photos by Mike Burns
“Subterfuge covers a pretty wide sonic range while remaining within the boundaries of sludge—some of it is more upbeat and punk influenced, while other tracks stray more into doom or border on death metal.” – Decibel Magazine
Decibel Magazine is hosting the exclusive premiere of “Toothless Wolf” – the thunderous opening track from Akron, Ohio-based RADIAN’s impending third album, Subterfuge – alongside an interview with the band.
Set in a reimagined, modern-day Egypt – one that never fell to Roman conquest – Subterfuge tells the story of a man willing to do whatever it takes to protect his home, his people, and his culture from a cabal of overlords bent on erasure for personal gain. While rooted in a rewritten history, the album is riddled with comparisons to contemporary society: exploitation, manufactured collapse, and rebellion in the face of systems designed to consume rather than sustain.
Musically, Subterfuge showcases RADIAN at their most focused and unrelenting – beautifully oppressive, groove-laden sludge, sharpened by a narrative arc and delivered with the weight of lived experience. It is both a continuation of the group’s sonic identity and a declaration of renewal; a record that mirrors the band’s own journey, carrying their vision deeper into the underground with uncompromising force.
Subterfuge was recorded and engineered by Mike Burns, except for the bass which was recorded by Brian “BeZo” Zorich. The record was mixed by Sanford Parker at Hypercube (Voivod, Darkthrone, YOB), mastered by Collin Jordan at Boiler Room Mastering (Ministry, Eyehategod, Spirit Adrift), and completed with artwork by RADIAN with the art concept and layout by Derek Vaive.
Corey Staley states with the new single, “‘Toothless Wolf’ marks the opening of our story and lends development to the characters of William and his wife, both of whom are central figures to the revolution stirring beneath the underbelly of a society collapsing under the weight of tyranny and destruction. Initially, taking hold from the perspective of the wife, and later from William, ‘Toothless Wolf’ barrels quickly forward to the events of track two, ‘Spiraling Ash.’”
Decibel interviewed several of the RADIAN members which is now running with their premiere of the new song, which reads in part, “‘Toothless Wolf,’ the track we’re premiering today, is the first song on Subterfuge, so it’s a good jumping off point for the album, both conceptually and in its sludgy, chugging musical style,” later in the piece writing, “Subterfuge covers a pretty wide sonic range while remaining within the boundaries of sludge—some of it is more upbeat and punk influenced, while other tracks stray more into doom or border on death metal.”
Tune in to Decibel Magazine to stream RADIAN’s “Toothless Wolf” RIGHT HERE.
Subterfuge will be released digitally and on 12” vinyl as a collaboration between the band’s El Burno Records and Third House Communications on March 20th. Preorders are now open HERE, and if you missed it, Watch RADIAN’s “Spiraling Ash” video HERE.
With plans of regular widespread touring planned for the year, RADIAN has already booked several shows for the months ahead, including a hometown gig February 28th, a set supporting The Obsessed in Cleveland on March 12th, and another Cleveland show one day later with Acid Bath.
RADIAN Live:
2/28/2026 Musica – Akron, OH
3/12/2026 Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH w/ The Obsessed
3/13/2026 Agora Theater & Ballroom – Cleveland, OH w/ Acid Bath
RADIAN formed in the winter of 2017 as guitarist Mike Burns (Rue, Sofa King Killer) set out to fuse groove and grime into something both confrontational and enduring. The project took shape on its independent debut, Chapters (2019), a sludgy, dynamic statement praised by The Obelisk for, “that extra bit of aggression one finds underlying the most satisfying of sludge metals.” The record established RADIAN as a formidable presence in the Midwest metal underground, built on relentless shows and a DIY work ethic.
This drive carried into Discordian (2022), released via Burns’ own El Burno Records. Darker and less forgiving, the album reflected a band pushing against the limits. Touring in support of the record brought both expansion and fracture – multiple lineup changes, periods of uncertainty, and turbulence that ultimately reshaped the band’s direction.
During this period, RADIAN’s lineup coalesced with renewed focus and intent, featuring vocalist Corey Staley, drummer Derek Vaive, and bassist Carly Allman, alongside Burns. What followed was not simply new material, but a reframing of purpose. The result is Subterfuge, a concept-driven album that channels a recasting of sludge and doom into a tale of resistance, survival, and cultural preservation.
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