Somewhere between the hardened riffs of Merauder, the metallic intensity of All Out War, and the pulverizing power of Obituary, sits the inspiration for Bangkok “evilcore” group Whispers.

Upon absorbing the menacing atmosphere of the band’s music and observing the stygian aesthetic of their latest EP, Yom-Ma-Lok, it’s evident why the term “evilcore” is more suitable than simply labeling their style hardcore.

“The ‘evilcore’ comes from within our sound, which is not only inspired by hardcore, but by death metal and metalcore,” say the band. “In Thai, Yom-Ma-Lok, means the land of the underworld—the world of the dead.

“The new EP is a sequel to the previous album called Narok Bon Din (2021), which means hell on earth. Yom-Ma-Lok takes you deeper and gets into the chaos below that hell.”

To audibly depict that underworld, Whispers conjures chaos through sinister chanting, an infusion of death metal details, and the EP’s horrifying self-titled closer. Simultaneously, the band dish out heavy doses of demolishing double-bass grooves, obliterating breakdowns, and crushing riffs, channeling every ounce of aggression within them.

In contrast, the band touch on self-reliance according to the principles of Buddhist belief in Thailand, revealing, “We’re able to speak metaphors between different beliefs, reality, and imagination. Many of the lyrics are about human life and society, so people can easily understand … Having our album name(s) pronounced in Thai is also a way that we can bring Thai culture out into the world more.”

As Whispers continue to forge their path within Bangkok’s hardcore scene, and the community at large, the element of coming together through the music is something the band values greatly.

“Most of our best friends are coming from this local hardcore scene—all have love and passion for the same things,” the band share. “It’s like inviting friends and brothers to play music together. In Thailand, we do not have many hardcore bands, so most of the bands are sharing members.”

“With hardcore music, it’s easy to connect to people, and we’re so proud to be a part of this community.”

Yom-Ma-Lok further represents the strength of those bonds through its collaborators from the global hardcore community. The album includes features such as Speed’s Jem Siow on “A Choice To Survive,” Demonstration Of Power’s Shaun Alexander on the all-out smasher “Wisenheimer,” and Kickback’s Stephen Bessac on the unsettling self-titled “Yom-Ma-Lok.”

“We made the Yom-Ma-Lok series very carefully. We have friends from different bands—different countries—that helped make our songs sound stronger than ever. We took a long time to make sure everything was going to be the best it could be, and this album means a lot to us.”

Whispers’ infectious energy, sound, and style attracted powerhouse label, Flatspot Records, who worked with the band on releasing Yom-Ma-Lok. Whispers share that they had got in contact with the label almost two years ago. “Since we had many shows/tours at that time, it made the process for this album longer. They waited on us, so thank you Ricky and Flatspot for trusting us, we really appreciate it. This is such a big step up for us.”

Yom-Ma-Lok is out this Friday, and you can preorder it from Flatspot Records. Follow Whispers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for future updates.