The DC deathgrind outfit No/Más, formed almost a decade ago, releasing a split, two EPs and a full-length between 2017 and 2022. Four years later, No/Más attack 2026 from the start, touring with Exhumed and Oxygen Destroyer, as well as cracking skulls with their second work, No Peace. Stylistically similar to their debut Consume/Deny/Repent, No Peace offers listeners twenty-two minutes of sonic hooliganism that punches you in the throat and stomps your toes, which is as charming as it is confrontational. Does the noisy, caustic approach of No/Más leave listeners a tolerance for their chaos, or will they leave No Peace thinking “no thanks”?
While No Peace presents many upgrades over their (admittedly good) debut, the biggest victory is perhaps that No/Más firmly establish their identity. The change isn’t drastic, and No Peace constitutes a natural evolution from Consume/Deny/Repent, but the refined assault delivered on this second album exudes sneering confidence. Following in the footsteps of Nails, No/Más balance grindcore, death metal and hardcore/crust tendencies with playful intelligence, combining the caustic bite of Full of Hell, the bullying simplicity of Napalm Death and the distorted melodicism of Jungle Rot into a densely packed third of an hour. And as if those touchpoints weren’t enough, No/Más release Sepultura-inspired grooves and a slow Pro-Pain drip into their secret recipe. Don’t worry, though, because despite all the influences, No Peace presents itself as a unified vision, one that will rouse sluggish listeners into a frothing fantasy.
No/Más‘s orchestrations on No Peace set a high bar with energetic performances, riff-driven jolts that invite the whip and a license for exciting sound. Joe Vasta’s bass bounces and squeezes with rumbles that make you feel bad throughout No Peace (“Abolition,” “Cycle of Sacrifice”), holding a thick, gloomy tone that will make you bang your head like a rabbit if you stand still. Drummer Henry Everitt hits the skins hard enough to shake your ears, striking with frenzied fills (“Abolition”) and dropping into half-time backbeats (“No Peace”) as the songs demand. It isn’t all about the beatdowns, though, as No/Más introduce a welcome dose of melody on No Peace. John Letzkus’s guitar pierces through the record, dipping into a satisfyingly saturated rumble (“Act of Killing,” “Spineless”), though he also takes the reins and dazzles with effective, arpeggiated leads (“Leech”) that I wish appeared more often. Singer Roger Rivadeneira completes the quartet, shouting, growling and screeching in a varied assault that demonstrates a willingness to experiment that was largely absent from Consume/Deny/Repent. Overall, No/Más give their best throughout No Peace and never leave you a single moment to catch your breath.
With only twenty-two minutes of music, No/Más leave no room for superfluous imperfections. And aside from the half-minute intro overflowing with static noise and indistinct voices, they pull it off completely. As one would expect from any decent, hard work, no song exceeds its distilled essence, staying exactly as long as needed to rip and hit hard before the next track slips away to pay tribute. No song exceeds three minutes, and each one exudes a ferocious savagery that boils with conviction. Moreover, No Peace sounds great—yes, the dynamic range scores low, but that’s exactly how this kind of hyperactive kick should sound. It’s well-mixed, rough, and showcases the rhythm section without sacrificing the sparse power of the six strings. I wish there were a few more songs like “Leech,” partly because No/Más excel at melodicism, and also because I believe they’d face their biggest opportunity with No Peace — the compact songwriting leaves little room for the songs to create unique flavors, sometimes letting them blur together. In the end, though, that’s only a minor complaint, and there are many great moments worth appreciating.
No/Más haven’t redefined the DNA of deathgrind with No Peace, but they’ve contributed a notable addition to its annals. Corrosive, loud tracks, harmonious with few frills, add up to a frothing dish I quite enjoyed. While I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing No/Más live, this band has the hallmarks of an act that rouses the crowd and ends with a broken bone or a missing tooth. With twelve tracks running so lean, No Peace is hopelessly easy to spin again and again. If they keep putting out songs this good, I look forward to what comes next. No más? No. Más.
Rating: Very good!
DR: 5 | Format reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Redefining Darkness Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Releases on Facebook worldwide: March 13, 2026
