This is the eighth album from Polish grindcore band Antigama.
I always enjoy hearing Antigama, as no matter what they’re doing you know you’re going to at least get a good base level of quality (see Meteor, The Insolent, and Depressant as good examples). Continue reading “Antigama – Whiteout (Review)”
Fuck the Facts are a Canadian Grindcore band and this is their tenth album.
Fuck the Facts are always a good listen. Playing by no-one’s rules but their own, they play Grind with their own agenda and are wonderfully individual.
They combine most different aspects of Grind, including some non-Grind elements too. Labelling them as Progressive Grindcore is not too bad of a description. From blasting brutality to melodicism to experimentalism; Fuck the Facts have got it covered somewhere in their discography, (and on this release), and they do it very well indeed.
These songs are largely, (but not exclusively), short blasts of aural carnage, although there’s much more to the band than just this. Longer songs and more experimentally diverse songwriting, (including solos, melodies, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, atmosphere, noise, cello, piano, etc.), mean that there’s a lot on offer here.
Sitting pretty among similarly individualistic Grindcore such as Cephalic Carnage, Cloud Rat, Antigama and the like, Fuck the Facts have built an impressive legacy for themselves over the 16 or so years of their existence and Desire Will Rot only cements their sterling reputation further.
The vocals alternate between the main singer’s acidic shriek and the bassist’s deathgrunts. It’s a combination and team effort that works very well. The main singer has a very individual and charismatic high scream and her voice sounds as nasty as scraping nails.
This is 39 minutes of challenging and impressive Grindcore. It’s not for people who just want the latest scene-clone; this is thinking Grind for the discerning connoisseur, and yet it still remains its visceral nature despite this.
A must listen.
This is the third album by US Grinders Cloud Rat.
Cloud Rat haven’t really been around for that long in the grand scheme of things, but they’ve still managed to clock up an impressive number of releases and gain themselves a well-deserved reputation for quality Grindcore that’s not afraid to think outside the box.
This is definitely atypical Grind. The requisite genre hallmarks of savagery and short songs are present and correct, but with Cloud Rat there’s an additional layer of intelligence, sophistication and raw emotion that few of their peers can emulate.
This album takes the listener on a journey of many disturbing sights and vicious sounds. For all of the finesse and refinement of their music, Cloud Rat still know how to GRIND!
The intensity of the music is layered with nuance, subtlety and emotive performances all around. The band can happily rage and curse, that’s for sure, but more impressive is their ability to weave slower and more progressive parts around the chewy Grindcore centre. Progressive Grindcore, maybe? I’ve heard worse ideas.
The singer screams her throat raw with an impressively feral snarl and yet still finds time amidst the carnage for introspection and distinctive mood-setting when she needs to.
The songs are full of depth and there’s more than enough to satisfy over many repeated listens for a long time to come. Their richly textured music stands leagues apart from the majority of their peers and Qliphoth is a real force to be reckoned with.
Cloud Rat share the intensity of Converge with the quirkiness of Circle Takes the Square, and the ingenuity of both. It’s no wonder that their name is whispered in reverential tones by those in the know; Cloud Rat have proven they have massive talent and the ability to deliver the goods.
After 41 minutes in Cloud Rat’s world you feel drained, but satisfied and happy.
I cannot recommend this enough. You need Cloud Rat in your life.
Wonderbox Metal 