ALBUM REVIEW: Death & Connection – Shields
British metalcore outfit SHIELDS have had to encounter a level of hardship and agony which no band should ever have to experience. Following the tragic loss of their founding guitarist, George Christie, they parted ways in 2018 and nobody would have judged them for opting not to continue. However, in June 2025 they announced their upcoming return in the form of Death & Connection, which is available now via Long Branch Records and serves as a tribute to their dearly departed comrade.
This Is Not A Dream is a particularly unnerving opener. The predominantly spoken-word sequence navigates topics of abuse and struggle whilst submerged in synths. There is a distinct bravery in displaying this much vulnerability with such immediacy, but it does make for a difficult listen. Abuser leaps into crushing drum beats and assaulting riffs in a sharp contrast to its counterpart. Gritty vocal bursts accompany the beatdown. Kill follows suit as its discordant flow offers another monstrously heavy instalment containing a rap-like rhythm detailing battles with alcohol abuse. An anthemic, cathartic chorus cuts through the bleak soundscape.
Parasites possesses accessible instrumentation and an alluring, energetic pacing which is cleverly juxtaposed with dark lyrical undertones. Lacerate quickly returns to a wild, violent nature in the form of a dense bludgeoning additionally armed with the scathing, abrasive stylings of GRAPHIC NATURE frontman Harvey Freeman. Womb provides glimmers of light that crack through the darkness’ intensity. Impassioned vocal tussle with grisly growls.
Brother’s Lament breaks up the chaos with a contemplative, atmospheric interlude that leads into Red & Green. Considering what we have experienced so far, this piece commences with a remarkably vibrant demeanour despite its solemn narrative. Soaring screams intertwine with emotive passages expressing the anguish of losing their beloved bandmate George. Wolfskin reacquaints you with boisterous but enticing riffing, combining forces with ferocious gutturals courtesy of LEFT TO SUFFER‘s Taylor Barber.
Loser, once more, presents a brief moment to catch your breath as distorted vocals haunt your periphery. Death & Connection welcomes you with a face full of blast beats and savage screams. The breakneck tempo and adrenaline-fuelled musicianship creates one of the album’s standout moments. The arrival of guitarist/vocalist Samuel Kubrick Finney‘s father, Jonathan Finney and his operatic expertise is simply spine-tingling. Miss Me is arguably one of the most heart-wrenching pieces of artistry you will experience this year. The poignant, audible representation of carrying their brother to his final resting place leaves a lump in your throat which will remain for quite some time.
Death & Connection is not for the faint of heart. The emotional gravity of grief, loss and torment weighs heavy on your shoulders, and for SHIELDS to bring such a collision of emotions into the public domain is an incredibly admirable achievement. Their strength of character and endurance is on show for all to see, and we can only hope that this collection of tracks has brought them some degree of catharsis or comfort by exorcising their pain. This may not be a release you return to frequently due to its candid nature, but it deserves to be experienced as a stark reminder of how music can be a powerful means of overcoming even the most harrowing of circumstances.
Rating: 8/10
Death & Connection is available now via Long Branch Records.
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