Review by Alex Grindor on November 15, 2025.

A solemn piano melody echoes amidst a peaceful choir. A moment of solace, of quiet, evoking the tranquil stillness of life. Maybe a blue sky, maybe a peaceful stroll. Until, suddenly, He spawns from the void of space. The echoes of His affliction upon mankind are deafening. Such is the feeling that presents 'Nucleus', the opening track of Killstinct's debut album, The One Reborn. Killstinct is a somewhat new band, having existed around the time of the Pandemic, but now resurging in 2025 and quickly developing their new material. Their debut album (arguably an EP at 25 minutes) is a strong debut, if quite short and somewhat lacking in some corners.

Beginning with the aforementioned 'Nucleus', an instrumental introduction to set the mood, the album quickly morphs into full-speed death metal, albeit more rooted in the old-school approach. There are moody, reverb-drenched clean sections that uplift specific moments in the album, akin to a failed attempt to return to a non-existent peace. The guitars spawn a wide array of riffs that have a certain degree of flair, but evoke this crawling sense of despair as you see His presence tower above you. The bass has quite the presence and weight and complements the guitar perfectly. The drums are tightly executed, and the organic feel of the entire instrumentation is actually appreciated. Last but not least, the vocals. Deep, fiendish growls dominate the record, with some double vocals here and there to add some variety, as they spew forth the tale of this eldritch being from the void beyond and its effect upon us.

Production-wise, it has a couple of issues, but beyond that, the entire record has a natural, organic feeling to it. The major gripe would be that the vocals are mixed too loudly, to the point that most of the instruments become really hard to listen to. Beyond this flaw, there's barely any other detail or issue. For being the first time Andres mixes an album, he did decently. Most of the people in Killstinct already had plenty of experience in other projects, so they know what they can do.

Overall, Killstinct's debut is a strong piece that doesn't overstay its welcome and offers atmosphere and ferocity in equal measure. Although I wish the album lasted longer, it is still a good effort and proof that, unlike some of their peers, quality is better than quantity. At the time of writing this review, Killstinct is one of the bands trying to make their way to Wacken via the new participation process in South America. Whether they succeed or not, they will at least prove that they are worthy of attention, and The One Reborn is a good recommendation if you like your death metal with a tinge of atmosphere and Lovecraftian horror.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10