Human Cull – Revenant (Review)

This is the second album from UK grinders Human Cull.

Was it really 2014 when Stillborn Nation came out? Where does the time go? Well, in Human Cull’s case, it seems to have been well-spent by pouring time and effort into crafting 18 tracks/minutes of blistering contemporary grindcore.

I very much like Human Cull’s brand of extremity. Violent and brutal, the band excel at short sharp shocks of heavy aggression, spiked with crust/punk/hardcore influences here and there to produce the type of grindcore that’s short-lived and energetic. There’s also a good amount of death metal muscle in their sound too, probably more than usual on Revenant. I approve of this greatly, of course, and combined with the solid, professional production, Human Cull sound stronger and more lethal than ever.

Like the band’s previous work the songs on Revenant mix in some variety into their caustic violence. Most of the tracks fly by in a whirlwind of teeth and claws, blasting into oblivion with careless belligerence, but within this there are different paces and styles peppered around. There’s even the occasional bit of melody here and there, and sometimes even a quite atmospheric section thrown in. Obviously, these latter aspects are the exception rather than the rule; they don’t last very long when they appear, and before you know it it’s back to the carnage and mayhem once more.

This is an album that’s easy to listen to over and over again. I suggest the same approach for you; wrap your ears around this and listen until you can take no more, as Revenant is a damn good grinder.

Want to get your face smashed in over and over again? Of course you do, and this is why Human Cull exist.

Hideously, violently enjoyable.