Photo by Tony Truty
Indianapolis, Indiana-based deathcore merchants MAULED will release their When Your Eyes Are Shut EP on March 13th.
MAULED is setting fire to the modern-day deathcore rulebook. “This is our take on the early days of deathcore,” notes vocalist Abe Kirkpatrick. “We don’t necessarily dislike the current state of it, but we’d like to re-route it back to what it once was while combining it with modern influence.”
The five-piece – Kirkpatrick, guitarists Chance York and Eli Harrell, bassist DJ Baker and drummer Tyler Powers – started playing shows during 2022.” What started as a garage project soon turned into sold out shows every time we played our hometown. It was just crazy,” said Kirkpatrick. “There were just 300 kids absolutely murdering each other 15 minutes down the street from our house. It was awesome.”
When Your Eyes Are Shut builds on that success with six new tracks of back-bending breakdowns, agonizing, torturous screams and frenetic drumming, reminiscent of the unique sounds trademarked by bands like Whitechapel and Suicide Silence. Kirkpatrick knows the band’s sound isn’t what outsiders to the scene may be interested in. But it’s the band’s lyrics that keep the haters and naysayers coming back for more.
“Sure, the majority of our songs are about killing people,” he admits. “But we’ve all gone through a lot. We’ve lost friends along the way, and we take inspiration from that. Our songs all focus on toxic relationships and heartbreak in some way. We want to show the world how we deal with them.”
That heartache ripples throughout lead single, “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” featuring guest vocals by JP Kaine of Surfaced, with Kirkpatrick’s razor-wire vocals belting out lyrics like, “Why do I have to turn the page on a book that I never wanted to read?”
Kirkpatrick further elaborates, “‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ is a more direct take on the concept of the record. It’s completely directed at the people who fueled these lyrics to even be written. The song starts with a sample. ‘I know I’ve done a terrible thing to you… something you could never forgive me for… I wish I could change that… but I can’t.’ This is how someone who cheated, manipulated, abused, and traumatized you should feel. Endless regret. ‘I must have forgotten what it feels like to be unattached from all of this.’ Basically, feeling trapped in the position of having to stay with this person. ‘Why do I have to turn the page on a book that I never wanted to read.’ What keeps me here? What keeps me having to go through what feels like torture? Questions we all asked ourselves in these situations.”
Watch MAULED’s video for “Drop Dead Gorgeous” HERE.
When Your Eyes Are Shut will be released on vinyl via Silverback Gorilla Records HERE and digitally via the MAULED Bandcamp page HERE. A CD edition will be available via DS//FP Records in the coming weeks.
When Your Eyes Are Shut Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. Mouthful Of Glass (Feat. Frankie Palmeri)
3. TheLastThingYouSee
4. Unidentifiable Autopsy
5. Drop Dead Gorgeous (Feat. Surfaced)
6. For Me…It’s Always Like This
MAULED Live:
2/07/2026 DSGN CLLCTV – Cincinnati, OH w/ Surfaced, Bolster, Suicide Pact
3/13/2026 The WC Social Club – West Chicago, IL w/ VCTMS, The Crimson Armada, Mortal Reminder
3/27/2026 Preserving Underground – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Surfaced, xMutiny
3/29/2026 Gametime – Westville, NJ w/ Waking The Cadaver, 9 Dead, ShortbusPileUp
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