{"id":665861,"date":"2026-10-26T13:46:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T13:46:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/665861\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T13:46:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T13:46:09","slug":"sarcator-the-ones-we-follow-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/665861\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarcator – The Ones We Follow Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Last year, Sarcator flew under the radar with a pretty rad platter. On the heels of their mixed sophomore outing<\/a>, 2025\u2019s Swarming Angels & Flies<\/a> served up delectable blackened thrash with necrotic notes and refreshing traditional\/surf-rock side dishes. A year later, I\u2019m surprised to see them already plating The Ones We Follow. Also surprising was word that this Swedish trio has all but abandoned thrash on album four, adopting a flavor profile they don with a curious descriptor: \u2018death\u2019s rock.\u2019 Skepticism-inducing as any major sonic shift should be, the rock elements of Swarming Angels & Flies did elevate my excitement over Sarcator\u2019s riffy brand of thrash with the crispy skin. In turning this element into the main course, I\u2019m left wondering if these young Swedes returned to the kitchen prematurely.<\/p>\n

Despite the generic shift, Sarcator still retain the unhinged aggression characterizing their blackened thrash menu. Indeed, guitarist\/vocalist Mateo Tervonen belts an acerbic \u2018owww!\u2019 on opener \u201cThe Ones We Follow,\u201d with drummer Jesper Ros\u00e9n speeding between kit pieces underneath. It\u2019s the guitar work, however, that distinguishes old from new Sarcator. Rather than relying on syncopated palm mutes and serpentine riffs, Tervonen and Leo Buchalle favor twangy licks and careening power chords. The solos also affirm this new, \u2018classic\u2019 approach, adding bluesy soul into the mix. Almost rockabilly in nature, it\u2019s as if Hellripper <\/a>collided with Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet<\/a>. As the record progresses, Sarcator introduce a host of country western elements\u2014slide guitar, harmonica, the occasional snake rattle\u2014with big Wayfarer energy (\u201cVolatile Insight,\u201d \u201cAin\u2019t Fit to Live\u201d). These country western-isms might imply a seismic shift, but it\u2019s not as if Sarcator sound like a completely different band. The sandwich is now (western-tinged) rock, but its wrapper is still youthful, abrasive, and\u2014yes\u2014blackened.<\/p>\n

Sarcator build this batch of tunes atop time-tested chord progressions, with Tervonen\u2019s vocals tasked with cutting through the listener\u2019s palette. For the most part, he delivers. The choruses on \u201cIn Search of Oblivion\u201d and \u201cVolatile Insight\u201d hit the sweet spot between attitude and stickiness through deliberate spacing and cadence. Tervonen\u2019s tongue trills are tantalizing, becoming a bit of a signature throughout. Not every song, however, strikes a salutary balance. \u201cThe Underground Streets\u201d could pay off its guitar earworm with a stronger vocal hook, while \u201cBleeding Ages\u201d is in need of memorability. Penultimate country rocker \u201cWasteland Strider\u201d tosses a vocal curveball, containing clean singing before it gets death n\u2019 rolling. It\u2019s a jarring change that, while well executed, feels a little like variety for variety\u2019s sake this late in the album. Production-wise, Tervonen\u2019s voice is a bit more prominent in the mix than I\u2019d like, at the expense of melodic support from the bass. But overall, The Ones We Follow sounds open and punchy, with Tervonen\u2019s voice commanding deserved attention.<\/p>\n

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While not their longest meal, The Ones We Follow pits a girthy album length against a mostly immediate vibe. Shorter songs like \u201cThe Ones We Follow\u201d and \u201cYou Gotta Possess Me\u201d kill it, kicking in the door with controlled chaos. The clash between immediacy and girth, however, reveals itself mostly in the album\u2019s epics. Seven-minute centerpiece \u201cRotting Chapels\u201d implies scope with its key-changing buildup, but it ends up sounding like a longer version of the abrasive surf rock heard earlier. Meanwhile, closer \u201cWanderlust\u201d epitomizes its title, wandering from mid-paced cowboy bumps to \u201cHot for Teacher\u201d-style fretboard gymnastics and harmonica-sweetened blues dirt. It\u2019s highly entertaining stuff, skirting the line between jamming and riff salad-ing. The album\u2019s 50 minutes may look long on paper, but there\u2019s enough head-turning developments to keep things interesting. The Dire Straits-y ending to \u201cRotting Chapels\u201d comes to mind, as does the brush-fueled gallop in \u201cBleeding Ages.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaving me a little hungry at first, The Ones We Follow ultimately won me over with its blackening of a more rustic protein. I applaud Sarcator for daring to change, and there\u2019s lots of tasty stuff on here, with nothing off-putting. Still, The Ones We Follow could elevate its addictive attitude and classic songwriting with more vocal hooks and judicious editing. What crystal clear, however, is that the members of Sarcator are having a hell of a lot of fun here, rocking out and experimenting in equal measure. I\u2019ll continue following these Swedes in the future, as they show signs of following The Ones We Follow with something seriously sumptuous.<\/p>\n

Rating: 3.0\/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music<\/a>
Websites: Bandcamp<\/a> | Instagram<\/a> | Facebook<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: October 30th, 2026<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n