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
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| 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.
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!
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