There are no soft patches—or even dips in intensity—on the debut album from Tasmanian rapper Wombat. He nears breathlessness on the opening title track, as if fighting to keep up with his emotional outpouring. Referencing his battles with schizophrenia, Wombat focuses on the vital catharsis he’s found in hip-hop: “I live for the bars,” he spits. Drug use and mental illness are major themes across What Death Tastes Like, with “Psychosis” recounting youthful law-breaking with mates before he vents, “I’m stuck inside a drug psychosis.” Sydney MC Vinsins compounds the addled surrealism of “Drugs,” while repeat collaborator Chillinit helps to ground the harried burst of anxiety that is “Rumours.” Influenced by raw UK grime and hard-hitting Aussie rappers like Kerser and Alex Jones, Wombat began releasing rapid-fire singles in 2017 before unleashing 2021’s visceral Chainsaw Man EP. This album is his strongest statement to date, matching lyrical desperation with a confident, complex delivery far beyond his years.