Vol #202: Sterilizing the Deceased - “Nothing”
Rustbelt Rock Review
By: Z.M. Delgado
Rustbeltrockreview.com
Volume #202: Sterilizing the Deceased - “Nothing”
August 1st, 2025
Good evening my loyal legions of devoted readers. As always it is a pleasure to sit down and share my thoughts with you. This week I have an artist submission that I received about a month ago. The musical group in question is Cleveland’s own Sterilizing the Deceased and today we will be discussing their new album “Nothing” The band reached out to me and, in a fairly in depth email, explained this new album to me and the ideas behind it. They say they consider themselves Progressive/Death Metal/Deathcore and I suppose that’s about as close to an accurate subgenre breakdown as your gonna get. Their sound is certainly an amalgamation of those three disciplines. Conceptually this album swims in some pretty dark waters. The lyrics have a certain weight; they are deeply personal and brutally honest. Grappling with issues such as suicide, insanity and addiction, just to skim the surface, these songs examine the dark underbelly of a life. Behind this… confession, is some extremely heavy music. There are a lot of different ways I can evaluate an album, because there are many different things that make Metal music great. One thing I can judge on is sheer heaviness. So how heavy is this particular Heavy Metal? Well I have to say that in the case of Sterilizing the Deceased we are judging on some serious pure, pound for pound, weight. The “Nothing” album is some extremely heavy shit. And when I say extremely heavy, I really and truly mean it. In fact, without putting too fine a point on it, I have to say this is some of the heaviest shit I have ever heard. Now, with all that being said, I think it’s about time we take a closer look at this beast.
The album opens with “Recovery.” This is the first chapter in a running five part story. It is also a twisted look at the interconnected cycles of fracturing mental health and addiction. Lyrically it is an unflinching account. A peak behind the curtain and into the life of a struggling addict. Musically it is brilliant. Crushing heaviness is balanced out with beautiful Guitar melodies. These two opposing forces blend seamlessly together creating a unique and interesting sonic tapestry. When you hear the music to this song, you might snap your neck, but once you read the lyrics it will certainly break your heart. It is a singularly powerful piece of art and to me it is the stand out track in this collection.
“Self Meditated” is a song in which the protagonist is slowly losing his mind. This is a painful confession of a soul crying out for help… and it seems as if no one is listening. Lyrically this song is bleak. It is dark. It is desolation of the spirit. This is a track with very little hope. Of course, that sort of… blackened mindset can make for excellent lyricism, which is certainly the case here. Musically this is probably the heaviest song in the collection. It is also the most spartan in it use of melody. In this song the lead work is jagged. It is all sharp edges and barbed tips. From it’s bulldozer beginning to the epic breakdown at it’s close “Self Meditated” is a crusher.
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The album’s title track “Nothing” is yet another bone snapping encounter. It is also a deeply personal account of one mans path towards committing suicide. Clearly this is a fictionalized account, as the protagonist doesn’t seem to survive the song. Even with that being said, it is still a chilling account when you think about the amount of thought that went into the lyrics. The lyricist most definitely endured some kind of struggle in crafting these words. Musically this one is another animal. It absolutely slams, breaks and obliterates the listener. Also worth noting: this one has some particularly nasty lead Guitar work.
“Unconscious” continues the story where our protagonist, now dead, is rotting in some sort of purgatory state. It is certainly a very disheartening look at the afterlife, and in a very dark story, this may be the darkest chapter. Short and sweet this song is heavy and brief… like a hammer strike. With a frightening concept and savage music this song is the stuff of nightmares.
Closing out the album is “Awake.” This is our hero’s rebirth, and salvation. A month after his attempted suicide, he is somehow still alive. Here he awakens from a coma, gets a second chance and adopts a new outlook. This song brings the story to a close and we see this very dark album end on a much more positive note. Musically it absolutely slams. It has some eerie Guitar riffs, as well as some real spine crackers and a solo that absolutely blazes. It fades out on the same creepy riff it begins with ending the whole affair.
So in the end, how do I feel about Sterilizing the Deceased’s “Nothing?” In case you haven't picked up my not so subtle clues, I absolutely love it. On my first listen I thought, “This is heavy.” Then I listened again, and again and on each subsequent play through it dug it’s claws in deeper. Next it was the melody’s and then the intense vocals. Later it was the Guitar solos and the authenticity of the lyrics. I suppose what I am trying to say is this: break it down into its parts, or listen to it as a whole and either way it kills. This album is powerful, passionate and uncompromisingly heavy. It is only five songs, a mere 16 minutes, and yet it hits with the force of runaway bus. In that brief amount of time Sterilizing the Deceased has managed to create a titan of an album. Ultimately in the end all I can do, is say this, I highly recommend “Nothing” by Sterilizing the Deceased and I suggest you get on your favorite streaming service and check it out right away. Thanks for reading.
Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,
-Z.M. Delgado
Rustbelt Rock Review
Rustbeltrockreview.com
8/9/2025
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