Grindcore

Otoboke Beaver – Super Champon [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Grymm on December 24, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Punk, 17 comments

“It never ceases to bum me out when people will champion (rightfully, I may add) one band for their characteristically wacky, zany antics and tight musicianship, but somehow let another, similar experience slide through the cracks. Case in point: we here at The Church of the Metal Guy of Angry have our fair share of Beaten To Death fans, and it’s not hard to see why. Their off-beat harmonies, blast-happy histrionics, and hilarious song titles won over a number of our jaded, blackened hearts in no time. That said, not many of us can say the same for (or at least listened to) the quirky, bubbly, and yet utterly batshit insane stylings of Kyoto’s Otoboke Beaver.” Leave it to Beaver.

Wormrot – Hiss [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Dolphin Whisperer on December 21, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Grind, 40 comments

“Time—Hiss took even more time than Voices. For 21 tracks that span 33 minutes, six years? Well, unlike Wormrotߵs last outing, Hiss, in the spirit of the full-color rendering that garnishes the cover, is lush, which is not a word we often associate with the furious and grinding arts.” What’s that noise??

Houkago Grind Time – Houkago Grind Time 2: The Second Raid Review

By Cherd on November 11, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Grind, 24 comments

“On the grind spectrum of death metal to hardcore, Houkago Grind Time skews heavily toward the former, with knuckle-dragging riffs and pounding drum fills played at double speed. Lee’s vocals are so deep and guttural that even with the lyrics generously provided on Bandcamp, it’s impossible to match sound to syllable.” Death, grind, and anime.

Strigoi – Viscera Review

By Grymm on September 28, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Grind, 40 comments

“As much of a doom metal cat as I am, I’ll woefully admit when I miss the boat on a band.Vallenfyre, the death/doom side-project that Paradise Lost axeman Gregor Mackintosh created to process the loss of his father, released three albums of 90s throwback Asphyxiation before Mackintosh put the band to rest in 2018, stating that he felt the band had run its course thematically. However, he still wanted to continue in that murky, grotesque vein, so with the help of live ‘Fyre bassist Chris Casket, Mackintosh unearthed Strigoi, a grindier, filthier proposition.” Death as paradise.

Slugcrust – Ecocide Review

By Felagund on September 26, 2022 in Reviews, 10 comments

“Ecocide, the debut from Slugcrust, was a difficult album to write about. The brevity, genre and unrelenting frenzy made for a somewhat complicated but altogether illuminating reviewing effort. Not only was I called to deliver a verdict on the quality of the album, but I found myself asking some very basic questions about the nature of reviewing itself: should I base my conclusions on my personal views without taking into account the context of the style of metal in question? Or should I instead grade on a curve, remembering that one of the album’s shortcomings is perhaps also one of the genre’s founding principles? All these questions and more went through my head as I spun Slugcrust’s Ecocide,” Surviving the critical grind.

Kill Division – Peace Through Tyranny Review

By Saunders on September 21, 2022 in Reviews, 19 comments

“2022 may just go down as a banner year for grind, peppered with quality releases. Although it can be overlooked, grind can also be deceptively diverse, illustrated by the shifting styles of some of the genre’s big hitters in 2022. The debut album from Kill Division tackles grind from an old school perspective, delivered by a seasoned group of musicians, including members of Gruesome, Inhuman Condition, those who have logged time in Malevolent Creation, and former Soilwork and current Megadeth drummer, Dirk Verbeuren. Quite a pedigree of well-established and respected metal musicians.” Grindfire of the vanities.

Greber – Fright Without Review

By Thus Spoke on September 14, 2022 in Reviews, Powerviolence, Sludge, 28 comments

“A drum kit, a bass guitar, two throats, and an unflinching look at life. Such components make up Greber, the unapologetically unhinged grind/sludge two-piece responsible for Fright Without. In their near-15 years of existence, the pair have constructed a fair number of audial slaps in the face, both alone and in numerous splits with the likes of Minors and Anthesis. With one half (Steve Vargas) coming from sludge act The Great Sabatini, and the other (Marc Bourgon) from grind group Fuck The Facts, Greber have always blended these two unfriendly styles.” Greber, baby.

Bloodbox – Post Human Disorder Review

By Saunders on August 31, 2022 in Reviews, Grind, 23 comments

“Bloodbox don’t give two fucks about convention, throwing the ole rule book out the window in favor of chopped-up experimentation and a mangled deconstruction of their grind-infused industrial core. These mysterious masked avengers tip their hats to their rabid punky roots of old school grind, while bringing to mind the industrial grind assault of Aussie alchemists, The Berzerker.” Put your hand in this box.

Antigama – Whiteout Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on July 19, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Grind, Thrash Metal, 38 comments

“Antigama, at this point, is an institution of modern grind. The perennial contender, these Polish riff-junkies, ever solid in their strangeness, continue to litter the basin of the great grindpile in hopes to build a mound of filth worthy of the crown. As such, Antigama, in that traditional Polish underdog spirit, persists.” Embrace the grindpile.

Narakah – Nemesis Cloak Review

By El Cuervo on July 6, 2022 in Reviews, 22 comments

I always enjoy reviewing grindcore. You can rely on its pace, energy and brevity, ensuring that it won’t be a chore to summarise. Narakah, sporting just a couple of other releases under their belt, has arrived in 2022 with a 20-minute “full-length” album entitled Nemesis Cloak. Despite this band’s relative youth, the members include alumni of a host of Pittsburgh metal and hardcore groups, including Slaves BC First Day Dead and Meth Quarry.” Cloak of Grinding.