Album Review: MOODRING - “death fetish”
Written by: Toree Diver | Monday 30th March 2026
“An artist who is hellbent on continuing to make music but doesn’t care if people even like it. He did it for himself.”
Recently signing with Sharptone Records, MOODRING’s latest album death fetish was released on March 27th, the follow-up to the 2022 LP Stargazer, produced by founder and frontman Hunter Young and co-produced by Austin Coupe. Young, who was diagnosed with a chronic illness in 2022 and now unable to tour, calls death fetish “a bleak album hiding behind veiled electronics, heavy guitars and pop hooks and a eulogy to the person I used to be.”
Half-Life is the first track on the album, which was also the first single released in October 2025. Young calls this an “obituary to my former life and the ‘what could have been’”. It’s a strong track to start with, heavy riffs kicking into a melodic chorus, “I’m living half a life now, I’m swallowing the pain, what’s left to take? I’m only half alive now, I’m swallowing my fate, what’s left to change?”
Second track Cannibal was released as the second single in December 2025, with heavy riffs and a catchy chorus. “How violent do I need to get? I want to make you watch the conscious leave you’re the back of my head, leave nothing left ‘cause you’re a cannibal, fill me with your venom now, just to suck it out”. Next up is Masochist Machine, the third single to be released in January 2026. This has to be my standout track on the album – it is heavy but catchy, pop rock with almost a dance vibe to it, especially in the chorus.
The album’s fourth track is Gunplay (Suicidal 3way) and the last single to be released before the album release, Young says this is his favourite track on the album. Great track. Next up is Ketamine is the softest track of the album, a slower-paced melodic track. Anywhere But Here reminds me of a 90’s grunge underground band especially with the sound of the vocals in the chorus, “Just get out, you said anywhere but here”.
STFA starts strong with “just stay, just stay the fuck away from me.” The verses are heavy with a catchy chorus. The song ends the same as it started. Oxidized is up next, and this track really highlights Young’s vocals. Like many tracks on this album, the chorus in Bleed Enough is catchy, set amongst the heavy verses. Sickf_ck is the heaviest song on the album. Die Slow and Coldmetalkiss round out the album.
Death fetish is certainly raw, dark and emotional, showing the darkness in Young’s life battling illness which has affected living day to day. An artist who is hellbent on continuing to make music but doesn’t care if people even like it. He did it for himself. This album is the start of a new chapter in MOODRING history – it is heavy, it is electronic. Fans were eagerly awaiting the album release after the first five singles. Overall, death fetish is quite the album and I’m a new fan!
