Atomic Rule – With Skull Crushing Force (EP Review)

Atomic Rule – With Skull Crushing Force
Released: September 26, 2025

Lineup

Andy Williams // Guitars
Travis Bennington // Bass, Guitars
James Hendergroove // Vocals
Kevin Boutot // Drums

Online

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‍December 11, 2021 is a date that will undoubtedly haunt countless heavy music enthusiasts throughout the world. That particular Saturday celebrated day two of the inaugural ‘TID THE SEASON festival, curated and headlined by metalcore luminaries Every Time I Die. Unknowingly (to some degree), this was to be the Buffalo Music Hall Of Fame Inductees last live performance.

Monday, January 17, 2022, a joint statement was issued that ETID had undertaken their Last Night In Town. Bassist Stephen Micciche, drummer Clayton “Goose” Holyoak, and guitarists Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams had collectively, and devastatingly, called quits on the band after a sterling 24-year career.

However, as the idiom goes: “When one chapter ends, another begins.” Or perhaps, “when one chapter ends, a tougher riff rings in”? On April 17, 2023, the math-metalcore maniacs Better Lovers were introduced to the world at high velocity with their lead single ‘30 Under 13’. The outfit featured bassist Stephen Micciche, drummer Clayton “Goose” Holyoak, and guitarist Jordan Buckley from Every Time I Die. The quintet was completed by guitarist/producer extraordinaire Will Putney, as well as the glorious frenzied frontman Greg Puciato on vocals. The majority of readers paying attention to this article are more-than-likely aware of how the phenomenal BL project is taking off.

October 9, 2023, ex-ETID vocalist Keith Buckley announced his new heavy outfit entitled Many Eyes; their debut single ‘Revelation’ was released four days later. Since, the quartet has released their debut LP The Light Age in 2024, and just recently their new EP Combust.

What was to become of guitarist Andy Williams? It did seem as though his career as AEW professional wrestler The Butcher was to be his full-time commitment. Undeniably, this pursuit is a beyond incredible achievement for the Dr. Pepper enthusiast and riff-instigator (riffstigator?); but, what about the all-important: “tougher riff rings in”?

Welcome to Atomic Rule.

After some lineup shuffling, and a quick live instrumental appearance at Blissmas 2024, Atomic Rule is now a complete act. Featuring Andy “The Butcher” Williams, Eternal Sleep’s Travis Bennington, ex-The Acacia Strain (and current) Dry Kill Logic drummer Kevin Boutot, and James Hendergroove – this immeasurably gifted group have brutifully fashioned three sensationally savage tracks incorporating majestic metal diversity. What the quartet has magically manifested in just three songs, is essentially an amazing adventure for their observers to undertake through a spellbinding journey of rockin’ ruination.

‍‘Song One’ simply detonates as the beginning to this EP, an instantaneous Mastodon-driven monolith that the spectators are electrifyingly struck with (Rest In Power Brent Hinds). From here, the composition brilliantly and bewilderingly traverses between so many different heavy music movements, that it becomes fantastically flabbergasting. Encompassed within this rapturous demonstration is the mathcore enchantment of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge, the striking sludge death-n-roll of Entombed, the wondrous ExperiMetal of Neurosis, and even the luscious alternative-post-metalcore of the compelling Cave In.

All in approximately four minutes.

Believe it or not, this was just the opening to the With Skull Crushing Force.

‍‘LIZARD’ is unbelievably and colossally more thrill-seeking. An idyllic initiation at first, that channels the bewitching experimentations of Thrice, with elements of the blackgaze tenderness that Deafheaven would admire. The track then blazes into a Doomriders inspired desert metal onslaught, with Spiritworld thrash embellishments. “I want my drugs back!” James Hendergroove howls in a raucous roar of presumably, party attitude. The party then enters a near LSD trip of haunting jazzy musicianship with electronic flourishes, before amplifying into a groove metal beatdown. Could you imagine a bearded dragon, or Pogona’s favourite song? Atomic Rule can, they charismatically composed it with this second track. Discovery Channel or Animal Planet please take note; here is your next remarkable reptilian soundtrack.

‍‍‘Bone Lady’ could be incredibly interpreted as the musical version of a volcanic eruption. To commence the marvellous monstrosity, a static rumble of clamorous cacophony simmers below. After approximately 20-seconds, the initial devastating discharge of molten ROCK explodes through the (ear) canals, in the form of pulverising post-metal. Vocalist Mr. Hendergroove wonderfully wails in a soothing yet urgent harmony, as if trying to escape, or possibly embrace the thunderous calamity.

An eerie calm then overwhelms the witnesses in the shape of a math-rock interlude around the midpoint of this cataclysmic event, an exploration that Baroness would assuredly appreciate. However, this tranquillity is over all too soon, with a building riffage of magma recalling the commencement of Every Time I Die’s ‘Roman Holiday’, with excessive and excellent snarl incorporated.

BOOM!

Another eruption of sludgey (metal) chaos, that only allows a small moment of reprieve before a delightfully deadly bombardment of breakdowns pulverises the listeners, and the Earth in this narrative, to nothingness.

‍Atomic Rule have made their proper entrance into the heavy metal universe now, and flawlessly did so With Skull Crushing Force.

What an impeccable title for an EP.

Rating: 9/10
‍With Skull Crushing Force is out now! Stream it here
‍Review by Will Oakeshott @teenwolfwill