A Grindcore history and review

There's undeniable musical evidence that Grindcore genre is somehow the "blood" brother of Death Metal since its foundation and development, back in the late 80's, when both genrs started to transfer infuences back and forth, especially at the rhythm and the riff concept.

The overall characteristics are described as downtuned guitars, overdriven bass, high speed tempos, blastbeats, guttural and/or screamed voice delivery and short span songs.

Mick Harris joined Napalm Death in December 1985 replacing Miles "Rat" Ratledge, as the band

Napalm Death - Scum Grindcore GIF

wanted to move their music concept more towards metal. The term Grindcore was used by him referring to the music of Swans, the noise-rock heroes and, obviously without the intention to "baptize" the new musical concept as he managed to achieve later on. 

By the year of 1989, Jose "Jesse" Pintado's original band Terrorizer released the legendary "World Downfall" album with David Vincent of Morbid Angel handling on the bass duties. A milestone for Grindcore and for metal in general.

Their next albums "Darker Days Ahead" 2006 ; "Hordes of Zombies" from 2012 and "Caustic Attack" 2018 are great outputs for sure featuring the well known Pete "Commando" Sandoval, as well, in back of the drum-kit.

As for the musical concept,first of all, the playing style and guitar tone of Jose "Jesse" Pintado (R.I.P.) former of Terrorizer and Napalm Death was clearly inspired by the Death Metal band Master. Later on he perfected his genius riff delivery to a more diverse range, as we can hear on albums like "Harmony Corruption"  ; "Utopia Banished" and so on.

Another main influence for the Grindcore inventors, Napalm Death, coming from the Death Metal side is cited as being the American Death Metal band Repulsion, with all their demos circulating in the underground, that were, later on, compiled on their one and only LP "Horrified" published back in 1989.

1987's "Scum" despite the brutality and the inaccessibility, so to speak, it's the first album in this genre gained an unexpected success,being such a innovative, game-changer and uncompromising musical statement. 

Heavily influenced by both punk and metal bands the output consists with two parts. 

The first one containing 12 tracks up to, You Suffer song included, that was recorded with Nic Bullen (voc/bass) ; Justin Broadrick (guitar) and Mick Harris (drums). 

The second part is recorded with Lee Dorrian (voc.) ; Bill Steer of Carcass (guitar) ; Jim Whitely (bass) and Mick Harris (drums) from track 13. Life? to the last 28th called Dragnet.

The song "You Suffer" has since been recognized by the Guinness World Record as the shortest song ever recorded.

Their second product "From Enslavement to Obliteration" from 1988 show a more matured band, tracks have better arrangements, sound and it's even more brutal. 

The international success grew as a result of that, establishing the album among the classic ones for the whole metal scene. 

Shane Embury joined the bass section in the band before the recordings.

Carcass followed up with the debut "Reek of Putrefaction" at the same year consolidating the genre and establishing other future extreme subgenres at the gory side of the metal scene.

Later on, both bands moved to a more Death Metal musical approach, but still keeping riffs and blast-beats reminiscent of their first works. The decision wasn't embraced by some of the fans, as we can hear on the classic Napalm Death's "Live Corruption". 

Part of the audience being quite unsatisfied, as it can be heard between the songs, beside the newer Death Metal fans cheering and enjoying the show. 

As a result the new members of the band were kind of forced to carry a baseball bat for a while, in that respect.

Mark "Barney" Greenway (voc.) ; Jose "Jesse" Pintado (guitar) ; Mitch Harris (guitar) ; Shane Embury (bass) ; Mick Harris (drums) is the better "armed" Napalm Death ready for the musical assault that will follow placing the band on the top of the extreme metal bands worldwide.

On the other hand, Carcass while being in Germany touring for the "Symphonies of Sickness" their second release, were literally defending themselves, at one show from some angry fans, just because the tracks on the album were too long for their taste...

After a quite chaotic primitive Death Metal debut "In Battle there is no Law" garnished with thrash-like riffage, co-nationals from Bolt Thrower, imported some clear grindcore influences on "Realm of Chaos" and "War Master" albums, placing the band, conceptually speaking, among Carcass and Napalm Death. 

On their next releases they moved to a more groovy/doomy type of Death Metal song writing.

Hailing from UK, as well Extreme Noise Terror originally started as a crust-punk act and then adopted the Grindcore velocity, even moved to a more Death Metal approach on the album "Being and Nothing". 

The LP "Damage 381" was recorded with "Barney" Greenway of Napalm Death who was, for a brief moment, out of the band.

This album sounds much like into the "Utopia Banished" direction and it can be viewed as a decent follow-up, in that respect.

Other contribution from the british bands can be counted from bands like Sore Throat and Unseen Terror, both inspired by the "Scum" album, as well.

The American band Brutal Truth featuring legendary Danny Lilker on bass must be the third band, as relevance in the whole Grindcore scene development. "Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses" ; "Need to Control" ; "Kill Trend Suicide" or "Sounds of the Animal Kingdom" are classics for the genre, by now.

Brutal Truth's music video for "Collateral Damage" once held the Guinness World Record for the shortest music video ever made.

Impetigo from Illinois manage to establish the cult band status, by this day, in the same fashion and spiced with black humor song intros.

On the same side of music and lyric-wise should be considered Seth Putnam's band AC that is regarded as noise-core, being very extreme and chaotic in their delivery, sometimes.

The band Atrocity from Connecticut could be an example of Death/Grind, as well with albums like "Infected" 1990 ; "The Art Of Death!" 1992 and "Let War Rage" 2009. 

Their overall sounding and song writing reminds of Repulsion, at times.

Also, the supergroup Brujera should be mentioned here. Originally formed by guitarist Dino Cazares (Asesino) of Fear Factory and later on joined for live performances by Shane Embury hidden under the name of "Hongo" and Jeff Walker featuring as "El Cynico" at the bass section, they released interesting and referral albums over the time.

The Belgian band Agathocles, also are an important piece in this puzzle, for sure, with an insanely rich discography released throughout their career.

All of their albums being recommended for audition, especially the first "Theatric Symbolisation of Life" from 1992 which is considered to be their best achievement, so far.

Swedish Nasum , General Surgery and Regurgitate played an important role in the grind-game. Their albums being recommended for a great grind experience, as well.

From Austria we have Disharmonic Orchestra and Pungent Stench who's first releases where quite inspired by Napalm Death at first, again moving on to a more Death/Grind delivery on their second outputs.

One of the best bands out there and the much respected in the underground for their consistence must be the german band Blood. Albums recommended? All of them! Their music could be described as Death Metal with Grindcore song structures. 

A totally memorable act and music so much appreciated in the undergound scene.

Other bands like Cattle Decapitation , Exhumed , Cephalic Carnage or Aborted had Grind/Death beginnings and/or later moved to a more diverse musical discourse even with prog/technical influences added.

Misery Index , Pig Destroyer and their coleagues from Agoraphobic Nosebleed could be the three top American examples ,for the genre, and about the level of what Grindcore represents nowadays.

Overall, the genre still resists with countless underground protagonists many of them being invited to the much appreciated "Obscene Extreme Festival" happening in the Czech Republic each year.

At January 29 the international blast-beat day is being celebrated,cheers!

IN GRIND WE TRUST!

Speed Metal and the upgrade Heavy Metal received

What is Speed Metal and how is it came to be?

Speed Metal GIF

Sometimes the genre might be referred as Speed'n'Thrash just like the label Hard'n'Heavy used by the press and fans showing that there's no clear delimitation in between. 

Musically and conceptually speaking it is what is more than the traditional Heavy Metal in velocity, delivery and complexity of the overall song structures.

In comparison with Thrash Metal, Speed Metal band's music contains less Punk or Hardcore influences, although being at the same abrasive musical attributes and...speed, of course!

At the second part of the 70's where the genre has its roots the general rock musical realm was populated by some shy, so to speak, heavy metal releases, the prog-rock scene and punk rock on the other hand dominated the overall rock stage.

Although, many consider that Queen's "Stone Cold Crazy" released in 1974 must be the first 100% speed metal act and it had a huge impact, especially on Metallica and the whole metal development, musically speaking.

About the same period of time the contribution of Motörhead and Judas Priest bands is considered by many being the first former Speed Metal bands.

Also, the german band Accept were an important catalytic force of the genre "Fast as a Shark" song being a great example, in that respect.

As Black Sabbath started to change and forwarded to a more mainstream discourse adding prog or even Beatles influences on "Technical Ecstacy", even their legacy has been already passed for this upgrade with "Symptom of the Universe" or "Children of the Grave" still there was definitively a need for something more exciting to take place.

The mid 70's saw other jams, as well in which we can foresee the upcoming metal genre taking shape. Those are for sure Deep Purple's "Speed King", "Highway Star" or "Fireball".

Also, the british band Budgie had an undeniable highlight in this fashion with the memorable "Breadfan" single.

Along with the start of the 80's,the N.W.O.B.H.M. movement saw the unholy birth incarnated in bands like, the undisputed, the almighty VENOM, which is above Heavy Metal and not yet Thrash Metal, musically speaking.

As they claimed, bands at that time were not enough savage for their taste,so they managed to add some punk attitude music-wise to a general metal structure and overly spiced it with a satanic imagery and baptized it as "Black Metal"!

Other representative bands to be added here, pioneering the genre, as we can think of, must be Angelwitch,Raven,Diamond Head,Tank, besides the canadian bands Anvil and Exciter.

Later in the 80's and 90's bands like Agent Steel, Annihilator, Helstar, Running Wild, Enforcer, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Primal Fear, The Great Cat, Cacophony, Blind Guardian, Dragonforce or Skullfist in 2000's consolidated the style and added more substance and diversity to the general picture.

Sometimes the genre seems entwined with the newer Power Metal, especially at the vocal delivery style.

Mercyful Fate GIF

 

King Diamond with Mercyful Fate being more on the traditional part of the Heavy Metal, his solo project, despite the theatrical approach contains all the instrumental ingredients of Speed Metal. There's numerous examples of songs throughout his rich discography in order to sustain that approach.

 

 

Californian band Metal Church is one of the greatest metal bands to walk the earth and best protagonists, for sure when speaking about speed in metal delivery. 

Their entire catalog being recommended as well.

Anthrax - Persistence Of Time GIF

Some argue that Megadeth are not exactly Thrash,but Speed Metal in the first place,

especially for their first three albums.

The same arguments goes for Metallica's first albums or even Anthrax. 

However, the Thrash Metal status was later on cemented and all doubts removed with the more complex and heavier albums like "...And Justice for All" or "Persistence of Time".

 

Also, there's an opinion going on stating that the first Black Metal wave represented by Venom, Bathory and Sodom are, in fact, Speed Metal and later on Black Metal evolved as an extreme form of Speed Metal.

 

Darkthrone's "Transilvanian Hunger" being such an edifying example.

 

 

Darkthrone - Transilvanian Hunger GIF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pedal to the metal!!! \m/

Deathrash

Thrash / Death Metal wasn't an intentional musical admixture, so to speak like Gothic Metal or Doom / Death. The genre evolved along with Death Metal and it was played by bands who tried to sound closer to Slayer or even more aggressive, in the first place.

Deathrash GIF

Sepultura is for sure the first example, in that respect. 

Their first demo, "Bestial Devastation" EP and "Morbid Visions" album are mostly on the Black / Death Metal side and starting with "Schizophrenia" up to "Arise" album, their music surely is too brutal to be called Thrash and not yet Death Metal as it came to be at the end of the '80s. 

As many of you know with "Chaos A.D." they changed to groove metal...and other whatever influences.

Possessed match in this category as well, even they are credited as Death Metal inventors, their thrashy energetic riffage is more than obvious to everybody. That would be another example of a-little-bit-more-aggressive-than Slayer music.

 

In 1987 Necrophagia released their debut "Season of the Dead" which surely represent an undeniable milestone in the Death Metal history, as well along with "Scream Bloody Gore", but their music wasn't 100% within this genre as they still have a foot in the Thrash Metal "grave" throughout their entire catalog.

It seems that musically speaking Thrash / Death it's like Death Metal devoid of doomy-sabbath-ish or Celtic Frost infuenced way of writing music , but filled with the insane dynamics that Thrash has to offer to the audience.

Floridian bands Malevolent Creation and Massacre are worth to be mention in here, even that the last one moved to a more groovy type of approach on their recent works, the classical "From Beyond" must be a perfect example for sure.

The more technical oriented Sadus, the original Steve DiGiorgio's band is here to be mention hailing, again from the floridian brigade and, of course, genre-wise hanging between Thrash and Death Metal.

Legendary Paul Speckman's band Abomination,  originally formed in Chicago, Illinois, with the same line-up Master had on their first released LP must be one of the most important player in this game, chronologically and conceptually speaking.

Abomination has two releases "Abomination" and "Tragedy Strikes" plus two EP's "The Final War" and "Live in Germany".

The same goes for the French scene from the '90s consisting of Massacra, Loudblast, No Return and Agressor. 

These bands manage to consolidate the genre in an original manner and their discographies are a strong recommendation to get into, especially the first three Massacra albums that are absolutely fantastic!

The German band Protector, as well, fits the same category and their music remains absolutely brilliant to this day. From "Golem" onward, every release added more and more brutality and maturity at the delivery section towards Death Metal, even that the thrashy guitar structure remained essential in their music, up to this day. 

Albums recommended? All of them!

The Netherland's Pestilence first three issues complete the ranks in this fashion up to the conceptual "Testimony of the Ancients" album. 

Starting with their fourth "Spheres" album, the music shifted to a more technical death metal with jazz inspired rhythm sections, possibly influenced by the musical direction can be heard on Death's "Individual Thought Patterns" LP.

Swiss band Messiah would be great to listed to. Their conceptual album "Rotten Perish" from 1992 being their greatest achivement, so far.

Another great work to dig must be "Scolls of the Megilloth" of the australian band Mortification.

Their entire discography fit in the same Thrash / Death style, as well.

The Columbian band Masacre are, also a strong example to pin-point, here, as an undisputed veteran exponent for this sub-genre.

The three brothers from Krisiun, somehow followed the same path co-nationals from Sepultura opened and despite the velocity, blastbeats and the brutality of their overall music display, the energetic Thrash riffs are everywhere to be found in their musical structure.

With a perfect crossover between Thrash/Hardcore/Death Metal and a discography spanning for only three albums, the great and brutal Thrash Metal "Tortued Existence" the even more aggressive and their best achivement "Epidemic of Violence" and the more groove oriented "Time Bomb"  New Yorkers from Demolition Hammer gained a well deserved respect from the metal community worldwide and the legendary status every band dream of.

In terms of absolute great, great music is the now the almost forgotten brazilian band Incubus and their "Beyond the Unknown" first release. They have a unique sound and their riff work flow in a close to perfection fashion on that one. A totally unforgettable jam. 

Later on they moved to U.S.A. in Louisiana and changed their band name into Opprobrium continuing to release music in the same fashion.

Crown of Thorns who later rebranded themselves as The Crown coming from the endless swedish metal contingent with an explosive admixture of Thrash/Death and Death'n'Roll, extremely dynamic and memorable enough to tear down any doubt about originality, as well. 

A not-to-be-missed act for sure!

The german combo Dew-Scented and the swedish Deathchain complete the circle for this musical endeavor and they are not to be overlooked in a hypothetical history of the Thrash / Death Metal, as a whole.