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Cruxiter – Cruxiter

by Brett Stevens on January 4, 2014

Cruxiter hail from both Texas in 2013 and a mystical land where it is always the early years of classic heavy metal. Heavily influenced by the first two Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate albums, but incorporating a diverse range of influences in technique and songwriting, Cruxiter on their self-titled debut take us back to the days of nascent speed metal.

Approaching their music from a classic metal sensibility, Cruxiter also carry over a melodic influence from the 1960s-1970s period of guitar rock, thus injecting a wide range of variation in lead guitars and riff fills. The result has a buoyant tendency that counterbalances the nimble riffing, creating like impressionistic painting a sensation that is best observed from a distance. When this music is playing across a room, the listener identifies the tune first, and gradually tunes in to the beat of the riffs, then can hear the individual riff textures when drawing closer to the speakers.

Coating these classic metal anthems are higher intoned but adroit vocals that like a fencer quickly change position to take the best vantage of each adjustment in underlying riff or song. The result moves along quickly but, owing to its guitar-heavy rock heritage, develops the solo to complement the song and the vocals, giving it a harmonic depth in addition to the intertwined guitar and vocal melodies. Like all of the techniques Cruxiter keeps on hand, these are applied with different emphasis on each track, keeping songs distinctive and thus energy high from beginning to end of this promising debut.

Cruxiter web site

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Tags: cruxiter, guitar rock, Heavy Metal

Codex Obscurum – Issue Three

by Brett Stevens on December 31, 2013

The third edition of contemporary old school print zine Codex Obscurum brings vast improvements to this already-promising zine. Under the guidance of editor Kevin Ord, Codex Obscurum has improved its readability, positioned its content for an in-depth view of the metal scene, become more consistent about its most important sections and added experimental content that expands what we think of metal zines.

The first thing a reader will notice is that readability is improved. This refers to the visual appearance of the text and how easy it is on our eyes. Since the 1980s, computer and printer technology for the average person have improved (all of this cool stuff was available then, you just couldn’t afford it). As a result, backgrounds and gradients are more likely to be used, as are complex fonts. The problem with that is that when the result is put out through a Xerox-like format, these fancy things can blur together or create contrast differences that apply torque to human optic nerves. This time around, the Codex Obscurum guys dialed back the fonts and went for more computer-y fonts on lighter backgrounds. Their best format remains the one they used for the Summoning, Disma and Nocturnal Deathstrike Records interviews, which is a white page with a border of hand-drawn art. Of course, this is the most expensive to create because it requires a human artist, but I wish the whole zine could be this way. It’s a killer look that is both like the old school and takes advantage of newer layout abilities. I also don’t mind if the whole zine is in Times New Roman and a good sans-serif font. That being said, however, readability is massively improved here and layouts mentioned above are positively gorgeous. It reminds me of the best of the 1980s zines that always seemed like little art books.

In terms of content, Codex Obscurum was never a slouch. Previous issues included high profile acts like Incantation, Skepticism, Morpheus Descends and Rozz Williams. Issue #3 has chats with Saint Vitus, Mortuary Drape, Disma and Summoning among others, raising the Codex Obscurum profile even further. The zine has also stabilized its organization so that the vital content is present and in the roughly expected proportions. There are more record reviews and a solid block of interviews framed by show reports and features. In particular, having a big block of record reviews at the end is useful for the person who picks up a zine to figure out “what’s happening” in the metal world and might have a few minutes to scan for something fun to buy at the end of a long work-week. This “feels” more solid as a zine since the relevant content keeps coming and there’s no filler, with firm boundaries between sections such that none of them seem to be second-class citizens. In addition, Codex Obscurum has added experimental content in the form of stories and reflections. While some of this was indicated in the past, such as the surreal and passionate tribute to Slayer‘s Jeff Hanneman from the second issue, here there’s a crossover more like a bleed-in from a literary zine or chapbook. The result helps the end of the zine not trail off, but offer solid content of variegated types consistently throughout.

The result of all of the above is that the third issue of Codex Obscurum shows this zine picking up where the past left off, and going further. Not only that but it does so with high quality and in a way that gives this zine its own personality and brand. I’m looking forward to seeing more from Codex Obscurum as it races forward into the future …of the past.

Order a copy of Codex Obscurum here

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Tags: codex obscurum, metal, metal zines, zine

Profile: Nicole of Sinister Path Promotions

by Brett Stevens on December 30, 2013

One of the great questions facing metal at this time is how it will propagate itself in a rapidly-changing record industry. Some have gone old school, and there’s evidence suggesting this is the most viable direction. Others are working with the new media to take advantage of its unique abilities.

Sinister Path Promotions is a pioneer in this recent field. By working through social media, Sinister Path reaches a large number of potential fans via their mobile devices and allows them to discover new metal. In addition, Sinister Path concentrates interest in a series of mp3-based compilations which help promote lesser known bands worldwide.

We were fortunate to be able to have brief interactions with Nicole, head of Sinister Path Promotions. Here are her answers to our interrogations.

When did you start Sinister Path Promotions, and what was your intent?

I started Sinister Path Promotions February 2013 (launched via Facebook) with the intent to share metal, and create a community for metalheads to interact. My best friend had recently passed away and I wanted to throw myself into something positive to honor my metalhead mate. My main intent at that time was to create a comfortable, non judgmental, interactive environment. We shared music links, news and did a lot of interactive type posts.

In a few months, we managed to build up quite a large fan base and I wanted to get my teeth stuck into my passion: supporting underground metal. There were a lot of larger pages posting about the more widely known metal bands but not many focusing on the underground. In April 2013 I then put together the first of what is now four independent/unsigned metal band compilations. More recently I’ve gotten involved in interviewing bands and have interviewed with people including Paul Speckmann (Master), Dennis Röndum (Spawn of Possession), and Matt Young (King Parrot).

The main goal of Sinister Path Promotions is to help bring exposure to underground metal. We do that by way of the compilations, interviews, news, and regular posts and interaction on the Facebook page. There are a lot of plans I have for the page and I’m excited to see where this can go!

What sorts of bands do you promote? Do you include “modern metal” (deathcore, metalcore, indie-metal, emo-metal) within that sphere?

I started Sinister Path Promotions with a focus on old school death metal, black, and brutal death metal. For me, death metal is where my heart is, but I think when it comes to promoting bands and doing it in a positive, approachable way, this means trying to include a variety. For us now, the focus is predominantly independent/unsigned metal bands and this includes all sub genres.

The last compilation included the largest variety of metal bands yet: death, pornogrind, brutal death, slam, groove, viking, black, prog, technical death, funeral doom, industrial, folk, thrash, and more.

I take submissions and also and hand pick bands based on what I think the compilations need in terms of balance.

You’re Australia-based; a lot of famous metal has originated there. Do you have a top five or so of bands from Australia?

Top 5? You can’t do this to me! Yes, Australia has spawned some beast bands and it would be difficult to narrow it down. There are so many bands who have been so influential to me like Bestial Warlust, Damaged, diSEMBOWELMENT, Sadistik Exekution, Destroyer 666, Mortal Sin, Blood Duster. Then there are Aussie bands I’m following at the moment and cannot wait to see what they come up with next. I’m thinking about PORTAL, Ne Obliviscaris, Be’lakor, Entrails Eradicated, DEATHFUCKINGCUNT, Seminal Embalmment, King Parrot, Mephistopheles, Disentomb, Nocturnal Graves off the top of my head.

What are the day-to-day activities of Sinister Path Promotions? Are you planning to expand?

I run with a very small group of active admin (at the moment there are only four of us). Our day-to-day aim is to expose underground metal by posting music links, art, news updates, tour updates etc. We pepper this with some more well known bands, gear porn, interaction statuses, specific posts about underground musicians, statuses about our own personal gear/merch, basically anything that will be engaging and could help bring exposure to a band.

We have just launched a new compilation, so linking songs off that and promoting the bands involved in that is a priority at the moment. Us admin continually work in the background corresponding with each other about independent/unsigned bands that could potentially be approached to be involved in our samplers.

In terms of the future for Sinister Path Promotions, the independent/unsigned compilations are ongoing, the interviews are ongoing, the active nature of the page will always remain the same. I’m interested in exploring a variety of things including the potential of being a label, and setting up shows.

How did you (Nicole) get involved with extreme metal — was there a first band? What made you like this weird form of art?

The more extreme types of metal? Probably checking out gigs at University I think. There was quite a large metal scene there and shows on all the time. Prior to that I listened to heavy music all through school, and as a kid my dad was into punk and heavy rock. My brother used to sneak me into metal shows when I was underage too which is pretty cool haha. Was always open to heavier forms of music and always looking but I got serious about heavier and more extreme shit from Uni onwards really. I mean, I’ve always been into my music, have played guitar for 13 years, learning the drums, have been in bands, solo performances over the years. I know what it’s like to try to get exposure and I think that’s why promoting the underground is so appealing to me. I’m like a woman possessed trying to get the word out, and the moment when someone is introduced to a band via the compilations or the page, that’s the sex for me you know? That’s what it’s all about.

Can you tell me more about this underground bands compilation you’ve put out. Is it a physical release, and how did you select bands? Who do you think will enjoy it most?

You can have a look at the compilation at http://sinisterpathpromotions.bandcamp.com/

The latest one is called: Sinister Path Promotions Unsigned / Independent Metal Band Compilation December 2013

Released through Bandcamp as a digital release; you can stream it or download it completely free. If you click on the individual tracks you’ll find more information on the bands so you can support them.

This current one has 42 metal bands from all over the world.

I approach the majority of the bands on it. I do have people who inbox the page or contact me other ways, and I check all of them out from there but mostly I look to gather up a variety of bands and styles and from there talk to them about being involved.

The compilations are a great way to check out some bands you might not have previously been exposed to and great for those interested in supporting the underground.

They’re awesome for bands to get involved with for a number of reasons. It helps bring some exposure because we link the bands on the compilation on a regular basis. The bands involved can contact me on the page any time they’d like to put out some news, info on new releases, pics, anything they’d like.

If people are interested in your promotions company, where should they go to contact you and/or read more?

They can contact me by emailing sinisterpathpromotions@gmail.com.

Check out the Facebook page for Sinister Path Promotions (inbox me there if you’d like).

The compilations can be streamed / downloaded for free at the Sinister Path Promotions Bandcamp site.

4 Comments

Tags: Black Metal, death metal, Grindcore, new media, sinister path promotions

Lethal Prayer – Spiritual Decay

by Mike Arsenyev on December 29, 2013

I used to move around a lot when I was a young adult (perhaps I still am young compared to some of the other more seasoned writers at DMU). Shortly before I moved to Tampa, Florida I was acquainted with a band from Pennsylvania called Lethal Prayer, which was like a mixture of Acheron and Incantation influences with a Dissection-esque undertone. Lead guitarist Belial Koblak also relocated to Tampa and gave me CDs of each of his projects. I grew keen to Lethal Prayer because of the era that it was from and the mentality that’s behind it.

Spiritual Decay was self-released in 1996 by Koblak’s Decaying Filth Music which issued most of his recordings and demos. The album comprises straightforward early 1990s death metal with competent musicianship. Koblak makes good use of his classical influences to present interesting ideas which might’ve been unorthodox in the death metal period when Spiritual Decay was released.

Most riffs are in the format that was standard for death metal and integrated into songs of typical underground metal construction. This formula is roughly: introduction -> development -> chorus -> revisit development -> epic-like endings usually encompassing the chorus section. Sometimes additional passages are introduced to divert from being too formulaic but the focus is generally on riffs more than song structure.

Unfortunately Spiritual Decay was the only full-length release that would emerge from the Lethal Prayer camp in their twenty-plus years of existence. If band stability was consistent and line-up issues had not been a problem with being productive, Lethal Prayer might have breached the realm of obscurity as they fine-tuned their musical output.

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Tags: Belial Koblak, death metal, Lethal Prayer, Spiritual Decay

Aosoth – IV: An Arrow in Heart

by Mike Arsenyev on December 28, 2013

aosoth aih1

Formed in 2002, Aosoth launched themselves down an intellectual path blazed by the Order of Nine Angles, a theological Satanist outfit whose ideology differs greatly from the usual atheistic, materialist Satanism of modern “black metal.” This would become significant as the band evolved musically to match their inclinations in aesthetic and ideal.

Early Aosoth releases fit within the run-of-the-mill French black metal style with more aggression and yet control than most bands of that type were demonstrating at the time. As the band incubated their sound changes came, and each release improved upon prior works while also reaching for a style more likely to be unique to Aosoth.

IV: An Arrow in Heart meshes textures the way a painter mixes paint and applies to canvas. Most songs are in a somewhat standard format with riffs recycled often. Though the pitfalls of being monotonous from repetitive riffing are present in this release, Aosoth keep it interesting by having well-thought-out structures and progressions. Occasional ambiance meshes with the bleak and desolate droning riffs to provide an atmosphere of distress.

As black metal has found itself in a position of being separated from its origins without having discovered a path to the future, releases like IV: An Arrow in Heart site astride two very different standards, loyalty to form and need to innovate. While none will argue that Aosoth has left black metal behind like the post-metal et-al crowd, it is clear that this band has found a way to innovate within a faithful tribute to the past, and the result has given the band the voice it had desperately needed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqq-YKI5dlU

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Tags: aosoth, Black Metal, france

Carbonized – Demo Collection

by Brett Stevens on December 27, 2013

carbonized-carbonized_demo_collection

The Swedish grindcore band Carbonized came from an era when metal was still defining itself, and grew up alongside the more intense death metal acts which were putting Sweden on the map. Carbonized remains somewhat less known because the band embraced weirdness and unconventionality in everything it did, which makes for great art but not a conveniently wrapped-up listening experience.

Through three classic albums — For the Security, Disharmonization, and Screaming Machines — Carbonized put its mark on the death metal and grindcore underground by using outrageous technique and converting ideas from other genres into their metal equivalents. While in too “raw” of a form on the Carbonized releases, these ideas were picked up by other bands in more easily digestible forms and thus made their way into the core of those genres.

Luckily someone has bootlegged the Carbonized demos in the grand tradition of underground metal. The three demos and one EP on this CD chronicle the emergence of Carbonized and, as time goes on, its refinement from a fuzzy concept to a clear personality and eventually, such a strong presence that its songwriting is immediately distinctive even when simpler and less polished than what we expect from the albums.

The “Auto-da-Fe” demo from 1989 shows the band as a primitive grindcore/death metal hybrid that leans toward the kind of epic statement that death metal bands made but without much reliance on tremolo strumming. “Re-Carbonized” from 1990 shows the style most will recognize from For the Security, with detuned guitars and recursive-chug riffing among the broad chord progressions played without embellishment in rigid linear rhythms. This gives the music a stark and birds-eye-view character but also places it outside of where death metal was, musically, at the time. This isn’t riff interplay so much as an advanced layering of verse-chorus pairs. Next is No Canonization which shows a messier and more conventional grindcore band that could have been on par with Napalm Death in the same year. A strong inclination to use melody to counter-balance chromatic riffing gives this an expansive feel. Finally, “Demo 3” from 1991 shows us a more confident and technically advanced band who have mixed the techniques of death metal into primitive grind and come up with a melodic but structured and semi-theatrical sound. Its essential character and weirdness shines through, which preserves the esoteric feel of this material.

Probably of interest only to Carbonized fanatics or at least Swedish death metal devotees, Demo Collection reveals facets of this band who shared members with Dismember, Therion and Entombed that had been lost to time. For those of us who think For the Security may be one of grindcore’s lost classics, seeing these demos emerge again is both a treat and an invitation to explore the murky history behind this shadowed movement.

Tracklist:

“Au-to Dafe” Demo 89

Final Chapter
Paradise Lost
Au – to – Dafe

“Recarbonized” Demo 90

Intro
Recarbonized
For the Security
Two Faces
The Monument

No Canonization EP 90

No Canonization
Statues
Au-to – Dafe

“Demo 3” 1991

Dark Curses
Carnage Mass
Emperors of Death
Purified from Sulphur
Hypnotic Ain
Syndrome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4t4IdKzSVg

1 Comment

Tags: Carbonized, carnage, death metal, Dismember, entombed, Grindcore, Therion

War Master – Blood Dawn

by Brett Stevens on December 26, 2013

War Master attempt to create a new form of the classic death metal and grindcore that defined the underground metal period. Taking their name from a Bolt Thrower song, the band might be expected to sound like that august act, but the truth is more nuanced. War Master make a language of their own from pieces of the past.

This language can be confusing because many of these pieces of the past are recognizable, although never entire songs, so that War Master tend to pair an old riff archetype with a new riff of their own creation, or use song structure or aesthetic ideas but apply them with new forms. As a result, parts of this are immediately recognizable and it takes some moments to mentally integrate the past with the current version of the same form.

On Blood Dawn, a fifteen-minute EP, War Master drop back from their smoothly integrated style for a rougher, catchier and more Swedish death metal version of their sound. Applying the classic Swedish distortion, War Master also rely heavily on the bounding riffs of the first couple Entombed and Grave releases, producing an urgent and jubilantly violent sound.

The result is a new style for War Master that is both more hasty and, by being more raw, a bit more accessible and yet more fanatically old school. This compares favorably to the latest Autopsy which takes a similar approach. Simplified song forms, although not the verse-chorus loops of pop fame, plus catchy riffs like the most compelling heavy metal at high speed, guide these songs to immediate enjoyment.

While Blood Dawn shows this band with new personnel and new strengths, it loses some of what made Pyramid of the Necropolis so powerful, which was its tight-fitting and intricate structures. If history is any guide, War Master will explore this new direction and slowly work it into form so that they can be more articulate with this new — yet older — voice.

6 Comments

Tags: blood dawn, death metal, Grindcore, war master

Blood – Live in Speyer

by Brett Stevens on December 23, 2013

To love grindcore is to love the genre “as you find it.” That is, it doesn’t make sense to go around wishing why there isn’t more progressive symphonic grindcore with world music influences. Grindcore is grindcore.

There’s plenty of room within that genre however. The only rules are brutal punk/metal fusion chromatic riffing and a certain spirit that keeps intensity high and doesn’t deviate into either holiday carols or life-affirming waiting room jazz.

Germany’s Blood have been a secret of the genre for years. Like other minimalist grindcore they specialize in the riff itself, a form of art that is closer to sculpture than music as they use rhythm and direction relative to previous notes to wrest expressive phrasal forms out of chromatic strikes.

Luckily, someone recently uploaded this amazing Blood concert (“show” for you hipsters) in Speyer, Germany. Check it out, and vomit blood!

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Tags: blood, concert, Grindcore

Interview with Dan Huddleston from House of Atreus

by Kevin Ord on December 20, 2013

Coming from the Arghoslent/Sacriphyx school of rock-based melodic death metal, Minneapolis’ House of Atreus offers a metal experience for those who might prefer a bit less total extremity in the music.

Receiving media coverage from No Clean Singing and Zero Tolerance magazine, among others, the band has raised itself in the public eye. Not bad for a bunch of guys who named their band after a Virgin Steele album.

Curious about this oddball band, writer Kevin Ord went in greater depth to get the story about House of Atreus, its rock/metal hybrid style, and the path it is taking to get recognized in the underground.

Could you give us a little history of the band?

House of Atreus started out as a self project called Ashend. It was my first attempt at conceptually writing material on my own. I had contacted Paul Lovrien (The Burning Cathedral, Autumnal Winds) about helping me record the material as I had envisioned it. As we worked together he had some great ideas and eventually we decided that he and I would develop the project together as a studio only excursion. This became House of Atreus. Eventually Paul decided music wasn’t his route anymore and I invited my good friend Andy Lindbloom to join in. We incestually adopted Jordan Davis and Allen from Maledicere as we have all been friends in the same circles for years. Before we became a live group out of the studio we used the services of George “Lithras” Tzitzifas (Nordor, Among Ruins) to record the drums for the Into The Brazen Bull material.

You have a lot of groove, melody, and rock in your galloping death metal so I assume you have a lot of different influences. Who are the bands that have influenced House of Atreus’s sound?

Since we have so many unnamed contributing members the influences are pretty vast. For this project Arghoslent, Varathron, Running Wild, Rotting Christ play an important roll. Since Andy has been invited to start writing more intimately with us he will bring his influences to the table. He very much enjoys the styling’s of Fredrick “North” Norman, Holocausto and Pogrom, Athenar of Midnight and other chasers of the perfect riff. The writing process skips between whole songs being written by myself or another, or a song passed around between friends for a time. This makes it really fun and keeps egos from being inflated among many other benefits.

There has been some controversy surrounding the band because you have a sound similar to the band Arghoslent. Could you elaborate a bit on this misunderstanding?

House of Atreus isn’t a racist outfit — I say this apologetically to all the muckraking coffee shop frequenters that are launching keyboard threats and sabotaging our shows. No matter how many times I say that it won’t matter. These olfactorily-challenged naysayers are addicted to the controversy that listening to truly diverse music creates so it won’t ever end. It’s gotten so bad they send guys in establishments we frequent and try to “race-bait” the employees into saying something off color, so they can blow a whistle. What shameful behavior.

Arghoslent rules. I don’t really care about the politics although the lyrics are really out there. I wouldn’t consider this as a deterrent from listening to them though. Most people who appreciate the music have to become closet fans. It’s fucking art. Racism is extreme but it can be a part of the music just like anything else and nothing beyond that.

As an example, I love Satan in my metal but I am certainly not a Satanist. It’s funny, being a Satanist doesn’t merit enough extreme opposition for the terrified kids that have flooded the Minneapolis scene with their tight red pants and stinky haircuts for them to rally against, so they leave it alone. They are looking for the “grave racial injustice” of the guy sitting in his truck on his lunch break casually listening to something extreme that he may or may not agree with politically but appreciates the art that motivates the music.

A lot of “neo-punk” minded people forget that there is actually skill that goes behind playing an instrument and composing songs. Turning a knob on a console and screaming into your pickups about not subscribing to society doesn’t fucking count asshole. They’re all like little angry Hitlers. They can’t write anything worthwhile, so they have to try and kill everything else they cannot duplicate successfully.

How strong is the metal scene in Minneapolis?

It seems like it is breathing anew. More and more people seem to be coming to shows. Now that we have a great record store to go to things are getting more interesting. Also, one of the main places promoters targeted to have shows at (for some reason) was shut down. This afforded the other venues in town to get involved and pick up some of the larger shows and have been quite successful doing so. I think this reset button on our city forced everyone to evaluate what they wanted out of their scene. Also, having show promoters who actually enjoy good metal really helps out a lot.

Are there any bands from Minneapolis we should be checking out?

The best bands here in my opinion are Obsequiae, Celestiial, Maledicere, Masshu, Diabolical Sacrilege, Vothana, Canis Dirus, Blood Folke, Algamest, Hohl, Veil, Azrael. There are many others as well.

You have an EP coming out called Into The Brazen Bull. Is there a concept to the EP and what can a listener expect?

Expect arrogant galloping riffs, great drums, thoughtfully crafted lyrics, and solo’s you will hum through the day. The concept behind this EP is captive enslavement, war, and some historical accounts of the earlier Greco-Roman era. You can also expect tracks 2 and 3 accidentally swapped around in the booklet and the back of the CD. This was my fault.

Your excellent first demo is sold out. Are there any plans to re-release that material?

I have spoken with Antitheist Recordings about this. It is possible we would put this out on a different format. I would like to revisit a couple of the songs on this demo since after hearing them revised for our live show I feel we can better convey them and may do so on our full length.

Has there been any interest by a label in putting out a full length?

I have discussed this also with AD and if it’s possible we will. We would like to spend some time playing some shows and having fun with our material before hand.

Do you have any touring plans for 2014?

So far, no. I would like to do so in the summer/fall of 2014 if the opportunity arises. Given we have the vacation time and the means.

Does House of Atreus have anything else in the works?

We performed “Archon” on Azermodoth Record’s tribute to Rotting Christ just this past month. These should be available directly through him. You have to hear some of the other bands on this thing as well. Truly fucking stellar artists. House of Atreus also plans to take over several small countries in Europe, create a perfect class of human beings, and cleanse the world…

http://houseofatreus.bandcamp.com

4 Comments

Tags: house of atreus, rock-metal

Grindcore: origins of a genre

by Brett Stevens on December 19, 2013

Very few people have any idea what grindcore means at this point because of the high degree of crossover between grindcore and death metal. Not just one way, but both: grind bands becoming deathy in the Napalm Death style, and death metal bands becoming grindy as happened from Suffocation onward.

But what wasgrindcore? History might show us that punk and metal were birthed in the early 1970s and spend the next three decades crossing over. This resembles a quarter-century negotiation as to what aspects of each to keep in the hybrid with the other. Early hybrids included speed metal, which used uptempo punk rhythms, and thrash, which combined metal riffs with punk songs. Grindcore was a logical extension of thrash.

Thrash — exemplified by Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Cryptic Slaughter and Corrosion of Conformity — grew out of the “thrasher” community which was composed of skateboarders. These were a 1980s movement that existed in the abandoned areas of modern cities where skating was undetected if not permissible. Anarchistic, but also pragmatist, they were like the ultimate hybrid between the individualistic and hierarchical impulses behind human politics. Thrash bands as a result tended to direct their criticism toward society itself and were less likely to hover on one side of the political spectrum or the other, despite having a huge background influence by the almost-universally anarchist punk movement. We can only assume the additional influences on thrash came from metal, which was more likely to take a historical and impersonal view of life, where punk was much more personal and present-tense.

Where the bands that prompted the early speed metal and thrash hybrids were punk hardcore (The Exploited, Cro-Mags, Black Flag, Minor Threat, GBH) and early crustcore (Discharge, Amebix) bands, thrash in turn spurred hardcore on to become faster and more extreme, resulting in shorter songs with more metal-like (more chord changes, more internal texture) riffs. The later punk hardcore bands like Void, Faith and Siege prompted a gnarlier sound, picking up on the distorted vocals which has become a staple of the previous punk generation, perhaps prompted by Motorhead and Lemmy Kilmister’s incomprehensible gargled-glass screaming.

From this inspiration, a movement caught on in the late mid-1980s. Fronted by bands like Repulsion and Napalm Death, it quickly diversified and spread worldwide. However, like punk before it, grindcore did not have much staying power. The more one streamlines and simplifies, the fewer variations exist, until most things can be described as a modification to an archetype. At that point, bands lose the ability to distinguish themselves and thus realize their talents are better applied elsewhere if they wish to distinguish themselves. Nevertheless, between 1986 and 1990 the foundational masters of grindcore emerged in the form of Repulsion (1984), Napalm Death (1985), Terrorizer (1989), Blood (1989) and Carbonized (1990).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r83Ox0-GFk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=323jnOT-SSo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kOw567iyLU