Grog - Gastric Hymns Mummified In Purulency
Grindcore bands always seem like a cross between medical geniuses and psychopaths. Sometimes their music reflects it, sometimes not... but when it doesn't, they just come off as psychopaths because all the noise they create is inhumanely wild. Grog is one of these bands. It's been almost ten years since anyone has heard anything from them; they released a second full length in 2001 and then disappeared. Suddenly there is a resurfacing, but it's nothing really new. All the stuff on this album is from their demos and EPs over the years... so expect the grindcore to get REALLY grinding.
As expected, the music is just like any other average grindcore band that focuses on just shredding guitars and deep, growling vocals backed by drums that just seem hellbent on destroying everything that they can with the sound their music creates. As always, the extremeity is commendable, but as far as a sense of purpose and direction goes... that's just a palm to the face. The first eight tracks are all demos and rehearsals and basically sound the same... from "Stream Of Psychopathic Devourment" to "Rotten Grave," one can put them on side by side and probably think they were hearing the same song. The next few are covers, and thank God it is only a few. If there is one thing grindcore bands like Grog shouldn't do... it is cover other bands. They destroy them. Perhaps it is part of the musical phiosophy, perhaps not. But, any sense of decency or melody from the originals of bands such as Misfits and Agathocles is sucked into a black hole void.
After a few more tracks from one of their EPs- it may be a studio album but the sound quality is just like their demos, save for the vocals which sound like they are right in the front- one comes to the rest of the tracks which are all live. Some tracks like "Excreted and Vomited Abortions" sound terribly distorted while the vocalist is vomiting; a very live presence but not the best song they could do. Grog's best performance is on "Re-Reborn Monstrosity" where the music doesn't just bleed altogether like a sonic apocalypse and the quality is actually decent. However, just one track doesn't make up for the other twenty seven, and half of them being downright terrible. Perhaps this is just a reminder for the band regarding what they SHOULDN'T do on their next album. But, for those of you that enjoy this kind of music, then this compilation should be quite the satisfaction as it is full of rare and unreleased material. Even those who own the two full lengths the band released will find it engaging, even if it is a shadow of their full lengths. However, those who are used to Napalm Death and Dying Fetus's complex and invigorating style may find Grog sadly laughable.
As expected, the music is just like any other average grindcore band that focuses on just shredding guitars and deep, growling vocals backed by drums that just seem hellbent on destroying everything that they can with the sound their music creates. As always, the extremeity is commendable, but as far as a sense of purpose and direction goes... that's just a palm to the face. The first eight tracks are all demos and rehearsals and basically sound the same... from "Stream Of Psychopathic Devourment" to "Rotten Grave," one can put them on side by side and probably think they were hearing the same song. The next few are covers, and thank God it is only a few. If there is one thing grindcore bands like Grog shouldn't do... it is cover other bands. They destroy them. Perhaps it is part of the musical phiosophy, perhaps not. But, any sense of decency or melody from the originals of bands such as Misfits and Agathocles is sucked into a black hole void.
After a few more tracks from one of their EPs- it may be a studio album but the sound quality is just like their demos, save for the vocals which sound like they are right in the front- one comes to the rest of the tracks which are all live. Some tracks like "Excreted and Vomited Abortions" sound terribly distorted while the vocalist is vomiting; a very live presence but not the best song they could do. Grog's best performance is on "Re-Reborn Monstrosity" where the music doesn't just bleed altogether like a sonic apocalypse and the quality is actually decent. However, just one track doesn't make up for the other twenty seven, and half of them being downright terrible. Perhaps this is just a reminder for the band regarding what they SHOULDN'T do on their next album. But, for those of you that enjoy this kind of music, then this compilation should be quite the satisfaction as it is full of rare and unreleased material. Even those who own the two full lengths the band released will find it engaging, even if it is a shadow of their full lengths. However, those who are used to Napalm Death and Dying Fetus's complex and invigorating style may find Grog sadly laughable.
- Anal Core- Intro
- Stream Of Psychopathic Devourment
- Sado Masoquist Butchery
- Cannibal Feast
- Monstrous Anatomic Deformation
- Spontaneous Gore
- Rotten Grave
- Cannibalistic Devourment + Blood In My Face
- .Drowned In The Pleasure Of Tortured Flesh
- Death Comes Ripping (Misfits cover 2006)
- Introtyl (Agathocles cover 1996)
- Murder (Extreme Noise Terror cover 1996)
- Grotesque Invocation
- Cannibal Feast
- Rotten Grave
- Excreted And Vomited Abortions
- Dead Art Collector
- Cult Of Blood
- Necrogeek
- Stream Of Psychopathic Devourment
- Re-reborn Monstrosity
- Splashterized Autopsy – Excreted And Vomited Abortions
- Monstrous Anatomic Deformation
- Sado Masoquist Butchery
- Terrified
- Cannibalistic Devourment + Blood In My Face
- Grog - Outro (Live at Linda A Velha 29.03.2003)
Vomit Your Shirt
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Dec 15, 2010
Dec 15, 2010
Next review:
Chaossworn - Chalice Of The Black Flame
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