Brain Stem is an experimental death metal band from Edmonton, Alberta, known for weaving together crushing riffs, dynamic songwriting, and unsettling atmosphere into something distinctly their own. Formed in 2016, the band set out to fuse their wide range of influences without limitations — building songs that shift seamlessly from relentless heaviness to groovy, immersive passages, always pushing beyond traditional death metal formulas.
Their latest full-length, Nullified (CDN Records, 2025), dives deep into themes of psychological collapse, societal decay, and grotesque transformation, all while showcasing the band’s evolving and boundary-pushing approach to songwriting. With a reputation for powerful, intense live performances and a sound that refuses to stay confined, Brain Stem continues to carve out their place in Canada’s underground metal landscape — unpredictable, uncompromising, and always riff-forward.