Oh boy, that riff from the intro and verse is stunning—it’s got such a vibe that you might end up trashing your apartment, so watch out! It’s a shame the chorus drops a slightly different mood, but maybe that’s for the best? “Crushed By The Tide“, feat. Hexis, the new track from Copenhagen-based Gradience, released on January 9, 2025 and it’s a straight up banger!
“Crushed By The Tide” is pure, unfiltered rage wrapped in a suffocating blend of despair and defiance. The track spits venom at insincere apologies and manipulative behavior, driving its point home with brutal imagery of choking, suffocation, and spiraling into suffering. It’s a battle cry against toxicity, offering no solace—only the raw intensity of someone ready to burn bridges and embrace their chaos. At its core, it’s about reclaiming power, even if it means diving headfirst into the tide.
Consisting of vocalist and lyricist Gavin Mistry and musician/visual artist Jakob Harris, Gradience joined forces in 2022. Gavin had roots in hip-hop, Jakob in the Danish metal scene, and together they aimed to blend trap-rap, black metal, metalcore, and deathcore under the name Gradience—symbolizing an intentional blur between different styles and moods.
They recorded “Ironsight” in the summer of 2023 with Kreutzfeldt producing, exploring Gavin’s personal experiences of alienation, anxiety, and confronting Danish culture. Gradience’s lyrics tackle inner conflict and self-destructive impulses, as shown in tracks like “Love Me and Lie,” where Gavin recounts a racially motivated assault he faced in his teens.
Despite occasional pushback (“mixing rap and metal shouldn’t exist”), the duo has largely received positive responses. They credit the Danish scene, referencing acts like MØL, Cabal, and Vola, as well as Knocked Loose, Spiritbox, Loathe, Love Is Noise, and Zeal & Ardor for pushing boundaries in their own ways.
“Crushed By The Tide” continues that mission, channeling the same intense contrasts.
