As we march steadily through December, peeling back the doors of our musical advent calendar (check the ever-growing paylist!), we arrive at the eighth entry in our 2025 series. On the 5th of December, the same day as our previous entry, Rottweiler Records unleashed a beast of a track to disturb the silent nights. This time, the spotlight falls on South Carolina’s own Cleansing of the Temple.
The track in question is a cover of the modern holiday classic, “Mary Did You Know?”. However, listeners expecting a sombre, gentle rendition to play by the fireside are in for a rude awakening. The band has taken the traditional melody and dragged it kicking and screaming into the realm of extreme metal. It is a sonic assault that blends the ferocious speed of black metal with the crushing weight of deathcore, all while weaving in elements of melodic death metal to keep the listener hooked throughout the runtime.
What makes this single stand out is not just the brutality, but the composition. It is described as an epic journey of musical extremes. The vocal performance is nothing short of unhinged, delivering a level of madness that suits the intensity of the instrumentation perfectly. Yet, amidst the chaos, the band demonstrates their dynamic range with a beautifully executed acoustic section. It serves as a brief respite before the heaviness returns, proving that Cleansing of the Temple are not just about noise, but about crafting a structured, powerful piece of art. It’s a showcase of their scope and fierce focus, making it a worthy addition to any heavy metal Christmas playlist.
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Header image by Bryce Chism
Cleansing of the Temple: facebook | instagram | spotify | bandcamp
