Bump’n’Grind – The Upcatchenning
We must catch in a decidedly upward direction.
As is often the case, I’ve been slacking in my grind duties, and we therefore have a fair amount to cover. My overwhelming sense of dejà vu is not helping matters, so I’m mostly keeping the blurbs short. Not a stinker in the bunch though, so make sure to check them all.
Abaddon Incarnate | The Wretched Sermon | July 13, 2022
Hey, you know all that staggeringly boring HM-2 death metal that’s been unleashed on us for years now? Would you have guessed that it sucks way, way less when you play it at double speed? It really does, and if things do slow down, it helps immensely if the riffs are fun, too.
Burner | A Vision of the End | June 17, 2022
Guess it’s 1984, so I’m obliged to say we’ve always been at war with grindcore. We fight it by diluting it with hardcore – post-hardcore, even (e.g. “Death Worship” and the title track). We sneak past enemy lines by adding bits of crust and the standard dual vocals. In about 17 minutes, a devastatingly effective blow is dealt.
Ernia | How to Deal with Life and Fail | July 22, 2022
In case you missed the premiere where Spear said called this “the more cerebral side of grind,” let me repeat and expound on that assessment: an album taking this many left turns in its songwriting and throwing so much at the wall should sound like an absolute mess. Indeed, the constant shapeshifting can be as overwhelming as it is impressive, but after 3 or 4 spins, you should start to see that Ernia have firmly planted themselves in the upper echelons of forward-thinking grind.
Herida Profunda | Power to the People | July 22, 2022
With more than one foot planted in crust territory, these guys remind me a lot of Skitsystem, particularly with the rattling bass guitar and the frequent inclusion of the floor tom to make everything that much stompier. And songs like “1.3.1.2 pt. II” or “Homophobic Piece of Shit” should tell you that this is well worth the support.
Human Cull | To Weep for Unconquered Worlds | January 21, 2022
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a grind record relying so much on dissonant riffing without going fully into avantgarde territory. From an otheriwse straightforward foundation of blasting and shredding, weird angles keep jutting out, making the whole thing feel that much more hostile. And those occasional background synths are top notch, too.
Trauma Bond | Winter’s Light | June 6, 2022
Takes a moment to get to the grinding, and indeed, the droning noise is kinda its own thing here (“The Garden…,” “Don’t Forget to Smile”) rather than just a background component to add some industrial flavour. That flavour is instead created by the often mechanical and utterly crushing precision of the instruments, e.g. in the second half of the fantastic “House of No Man.” In fact, Industrial Grinding Sludge is kind of a good genre descriptor. Don’t miss if you dig the experimental stuff.
Tumour | Tumour | June 9, 2022
Not even tagged as grindcore, but I figured “death metal” and “punk” would land us pretty close. Indeed, while breakdowns may outnumber blast beats, a grindesque ferocity forms the d-beating heart of the record. Nailscore? Gym Grind? Whatever you end up calling it, there’s no denying that this thing packs a hefty punch.
Organ Trail | Appetite for Dissection | May 20, 2022
The cover art made me expect a Bongripper record, but gory deathgrind is actually where they’re coming from, musically and lyrically. The experience of the participants, all of which have been in other bands, shines through in the immense quality, and if the album title didn’t give it away, you’ll soon find they’re not taking things too seriously, which is always a good thing.
Jack | Lobotómia | May 30, 2022
Jack from Hungary have been in the game for a good quarter century now, so you best believe they know what they’re doing. This is easily the most purebred record I’ve got for you today. No frills, no samples. Simple, catchy riffs and pissed-off lyrics.
War Effort | War Effort | July 9, 2022
Let’s close with a short’n’sweet tribute to the forefathers. Furnished with frightfully screeching guitars, these basic-as-fuck tracks unearth the genre’s roots, distinctly recalling bands like Discharge and Ripcord. You know what you’re in for, they know what they’re doing, and it’s surprisingly satisfying to have that understanding.
