Pessimist

The wait is almost over, metalheads. Soon, death metal greats Pessimist will be handing their legion of faithful followers the Keys to the Underworld. 20 years in the making, the band’s upcoming fourth full-length has some of their most extreme songs to date. It features an all-star recording lineup that includes drummer Tim Yeung (As I Lay Dying, ex-Morbid Angel, ex-Divine Heresy).

“We are extremely excited to finally unleash our fourth album, Keys to the Underworld”, Pessimist guitarist and founding member Kelly McLauchlin says. “The album is done mixing and in the final stages of mastering. It is definitely worth the wait!

Pessimist are one of the premiere bands to emerge out of the early ‘90s death metal scene in Baltimore, Maryland. The band played their first shows with Incantation, Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Testament, Forbidden, Suffocation and Napalm Death. They’ve charted on CMJ Top 40 Loud Rock Charts, toured internationally and appeared at Milwaukee Metalfest and Maryland Deathfest.

After signing with Season of Mist in 2020, Pessimist reissued their first three studio albums: Cult of the Initiated (1997), Blood for the Gods (1999) and Slaughtering the Faithful (2002). Ahead of Keys to the Underworld, the band have toured both the U.S. and Europe and played alongside Massacre, Venom Inc., Decrepit Birth and Sinister. In 2025, they made an appearance on the 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise.
In addition to McLauchlin (ex-Possessed, I Am Morbid), Pessimimist’s current lineup includes original vocalist Rob Kline (ex-Fleshtized, Pschotogen), bassist Cody Bowen (Wythersake, Sardonic Witchery, ex-Integrity) and drummer Cooper Dustman (Area 51, ex-Helsótt). In 2026, the band toured the West Coast with Decrepit Birth, including a stop at Unalive Fest in Last Vegas. This May, they will perform at Piranha Pit Fest III in Montreal, which will mark their first-ever appearance in Canada.

Order Pessimist’s discography from Season of Mist
https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/Pssm-reissue

Stream
https://orcd.co/pessimistdisc

Pessimist @ Piranha Pit Fest III
Friday, May 1 – Montreal, QC @ Piranha Bar (Tickets)

Photo: Scott Waters Photography
Highwire Daze Magazine

@scottwatersphotography
@highwiredazeonline