ROTTEN SOUND - Apocalypse review

 

ROTTEN SOUND - Apocalypse

Season of Mist

Since the mid-1990's this Finnish band has become a grindcore institution. I have most of their full lengths and a handful of their EPs. I consider their 2002 full length Murderworks as well as Exit from 2005 to be absolute grindcore classics. So that's my full disclosure admission to being a biased fan. 

Now when I read about this new album coming out earlier this year. I was fuckin excited since it's been a few years since these Finns put out a full length. Their last one, Abuse to Suffer, came out in 2016. They did put out the decent Suffer to Abuse EP in 2018. The good thing is that a lot of crap has gone on since last we heard from ROTTEN SOUND and they specialize in social commentary. 

First and foremost Apocalypse, their eighth full length, shows that these Finns are not about to mellow out or play it safe with age. This release is 18 cuts in a little over 20 minutes of brutally violent grinding rage. Vocalist Keijo Niinimaa comes off sounding far more vicious, caustic and completely pissed off. His partner in grind and original member Mika Aalto still finds ways to create some savage riffs that mix grind, power-violence and old hardcore.

Sami Latva, who's been drumming with the band since 2006, puts forth this perfect accompaniment to the riffs. He's just as savage and it's the guitar/drum attack which makes this band grind out. The band's newest member, bassist Matti Raappana, who came on board in 2021, even finds a way to contribute a thunderous back drop which cannot be ignored. 

All in all this is the way I feel when watching the crap reported on the news every day. An onslaught of hate given to those who lie and don't care about humanity. Grind fans know that we use the music as our outlet to the bullshit which we deal with. ROTTEN SOUND's latest is fuckin amazing. While the loser public take depressants I take grind to deal with the shit. 2023 looks like a decent year with this one cranking out. 

https://www.season-of-mist.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://rottensound.bandcamp.com/album/apocalypse

BRED FOR SLAUGHTER - Here You’re Born Here You Die EP review

 

BRED FOR SLAUGHTER - Here You’re Born Here You Die EP

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So if you're an EXHUMED fan, and frankly who isn't, then you know who Mike Beams is. Back in the day Mike, along side Matt Harvey, played guitar and added vocals in EXHUMED from 1998 to 2004. We're talking about classic albums like Gore Metal and Slaughtercult. Add to that Mike played in the revived version of REPULSION and still has his other band MORTUOUS, which put out the damm good Upon Desolation full length last year. 

Now this is the latest project from Mike Beams. Hey the guy has extreme sounding music in his blood. I like how people just don't give up. I'm one of them. So first and foremost Mike's vocals are in that brutal DM style. It's bestial as well as cavernous but no pig squeals thankfully. Now musically it sounds like an EXHUMED offshoot in that you've got those dive bomb guitar solos coming in on some raging death metal grooves. 

Of course there's a lot of grindcore going on here. I mean this is really a death grind release with songs meant to rip your face off. A twenty-five minute plus EP of total insanity. I got stuck listening to it for a while. How could you not? I'd wake up in the mid-morning then catch the news. Afterwards I'd play this and all the songs on here are cool but. "Plague On Humanity" would hit and I'm like I've gotta deal with people today, whatafuck! Yeah this is amazing.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/here-you-re-born-here-you-die

COFFINBORN - Cadaveric Retribution review

 

COFFINBORN - Cadaveric Retribution

Xtreem Music

Ya know I don't care how old I get, I'm 60 now by the way. But I'll always love old school death metal whether it's the original masters or some new school talent. It's just the fuckin killer sound which makes me go nuts and I crank the volume up. I'm sure these Hungarians feel the same way. This is their debut album and from what I've read about em they've got extreme metal history.

Originally COFFINBORN started out in 2013. A year later they released their debut EP Beneath the Cemetery which came out on this label. And then they disappeared into a flux of other bands. MORBID CARNAGE is one of note. But finally these guys regrouped to put this album together. 

Musically this is like GRAVE meets MORTICIAN and INCANTATION in a back alley in Budapest for a rumble. Yeah this is pure death metal performed in the old ways. I mean we're talking about thick, heavy handed riffs that shake your foundation. Add to that fuckin dive bombing solos, cavernous vocals, amazing drum work, etc. 

COFFINBORN pretty much take what was great decades ago and make it all sound fresh today. Old School Death Metal will never fall out of fan appreciation when you have musicians like this keeping it alive. Cadaveric Retribution is obviously one of my favorite releases for 2023. I got stuck listening to it for a few weeks now.

http://shop.xtreemmusic.com/english.main.index.php

LISTEN HERE:

https://coffinborn.bandcamp.com/album/cadaveric-retribution

STRAIGHT HATE - Slaves Of Falseness review

 

STRAIGHT HATE - Slaves Of Falseness

Selfmadegod Records

Sadly I should've checked this one out during the March ov Grind. This is the third full length by Poland's STRAIGHT HATE. They also have a handful of short form releases as well. The band has been around since 2008 but their first release, a self released EP titled Mental Disorder, came out in 2014. 

I put forth all of that information for a reason. This is a Polish grindcore act that's been around for a while and I have not heard of. Regular readers of this blog, and frankly who isn't, know that I'm a dedicated follower of all things GRIND. So please forgive me for not knowing a damm thing about a band with a name STRAIGHT HATE.

Be that as it may this Polish four piece deliver as far as decent 1990's style grindcore. They've got some death metal and 1990's plus hardcore influences showing as well. The guitar tone is crunchy to say the least. A few cuts on here come across as ENTOMBED or DISMEMBER influenced. There's sixteen cuts in all in a twenty-six plus time frame. But in all honesty this release seems longer. 

Hey look if you're into any band channeling aggression and hatred through a Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal then you'll like this. The vocals range from slightly brootal to harsh screaming. Slam pit action is mandatory.

https://selfmadegod.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/album/slaves-of-falseness

DECIPHER - Arcane Paths to Resurrection review

 

DECIPHER - Arcane Paths to Resurrection

Transcending Obscurity Records

I like the title of this album because it fits so well with the music being explored. DECIPHER are the latest black metal export from Greece. On this their full length debut the four piece act take what is essentially melodic black metal and retro fit it enough that it sounds fresh. Basically that's what I meant about the album title being a great representation. 

On here the band wastes no time in delivering a wall of ferocious riffs then adding a tortured atmosphere which all falls in the song structures presented. There's plenty of steely melodic lead work. At times there's some death metal groove riffage thrown in for head banging purposes. And of course there's a galloping riff or two which carry you along as if a furious wind has picked you up and took you away. 

Yes the guitar work on here is exceptional but there's other cool things going on. The vocals come across as deep, bloody throat, demonic. It's as if the singer has you by the collar and is screaming and some times chanting in your face. As far as the rhythm section goes the drums and bass are held slightly back in the production but not buried. 

 

There are moments while listening to this album I hear touches of MARDUK or GORGOROTH. Both of which are quality influences if that is the case. All in all this is a great debut by dare I say the new kings of Greek Black Metal. Nuff Said.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://decipherbm.bandcamp.com/album/arcane-paths-to-resurrection-black-metal