Death-metal megastars Gatecreeper emerged in the 2010s, immediately garnering critical attention and support from fans thanks to the group’s brutal, pummeling spin on the classic genre. The Phoenix band is led by vocalist Chase “Hellahammer” Mason, guitarist Eric “The Darkest Cowboy” Wagner, and drummer Matt Arrebollo, all of whom were founding members back in 2013. A bevy of early EPs followed, like the breakthrough 2014 self-titled release and a 2016 split project with crust-metal band Young And In The Way. Its debut LP, Sonoran Depravation, arrived that same year and cashed in on the group’s thrashing prowess. Its 2021 LP, An Unexpected Reality, ushered in a new era for the group, ditching classical notions of death metal in favor of an experimental approach. The project clocks in at only 17 minutes, with 11 of them spent on the epic finale, “Emptiness,” but what the album lacks in length, it more than makes up for in fresh interpretations of metal.