This is the debut album from Shock Narcotic, a grindcore band from the US.
Featuring current and ex-members of bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Child Bite, and The Black Dahlia Murder, this is 19 minutes of nasty grindcore mixed with elements of chaotic hardcore and jagged metal.
This is non-standard grind, with the occasional atypical experimental foray hidden amidst the violence. This might be unexpected ideas, spoken word, strange guitar parts, unusual clean singing, etc. Around this, the rest of the music is loud, mostly-fast, and always aggressive. The riffs come thick and fast, and these are delivered with apocalyptic variety and intricate intensity. Each song has its own identity, and this is a strong collection of tracks.
The vocals are gruff and unfriendly, unless of course they’re providing a more unpleasant or atypical delivery, as mentioned above; it’s quite diverse. Backing vocals by the singer of Full of Hell make their savage presence known on occasion too.
Thinking of a cross between Napalm Death and Pig Destroyer is a good start when approaching Shock Narcotic. Throw in some of the nastier parts of Full of Hell, some of the more rocking hardcore riffs from Every Time I Die, and then cover everything in oppressive hostility, and you’ll get some of the way to imagining what kind of arena that Shock Narcotic operate in.
Despite the above comparisons, I Have Seen the Future and It Doesn’t Work is grindcore for people that don’t want to listen to a grindcore album that they’ve already heard 100 times before from other bands.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 