Misery Index

Lock Up – The Dregs of Hades Review

Lock Up – The Dregs of Hades Review

By Saunders on November 28, 2021 in Reviews, 14 comments

“Lock Up is a cool band. The long-running supergroup collective, featuring a shuffling cast of characters, have been kicking out the filthy deathgrind jams since their barnstorming 1999 debut Pleasure Paves Sewers. Sophomore album Hate Breeds Suffering ruled as well. Despite a more haphazard and sporadic output in the years since those two gritty, unvarnished gems dropped, Lock Up continued to maintain relevance while adhering to their classic deathgrind template, warts and all.” Lock up the nuance.

Ruinas – Ikonoklasta Review

Ruinas – Ikonoklasta Review

By Mark Z. on March 17, 2020 in 2020, Crust Punk, Death Metal, Grind, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Spikerot Records, Crust Punk, Death Metal, 13 comments

“The world today is a frustrating place. You try to go on vacation and miss your flight because some idiot got into a fender bender and caused a traffic jam. You try to go out to eat and can’t find anywhere to park. You try to take a shit and are forced to wipe your ass with an old washcloth because every store within 100 miles is sold out of toilet paper. In times like these, nothing helps more than a pure blast of raw aggression, an aural rampage that obliterates any and all sense of frustration from your mind. I find deathgrind works particularly well in this regard, especially albums like Death Toll 80K’s incendiary and rifftastic Harsh Realities. Seeing Ruinas listed under the deathgrind tag, I hoped this newfound Spanish group would offer just what I was looking for during a time in my life that’s been more frustrating than usual.” Ain’t no cure for the TP blues.

Neck of the Woods – The Annex of Ire Review

Neck of the Woods – The Annex of Ire Review

By Carcharodon on March 16, 2020 in 2020, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Metalcore, Pelagic Records, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Metalcore, 30 comments

“Do you ever have that feeling of listening to an album and feeling that it’s somehow better than you’re giving it credit for? Or, as GardensTale put it to me, the feeling that “I’m probably just not good enough for the album”? That’s how I felt about the second full-length from Vancouver’s Neck of the Woods, until about 4pm today.” You’re good enough and people like you.

Rat King – Vicious Inhumanity Review

Rat King – Vicious Inhumanity Review

By Dear Hollow on January 15, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Within the Mind Records, Death Metal, Grind, Sludge Metal, 12 comments

“Do you want your face ripped off? Are you desiring to have your skull bludgeoned to concussive proportions? Do you want both at once?? Look no further, ’cause deathgrind’s got you covered. From the swanky animal-lovin’ veganity of Cattle Decapitation, the hardcore crusty punch of Misery Index, the tech wankery of Dying Fetus, or the murky brutality of Infernal Coil, it’s a style characterized by one focus: knocking your lights out hard and fast. In spite of the savage atmosphere, it’s a style royally ruled by the the upper echelon of the aforementioned acts, and a trickle-down effect of its underlings.” Reaganomics killing you.

Shock Narcotic – I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn’t Work

Shock Narcotic – I Have Seen The Future And It Doesn’t Work

By Dear Hollow on August 17, 2019 in American Metal, Grind, Housecore records, Uncategorized, Grind, Groove Metal, 7 comments

“I’ve been reviewing some long-ass albums lately. In the worship of Swallow the Sun’s Songs from the North I, II, & III, Bell Witch’s Mirror Reaper, or even Nightwish’s Endless Forms Most Beautiful, patient and epic songwriting takes precedence and the portrayal of endless and daunting landscapes in audio form rear their heads. It gets tiring. So I was like, “what the hell?” and went for grind. Shock Narcotic is a grind supergroup from Detroit, their debut album I Have Seen the Future And It Doesn’t Work released through Housecore Records.” Future shock.

Misery Index – Rituals of Power Review

Misery Index – Rituals of Power Review

By Saunders on March 4, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, Grind, 115 comments

“Originally spawned from the remnants of the classic Dying Fetus line-up from the monumental Destroy the Opposition, Misery Index wasted fuck all time getting their act together and becoming an immediate force in the extreme metal scene in the early aughts, grinding out a powerful and now lengthy history of their own. Their insightful and vicious socio-political tirades and passionate values matched up perfectly with their grind and thrash-infected style of muscular death metal. Misery Index have managed to deftly shift and evolve their sound along the way, crafting a consistent and high-quality body of work, highlighted by 2008’s vicious Traitors album, and arguably their finest hour, 2010’s modern masterwork, Heirs of Thievery. But nearly 20 years into their career, are these modern-day descendants of Napalm Death still able to muster the strength and power to dominate in 2019?” Misery loves power.

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

By Mark Z. on June 16, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Live Reviews, 41 comments

“Anyone who’s seen The Wire knows Baltimore can be a rough place, but on Memorial Day weekend every year, things get especially brutal. Hundreds of rabid metal fans from all over the world descend on ‘Charm City’ to participate in Maryland Deathfest, and the result is four days of moshing, headbanging, and partying like it’s 1989.” Death to all.