VARIOUS ARTISTS - This Comp Kills Fascists Volume One CD Review

VARIOUS ARTISTS - This Comp Kills Fascists Volume One CD
Relapse Records

Normally I would never comment on the themed artwork of an Extreme Metal release but on this one I must make an exception. I have nothing against people who have political/social opinions different than mine, as long as they're based on reasonable facts and not fiction. The fact about Fascism is that it's an ideology based on state control. An ideology which in the past hundred years of history has been embraced by the far left-wing and taken on new names like Socialism, Nazism, Communism and of course Liberalism. It has also recently been embraced by certain religious denominations in particular radical Islamists. Therefore to equate the U.S. or the Bush administration Fascist is completely ignorant of the facts. But here in America you have the right to be ignorant. Now with that said let's talk about the music.

This dink was compiled and produced by Scott Hull, guitarist of the band PIG DESTROYER. Seeing that their Phantom Limb release from 2007 turned up on every one's "best of" lists, including mine. And it probably sold more units than any other of their label's releases. So I'm sure Relapse Records would allow Scott Hull to do any fucking thing he wanted. Even taking a dump at Relapse Records corporate office. Thankfully this compilation of Extreme music is not a dump. Music wise the bands comprise of a who's who in the Underground Grind genre with some twists. Obviously some people don't wanna be confined to just one genre. There's 14 bands and 51 tracks in all. Yeah I couldn't handle all of it but there were plenty of standouts to satisfy.

KILL THE CLIENT do that on here with their three cuts of pure hate filled gore-grind. Very good but too bad you have to wade through two other bands to get to their good shit. Yeah the bands AGENTS OF SATAN and WEEKEND NACHOS bored me. SPOONFUL OF VICODIN are old school power-violence. They even garnered six cuts on here. But they run through them faster than a crustie running from a shower. MARUTA are fuckin death grind who at times made me think the fuckin CD was scratched and the damm thing was skipping. But that only happens when I put a CD on and then fall asleep to it. Then I wake up maybe four hours later to it skipping. Yeah my neighbors hate me. MARUTA's two cut contribution is definitely unhinged brutality.

One of the highlights for me at least are the cuts by INSECT WARFARE. At the present time they are the hottest name in the underground grindcore genre. Although their sound and style varies from grindcore to 1980's hardcore crust. The heavy stuff that sparks of relentless violence like mid-period NAPALM DEATH. And since we're talking old school then that's what the band SHITSTORM are all about. Their six tracks on here are untamed, chaotic and fast like they stepped out of the past. MAN WILL DESTROY HIMSELF are local veterans of the Raleigh, NC underground music scene and lean more towards insane hardcore than the other bands on here. They contribute two songs where their singer, Earthworm, sounds like someone going through the ravages of rabies. While the rest of the band blasts out an aggressive sonic barrage. I've seen them live a handful of times and I just get more impressed by them with each show. TOTAL FUCKIN DESTRUCTION, who I think are great live, were a disappointment on here. Way to much jazz for my tastes as if NOMEANSNO were a grind band. Still Rick Hoak is an exceptional drummer to watch live. By the way that's a stab to all the fuckers who missed them earlier this year at Volume 11 Tavern. Also the BRUTAL TRUTH contributions also with Rick Hoak are much better. CHAINSAW TO THE FACE, now that's a great band name, are specialists in simple death grind which is very punishing to say the least. MAGRUDERGRIND were much in the same vein.

All in all yeah this is a great compilation for anyone into Grind shock and awe. Which means those idiots, who've been getting arrested for destroying property during the Republican National Convention, will hate it. Relapse Records are a evil corporate entity. Everyone knows that.

www.relapse.com