This is one of the finest American grind recordings, ever! 'Return to Desolation' is comprised of four tracks from a 1993 recording session and the four tracks from Phobia's 1991 (?) 'All That Remains' 7". The first four songs are, by far, the more godly of the eight. "Sickening Discretion" has a main riff that can only be described as "serious". Perhaps "brooding" is a better word? Either way, it'd damn intense. Raymond Herrera from Fear Factory plays drums on the first four songs, showing another side to his drumming style than the drum machine wannabe that he is in Fear Factory.

The best thing about Phobia is their song-writing style. Most of the songs are built on blast or a fast non-blast pace, but usually in the last minute or so of each song, the band slows down and kicks in with an unbelievably catchy grinding part that should have the hair flying. Sure, lots of grindcore bands do this, but Phobia was the best.

The last four tracks, from the aforementioned 7", feature a different drummer, who goes by the name of Marco Soriano. While Marco is an admittedly talented drummer, he can't blast worth a shit. When the blast starts in "All That Remains", nothing can be heard but Shane McLachlan's much-reverbed vocals (which are too loud, but who cares, it's grindcore) and the hi-hat. It sounds like good ol' Marco is barely tapping the snare (not to mention the bass drum). The songs rule, though, especially "Emptiness", the brutal instrumental that originally opened the 7". It's a shame Phobia's sound has changed in recent years. They're still grindcore, but nowhere near as brutal as this old stuff.

© 1999 goden