EP Review: GORE. Refine Their Sound and Vision On ‘If You Do Not Fear Me…’ EP

Release Date: October 3, 2025
Label: Spinefarm Records

Texas-based metal band GORE. return with their latest EP If You Do Not Fear Me…, out now via Spinefarm Records. Building upon the foundation they laid with last year’s A Bud That Never Blooms, the band pushes further into the intersection of emotional vulnerability and sonic violence. With the addition of drummer Wills Weller (formerly of Toothgrinder), Haley Roughton, Alex Reyes, and Devin Birchfield sound more dynamic and confident than ever, sharpening their attack while expanding the depth of their songwriting.

The EP opens with “Wrath,” arguably the most impactful and meticulously crafted track on the release. It’s immediately apparent that this song received the most care in mixing—it hits louder, fuller, and more explosively than the rest of the EP. While that disparity can make for an uneven full listen, it doesn’t hinder the experience in the modern streaming landscape, where tracks often stand alone. “Wrath” channels a storm of resentment and raw emotion, bridging the lingering wounds from A Bud That Never Blooms into something more feral and unrestrained.

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“Sepsis” dives into the emotional decay of loving someone you can’t save—a toxic cycle of care and destruction. It’s a striking balance of suffocating heaviness and haunting vulnerability, with Roughton’s vocals shifting seamlessly between fragility and fury. The accompanying video, featuring her confronting a mirrored version of herself, perfectly embodies the song’s claustrophobic self-conflict.

“Orbiting” slows the tempo but deepens the emotional weight, layering atmospheric guitars and swirling vocal textures to reflect the gravitational pull of destructive relationships. It’s one of the most cinematic tracks GORE. have released to date, showcasing the band’s ability to create tension through space and subtlety as much as aggression.

Closing track “Like You Meant It” feels like the EP’s emotional reckoning—an eruption of catharsis and closure. Reyes’ guitar work cuts deep, Birchfield’s low end adds punishing gravity, and Weller’s drumming gives the song a sense of urgency and structure that elevates it beyond their previous work. Roughton’s performance—fluctuating between whispered despair and guttural release—cements her as one of the most emotionally compelling vocalists in modern metal.

Across its four songs, If You Do Not Fear Me… finds GORE. evolving rather than reinventing. The EP expands their sonic palette while refining their vision, balancing fury with fragility and showing how rage and grief can coexist within beauty. Despite some inconsistency in mixing, the songwriting and emotional execution are more focused than ever.

If A Bud That Never Blooms was GORE. discovering their voice, If You Do Not Fear Me… is them wielding it with conviction—and with Wills Weller now in the lineup, they sound fully realized.

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