Magrudergrind begins with 30 seconds of feedback as if to remind the listener that this shit is supposed to be noisy. Magrudergrind is noisy, it's loud, it's fast, it slows down just enough in just the right places, it sounds alive, it's littered with samples, it is everything I want grind to be.
Drummer Chris Moore handles the grind exceptionally well on Magrudergrind's self titled Willowtip Records debut. Moore easily juggles formidable blastbeats, punkish two-steps and straightforward rawk when necessary and his effortless flow between tempos works to the band's advantage. But it's Moore's ability to retain careful phrasing amidst the chaos that truly makes his drumming special. All the while, guitarist RJ Ober matches these dynamic shifts with his own blurry, down-tuned power chords, doom-like passages and abrasive-yet-catchy hooks. "Lyrical Ammunition For Scene Warfare" bounces between all-out chaos and a so-good-it-hurts riff you'll be humming for days. Vocalist Avi Kulawy jumps out of grind's usual, mid-range throat shredding just enough to keep things interesting and liberal, well-chosen doses of movie dialogue adds a layer of socio-political awareness a cut above grind's sophomoric identity.
The record itself sounds fantastic. It doesn't hurt that it was recorded by Kurt Ballou then mastered by Scott Hull, a dream team of extreme sound. The snare hits are crisp, the doubled guitar tracks are muddled into a wall of sound thick enough to cover for their lack of bass player. The end result is a surprisingly easy listen (for a grind record) that seems to do all the little things right, an easy choice for my Top Ten this year.
Audio: 8.5/10
Physical: 7/10
(Taken from Crustcake)
Tracklist
1. The Protocols of Anti-Sound
2. Pulverizing Hate Mongers
3. Rejecting the Militant Promise
4. Assimilated Pollutants
5. Abuse of Philanthropic Self Gain
6. Fools of Contradiction
7. Heretics
8. Bridge Burner
9. Cranial Media Parasite
10. Excommunicated
11. The Price of living by delinquent Ideals
12. Built to Blast
13. Lyrial Ammunition for Scene Warfare
14. Rise and Fall of Empires Past
15. Heavier Bombing
16. Martyrs of the Shoah
17. Unknown Track
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