Die Young, Texas’s finest metallic hardcore export has returned once again with a juggernaut full-length – their first for Good Fight – entitled No Illusions. After a five-year hiatus, and on the heels of a fantastic comeback EP – 2014’s Chosen Path – it’s hard to believe this long-running outfit could have any more songs left in them. Suffice to say, at a whopping sixteen tracks, No Illusions destroys this notion and then some.

Die Young’s newest remains lyrically rooted in the ideals of social justice, condemnation of the wicked and their excesses, and a righteous frustration for the sorry state of our world’s decay. Musically, however, the band has moved more into metallic territory than ever before. The crossover vibe of songs like “Bear Witness” and “God’s Promises,” as well as the Kerry King riffing on “Providence” and “Spared,” will go a long way toward surprising some of Die Young’s long-time fans. I also detect a serious In Cold Blood vibe on tracks like “Automatons” and the bone-shattering closer, “The Weeping Song.” It sounds like the band hired out Aaron Melnick to ghostwrite some of the riffs, or to at least rip some of his signature solos all over this thing.

It’s not often a band can come back from such a lengthy hiatus and still continue to put out relevant music. Die Young has been one of metallic hardcore’s mainstays for over a decade and No Illusions is proof that they won’t be going away any time soon.