Introduction
There is something particularly exciting about a band that refuses to follow predictable musical paths. Colorado-based two-piece metal outfit Gone Full Heathen are building their identity around chaos, heavy riffs and unexpected musical combinations. Their latest single, “Pores Glut With Sludge”, released on October 17, 2026, offers a powerful introduction to what listeners can expect from their upcoming five-track EP, Desperate Mind Games.
Artist background
Gone Full Heathen consists of guitarist and vocalist Rhaina Brooks and drummer and vocalist Dave Sites. Despite operating as a two-piece, the band's creative chemistry allows them to explore a wide range of sounds, moving between melodic passages, heavy grooves and more aggressive musical territory. Their two contrasting musical journeys meet in the middle of this project: Sites developed his technical drumming style through influences such as Gojira and Tool, while Brooks initially found inspiration in Queens of the Stone Age before moving towards heavier territory through bands including Converge and Every Time I Die. According to the band's press release, many songs begin when Brooks brings a guitar riff to Sites, and from there their musical chemistry and shared understanding help transform individual ideas into unexpected combinations.
Review of the song
“Pores Glut With Sludge” has an interesting place in the band's creative development. The track was among the first pieces written by Rhaina Brooks after she decided to explore seven-string guitars, having spent many years playing six-string baritone guitars. The result is a compact and direct musical statement built around heavy riffs. The band selected it as a single because it captures the intensity and overall direction of the material waiting on Desperate Mind Games. Rather than revealing everything at once, the track offers a concentrated dose of the band's heavier side. It is a clear signal that the upcoming EP will not be short on aggression or energy.
Musical analysis
The song's power comes from the meeting of two distinct musical backgrounds. Sites' drumming carries the technical precision associated with influences such as Gojira and Tool, while Brooks' guitar work reflects a path that led from the desert-rock textures of Queens of the Stone Age through the intensity of Converge and Every Time I Die into heavier territory. The switch to a seven-string guitar widens that palette further: the extended low range gives the riffs additional weight, and it is precisely this expanded instrument that shaped the writing of “Pores Glut With Sludge”. The result is a piece that can be chaotic, heavy and groovy while still leaving room for melodic passages — the kind of unpredictable combination that a two-piece can pursue with unusual freedom.
Why listeners should pay attention
Gone Full Heathen are not interested in staying inside one narrow genre. The band embrace the freedom of being a two-piece, using their contrasting influences to create music that refuses to sit still. With Desperate Mind Games scheduled for release on January 8, 2027, “Pores Glut With Sludge” arrives at exactly the right moment: it gives listeners a clear first impression of the EP's direction while holding back enough to keep the full release intriguing. For listeners interested in heavy music that combines technical musicianship, aggressive riffs and unexpected creative choices, Gone Full Heathen are certainly a project worth keeping an eye on.
Conclusion
With “Pores Glut With Sludge”, Gone Full Heathen deliver exactly what their press release promises: a heavy, uncompromising single that signals a new chapter built around seven strings. The track stands on its own as a concentrated statement, but its real promise lies in what it foreshadows. With Desperate Mind Games approaching, the next chapter of their musical journey is already taking shape. Gone Full Heathen are not here to play it safe. They are here to make noise, push boundaries and deliver metal on their own terms.
Recommended for fans of
Heavy music shaped by contrasting influences — the technical drumming associated with Gojira and Tool, and guitar work that travels from Queens of the Stone Age towards the intensity of Converge and Every Time I Die.
Follow the artist
Official music video: https://youtu.be/LWKGvuiMKVw
Listen to “Pores Glut With Sludge” and follow Gone Full Heathen on Spotify and through the band's official artist profiles.
Source: Press information provided by Gone Full Heathen.
© Tomi Perrakoski / Metal Madness Weekly
