Of Virtue: Death Of The Altar
Michigan metalcore band Of Virtue have announced their much-anticipated fourth album, Death Of The Altar, due for release on 2 October via Arising Empire! Following their 2023 album Omen, which amassed 65 million streams with its blend of unflinching honesty and emotional depth explored through melody and intensity, Of Virtue are back, delivering more of their signature sound.
Formed in 2008, Of Virtue have built a dedicated following, with fans particularly drawn to the band’s fierce advocacy for mental health, both onstage and off. With Tyler Ennis on vocals, Damon Tate on guitar and vocals, Michael Valadez on guitar and Ryan Trinh on drums, the band have developed a sound that balances melody and intensity to striking effect. That balance is immediately apparent on the album’s opening title track, ‘Death Of The Altar’, which gets things off to an engaging start with a catchy chorus, lofty choir-esque backing vocals, violins, piano and lyrics full of religious imagery. There are a lot of layers to the song, surprisingly heavy in places without sacrificing its hooks. It’s a bold move to begin an album with its title track, but it works well as a taster for what’s to come, leaving listeners wanting more – ‘welcome to the death of the altar’, indeed!
‘Divinity’ takes the heaviness up another notch in places, with an almost industrial feel to the guitars and screamed vocals from Damon Tate contrasting with the clean singing. The track builds from slower, gentler sections into the chorus, with vocalist Tyler Ennis utilising his vocal range particularly well. There are going to be plenty of fans who wouldn’t mind being the subject of this song; to be the focus of such intense desire and craving, bordering on worship of the divine.
‘The End’ begins with vocoder-edited vocals, giving it a robotic edge, while the industrial electronic elements hinted at in the previous track are expanded upon. The arrangement creates a real sense of momentum as the songs increase in heaviness, with elements such as the classical instrumentation and choir-like backing vocals gradually giving way to heavier sounds. This continues into the next track, building towards a weightier sound with chugging guitars and fry and false-cord screams from Tate.
‘What’s It Like To Be Happy?’ takes the tempo down a notch, but is no less powerful than the tracks that precede it, with heavier sections providing contrast. ‘Too Late’ follows in a similar vein, featuring predominantly clean vocals and a refrain made for singing along to — this one will undoubtedly have a live audience singing it back to the band! ‘Welcome To Hell’ is a standout track, bringing the energy back up with its fast tempo. The drums and guitars drive the song forward despite the layered vocals and synths, which could easily have dominated the arrangement.
The contrast between Tyler Ennis’ and Damon Tate’s vocals is delicious and utilised across the album to maximum effect, particularly on tracks like ‘Flatline’. The penultimate song, ‘Devotion’, slows things down a little, beginning with keyboards and soft vocals before ending with soulful acoustic guitar. In contrast, ‘Can’t Keep Knockin’ Me Down’ closes the album on a bold, defiant note, bringing together the classical and industrial elements heard throughout the album for one final track.
If you’re looking for a new band to get into, Of Virtue might just be your new favourite! Fans of Currents, The Plot In You, Bad Omens and As Everything Unfolds should definitely give Of Virtue a go. The band are currently supporting Unprocessed on their upcoming European and UK headline tour in late September and October 2026, alongside special guest Daedric – tickets are available here!