The brutality of summer 2026 is upon us, and Canada is bringing the smoke, literally. 9 provinces in Canada have been experiencing wildfires this month, and the air quality in my Midwestern hometown is terrible as I write this. I don’t blame Canada, of course, wildfires happen, but those fires are accelerated by the planet’s rising heat and changing climate that leaves conditions drier and more flammable than decades past. That means that many people across North America are best advised to remain agoraphobic today. Coincidentally, “Agoraphobic” is the name of the latest single and music video from Montreal-based grind/hardcore outfit Lobotomite who’s upcoming album, PHYSICAL STRAINS (out August 24th) is promising to be one of the most exciting extreme metal releases this year. Check out “Agoraphobic” now!
FLASH WARNING
Lobotomite formed in 2023 and by all accounts stormed their way through the Montreal underground with a blistering and noisy blend of hardcore punk, grind, and powerviolence. For their debut album, the duo added a third member and ditched guitars entirely in favor of dual bass guitars, drums, and the walls of noise that shaped their sound. Think of Lightning Bolt merging with Full Of Hell, and you’ll get the picture. Better yet, listen to this fucking song and see for yourself. The absence of guitars is not an issue at all. The bass guitars provide plenty of low-end, naturally, but playing higher notes lead melody when appropriate while the drums unleash a full bore assault. Their sound is massive, abrasive, and a refreshing take on a genre I have long appreciated, keeping the riffs and intensity fluid through micro-movements of balls out intensity and rumbling breakdowns.
The video is just as chaotic, throwing a whirlwind of live footage, stock footage from commercials and news clips, fire dancing, and milk drinking through a colorful digitized effect that launches blocks of reds, blues, and greens around the fracas. This whole deranged mess is nasty, ugly, and violent in all of the ways that I want my powerviolence and grindcore to be. I cannot wait for the full album, because “Agoraphobic” rips my skin off in a good way. The previous single, “Iconoclast” is just as eviscerating.
Physical copies of PHYSICAL STRAINS can be ordered through Ancient Temple Recordings (North America) and 7 Degrees Records (Europe/Elsewhere) and digital copies can be ordered through Lobotomite‘s Bandcamp. Be sure to follow Lobotomite on Instagram, too! Stay inside. Become agoraphobic. The earth will kill you.
