Debut EP from FUJIDEATHCULT

Coming out of Melbourne’s music scene, FUJIDEATHCULT arrive as a quartet driven by intensity and the subtle beauty that can be found somewhere inside distortion. Their sound moves with ferocious energy, drawing from the fringes of post punk, sludge-damaged noise rock and DIY chaos to create something that feels constantly on the verge of breaking apart. They present music defined by volume and gripping tension, where raucous rhythms, abrasive instrumentation and powerful vocals collide in enthralling fashion.

Since landing in 2024 with their debut single “Feelings,” the band have been making an impression through a string of impactful releases that lean into high-octane expression while retaining sense of direction. That early material mapped out the sound of FUJIDEATHCULT would become, a project that seeks to capture something volatile and uncompromising. Their live presence has followed a similar output, including a recent show at The Toff on 5th June and a growing reputation within Melbourne’s live circuit.

The origins of the band started when frontman Joel Goh arrived in Melbourne after five years in the UK, seeking a reset following the implosion of his previous project and a period marked by emotional exhaustion and the aftermath of a breakup. At the same time, long-time friend Kai Shia was rebuilding his own life after escaping an abusive marriage that cost him years of work within the tattoo industry. Their connection, however, stretched further back than their current collaboration, having first met during mandatory military service, where shared circumstance made for a bond forged under pressure.

It was in Melbourne that those parallel ruptures began to converge and while locked inside Kai’s sharehouse, the pair began shaping material from that shared emotional ground, turning their experiences into something loud enough to contain it. Over the course of just 10 days, they wrote two new songs and reworked three unreleased ideas, forming the framework of their debut EP titled SORRY CHRIST INSTALLATION and in just 17 hours, the five tracks were captured with the help of friends and collaborators, preserving the potency of their creation.

The record exists in the overlap between destruction and rebuilding, born from two lives that had already been driven to breaking point before the band fully formed. SORRY CHRIST INSTALLATION is a distillation of shared history, channelling experiences of abused love, righteous anger and religious trauma into a concentrated sonic statement. At moments, the EP pulls back just enough to reveal something unexpectedly delicate, only to plunge again into noise and fracture and that contrast becomes central to its identity throughout.

Kicked off by “UP GOLGOTHA,” fuzzy guitar layers and splashing drums drive forward as belted vocal leads ring out above to deliver an aggressive punk-inflected rock anthem cut with slick lead guitar flicker and screaming vocalisations. It’s riveting, consuming and entirely compelling, offering the perfect curtain raiser to FUJIDEATHCULT’s EP. “Juliet Iscariot” follows with a spoken word intro which gives way to stacks of gritty guitars and punching drums capped by commanding vocal performance tinged with subtly melodic aesthetic, resulting in a thrilling jam packed full of energy and memorable writing.

“Hearse” slows things down with the delicate plucks of clean guitar tones and hushed vocal harmonies, casting a dreamy soundscape that showcases the band’s gentler side. Developing with laid back strums and impassioned vocals, dashed with elegant string flutters, it’s a moving musical moment that puts the band’s sonic range on full display. “Looking For Love” brings the energy levels back up with jumpy drums, twanging guitars and catchy vocal leads, leaning into the band’s pop punk style while still delivering a sense of brash noise rock.

Closing the release with “Poolcide,” the mellow patter of drums and woozy guitar tones are met by softly delivered vocals, surging with buzzing bursts of distortion to serve up an epic finale to the band’s superb debut EP. Across its five tracks, SORRY CHRIST INSTALLATION presents an incredible run through of FUJIDEATHCULT’s shared sonic vision, offering a thoroughly engaging musical experience unlike any other.

Listen to SORRY CHRIST INSTALLATION below