The world is ablaze, wild fires are raging and political leaders have lost the plot. It's hard to reconcile with anyone ignoring the total catastrophe of the hottest year on record, but for Canada's favourite DIY darlings, silence was never an option.
Give Me Dirt is Cancer Bats’ 8th full-length in a truly illustrious career, and they are back with their most electrifying album in years.
Opening with ‘World Wild Fire Death Race’, featuring Nate Newton of Converge, the band’s intent is immediately clear, as frontman Liam Cormier launches into a scathing tirade against humanity’s hubris. It’s a much-needed shot of adrenaline for the apathetic and the despairing, and it’s a powerful start to the album.
Despite their numerous lineup changes (Cormier being the sole founding member nowadays), the band sounds refreshed and energised. Whilst they rage at the ruins of planet earth, they have lost none of their characteristic charm and humour, always finding time to inject a bit of fun into their sludgey, hardcore-tinged riffs.
Clearly, writing this album has been a cathartic process for Cormier, who spent much of the process immersed in nature, reflecting on a year of travel and dealing with loss. The lyrics explore both the personal microcosms we inhabit and the existential issues facing us all in 2026. Embodying an almost zen-like philosophy of being present with what we’ve got, while we can, Give Me Dirt feels like the party at the end of time. On the surface all that may seem like a cliché, but the recurring feeling of loss throughout makes it clear that if nothing good lasts, then what choice have we got but to hold on tight and enjoy the ride?
The album is never short of a few heavy moments, such as when Cormier howls “Let the ocean crash as the paint starts chipping away” on ‘Ocean Crash’ and his delivery hits like a tsunami against the sheer cliffs of Jackson Landry’s enormous sludgey riffs. Cancer Bats blend hardcore and metal beautifully, but they also find room to expand their sound on Give Me Dirt.
Additional features from Chris Cresswell of The Flatliners, Brooklyn Doran, and Efrem Schulz of Death By Stereo all speak to the diversity of their influences but also enrich the sound that they have crafted over more than two decades. Doran’s feature and the dynamic refrain of ‘Long Tooth’ in particular elevate the song to anthemic heights, and the sky is the limit for the band at this point. Anyone who thinks Cancer Bats are done would be unwise to write them off just yet.
Pissed off and ready to party? The Bats have got another firecracker for you!