Grindcore

Unfurl – Ascension Review

Unfurl – Ascension Review

Unfurl adhere to the school of posts—post-grind, post-death, post-hardcore—that also gives us such bands as Full of Hell and Wake, and Ascension is their third full-length LP. Grindcore is the base of their sound, but these knotted compositions can suddenly swerve into sludgy doom trudges or ethereal clean flourishes on a dime. A handful of genres can be heard at any given time, but Ascension is really a tale of two albums.” Fly the flag of grind.

Birdflesh – Sickness in the North Review

Birdflesh – Sickness in the North Review

“Swedish goofballs Birdflesh return with another fun, uproarious and colorful explosion of old school grind on their sixth LP, Sickness in the North. The veteran trio smash out the follow-up to 2019’s thoroughly enjoyable, Extreme Graveyard Tornado, and all is good in the grind world.” Birds of a feather grind together.

Rotten Sound – Apocalypse Review

Rotten Sound – Apocalypse Review

“Serving the grind cause since forming thirty years ago, Finland’s Rotten Sound is a well-respected if somewhat underrated grindcore wrecking crew boasting an impressive track record. Coming off a banner year for grindcore, getting acquainted or reacquainted with the veteran act seems as good a time as any.” Something’s Rotten in Finland.

All Out War – Celestial Rot Review

All Out War – Celestial Rot Review

“One thing I discover in the promo sump every now and then is the longevity of random bands I’ve never heard of. While many one-man black metal projects working out of their respective mom’s basements rear corpse-painted faces, I certainly did not expect a metalcore band to fall into this category. It is a bit of a coincidence to me that Newburgh, New York veterans All Out War comes on the heels of my last 2022 TYMHM, Geneva’s Nostromo, because all the hallmarks are there.” Eternal war (core).

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

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

“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.

Strigoi – Viscera Review

Strigoi – Viscera Review

“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.