Milan-based collective Benthos don’t tiptoe around genre. Instead, they dive headlong into the deep end, serving up a restless and intoxicating blend of progressive rock’s emotional intricacies with mathcore’s jagged violence and rhythmic chaos. Their debut full-length, From Nothing, arrives after 2021’s ironically titled II, a mini-album that already hinted at the storm brewing beneath the surface.

Built on a base of elusive chord progressions and lush melodic detours, From Nothing doesn’t stay grounded for long. The band lurches into frantic bursts of Dillinger-style complexity, shifting from carefully controlled atmospheres to full-on rhythmic assault with the unpredictability of a fever dream. There’s a constant push and pull between the playful and the punishing, the absurd and the sincere.

Frontman Gabriele Landillo is a marvel here—his range glides from delicate falsetto to guttural screams with an ease that feels almost unnatural. He commands the spotlight, but never overshadows the stellar ensemble around him. Bassist Alberto Fiorani, drummer Alessandro Tagliani, and guitarists Gabriele Papagni and Enrico Tripodi are locked in, navigating dense structures and brutal time shifts with a sense of adventure and precision that keeps the whole affair from flying off the rails.

Tracks like “Let Me Plunge” move from punishing, off-kilter riffs to dreamlike passages washed in ethereal textures, without ever losing momentum. “As a Cordyceps” was my gateway into the band’s chaotic vision, it showcases their ability to weaponise discordance—somehow, guitars that feel like they’re tearing the song apart only pull it closer together. “Fossil” doubles down on this intensity, with spasmodic mathcore flourishes and dizzying drums, while “Pure” offers a rare moment of clarity: an anthemic stretch of clean vocals atop a throbbing bass line that feels like it wandered in from another planet. It’s jarring, but Benthos make it work.

“Athletic Worms” returns to the realm of the bizarre, dabbling in vocal effects and eccentric arrangement choices that walk the line between genius and absurdity. And just when you think you’ve pinned them down, “To Everything” drifts into glitchy jazz motifs before slamming the door open again with their signature controlled chaos.

This isn’t an easy listen. It demands attention and rewards repeat plays. Layers emerge slowly—each spin revealing new flourishes of craftsmanship, buried motifs, and rhythmic trickery. But what ultimately makes From Nothing such a compelling debut is how it refuses to compromise. It’s bizarre, brutal, beautiful, and oddly addictive.