“The Joyful Stain” is the latest single from long-running Australian thrashers, HARLOTT. The track appears on the band’s upcoming Exsequiis full-length, set for release on September 11th via Metal Blade Records!
The band comments, “‘The Joyful Stain’ is a homage to ‘the lucky country’ that we call home; a second-rate first-world dystopia governed by corruption, stupidity, and indifference.”
Watch HARLOTT’s video for “The Joyful Stain” HERE.
Watch HARLOTT’s previously released video for “Trial By Liar”HERE.
After a six-year gap, Exsequiis marks the boldest leap forward in HARLOTT’s career. Denser, harsher and more confident than ever, a razor-sharp sound built on world-class guitar work. The death of the gods, delivered by thrash metal artisans in the prime of their lives.
“Detritus Of The Final Age (2020) was a great experience in digging out sounds and ideas that we would have been too trepidant to explore,” explains guitarist/vocalist Andrew Hudson. “For Exsequiis, we went further into that, but with the confidence that it would work as it had done before.”
When describing the band’s creative process on Detritus Of The Final Age, Hudson notes, “Whether it’s lyrics or riffs or breakdowns, I always make sure that every song has at least one bit that makes you go ‘fuck yeeeeah.’” With Exsequiis, Harlott tripled-down on this strategy, ensuring the “fuck yeeeeahs are continuously overlapping for 46 minutes.
Exsequiis – Track Listing:
1. Incipiam
2. Void
3. Messiah Simplex
4. Trial By Liar
5. The God That Knows No Name
6. Kleptogenesis
7. A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits
8. The Joyful Stain
9. Endling
10. Vice Borne
11. Exsequiis
Although undoubtedly a band with their own intrinsic identity, there is still much fun for the dedicated thrasher in spotting specific inspirational moments, a pinch of Arise-era Sepultura here, a ‘90s Overkill groove there, the odd touch of Testament technicality or crossover gang chant. However, when asked what HARLOTT regards as thrash metal’s gold standard, the response is unequivocal: “Does anyone ever answer this question with something other than Reign In Blood?”
Rick Rubin’s razor-sharp, in-your-face production on Slayer’s 1986 benchmark release is a fair pointer to the sound of Exsequiis. Bassist/vocalist Tom Richard‘s bass is especially well served, with an interesting tonal dominance in certain passages, but every layer is rammed upfront for maximum head-caving impact.
HARLOTT’s Exsequiis will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variant:
“Coagulation” A Side B Side (EU – Ltd. 500)
Lyrics remain in the depressingly real world, the band preferring not to embroider some supernatural phantasmagoria but instead casting a jaundiced eye over our bitterly divided current climate. “It’s been a pretty interesting time to live through politically and socially,” admits Hudson. “Disinformation appears to be the new normal and a population obsessed with content creation and online participation has really exposed some things that I think we were all probably happier being ignorant of.”
HARLOTT Live:
9/11/2026 Juz – Burghausen, DE
9/12/2026 Nuclear Intervention Fest – Kadov u Blatné, CZ
9/13/2026 Garage Pub – Krakow, PL
9/15/2026 Music-House – Graz, AT
9/16/2026 Escape – Vienna, AT
9/18/2026 MK Bar – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU
9/19/2026 Namenlos – Bonn, DE
9/20/2026 Zentralcafe – Nuremberg, DE
9/23/2026 Bambi Galore – Hamburg, DE
9/24/2026 Mukkes – Leeuwarden, NL
9/25/2026 Musicon – The Hague,NL
9/26/2026 Hellfort – Bruges, BE
[For bookings contact: franziska@daggerbooking.com]
HARLOTT:
Andrew Hudson – guitar, vocals
Tom Richards – bass, vocals
Leigh Bartley – guitar
Glen Trayhern – drums
https://www.instagram.com/harlottofficial
https://www.youtube.com/user/HarlottOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/HarlottOfficial
https://harlottmetal.bandcamp.com/music
Source: EARSPLIT PR
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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