” EQ curve, while the top end remains incredibly smooth and refined. The result is a record that sounds powerful, detailed, and immersive without ever becoming harsh or fatiguing.

I’ve actually used this album as a sonic reference when mastering other death metal projects, and it has served me incredibly well.
It strikes a fantastic balance between heaviness, clarity, atmosphere, and impact.

Something that is much harder to achieve than it sounds!

The only downside? Sometimes it’s so enjoyable to listen to that I find myself wanting to stop working and just sit back and experience the album instead.
Wouldn’t that be nice? Haha!

For me, Cutting the Throat of God is as close to a perfect album as it gets.

And to the members of Ulcerate, if you ever happen to read this:

COME BACK TO TORONTO SOON!

Seeing you play live is always something I look forward to!

Favourite Tracks:
“To See Death Just Once” and

“Cutting the Throat of God”

Playlist