Special feature: Grindcore highlights of 2015

This article serves to highlight the gems, mostly from the grindcore underground, from all over the world. Not a lot of them get released as full length albums but here are the notable ones, and the most potent of them all. This list bypasses all the commercial hype or whatever undue buzz and goes straight for the jugular – the music. It doesn’t really matter which label they’re on, which bands have famous members, or which format the music is released on; this is about good ‘ol grindcore that hits you like it should. Bandage your head in advance and read on.

Grunt (UK) – ‘Codex Bizarre’

Grunt have released the best goregrind album of 2015. ‘Codex Bizarre’ is an interesting slab of well-written and executed death/grind music that takes the sub-genre ahead, adding keyboards and futuristic electronic bits, lending to it a surreal, intriguing aura. The air, too, smacks of Libido Airbag-esque pornogrind overtones but it’s kept in check here, as the music eschews intros and instead pummels its way through 15 potent and suitably varying songs. There’s unpredictability in this, especially due to the intervention of atmospheric interludes, and given the overall vibe of this band, it fits like a glove. The band members are seen wearing bondage gear and that only adds more convincing appeal to the bawdy, kinky, enticing nature of this death/grind beast. This is futuristic-sounding goregrind reminiscent of Ahumado Granujo and the Czech ilk, but it’s keeping the proceedings slick, contemporary, atmospheric, and oozing with fresh appeal and replay value. It even features a guest appearance from Sigh‘s keyboardist, Mirai Kawashima. That doesn’t happen too often in this style. If you’re remotely into this nasty commingling of death/grind music, more commonly known as goregrind, you ought to check it out.

Grunt Facebook | Grunt Bandcamp

Mindful of Pripyat (Italy) – ‘…And Deeper, I Drown, In Doom…’

This Italian grindcore band has delivered a debut that’s as astonishing as the first release by The Arson Project, or for that matter has potency comparable to last year’s excellent The Drip release. Sonically, these guys (and a girl) are similar to Rotten Sound circa ‘Exit’. The relentless nail-hammer brutality and pin-point precision will peel the skin off your body as if by instinct merely. It’s what needed in grindcore these days – less frills, but more head-snapping aggression and violent execution. Grindcore is starting to resemble the era of death metal in the mid-late ‘90s where bands are getting increasingly experimental, and while that’s welcome, the essence of the genre shouldn’t necessarily be diluted. For every ‘Need to Control’ there ought to be a ‘World Downfall’. This one is for the reassurance of the genre, despite the same-y sound and dynamics but have no doubts, this release is right up there with the best this year.

Mindful of Pripyat Facebook | Mindful of Pripyat Bandcamp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ64m39Z0Sc