For over thirty years, Internal Bleeding has been a study in defiance. The Long Island, New York institution has weathered betrayals, endured profound tragedy, and navigated the frustrating setbacks inherent to a career spent in the extreme music underground. Yet, they have never been defeated. Now, the accumulated anger, frustration, and sense of injustice from three decades of perseverance have been weaponized. The band has officially announced their seventh full-length album, a record whose title serves as both a mission statement and a direct threat: ‘Settle All Scores.’

Set for release on October 17, 2025, the album marks a pivotal moment for the architects of slam death metal. It is their first full-length in seven years, following 2018’s ‘Corrupting Influence,’ and their debut on Maggot Stomp Records, a modern bastion of the very sound they pioneered. But this is far more than a routine album announcement. The campaign surrounding ‘Settle All Scores’ is a meticulously crafted narrative of conflict and retribution, positioning the eight-song record not merely as music, but as an act of public reckoning.

The thematic core of the album is unapologetically confrontational. Press materials describe it as a crystallization of “pent-up anger, frustration, and feelings of betrayal,” their most “personal album that directly aims at those who have done [them wrong].”

The band members themselves have been explicit about the album’s intent. Founding guitarist Chris Pervelis frames the title track as a universally relatable anthem for retribution. “Nearly everyone can relate to the lyrics of this song,” he states. “There have certainly been moments when you wanted to take revenge on those who have wronged you. ‘Settle All Scores’ serves as the perfect soundtrack for your vengeance.”

This sentiment is amplified to a visceral degree by guitarist and vocalist Chris McCarthy, who delivers what has become the album’s defining tagline. “Revenge is better than any drug you could consume,” he declares, “and ‘Settle All Scores’ is the Heroic Dose.” This single quote encapsulates the album’s ethos: an unfiltered, potent, and perhaps dangerous expression of aggression born from real-world grievances.

The first warning shot fired from this new arsenal is the lead single, ‘Crown Of Insignificance.’ The track was unleashed with a collective statement from the band that transforms abstract anger into a tangible, scene-wide drama: “‘Crown Of Insignificance’ is about a few specific people in the scene. It is up to you to figure out who we are talking about.”

This is not generic lyrical posturing; it is a direct challenge, an invitation for speculation that casts a shadow of genuine animosity over the release. By deliberately creating this narrative, Internal Bleeding has elevated the album beyond a simple musical offering. It has become an event, a new chapter in the long and often contentious history of New York death metal, demanding that the scene not only listen but also choose a side.

A Summit of Slam’s Past, Present, and Future

Perhaps the most compelling narrative woven into the fabric of ‘Settle All Scores’ is its roster of guest vocalists. The eight-track album functions as a collaborative summit, a congregation of killers that solidifies Internal Bleeding’s career while simultaneously settling scores. This is a masterstroke of legacy management, a powerful display of both vengeance and unity.

The guest list reads like a cross-section of extreme metal history, representing the band’s peers, their own lineage, and the new generation they inspired. On ‘Prophet Of Deceit,’ they are joined by Sherwood Webber of Skinless, a contemporary and fellow titan of the legendary New York death metal scene.

His presence is a nod to their shared history and mutual respect. On the closing track, ‘Deliberate Desecration,’ they bridge the gap to the modern era with an appearance by Mikey Petroski of hardcore powerhouse Never Ending Game, a clear acknowledgment of their influence on the current wave of heavy, groove-oriented music.

However, the most unprecedented and significant collaborations on the album are with their own past. In a move rarely seen in a genre where lineup changes can be acrimonious, Internal Bleeding has invited three of their former vocalists to contribute.

Joe Marchese appears on ‘Empire Of Terror,’ Jay Lowe lends his voice to ‘Glorify The Oppressor,’ and Frank Rini joins the finale on ‘Deliberate Desecration.’ This transforms the album from a simple collection of songs into a celebration of the band’s entire, unbroken history. It is a powerful declaration of solidarity.

This duality creates a fascinating dynamic. The album is outwardly hostile, taking aim at an unnamed “out-group” of enemies, while simultaneously being inwardly inclusive, bringing the entire family back into the fold. This is not a contradiction, but rather the deliberate construction of a fortified camp. The band is drawing a clear line in the sand: this is our circle, our legacy, our history. Everyone else is a potential target.

Bringing back Marchese, Lowe, and Rini preemptively silences any questions of legitimacy and presents a united front that reinforces their authority. While the album’s primary theme is revenge, the subtext is one of profound unity, telling a story of a brotherhood that runs deeper than any feud.

Reclaiming a Scene They Built to ‘Settle All Scores’

‘Settle All Scores’ is not just another band releasing another album; this is the return of the architects to survey the city they designed.

Formed on Long Island in 1991, Internal Bleeding emerged as part of a revolutionary New York scene alongside bands like Suffocation and Pyrexia. While their peers were pushing the boundaries of speed and technicality, Internal Bleeding focused on something different: the groove.

Inspired by the rhythmic sensibilities of New York hardcore and even hip-hop, they pioneered a sound built around slow, punishing, mid-tempo riffs designed for maximum physical impact. Dissatisfied with the term “mosh,” which they associated with thrash metal, the band coined a new descriptor for their music in 1992: “Total Fucking Slam.”

Their 1995 debut album, ‘Voracious Contempt,’ is widely cited as the record that codified the slam genre, providing a blueprint that has been imitated by countless bands across the globe for decades.

Now, with ‘Settle All Scores,’ the band is making a series of calculated moves to re-assert their position not as historical figures, but as active leaders of the contemporary scene. Their choice of a new label home is paramount. Maggot Stomp Records is a modern tastemaker, a vital hub for the new wave of slam, death metal, and hardcore-infused brutality. Signing with them places Internal Bleeding directly at the epicenter of the modern underground, connecting them with the young, dedicated audience that drives the scene today.

This strategy was mirrored in their choice of touring partners. A run of dates last month saw them paired with Bodybox, a popular and punishing Florida “stoner slam” act that represents the genre’s current evolution. More symbolically, their official record release shows in November will be supported by Final Resting Place.

This is a band deeply and openly rooted in old-school NYDM worship, one that explicitly cites Internal Bleeding as a primary influence. This pairing is a powerful public spectacle: the student opening for the master. It is a passing of the torch that simultaneously re-centers the flame in the hands of its originators.

These are not the actions of a band on a nostalgia circuit; this is a calculated re-coronation. Internal Bleeding is strategically embedding themselves within the ecosystem they created, returning as participants and kings, not as museum pieces.

The Sonic Arsenal

To deliver their message of vengeance with maximum impact, Internal Bleeding has assembled a sonic arsenal fit for the modern age. While the album was self-produced, ensuring the band’s core vision remained undiluted, they entrusted its final, punishing form to two of the most formidable names in contemporary heavy music production.

The album was re-amped and mixed by Taylor Young at The Pit Studio in California. Young, renowned for his work with bands like Nails, Xibalba, and God’s Hate, is the architect of a sought-after sound defined by its immense weight, clarity, and visceral punch. His involvement ensures that ‘Settle All Scores’ can stand toe-to-toe, sonically, with any modern extreme metal record.

The final mastering was handled by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, a name synonymous with adding the final, crushing layer of power to albums by giants like Obituary and Creeping Death. A veteran band could easily have opted for a rawer, “old-school” production to trade on past glories. Instead, Internal Bleeding has made a strategic choice to compete on the same sonic battlefield as the new generation, proving that their foundational riffs can be wielded with devastating modern force.

This synthesis of old and new extends to the very heart of the music: the riffs. Chris Pervelis has detailed a collaborative writing process that bridges generations of metal. “You have my ‘70s/‘80s-inspired riffs mixed with Chris McCarthy’s more mid-‘90s/early-2000s riffs,” he explains. “The key is to get them to flow together, and I think we accomplished that on this song.” This is a conscious fusion of classic heavy metal DNA with the very slam-centric patterns of the era the band itself defined, creating a sound that is both foundational and forward-thinking.

The band has also focused on refining their attack. Pervelis noted that on their previous album, they experimented with dual vocals but felt they were never fully integrated. On ‘Settle All Scores,’ this element has been perfected. “This time, however, we believe they are, and we are very pleased with the results,” he stated in reference to ‘Crown of Insignificance.’ This points to a band that has critically reviewed its own formula and is actively pushing it to its most effective state.

The album’s visual identity, crafted by acclaimed artist Mark Richards of Heavy Hand Illustration, further aligns the band with a potent and respected contemporary aesthetic. Every component of ‘Settle All Scores,’ from its production to its artwork, is a calculated move to assert ongoing relevance and power.

The Unfinished Business

‘Settle All Scores’ is far more than a new album. It is a multi-faceted declaration of intent from a band that refuses to be relegated to the annals of history. It is a thematic mission of vengeance fueled by decades of struggle, a sonic modernization designed to compete in the current era, a powerful consolidation of their own legacy, and a strategic re-entry into the heart of the scene they built from the ground up.

The story of this album is, in essence, the story of Internal Bleeding itself: one of unflinching resilience and an absolute refusal to be defeated or forgotten. The record stands as the physical manifestation of their long fight, a testament to their strength in the face of adversity. With its release on October 17th, followed by a series of live dates where this new, vengeful chapter will be unleashed, the final reckoning is nigh.

Internal Bleeding is not just returning to the scene; they are returning to settle all scores and reclaim their undisputed throne as the still-reigning kings of slam. The underground has been put on notice.

Internal Bleeding has framed ‘Settle All Scores’ as a personal act of retribution, a “Heroic Dose” of vengeance. Beyond the riffs, which aspects of their three-decade-long story of defiance and perseverance do you find most compelling, and what are your expectations for this new, confrontational chapter?