Vol. #228: Divine Threat – “Pillar of Agony”

Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #228: Divine Threat – “Pillar of Agony”

February 27th 2026

Greeting and welcome back to the most distinguished Rock N’ Roll periodical here on the North Coast, or anywhere really. Here at the RbRR, we strive for excellence and we provide it as well. This weeks excellence comes in the form of a new album by Divine Threat. Originally formed in 2019, they have released a number of singles over the years, but this new album “Pillar of Agony” will be their debut full length. It is eleven tracks that add up to a mountain of unadulterated Metal magnificence... but I’ll have to stop myself right there. I don’t want to say to much more before we take a look at some stand out tracks.

First I want to talk about the album opener “Deceiver.” This song pulls no punches as it launches into a brutal onslaught of sound from the first note. The riff is strong and cutting, while the Drums thunder beneath. The Vocals come in shortly after, quick and aggressive, in a grating and coarse tone. The choruses are power packed and loaded with emotion. The Vocals drift from a straight growl into an impassioned cry. There is a blazing solo that emerges later in the song followed by a nice breakdown. Things pick up at the end leading into a final chorus. All in all this is a hard hitting utterly fantastic track. It sets the tone, and the bar, high for the remainder of the album.

Next I want to discuss “Gold.” This is Divine Threat’s ballad, I suppose you could say. It’s mellow and grooving. The Guitar riff is melodic and drifting setting the scene for a lighter composition. The Vocals are clean; sang in a clear musical tone. This vibe is chill up until about the 2:50 mark when things get quiet then return with sheer ferocity. The snarling growl comes back, as the music erupts into a frenzy of Heavy Metal madness. The Drums are like a tempest. The Guitars a storm. The song becomes a swirling auditory explosion that is pure fire. I can see the moshpits in my mind as I hear this song peak; it’s pure pit bait. With it’s soft opening this is one of the albums more ambitious writing assignments and I think it adds a nice layer to the collection as a whole.

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“Hand of God” is my next stand out track and it’s beast. Now you may or may not know this, but I am a huge fan of Kirk Windstein. His Guitar work is legend and his catalog distinguished. I say this because “Hand of God” has a riff that I could be easily convinced was written by the Riff Lord himself. This song has a slippery, sludgy feel to it that I absolutely love. The Drums are exceptionally potent, changing tempos to match the riffs fluid progression. A monster solo rears its ugly head on the back end, before the chorus returns and the song grooves its way out. It closes with ringing feedback projected over some distorted sermon. It’s a most excellent track, guaranteed to satisfy all lovers of Crowbar.

Finally we have to talk about the album closer, and title track “Pillar of Agony.” This song is a hard charging juggernaut. From it’s opening, it is raw and uncompromising in it’s aggression. The verses are raging. They are a living, breathing monstrosity that cannot be satiated. The chorus is sheer force. The Drums are driving, soaked in an angry energy. The riffs are vicious and so damned compelling. The Vocals are strong, emotive and even a little bit catchy, making for a stellar hook. A gorgeous solo appears, bending notes wildly and scorching the fret board with speed and dexterity. You’d think the song was about over but, no, then the next riff starts strumming. “You’re living a life of shame…” is sang repeatedly, building towards... something. When it finally hits, it lands like a baseball bat to the face. This is the kind of break that we, as metalheads, live for. It blows the top off the song and the album along with it. The cataclysmic conditions that exist at the climax of this record are essentially indescribable, but I assure you, this is a piece of Heavy Metal that you really want to hear. After the peak we are treated to a piano piece that runs until it eventually fades out. It is a haunting way to bring the album to a rest.

So ultimately I have to say that I really dig this record. It is powerful, that for sure. It hits hard and is steeped in anger and aggression. The lyrics are solid, the solos are tight and the riffs are choice. I have to say it checks all the boxes. What Divine Threat has done is they have taken an excellent blend of styles and sounds and woven them into a ferocious amalgamation. I already told you about the Crowbar influence, but I also detect greats such as Lamb of God and Cleveland’s own Chimaira. With styles like these behind the riffage, you’re gonna bound to get a compelling sound. That is exactly the case here. Divine Threat has taken a great resume of their forebears and created a sound that is undeniable. But developing the sound is only half the battle, you have to do something with it. Yes, Divine Threat has done just that. They have shown me some exceptional song writing and captured emotional performances of those songs. Take all of this dribble I’m spilling and in the end what I’m trying to say is this is a VERY good record. I highly recommend it for fans of the bands I just listed for sure, but for just about anyone else who likes Groove Metal. So that’s it for this week, thanks for reading! Remember to bang your heads, hoist your horns and always wear your earplugs.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

2/7/2026

Links:

Divine Threat

https://linktr.ee/DivineThreat

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