Michigan metalcore outfit Fleeting Life have been steadily building a cult following since their earliest singles, and their 2026 debut EP Perma Death feels like a proper arrival. Five tracks, just under 18 minutes, dense with screaming guitars, punishing breakdowns, and a melodic sensibility that keeps the whole thing from collapsing under its own weight. For a band still carving out their identity in an increasingly crowded genre, this is the kind of release that plants a flag and demands attention. Fleeting Life isn't just another metalcore act from the Midwest; they're starting to sound like a band with something genuinely worth saying.
The EP opens with "Advent," which functions less as a slow-burning intro and more as a mission statement fired point-blank. It's immediate, aggressive, and deliberately unsubtle, setting the tone for everything that follows. Vocalist Logan Thomas commands attention from the first second. His cleans carry a surprising emotional weight for a debut release, and his screams have the kind of raw, lived-in urgency that sounds deeply personal rather than performed. The band has openly cited Motionless in White as a major influence, and that DNA is audible here, but "Advent" also makes clear that Fleeting Life isn't content with simply replicating what came before them. There's an ambition in the songwriting that goes beyond imitation, and it gives the EP a confidence that most debut releases struggle to project.
"Parasomniac" is where the EP makes its most exciting and unexpected move. Featuring Black Cat Bill, the rapper and co-lead vocalist of Phoenix, Arizona nu-metal powerhouse Dropout Kings, the track injects a completely different energy into the record's bloodstream. Black Cat Bill brings a hip-hop-inflected aggression that is stylistically miles away from Fleeting Life's metalcore foundation, and the collision between the two worlds is jarring in the best possible way. His verses hit with the kind of confident swagger that only comes from someone who has been doing this at a high level for years, and the contrast with Logan Thomas's screams creates a tension that makes the track genuinely thrilling to listen to. It's a gutsy swing that pays off completely. Given that Dropout Kings lost founding vocalist Adam Ramey to a tragic passing in May 2025, there's also something meaningful about Black Cat Bill continuing to appear on records like this and carrying the spirit of that band's relentless collaborative ethic into new corners of the scene. "Parasomniac" is the track that will turn heads well outside of Fleeting Life's existing fanbase, and it deserves every bit of attention it gets.
"Skull" arrives as the EP's most immediate moment and its most-streamed track, which comes as no surprise. It sits in the sweet spot that the best metalcore always aims for, melodic enough to be genuinely accessible without sacrificing any of the crunch and aggression that defines the band's sound. The chorus is the kind that lands on first listen and refuses to leave, and the production here is noticeably crisper than some of the muddier moments elsewhere on the record. If Perma Death has a breakout single, this is it. It's the song that will end up on playlists far beyond the metalcore faithful, and it's a strong argument that Fleeting Life has real crossover potential if they continue developing in this direction.
"Would You Kindly?" puts another significant stamp on the record through a feature from Tyler Small of Saving Vice. There's a natural chemistry on this track that makes complete sense given the bands' shared roots in the metalcore world, and Small brings a rawness and intensity that complements Fleeting Life's sound without ever overshadowing it. Where "Parasomniac" thrives on contrast and collision, "Would You Kindly?" thrives on synergy with two artists from the same world pushing each other to hit harder. The BioShock-nodding title is a fun touch that fits the band's gaming-adjacent aesthetic perfectly, and the song itself delivers a gut-punch of a chorus that earns the playful reference with genuine emotional weight. "Vampire" closes the EP on a darker, slower-burning note. It leans into the atmosphere more than any other track here, trading relentless forward momentum for something more brooding and deliberate. It's a smart choice to end the record this way rather than simply hammering the listener with one final breakdown. The restraint signals a band that understands dynamics and pacing, and it leaves you sitting in the EP's world for a few extra seconds after the final note fades, which is exactly what a good closing track should do.
At just under 18 minutes, Perma Death doesn't overstay its welcome. If anything, it leaves you wanting more, which is precisely what a debut EP should accomplish. The features on "Parasomniac" and "Would You Kindly?" aren't hollow name-drops or marketing moves; they're genuine artistic additions that elevate the project and signal that Fleeting Life is actively building real, meaningful relationships within the scene, and Fleeting Life is operating largely on their own terms, with Perma Death being proof that they belong in the conversation.
Here's the music video for their track Vampire:
Go check out my review of their track Would You Kindly?: Would You Kindly? - Review
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