The debut of Negative Bliss.
Four songs of coping.
Coping with grief.
Coping with loss.
Coping with entropy.
Coping with disillusionment.
Spanning twenty four minutes — Everything Hurts and I'm Dying showcases a new aggressive, cathartic sound from four friends in New Jersey.
The songwriting is vulnerable, raw, and emotional; shifting between towering sludgy heft, clear influences of hardcore vigor and ferocious extreme metal, and delicate, melodic moments that offer a blissful sense of relief.
Co-lead vocalists Steve Wiener and Jonathan Hernandez shine with tenor croons, grim death metal growls, sneering shouts, ferocious guttural roars, and rich, haunting baritones. Paul Shryock supports throughout with tender harmonies, vigorous shouts, and venomous shrieks. The three together display a wide variety of vocal styles and approaches.
The driving force and emotional anchor comes from drummer Jonathan Meyer, whose vision and drive to play heavy music after a long musical hiatus drew in the other band members, and led to the formation of the band. Jon regularly navigates seamlessly through multiple time-and-tempo changes with inventive compositions, effortlessly tethered to Jonathan Hernandez's churning, grinding bass. The two provide a consistent bedrock upon which Steve Wiener and Paul Shryock layer seven- and eight-string guitars, for a massive ground-shaking sound.
Negative Bliss strives to combine a wide array of influences across the heavy music spectrum into a sound that's a reflection of those influences, while simultaneously crafting a new and refreshing sound.
Credits
NEGATIVE BLISS IS:
Jonathan Hernandez - bass, vocals
Jonathan Meyer - drums
Paul Shryock - guitar, vocals
Steve Wiener - guitar, vocals, synths, acoustic guitar
Guest vocals on The Lighthouse by Julian Meyer
All music by Negative Bliss
All lyrics by Steven Wiener, except Sun Stain, by Jonathan Hernandez and Steven Wiener
Engineered and recorded by Negative Bliss in New Jersey, USA in 2023 and 2024.
Steve's "The Good Life" clean vocals engineered and recorded by Ася Плавскина
Produced by Steven Wiener and Negative Bliss
Mixed by Steven Wiener
Mastered by Erik Peabody
Drums mixed by Chris Barber
Art direction and graphic design by Paul Shryock
Press
Heavy Debriefings - Interview
10/09/2024An in-depth interview with Steve Wiener and Paul Shryock about Everything Hurts and I'm Dying
The Chill Dude On A Couch - Interview
11/19/2024All four members of Negative Bliss interview with The Chill Dude On A Couch YouTube channel
3 Bags Full
04/01/2025"There are only four songs, but Everything Hurts hits you with a bittersweet pain that holds you tight and grounds you like a hug from someone you miss dearly. It’s not too heavy handed, it doesn’t preach or embellish. It simply expresses its unfiltered truth and lets the audience take what they will from it"
Amplify the Noise
10/31/2024"dives deep into raw, intense themes of grief, loss, and disillusionment. Rendered through a unique blend of sludgy heaviness, hardcore energy, and delicate melody, the New Jersey band brings an immersive and cathartic sound that’s hard to shake."
Harshvocals.com
10/25/2024"the songwriting is top-tier, especially for a debut EP. There’s layers upon layers of emotionally driven lyrics and vocals, backed by powerful guitars, drums, and a deep sense of melancholy."
Metal Eclipse Reviews
10/13/2024"With a title that sounds like waking up after turning 35, I have to say, this is my jam! Depressing, crushing Post-Metal with Hardcore influences that really makes you feel the pain of being alienated in a cynical society."
Noob Heavy
10/28/2024"Is it a statement on the intrinsic cost of living in America? A comment on the existential toll of growing older? Or is there another message hidden deep within the title, one that can only be unlocked by listening to and embracing the songs within?"
Sleeping Village Reviews
10/30/2024"This is profoundly emotive stuff, basking in gloomy somber grief, hazy melancholy, coiled frustration, and the eventual calm that dwells at the heart of acceptance. "
Harshvocals.com Podcast
10/20/2024"I love this EP, it's excellent. All the songs are great, I think people are really gonna dig it when it does come out."
Métal Précieux - Precious Metal
11/03/2024"One of the best EPs of the year."
Favorite EPs of 2024 year-end list
"One of the Bandcamp tags for this album is "cathartic" and I think that sums this up really nicely. A deluge of emotional doom is exactly what the fucking doctor ordered. (It's also maybe one of my favourite lines from Parks and Rec so...)"
