Raw War - Total Raw War

 

For those of us who have been doing this a long time there is something to be said for old school grindcore. It has a certain stripped back, eternally DIY appeal that means it will always resonate and constantly seems to capture the imagination. Such is the case with Raw War, a Canadian export signed to Sentient Ruin - one of my favorite underground labels. Their new album Total Raw War is seventeen tracks of unrelenting 80s style grindcore, full of crust punk proclivities and d beats galore, certain to thrill all of us who wish they got to see the forefathers of the genre kick things off at dingy clubs like The Mermaid. 

Total Raw War is a crushing release, beautiful in its simplicity and unrelenting in its continued aural assault. This is unrepentant grindcore done at a million miles an hour and with no real concern for high production value or any of that malarkey. Instead this is the sort of monochromatic, stripped back mayhem that makes my hair stand up on end, getting back to the roots of the genre with four on the floor beats, a few rock n roll flashes and an anarchist attitude that makes for truly exciting, fun and oftentimes over the top songwriting. It's stuff that's been done before, but Raw War are damn good at it and the barking vocals, chainsaw guitars and blasting rhythms are relentlessly addictive. 

Raw War are a force to be reckoned with. This album is a type of grindcore that doesn't get nearly enough love in todays world of highly produced extreme metal. It's strangely comforting to immerse yourself in a record that is willing to go back in time and create something that could have sat side by side on record store shelves with Napalm Death's Scum. Raw War understand the thrill of the underground and this music is going to remain addictive and vital for the chosen few. If you're into old school DIY grind then you're going to want to pre-order this asap. 

Pre-order the album here: 

http://sentientruin.com/releases/raw-war-total-raw-war

Bandit - Siege of Self

 

Brutally honest. Heavy. Unrelenting. Such is the power of Bandit's devastating new album, Siege Of Self. This is a band who have long stood apart, and now a decade into their career have put out a record that finally lives up to their sheer potential. I've been seeing this band since they played coffee shops in the suburbs, but at long last they have a record that captures just how powerful and compelling they can be at their best. While not losing site of their primitive powerviolence roots, they've created something emotional and exciting. 

It's almost shocking how personal Bandit get on Siege Of Self. The brutal realities they paint and the horrifying stories of past trauma outlined here are simply mind melting. It's the sort of thing that makes your skin crawl in both its honesty and the way that it forces us to really come to terms with the monsters and the suffering within us all. The individual musical performances on this record are insane too. Far from drop tuned odes to brutality, Siege Of Self sees guitarist Jack McBride dropping incredible performances that speak to their development as a musician. Meanwhile the drumming performances of Gobinda Senchury are at a whole new level - it's thrilling to hear. 

Siege Of Self is a new brand of grindcore. It's a record that pays fitting tribute to the bands influences, bands like Discordance Axis and Gridlink. The evolution Bandit has gone through over the years has been incredible, from teenagers being loud and obnoxious in a School of Rock to crafting thoughtful and powerful epics. This is a record that I think fans of the underground are going to be stunned by and which goes a head and shoulders above so many of their peers in the current scene. What's not to love from these broken hearted, bitter masters of the craft? 

Buy the album!

https://banditgutterpunk.bandcamp.com/album/siege-of-self

Rotten Sound - Apocalypse

 

It always feels like an event when Rotten Sound drop a new album. Now, perhaps more than ever, as on their 30th anniversary as a band the group is releasing their first full length in 7 years. Apocalypse is a crusher, showing that the group is just as pissed as ever with the same breakneck sonic assault and bleak vision of a future that ends in flames. Building on furious guitars and blast beats, the classic elements that have always made Rotten Sound and grindcore as a whole compelling, Apocalypse is 18 succinct tracks of grindcore fury. 

It's hard not to be charmed by the sustained chaos of Apocalypse. The band does an excellent job of keeping each song concise and wonderfully brutal. Where most grind bands in their 30th year might slow down or take on new experimentations, Rotten Sound have stayed true to the classic side of the genre. It almost feels intentional that there's not a single song on this album over 2 minutes long. What this means is that Apocalypse is over far too soon, and has me constantly looking for the replay button. It's grindcore in its purest most undiluted form, with nary a reference to death metal or any of the other scenes that have polluted this music over the years. 

Apocalypse is a crusher. It's a record that leans into the raw energy of grindcore and forces listeners to come to terms with the punishing assault that has come to define the band and the twisted vision that they bring to the table. This is grindcore done with a desire to crack bones and split skulls. Undeniable, aggressive and stripping things right back to their wonderfully twisted core, Rotten Sound speak to the throat slitting magic of grindcore in a way few of their peers do and remind us all that they are masters of the genre. 

Pre-order the album!

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/RottenApocalypse

.gif from god - Digital Red

.gif from god are a force apart. They are yet another very exciting extreme band rising out of the grind scene in America right now and their new EP, Digital Red is a crusher. An offering that nicely summarizes some of the most impressive aspects of the bands career so far. This is a chaotic release that emphasizes the frenetic mastery and deep anxiety of their sound. .gif from god use this album to drag listeners into a soundworld of pain and chaos like few others. It's a testament ot the bands terrifying approach and the mind melting nature of the bands inspirations. 

Skronky and uncompromising, .gif from god seem to owe just as much to the screamo scene as they do the grindcore one. Rather than going heavier than heavy as many of their peers do, .gif from god seem to revel more in the darkness and moodiness that scooped guitars and panicked vocals can bring. It's a grindcore record from kids who grew up listening to My Chem. There's a lot to draw you in for this one and nervous energy that shapes so much of this record is addictive. It speaks to a band who are going to drag you into the pit and beat you with nervous experience. Digital Red is a fitting next step for these Richmond freaks and hearing them continue to develop their suffocating crush is going to be interesting indeed. 

Pre-order the album!

https://giffromgod.bandcamp.com/album/digital-red

Ground - Habitual Self-Abuse

 

Jersey grindcore kings, Ground are back with perhaps their sickest offering to date. Habitual Self-Abuse is an immediate and powerful record unveiling a level of violence that I don't think we've seen from Ground yet. This is a record that immediately ties into their most demented tendencies, fusing slam, grind and hardcore into something that is distinctly their own. The songwriting on this record is some of the bands strongest to date, but even a decade in they haven't lost sight of the grime that marks so much of their roots. 

Habitual Self-Abuse has a certain gnarliness that sets the band apart. There is a sneering madness to these tracks, where even the most supportive ones, like "Mental Health Matters" come off with a sense of demented off kilter madness. It makes for addictive listening from a band who deeply understand the power of this music and who seem determined to keep delivering within it at an extremely high level. there is a blasphemous vision that keeps us coming back, but Habitual Self Abuse is a one of a kind masterwork in the twisted nature of its execution. This is grind done right, with a sense of inner turmoil that few of the bands peers can emulate. 

It's such a delight to really sink your teeth into the pointed grinding of this band and their distinct approach to this whole thing. There are so many killer grooves here that keep me coming back to Habitual Self-Abuse, in awe of the pummeling assault that they can unleash. Ground have clearly spent a long time crafting this record and it serves as a concrete leveling up for the band that speaks to how much more is going to come down the line for these skull cracking vagabonds of the South Jersey world. Get ready for this to drop and crack heads next week!

Pre-order the album!

https://groundnj.bandcamp.com/album/habitual-self-abuse

Human Corpse Abuse - Xenoviscerum

Now this is an absolute crusher. Human Corpse Abuse are a new project featuring Shelby Lermo of Vastum and Adam Jarvis of Pig Destroyer and Misery Index. It showcases some of the most impressive drumming performances that I have heard in my life, gurgling twisted songwriting and a sense of Cronenberg-esque devastation that will leave audiences in fear for their very lives. This is a dense and cripplingly heavy record that almost feels inhuman. In other words it's everything that an underground death metal record should be. 

Human Corpse Abuse impress with their ability to draw a bunch of different influences from across the extreme music spectrum and convey them as a single twisted whole. This record showcases elements of goregrind, powerviolence, d-beat, and as I mentioned - death metal. There is a sense of terror and aural devastation that makes this record utterly fascinating. Tracks like "Convulsing Labyrinth Of Flesh" which is long by this albums standards at just over 2 minutes, present an unrelenting assault on the sense as listeners try to navigate the terrifying and death obsessed world of Xenoviscerum and all that this blasphemy against humanity encompasses. 

Xenoviscerum is one of those records that represents a logical extreme for a genre, but is nevertheless hard to wrap your head around. It's a record that is utterly evil, skull melting in scope and constantly hinting at demented new layers for the band to explore. It's a delight to immerse yourself in the writhing torment that is this offering. Even if it stands alone as a pandemic project I think it's still an offering that is worth visiting. It's terrifying at best and unrelenting at worst. The kind of thing you turn on for 12 tracks of sonic decimation.

Pre-order the album!

https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/xenoviscerum

Slugcrust - Ecocide

 

Slugcrust is an eco-grind band hailing from South Carolina and featuring members of WVRMS. Their hyper politicized environmentalist message is given the perfect vehicle with their distinct brand of punishing, balls out grindcore. Emphasizing themes of depravity and frustration with the neverending stupidity of the human race, Ecocide serves as a stark warning to a species who have probably gone too far beyond what the planet could tolerate. The end result is a record that opens eyes and terrifies with an unrelenting sonic assault. 

Ecocide reflects a band who have germinated in the truly unique southern grind scene. There are clear nods to sonic ancestors throughout this record, and the stripped down nature of the songs makes them easy to digest and get punished by. The unrelenting brain drill of a track like "Scoundrel/Wraith" is strangely mesmerizing and speaks to the ongoing power that this band has to drag you to the depths of hell with them. The guitar tone needs to be admired, it's got a certain meatiness that few of the bands peers can really emulate and leans into noisy distortion just enough. As a general rule actually Ecocide is one of the best sounding grindcore records I've heard in a long while. 

This album sees Slugcrust going above and beyond. It sees them slitting throats and punishing listeners with wonderfully high volume madness. The message behind the music is crucial and the bands ability to continue to execute on it is truly impressive. This is one of the most important grind bands emerging from the scene today, not just because their music is truly excellent, but because their message needs more of a platform. I'm not sure what the next step is for humanity, but I'm certain the next step for Slugcrust will continue to melt faces.

Pre-order the album!

https://slugcrust.bandcamp.com/album/ecocide

Gronibard - Regarde les Hommes Sucer

 

Ah yes, European gross out grindcore, a classic genre that doesn't get nearly enough love State side. Fortunately Gronibard are here with their first offering in 14 years to pollute our ears with the very best of French toilet humor. Regarde Les Hommes Sucer is a very gross, very over the top record that really leans into the most absurd elements of the underground and revels in jokes about anal sex, shit and other degenerate filth that captures the imagination of the inner 12 year old inside all of us. And Gronibard are still doing it. 

One of the things that strikes me about this record is the range of vocal styles used, largely just so that the jokes can actually deliver. So you get everything from an eager yelp to a twisted pig squeal. Toss in a bunch of silly porn samples and you have yourself a record that remains fun throughout, even if literal cock sucking or anal sex is the butt (Get it?) of basically every joke that the band make here. While a lot of this records humor will be lost on non-Francophones, I think that anyone will be able to appreciate the gut wrenching irony and crushing Birdflesh-esque riffs that define so much of this record. 

So yeah - Gronibard definitely isn't for everyone. But for Euro grind freaks who love the most graphic sides of the genre and who speak French then this ludicrously inappropriate and very silly record is going to make you laugh. Regarde Les Hommes Sucer is an obnoxious, over the top and gut wrenching album, but that's exactly why I enjoy it. There is no depth of depravity that Gronibard won't touch, and letting yourself get immersed in the filth is a delight.

Pre-order the album!

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/GronibardShop

Backslider - Psychic Rot

To say the new Backslider is one of my most anticipated records of 2022 would be an understatement. This is a band I've been watching slay basements since 2014, a band who have long since established a reputation as Philadelphia's best kept underground secret, and whose sludge meets grindcore assault will club you over the skull. This is extreme music that lives by the maxim that 'This Band Could Be Your Life' and when you really get into their new record Psychic Rot it becomes clear just how special these guys are. 

Backslider routinely impress on Psychic Rot. It's a record that really builds on the sound they have been cultivating for fourteen years. The band distills so many years of punk rock fury into just a few minutes here, and the compositions, stripped down as they are, demand multiple listens. This is a band who really reflect on the power of the underground, building on classic tropes and routinely reminding listeners exactly why they are so special to so many. Skull crushing and unmerciful, this is heavy music done right, leaning into the most twisted aspects of the genre and keeping things true to the magic of an ever changing underground. 

All I'm trying to say is if you like heavy music and are at all interested in punk or sludge, then this is something you're going to need in your life. If you're from the Northeast you've probably already had your face melted off by this band, hopefully multiple times. If you haven't seen them yet then dive in with this record when it drops in February and get ready for a taste of glorious brutality. Psychic Rot is a transcendent and exciting record that seems to routinely act as a rallying cry for the scene. Gather around it as Backslider unleash their manifesto, and then collect the scattered pieces of your flesh in the aftermath. 

Pre-order the album!

https://tolivealie.com/store/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Backslider+-+Psychic+Rot

Skam - Sound Of A Disease

Holy crap this is maybe the most intense record I've heard all year. Skam are a truly magnificent Swedish grindcore band building on the d-beat punk magic of bands like Anti-Cimex and Disfear. They bring a level of raw hate to the table that few of the bands peers can match and its thrilling to listen as they unveil insane riff after insane riff. This is grindcore being executed at the highest level and giving me immense faith for the future of the genre. To execute at this high a level isn't something that 'just happens'. It's something you bleed for. 

Sound Of A Disease isn't just thrilling because of the raw aggression by the way. There is so much more to it than that. These songs are often shockingly technical, and even the slow crush of a track like 'Echoes and...' is surprisingly indicative of just how good this music can be. It's hard not to get caught up in the weird magic of what the band has been doing and their whole way of executing. It's a rare pleasure to sink your teeth into a grindcore record that is this potent and over the top without sacrificing any authenticity or seeming completely 80s worshipping. Skam have found a distinct way to fuse the old and new, crushing skulls of all. 

This is a band who seem poised to go to the next level. Their debut is an utterly bone cracking offering that is going to leave you scraping your jaw off the ground and begging for more. This is a band who experience music on a different level, embracing intensity and forcing listeners to choke on the bitter pill that is unapologetic balls out grindcore. Either you're ready for the insanity or you will crumble, Skam take no prisoners. Sound Of A Disease is going to be on my regular rotation for the rest of the year, and it should be for any die hard thrashers. 

Pre-order the album!

www.skam-se.bandcamp.com

 

To Dust - Nightmare Cycles

In a hyper politicized era of perpetual stress and anxiety, its weirdly reassuring to have bands who reflect on our problems in a manner that wouldn't have felt out of place in the late 80s. I'm talking of course about political grindcore. Nightmare Cycles, the new EP from To Dust is a perfect example of the form building on the influence of bands like Napalm Death, Nasum and Rotten Sound. There music is over the top, brutal and just a bit terrifying. This is what grind was meant to be about and the madness within is absolutely delectable. 

It's easy to get lost in the ominous crush of Nightmare Cycles. It sees the band at their finest delivering throat ripping screeds against a system that has failed. The angular riffing on a track like 'Dystopian Gaze' is absolutely delectable. Toss in manic moments of early Napalm Death-esque chaotic riffing and you start to have yourself a band who stand above and beyond their peers. They understand the pure madness of this music and its capacity to open minds and act as a vehicle for protest. Yes things are stripped down and terrifying, but ultimately that's a big part of the appeal, the might and magic of what Nightmare Cycles bring to the table. 

To Dust are capable of crafting some truly potent aggression. Nightmare Cycles sees the band going straight for the throat and beating us over the head with riff after riff. It's political grindcore that, while certainly drawing an influence from more classic bands, feels distinctly modern. It's refreshing to hear something so wonderfully brutarian and eager to dive into the pit and crush the enemy over the head. Nightmare Cycles is an offering that simply won't stop cracking skulls, at least not until we find a solution to our troubled world. 

Pre-order now!

https://todustgrind.bandcamp.com/album/nightmare-cycles

Venomous Concept - Politics Versus The Erection

 

 

Man - Venomous Concept are legends for a reason and this fourth record reminds us exactly why. The grindcore supergroup has returned to us at a time where it seems like we may need them most. For those not in the loop the band features the legendary Shane Embury and Danny Herrera of Napalm Death. On vocals is former Brutal Truth and SOB singer Kevin Sharpe and John Cooke of Corrupt Moral Altar (And live guitars for Napalm Death!) In an era of COVID-madness, political insurrection and seemingly neverending suffering, Venomous Concept stand tall to crack skulls, punish eardrums and remind us why grindcore started changing the world in the first place. 

There is simply so much to sink your teeth into with Politics Versus The Erection. Yes the songs remain pretty straightforward but the lyrics are as vicious as ever. On top of that, this is probably the best exemplar of both Venomous Concepts songwriting skill and has some of their best production to date. The crushing slowness of a track like 'Shadows' is really delectable too. The experimentalism of tracks like album closer 'Politics Versus The Erection' provide a wonderful counterbalance to some of the more punishing grinding madness found throughout the rest of the record. With Politics Versus The Erection Venomous Concept find a way to build on old tropes but also show they are still willing to expand their sound. 

So yeah - there aren't too many surprises here. This is exactly what you'd expect to happen with a grind supergroup featuring the guys it does. This is what the genre is all about and their raw rock fury is going to keep listeners utterly entranced. Venomous Concept largely stick to straight grind ideas but aren't afraid to explore. Ultimately - this is exactly the record that all the fans were hoping for and it is all the better because of that. This is grindcore at its finest, proving that the old gods of grind will never fail.

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVenomousConcept/

Alpha-O-Maga - Make America Grind Again

Hard hitting stripped down political grindcore? Yes please. Alpha-O-Maga is the sort of one of a kind and cut throat grind that fascinates listeners and speaks to a greater future for this music .The demonic sounds that they conjure up are wonderfully atavistic. They show a clear obsession with the gods of yore, bands like Napalm Death and Terrorizer. While Alpha-O-Maga aren't breaking any new boundaries, it is refreshing to have something this raw and nerve wracking sitting in my inbox ready to rough me up.

Make America Grind Again comes from a place of pure rage, frustration with the system and a desire for change. We live in a nation where people are suffering ad we are about to suffer a pandemic when most people don't have health care. Alpha-O-Maga is here to rip our faces off and grind towards a bolder future. This is a record that gets almost cosmic in scope, just through the way that it ricochets from idea to idea, forever dragging us back into politics swamp. Straight ahead and wonderfully twisted, Make America Grind Again builds on classic ideas to craft something that is a hell of a lot of fun to listen too.

The angular grooves and touches of death metal that impinge on this record remind us that Alpha-O-Maga bring a lot more to the table in other bands, but usually it all reverts back to the magic of blast beats and power chord driven riffs. This is not a record for the faint of heart but rather one that continues to build on itself and hint at a future for a band who might very well go for the throats of all of their peers. Make America Grind Again is a rager from front to back, and those searching for the political grind of yore will find something to dig here.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/alphaomagagrind/

Obduktio - Ihmiskunnan Viholliset

The Finnish punk and grind scene is a fascinating one. For a country whose musical community can often seem very isolated they have put out a ton of great stuff. One of the most exciting upcoming entries to their national musical canon is Ihmiskunnan Viholliset from the grind merchants in Obdkutio. Their pummeling sound and willingness to tap into touches of psychedelia or even prog differentiate them from the pack. This is a band who are bringing a distinct vision to the table and nicely outline it every step of the way.

Ihmiskunnan Viholliset fascinates in the way that the band so seamlessly bring forth a nice array of ideas. While grindcore is certainly the underpinning of what's going on here, Obduktio are clearly capable of bringing a lot more to the table. Their sheer musicality is present, even in situations where there blatant disregard for Western harmony is most obvious. The band go for the throat across the eleven tracks presented here. While I will say I'm not necessarily blown away by any one element, the level of skill that the band is clearly bringing is certainly exciting. Who among us wouldn't be fascinated by the syncopated blasting of Ajan Pilkkominnen Palasiksi Ja Palasten Nimittamin?

There is a very real anger presented here. The wonderful 'Blech!' at the beginning of Irtopää ensures that we all hear that. Ihmiskunnan Viholliset ranges from the dancey to the punishing, the thoughtful to the hectic. there are a lot of interesting sonic twists and turns with what the band does here and it's a treat to get to sink your teeth into everything that the band brings to the table on this record. Obduktio clearly are cut out for greater things, Ihmiskunnan Viholliset is a frightening salvo though, let's see what it evolves into! 

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/obduktio/

Evil (Japan) / Siege Column - Split 7"

So for those in the know, Evil from Japan and Siege Column are two of the best bands in the extreme underground. They compliment each other nicely, with Evil's brutarian take on the genre forming an elegant counterbalance to the twisted and stripped down ululations of Siege Column. Their balls out assault and oppressive sonic atmospheres come together to ensure that this split is one for the ages, the sort of thing that Nuclear War Now is uniquely suited at putting together and crafting to crack listeners skulls.

I think what gets me about this record is the sort of contrast between the two bands. Evil kick off the split with something that is much more massive and brooding sounding. The third track, 羅刹天 Rasetsuten, sounds especially massive when you dig in. It's a fitting counterpoint to the reductionist blare that is Siege Columns balls out assault. It's this sort of mixture that makes extreme metal such a compelling genre to me, you can go two totally different ways with it but still have it make complete sense to the listener. This split seven inch evidences the strengths of both bands approaches but doesn't force you to choose between one or the other.

Point being - this maybe a mere seven inch, but like many seven inches in this genre it has high replayability and makes for compelling listening. I sort of love being able to really sink your teeth into all that Evil and Siege Column are about in this fairly limited format. Extreme seven inches are addictive to say the least, especially when blessed with smatterings of other genres. This is a split for the ages and certainly one that I never really expected to hear. Nuclear War Now have knocked it out of the park once again!

Pre-order and listen to the record on Bandcamp!
https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/split-ep

Drag Them Down - S/T

John Jarvis of Agoraphobic Nosebleed is one of the most busy men in metal. Outside of playing in a handful of insane bands, including Scour with Phil Anselmo, he also has his own booking and management agency, the creatively named Jarvis Booking and Management. The point being - it's pretty astounding to me that someone that busy with so many projects would be able to then churn out a badass grindcore record as he has with Drag Them Down, the debut from his project of the same name.

This record is a wonderful mix of ideas. There are moments that are crushingly heavy, like the intro to Graves and there are other passages that are simply fun, like Devilhead. All the tracks are pretty darn short with the handful that clear the two minute mark being much more the exception than the rule. Drag Them Down is a masterful offering showcasing a deep understanding of grindcore. Its easy to get swept up in the grooves presented here and the more time you spend picking the record apart the more you are enamored with it. Though a lot of the material here is fairly stripped down, Drag Them Down definitely rewards multiple listens.

The point being - Jarvis and co have done a hell of a job here on a debut that hopefully hints at a lot more to come. This is a band who clearly understand the modern grind aesthetic and deliver something straightforward and powerful without a lot of frills. If you want grind that will melt your face, kick off mosh pits and generally crush posers then this is the record for you. With a sound broad enough that it allows for the band to grow (Just look at the Neurosis inspired elements on Co-Ed) but a sufficiently clear vision to make Drag Them Down vicious enough to love, Drag Them Down knock it out of the park.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/dragthemdown/

Shock Narcotic - I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn't Work

Housecore Records has a reputation as one of the best labels in the biz. This latest offering from Shock Narcotic, a supergroup including current and former members of Child Bite, Dillinger Escape Plan and The Black Dahlia Murder is just another example of that. Entitled I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn't Work, this is a masterful release that continually proves there are new places to go in heavy music, even in the relatively limited world of grindcore. Their groovegrind inspired sound is exciting to sink your teeth into - an addictive spin if there ever was one.

I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn't Work goes far beyond the normal limitations of grindcore. A track like 'An Obsession Supreme' which experiments with almost chanted clean vocals for instance really proves that this isn't just some metal dudes making loud noises. There is a very clear artistry and a defined vision behind what is being done here. I can't help but to love the over the top assault consistently presented on I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn't Work. Despite this being the bands debut full length Shock Narcotic have very quickly established what is decidedly their own sound and I gotta love it.

With sneering brutality and punishing rhythms even the album closer, 'Everyone Is Forgotten' adds to the atmosphere of torment documented on this record. Simplistic in its overall approach but clearminded enough in vision that it just plain works, I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn't Work is a tastefully executed grindcore record for 2019. Nihilistic and miserable fans across the globe will see themselves diving into the pit for this one. Shock Narcotic are here to melt your face off, it's on you to turn the music up!

Find them on Facebook! 
https://www.facebook.com/shocknarcotic

Total Fucking Destruction - #USA4TFD

Is it like a law that everything Richard Hoak, of Brutal Truth, fame does has to grind so much harder than the last thing he did? Yet within all of that, Hoak isn't just repeating the same grindcore tropes. In fact I would argue that the latest offering from Total Fucking Destruction, #USA4TFD is one of their most potent to date. Incorporating some more ambient and synth driven elements you might not expect to hear from this band, Total Fucking Destruction remain as virile and twisted as ever. It's just now they've broadened their brand of hate.

One need listen no further than the eerie effects on Grotesque Fornication to tell that this is a band who can take grinds tropes and then bring them to bold new levels. #USA4TFD is a truly pissed off record. It plays on traditional grindcore anarchist tropes but brings in a fair amount of shock value to maximize impact. My favorite example of this is perhaps the left wing banger, Anal Trump Is Gay. The band continually pushes themselves to new heights here and there are all sorts of twisted grooves that will have your head spinning. It's exactly why so many of us spend time delving into all that grinds.

#USA4TFD is a thrilling record. It has angular riffing, ferocious blasts and hints at sounds that go beyond the pale of normal grindcore. Total Fucking Destruction have been totally fucking destroying eardrums for twenty years now, yet they still aren't boring. Instead, there's a case to be made that #USA4TFD, the bands first full length in seven years, is some of their strongest work to date. This project encapsulates all that makes Richard Hoak a great musician and will shake, rattle and roll you straight to hell.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/tfdgrind/

Skullsmasher - Rocket Hammer Brain Surgery

Now this is a monster of a record. Fast, loud, devastating and over the top, Skullsmasher are one of a kind, unleashing truly punishing grindcore madness and forcing the listener to choke on the bitter pill of unreality. This is the sort of band that sounds like a pair of demons wrestling in a sack. It's the sound of the world coming down and it is fucking evil. Skullsmasher's latest offering Rocket Hammer Brain Surgery is exactly what it says on the tin and it's so much fun to dive into what they have delivered here.

Flying into the record literally kicking and screaming the fifteen minute run time of Rocket Hammer Brain Surgery never lets up the energy level and seems to only get more crazy with time. This is the sort of record that can't help but to fascinate and which sees the band consistently pushing to new heights. Skullsmasher mix a diverse set of influences seeming to primarily rely on the second wave of grindcore with touches of old school death metal in there serving to make this record the exact sort of twisted that this music needs to be. Blasting ferociously and unrelenting in its mayhem, this is a fascinating ode to violence.

There is something strangely addictive about this record and the way it bursts through songs that average less than a minute. It's sort of the potato chip consumption thing, you can't eat just one. Rocket Hammer Brain Surgery is manic and over the top, full of crazed breakneck energy and devoted to grinding out the hatred one poser at a time. Chaotic and unpretentious, Skullsmasher understand exactly why so many of us picked up grindcore in the first place, the same reason they fell in love with it, its fast, brutal and fun.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Skullsmashergrind/

Theories - Vessel

Man, I've been waiting a while for this one and by god does it deliver. Those in the know have been aware that Theories is one of the undergrounds most potent and hard hitting grindcore forces. They are a band who deliver hard and with a very real sense of bloodthirst. They're a fascinating band who manage to meld disparate aspects of the grind scene into something truly special. Nevertheless they maintain strong ties to the world of DIY and create music that is, above all, refreshingly human. their latest offering, Vessel is a fucking monster.

The thing that really makes this record special to me is the way that it seamlessly blends two disparate sides of the genre. While the bands songwriting is frequently much more focused on more modern grind tropes with oppressive ideas and crushing hints at melody, the drums specifically the toms, feel almost retro. It creates this really interesting fusion of a modern grindcore aesthetic with something that could have been pulled out of the 80's DIY grindcore scene. It makes the record feel incredibly real and down to earth in its conception, the kind of thing that can't help but to fascinate the listener.

This record is like a perfect blend of old and new and it knows it. There are some truly massive and fascinating sounds here. It's an album that is going to draw you in, spit you and make you choke on the bitter pill of its stripped down reality. A fucking heavy as hell record that will crush all posers, Vessel is the sort of album that brings a band to the next step. With this release it feels like Theories have at last come to represent the sort of brilliant and forward thinking grind the world needs without losing sight of their collective past.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/theoriesgrind/