Maybe it’s just me, but 2016 has seen a lot in way way of quality grind. The year started strong with solid (and not to be forgotten) releases from Gadget, Magrudergrind, and Rotten Sound. Weekend Nachos, Nails, Vermin Womb, Wormrot, and Car Bomb have all carried the torch throughout the year releasing critically acclaimed records of their own. Still, the year isn’t over, and there’s much to be pissed about. So here’s a few recent grind records worth your time, so little of it in fact, that you can take a (quite literal) few minutes of your morning to start your day the right way:
UltraMantis Black – They Make Plans to Poison Us (Self-released)
If morning fitness or environmental or social issues prime your morning, look no further than lucha libre UltraMantis Black’s second release. This EP brings the energy and rage of a pissed-off animal rights activist at a puppy mill. While the exterior packaging of this may be a little bizarre (although not any more than shit like KISS or Slipknot), the content is undiluted and intense.
Hierophant Mass Grave (Season of Mist)
Wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Already wishing you were dead? Don’t hit the snooze on this Italian death-infused grind is a potent blend of eye-opening fury and spiteful pessimism not found at your local coffee shop. The vocals on this are absolutely beastly, and the crusty/sludgy mid-tempo numbers offer a nice change of pace from what is at times overwhelming (in a good way).
Morality Crisis, Mortality Crisis (Minnesconsin Records)
The Midwest’s favorite hard-riffing shitrockers are back. Instead of putting together 20-minute sludge epics or some of the most bizarre comedic pop songs, they’ve hammered out a grind record that you can start and finish before your bread is toasted and buttered. I’m not sure if I entirely understand the incessant siren, but it definitely adds to the anxiety-inducing atmosphere and frenzy.
