Written by: Sam Santiago
For more than three decades, Defiled have occupied a unique corner of the death metal underground. While many bands from the early 1990s have spent years looking backward, the Japanese extreme metal veterans have continued pushing forward, forging a sound that remains as unpredictable as it is punishing.
Now, the band is preparing to unleash their ninth studio album, Altered State, a record that once again proves Defiled have no interest in playing by anyone else's rules.
Photo by Fukcrec Hbk
Founded in Tokyo in 1992, Defiled quickly earned a reputation for blending old school death metal brutality with technical precision and progressive experimentation. Over the years, they've shared stages with genre titans including Morbid Angel, Mayhem, Cannibal Corpse, and Incantation, while carving out a distinct identity that has made them one of Japan's most respected extreme metal exports.
Their latest offering continues that tradition.
Released through Season of Mist on June 12, Altered State delivers 14 tracks of relentless, forward thinking death metal that combines crushing old school aggression with technical thrash, progressive rhythms, and unconventional songwriting. The result is an album that feels equally rooted in the genre's past and its future.
LISTEN TO "ALTERED STATE" BELOW
According to founding member Yusuke Sumita, Defiled's goal has never been to recreate what came before.
"Like many other bands, our musical roots are heavily influenced by early '90s death metal and '80s thrash and hardcore. However, our interpretation is different and has branched off from the current scene," Sumita explains. "On Altered State, there are many catchy hooks, but tricky progressive rhythms and song structures can be found as well."
The album also continues themes explored on the band's previous releases The Highest Level and Horror Beyond Horror. Musically, Defiled combine old school death metal with technical thrash riffs and progressive rhythmic shifts. Lyrically, the record draws inspiration from George Orwell's dystopian masterpiece 1984, channeling feelings of paranoia, madness, and societal collapse into a bleak vision of modern existence.
Tracks such as "Dazed in Blindness," "Portal," and the title track showcase the band's ability to twist familiar death metal foundations into something entirely their own. It's a sound that feels disorienting, aggressive, and strangely futuristic all at once.
For those looking to experience Altered State live, Defiled are currently tearing through Japan on an extensive headlining tour before joining legendary extreme metal outfit Brujeria later this year.
Defiled 2026 Altered State Japanese Tour
June 11 – Fussa @ Chicken Shack
June 12 – Tokyo @ Earthdom
June 13 – Fukushima @ Sora
June 13 – Sendai @ Solfa
June 14 – Aizuwakamatsu @ Karando
June 14 – Niigata @ Rocka
June 15 – Nagano @ Rosebery Cafe
June 16 – Kofu @ Bodega
June 17 – Iida @ Space Tama
June 18 – Nagoya @ Studio 246
June 19 – Osaka @ Hokage
June 20 – Okayama @ Dogvult
June 20 – Hiroshima @ Agit
June 21 – Fukuoka @ Reflex
June 21 – Sasebo @ Distortion
June 22 – Mabi @ Branch
Defiled 2026 Japanese Dates with Brujeria
September 15 – Tokyo @ Cyclone
September 16 – Osaka @ Socore Factory
After more than 30 years of pushing death metal into strange and uncharted territory, Defiled continue to prove they are far more than survivors of the genre's golden age. Altered State is another reminder that some bands are content preserving the past, while others remain obsessed with reshaping the future.