Guineapig – Bacteria
Italian grinders Guineapig released this debut "Bacteria" back in 2014 on the same label and subsequent to that the band has released a split with Dutch act Romprepop in 2017. Quite why the label has seen fit to reissue it is a little baffling though the reissue comes with the bands 2013 demo plus a Mortician cover tagged on the end so that might be enough to entice you to buy it if you didn’t purchase the first time though whether you’d buy it again if you already own it is debatable.
One thing is for certain about this album is that it is dense, ultra-dense in fact with ridiculously low end vocals and a cavernous bass sound that will threaten the foundations of your abode. The Mortician cover gives you an indication of the style of music the band plays as every tune has a focus within bacteriology, parasitology etc, as the release opens with 'Coccobacilli Shotgun' and a short sample. The groove bass line is excellent and is followed by a simple but effective guitar riff and intermittent blast beat. The vocal tone is so low as to sound inhuman and has hints of debut album Carcass, Sweden’s Regurgitate, Last Days Of Humanity etc, but are tempered by a standard death metal voice that is not dissimilar to Mr Fisher Of Cannibal Corpse.
'Pathogen Stimulator' follows and generally the tracks follow a similar format of low end sonic thuggery with a catchy guitar riff that will have your head nodding amidst the vocal vomiting balanced by the catchy beat that has tenets of Cliteater, Squash Bowels and Cock And Ball Torture, the latter of which is where this bands influence resides mainly. I loved the riff to 'Maruta', its sledgehammering style has a slightly quicker style dotted with those monstrous vocals which seem to become even more abominable here, as the song picks up speed yet retains the inherent catchiness especially when it drops into the groove hook. A sample greets you on 'Defoliation Bacilli Bomb', which is also on the demo, its bone breaking riff is pulverising and links nicely into the crunching bass line that starts 'Spastic Genoma Spread' which has a slightly higher tone initially. There are slamming traits running through this album too which the hammer wavers will like as 'Terminator Mosquito' got my interest due to its colossal opening riff. 'Variola Major' stands out because it slows things down to a sludgy pace, and is also on the demo, as the vocals gurgle like the noise of a drain ebbing away as the main album ends with 'Fatal Paralytic Illness' with that mauling riff thuggery the band is exceptionally accomplished at.
Tagged on the end of this album is the 2013 demo which had two tracks both of which reappeared on the album that I’ve mentioned earlier. Both versions on the demo are similar to the album, though not as dense and whether you prefer the demo or album versions is down to taste as the demo version of 'Defoliation Bacilli Bomb' is as good as the album but I preferred the album version of 'Variola Major' because the sludginess is greater, which only leaves the Mortician cover which is their version of 'Darkest Day Of Horror' which is as good a version as any you’re likely to hear which in all honesty there isn’t much you can really do with it though there isn’t the sample of course. The guitar sound has a higher pitch but it’s a decent version all the same.
If you like your grind catchy, possessing enough low-end to set off seismic shocks then I suggest you buy 'Bacteria' by Guineapig.
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One thing is for certain about this album is that it is dense, ultra-dense in fact with ridiculously low end vocals and a cavernous bass sound that will threaten the foundations of your abode. The Mortician cover gives you an indication of the style of music the band plays as every tune has a focus within bacteriology, parasitology etc, as the release opens with 'Coccobacilli Shotgun' and a short sample. The groove bass line is excellent and is followed by a simple but effective guitar riff and intermittent blast beat. The vocal tone is so low as to sound inhuman and has hints of debut album Carcass, Sweden’s Regurgitate, Last Days Of Humanity etc, but are tempered by a standard death metal voice that is not dissimilar to Mr Fisher Of Cannibal Corpse.
'Pathogen Stimulator' follows and generally the tracks follow a similar format of low end sonic thuggery with a catchy guitar riff that will have your head nodding amidst the vocal vomiting balanced by the catchy beat that has tenets of Cliteater, Squash Bowels and Cock And Ball Torture, the latter of which is where this bands influence resides mainly. I loved the riff to 'Maruta', its sledgehammering style has a slightly quicker style dotted with those monstrous vocals which seem to become even more abominable here, as the song picks up speed yet retains the inherent catchiness especially when it drops into the groove hook. A sample greets you on 'Defoliation Bacilli Bomb', which is also on the demo, its bone breaking riff is pulverising and links nicely into the crunching bass line that starts 'Spastic Genoma Spread' which has a slightly higher tone initially. There are slamming traits running through this album too which the hammer wavers will like as 'Terminator Mosquito' got my interest due to its colossal opening riff. 'Variola Major' stands out because it slows things down to a sludgy pace, and is also on the demo, as the vocals gurgle like the noise of a drain ebbing away as the main album ends with 'Fatal Paralytic Illness' with that mauling riff thuggery the band is exceptionally accomplished at.
Tagged on the end of this album is the 2013 demo which had two tracks both of which reappeared on the album that I’ve mentioned earlier. Both versions on the demo are similar to the album, though not as dense and whether you prefer the demo or album versions is down to taste as the demo version of 'Defoliation Bacilli Bomb' is as good as the album but I preferred the album version of 'Variola Major' because the sludginess is greater, which only leaves the Mortician cover which is their version of 'Darkest Day Of Horror' which is as good a version as any you’re likely to hear which in all honesty there isn’t much you can really do with it though there isn’t the sample of course. The guitar sound has a higher pitch but it’s a decent version all the same.
If you like your grind catchy, possessing enough low-end to set off seismic shocks then I suggest you buy 'Bacteria' by Guineapig.
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1. Coccobacilli Shotgun
2. Pathogen Stimulator
3. Plasmodium
4. Maruta
5. Epidemic
6. Project Sunshine
7. Defoliation Bacilli Bomb
8. Spastic Genoma Spread
9. Cyclopia
10. Terminator Mosquito
11. Variola Major
12. Rice Blast Fungus
13. Fatal Paralytic Illness
2. Pathogen Stimulator
3. Plasmodium
4. Maruta
5. Epidemic
6. Project Sunshine
7. Defoliation Bacilli Bomb
8. Spastic Genoma Spread
9. Cyclopia
10. Terminator Mosquito
11. Variola Major
12. Rice Blast Fungus
13. Fatal Paralytic Illness
