It would be understandable if the 2021 departure of guitarist and co-founder Scott Middleton had rattled Cancer Bats. A versatile player who contributed dinosaur-stomp riffs and thrashing rhythmic leads, Middleton gave these Toronto hardcore punks a distinctly heavy-metal edge. But Cancer Bats' seventh album isn't a sonic reset or break from tradition. If anything, having to regroup as a trio gave the band a shot of adrenaline and made them even more aggressive players. The title track is grimy stoner metal with pummeling riffs, and on standouts like "Lonely Bong" and "Friday Night," frontman Liam Cormier screams with abandon. The remaining members of Cancer Bats also keep the old-school headbanger torch burning despite Middleton's absence—crank up "Hammering On," a slab of sludgy metal featuring Brooklyn Doran’s hypnotic vocals.