New EP for the grindcore/power-violence freaks Gride from Czech Republic so let us sink our teeth deep into it shall we? First of all let’s see what we have here! Is it actually a new EP? Well… No! “Hluboká Temná Modř” (Deep Dark Blue) is the proper release on CD, of the digital release they initiated a year ago. It consists of eighteen tracks. The seven ones the EP had in the first place and it is enriched by eight tracks from the split CD (their entire side on that split actually) with Sidetracked of 2014 and their three tracks from the split CD with Thelema Eleven of 2009.

Now… this is actually really cool because in this EP you can see how Gride evolved through time. So… placing the release under the microscope, the first impressions are more than exquisite. Really well executed grindcore, not following the typical 4/4 protocol, flirting with technicality and furious tempo changes (it will remind you a lot of early Dillinger Escape Plan without of course being so shitty… ho ho ho) turning their grindcore into power violence. Rabid from the first second. Crazed blastbeats that tend to break with ambient chords for couple seconds before they turn again into a ferocious sum of sharp chords, blastbeats and relentless power violence screams!

The tracks themselves are typical of the genre considering their length, so you won’t get anything more than 2 minutes with all the above elements. We’re talking about shots of adrenaline here. Ferocious and at a tremendous pace. ‘Věčná Válka S Hmyzem’ is definitely the one to leave its stain right away with its awesome chorus and of course, ‘Bouře Ve Sklenici Vody’ with its Morbid Angel-ish intro.

The production is fat and loud. Space for every instrument is given and in the final master they are all heard together loud and clear as they should. The tracks from the split of 2014 are more or less close to the recent ones. Re-mastered (I think) and a bit more rough but still following the same patterns they used for the new ones on this EP. On a second hearing they could as well not be re-mastered but the mix-master on both is really close. You can hardly understand that these ones are 6 years before.

The last three (two Gride songs and a cover on Psí Vojáci) are obviously older. More rough and direct. Still their lust to escape the typical 4/4 grind beat is obvious. Enhancing their tracks with much ambience, power chords and power leads, having a raged beast behind the kit, blasting at tremendous speeds. The best outcome possible for this new EP from a band that reigns since 1997 and still manages to sound so fresh! With an awesome cover, it is a must-buy release for the fans of the genre and it places itself among the top-20 (maybe top-10 for some) of this year!

5 / 5 STARS