Caliban - Back From Hell
- Samuel Stevens
- Apr 24
- 3 min read
For over two decades, Caliban has stood tall as a cornerstone of European metalcore, fearlessly evolving while remaining faithful to the emotional gravity and raw aggression that defines the genre still to this day. With their thirteenth studio album, Back From Hell, scheduled for release on April 25, 2025, via Century Media Records, the German titans prove once again that they’re not just survivors of the scene—they're architects of its continued relevance.
This time around, the band emerges with a reinvigorated fire. Founding members Andreas Dörner (unclean vocals) and Marc Görtz (guitar) are joined by a fresh force in Iain Duncan, who has taken up the mantles of bass and clean vocal duties. Duncan’s addition marks a pivotal shift for Caliban—his melodic sensibilities and emotive vocal range elevate the band’s dynamic, bringing a new depth to their signature sound. His presence is immediately felt on tracks like “I WAS A HAPPY KID ONCE,” “INSOMNIA,” and “GLASS CAGE,” where his haunting choruses intertwine with Dörner’s guttural delivery to create something both brutal and beautiful.
The opening track “RESURGENCE (Intro)” sets a cinematic tone—eerie, slow-building, and foreboding—before launching into the blistering “GUILT TRIP” featuring Mental Cruelty, a sonic avalanche that melds Caliban’s tight riffage with deathcore ferocity. It's a statement piece about reclaiming autonomy and shattering the chains of toxic relationships, delivered with both vulnerability and rage.
The title track “BACK FROM HELL” featuring Jonny McBee of The Browning, is a mechanical monster of industrial-infused metalcore—combining pounding breakdowns, blast beats, and searing clean-sung choruses. It embodies defiance and resurrection, capturing the thematic spine of the album: survival through suffering.
Where Back From Hell truly stands out is in its emotional candour. “DEAR SUFFERING,” which features Joe Badolato of Fit For An Autopsy, is a devastating, slow-burning behemoth that leans into doom-laden melodies and sludge-thick guitar riffs. Joe’s savage guest spot adds visceral weight to an already immense song about accepting the shadows rather than outrunning them. Where the song “ECHOES,” a previously released single, remains one of the album’s most introspective cuts, churning with dissonance and desperation as it explores the cyclical torment of intrusive thoughts and mental struggle.
The mid-album tracks—like the German-language “ALTE SEELE” (“Old Soul”) and the thrashy, urgent “OVERDRIVE”—showcase Caliban’s songwriting versatility. “ALTE SEELE” in particular feels like a nod to their homeland and heritage, blending brutal honesty with dark poetry, while “INFECTION” and “SOLACE IN SUFFER” pulse with apocalyptic energy, perfecting the blend of chaos and catharsis with different sonic styles.
Production-wise, this album is Caliban’s sharpest to date. The collaboration between Drave, Buster Odeholm, Matthias Tarnath, and Nahuel Lozano results in a devastatingly crisp and modern mix that still retains the grit Caliban has always embraced. The mastering, courtesy of Olman V. Wiebe at Hertzwerk Studios, adds polish without sterilizing the intensity. Every breakdown lands like a seismic wave, and every atmospheric layer adds emotional complexity without bloating the tracks.
Lyrically, Back From Hell is as confessional as it is confrontational. Whether it’s wrestling with trauma, exploring self-worth, or confronting the ghosts of gaslighting and grief, the album refuses to shy away from the darkness. Instead, it charges headlong into it, emerging scarred but stronger. There’s a maturity here—born from years of creative evolution and personal pain—that makes the album feel like a deeply human experience.
Caliban has always been a band that walks the line between destruction and redemption. With Back From Hell, they don’t just walk it—they dance on it with bloodied feet, screaming into the void and daring it to scream back. This is a career-defining record: emotionally unflinching, musically unrelenting, and sonically groundbreaking. It’s not just a return—it’s a rebirth. Caliban doesn't just come Back From Hell—they bring a piece of it with them, and it's glorious.
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