These Dutch noiseniks have only been in existence since 2013 and already they are spewing forth Nihilism as a follow up to “Misanthropy”. (positive chaps eh?) .
These guys chew up grindcore, crust and hardcore, gargle black and death and then pick their teeth with sludge and drone to create a sound akin to being blasted with broken pieces of seaside rock. Painfully joyous, a delicious bruise inducing experience that sticks around way after the last note fades.
Teethgrinder are what I was expecting when I first heard Nails, a tumultuous mixture of extreme music that twists and turns smacking you in the face with its flailing limbs as it leaps maniacally about. In my opinion Nails didin’t quite deliver. These guys do. If you like your music extreme in any nature you will find something here but jacks of all trade Teethgrinder are not. When I see a press release mentioning a myriad of genres I usually despair that I am about to encounter a cut and shut chimera of flavours of the month. Nihilism does indeed exhibit many influences but what comes across is the bands need to create their own textured maelstrom. “The Pain Exceeds the Fear” goes from Napalm Death grindathon to unholy Black metal necrosis before sludging out in the filthiest fashion. “Force Fed Ideologies” has hardcore beatdowns hidden within the mania which allows a change in pace that keeps my interest. I will admit that some grindcore starts to buzz by on a subliminal level. My ear becomes accustomed to the constant battery and it becomes soothing rather than spiky and abrasive. With the changes of pace that occur throughout the 9 songs here these fellas hold my attention like a man with a scalpel down my boxers. Whether it is 2 minute punk/grind blasts like aforementioned “Force Fed Ideologies” the death thrash of “Sicarius” or the finale’ “Bite the Hand that Feeds” which exudes modern death metal with hints towards shoegaze Teethgrinder never trip up over their influences or lose sight of the songs. The album finishes with a psychedelic wig out and a bit of drone which if you leave the bastard on repeat segues beautifully back into opener “Somnambulist” . This could go round and round for hours and you wouldn’t get bored.
Grind those teeth till your molars crumble.
(8.5/10 Matt Mason)
Leave a Reply