Post-hardcore project Ablaze will release their debut EP Slow Death this Friday, February 6. The record arrives after years in the making and captures a tense, heavy sound shaped by isolation and reflection.

The project began in 2020, when Hugo Martins of Pledge started writing riffs during the early days of the pandemic. With shows canceled and daily life paused, Martins focused on building songs that felt raw and direct. The guitar work carried a sharp, urgent tone that matched the mood of that time.

Once the foundation was set, Martins brought in Igor Esteves of Larkin to record drums. Esteves added force and weight, giving the tracks a punishing backbone. The drums pushed the songs into heavier territory, locking in with tight rhythms and hard-hitting patterns. Even with that progress, the material was set aside for several years.

Everything shifted when Martins reconnected with André Cardoso, a familiar name in the Portuguese hardcore scene from the early 2000s. Cardoso had not recorded vocals in over ten years. After hearing the instrumentals, he stepped back behind the microphone. His screams and lyrics turned the tracks into something confrontational and personal. The influence of bands like Poison the Well, Converge, Norma Jean, and Botch can be heard in the pressure and intensity, but Slow Death stands on its own.

Ablaze was not planned as a formal band. It formed naturally as the songs evolved. The lineup features André Cardoso on vocals, Hugo Martins on guitars, bass, and synths, and Igor Esteves on drums.

Drums were recorded at Amadeus Studio in Viana do Castelo by Nuno Teles. Guitars and bass were recorded by Martins. Vocals were tracked at Mindset Studios in Porto by Cardoso and Martins. The EP was mixed and mastered by Nuno Teles, with lyrics written by Cardoso.

Slow Death brings years of writing and restraint to the surface. The result is a heavy, direct release built on impact and catharsis.

Check out the track “Today” from the EP now: