Oxnard, California’s crossover thrash wrecking crew Dead Heat return with Process of Elimination, a record that sharpens their signature blend of hardcore aggression, thrash precision, and groove-loaded attitude. It’s a step forward in power and focus, an album that leans harder than ever into rhythmic weight and airtight riffcraft—while still showing a few places where the band’s ambition outpaces their execution.

If Dead Heat have a secret weapon on this release, it’s the drumming, which dominates nearly every track with a level of force that feels seismic. Deep, rolling tom fills crash into explosive double-kick bursts, and the snares cut through the mix like snapping steel cables. Whether it’s the acoustic fake-out that detonates into the ripping violence of “Perpetual Punishment”, the galloping thrash assault of “Annihilation Nation”, or the volcanic storm that drives “Hidebound”, the drums set a pace that feels relentless and punishing. Half of this album hits like a flashbang to the skull.

The guitars whip between razor-sharp thrash riffs, crunchy mid-tempo crossover chugs, and tasteful leads that add just enough flash without breaking the band’s grounded, street-level style. When Dead Heat are fully locked in—especially on the title track “Process of Elimination”, the slick lead-and-rhythm interplay in “By My Will”, or the late-album groove eruption that closes “Solace Denied”—the riffs feel enormous and undeniably fun. The band also experiments with structure more than before. The eerie, tension-building interlude before “DH Stomp” and the spacey ambience of “Seventh Gate” suggest a willingness to expand their dynamics, even if not every gamble lands with equal impact.

But the true backbone of this album is the bass, which is thick, rubbery, and constantly pushing the songs forward. Tracks like “Enemy” and “Solace Denied” pulse with that unmistakable Oxnard low-end tone—fat, grimy, and aggressive. It often becomes the glue holding everything together, especially when the mix starts to smother the vocals beneath the drums and guitars.

And that leads to the album’s most noticeable weakness: the vocal production. The vocals themselves are raw, strained, and emotionally pushed to the edge—a cracked, intense delivery that fits the band’s hardcore roots. At their best, especially when layered with gang shouts or hardcore backups as in “Enemy”, they feel powerful and authentic. But more often than not, they get buried (“Hidebound,” “The Order”), making the performance seem hesitant or under-projected even though the emotion is clearly there. When Upon Stone delivers a sharp, dynamic guest appearance on “Hatred Bestowed”, the contrast reveals how much a more balanced and aggressive vocal mix could elevate Dead Heat’s sound.

Despite a few pacing dips—“DH Stomp” never fully delivers on its slow-building tension, and “Seventh Gate” works more as an atmospheric palate cleanser than a standout track—the album closes strong. “Hatred Bestowed” is a late-album hammer, merging hardcore stomp, thrash fury, and some of the most explosive drumming on the record.

Process of Elimination proves that Dead Heat are still one of the most exciting bands in modern crossover thrash. The drums crush, the bass snarls, and the riffs swing with confidence and swagger. The production isn’t perfect and a couple experiments stumble, but the highlights—“Perpetual Punishment,” “Process of Elimination,” “Enemy,” “By My Will,” and “Hidebound”—represent some of the band’s strongest and most energized material to date.

A bruising, groove-heavy thrash record that hits hard, even when it hits unevenly—and a fierce reminder of why Oxnard continues to be a power center for modern hardcore and crossover.