The first thing to get out of the way here is that O are not going to win any prizes for their band name. Try searching for that without knowing the album title. Nit picking aside, these Italians’ full-length album Il Vuoto Perfetto (translated as The Perfect Vacuum) is a triumph in the game of blackened grind. The band has taken a grind and crust template to begin with and crafted a record inflected with searing BM riffing and moments of trudging sludgy doom to boot.

At a scant half an hour, O conjure an holy barrage into the running time but one that effortlessly swans in and out of different paces. Opener Apnea kicks in with juddering guitars but soon descends into an eerily mellow mid passage before erupting again with the grooves of the second track (simply titled .) Il Vuoto Perfetto’s greatest strength is its relentlessness and ability to throw new curveballs within nearly every song. There are riffs that are shamelessly black metal and others that are akin to fellow countrymen The Secret’s assiduous BM/hardcore balance. All the while, songs like Non e Vivo sculpt towers of melodic, often groove laden riffs and Di Vita e Altri Veleni, with its slight post rock influence, interrupts the punishing onslaught. There are plenty of derivative elements here on this album but O have still unleashed a merciless, but equally interesting and evocative, hail of blackened hardcore that is their own.
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Blackened Death Grind. Deathened Grind Blackness. Grinding Black Death. No matter the lens from which you view Cyanic from, they are masters of a devastating and delicious concoction. Although the San Jose troupe has been active since 2004, they only just released their first full-length this past August. But their dedication to the craft paid off, and Litanies of Lust Unholy is one of the most crushing debuts of the year.

The 26-minute procession is relentless and unforgiving, never is a breath of air or palate cleanser given a thought as the band barrels you into darkness. The song structures are steeped in grindcore tradition; a spider web of riffs intertwined, cycling ever forward, never looking back. They create a perfect, yet fragile, sonic foundation. One misstep, one slip, and the whole thing comes crashing down. And you expect it to. But it never does. Teetering on the edge of such devilish chaos is a masterful risk, but Cyanic are able to keep their balance above their insane sinkhole and thrive.


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Cara Neir’s new EP is a doozy of a record. Clocking in at an all-too-brief 22 minutes, “Sublimination Therapy” is fury in sonic form. “Therapy” at its core is blisteringly fast grindcore honed with a punk attitude. This not uncommon occurrence is augmented by song writing that rarely gets boring as Cara Neir experiments with using less black metal, while filling the void with a solid helping of the aforementioned grindcore, dashing it with intimidating death metal and relentless powerviolence. Cara Neir’s latest work is a structured medley of ideas that fall flat at times. The record’s fluctuating attitude and sound is, at times, clumsily jarring. “Therapy” is well executed, however its uneven structure threatens to undermine the skill put forth. This shift can be attributed to the change of the guard that occurs between “It Started in the Silo” and “Drink the Rot.” From this point half of the lineup changes, save for frontman Chris Francis and stringman/drum programmer Dorian Rainwater. Grind and powerviolence reign supreme in structure through much of “Therapy’s” first half, with “Prudent Oath” striking out with grand black melodies that become ever prominent. Melody and speed marry from this point on, eschewing much of “Therapy’s” earlier heaviness in favor of screeched vocals, activist-like aesthetic and a sheer cold sound.

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So earlier this year Floridian grinders Cellgraft, unfortunately, called it a day, bowing out with their impressive self-titled LP. Since then, Faith Addiction, featuring ex-members of Cellgraft, have released this new 7” EP Order From Chaos via No Reprieve Records and it’s one of the most of belligerently brilliant grind records of the year. Its short, no nonsense running time means that the band squeeze in as much devastating aggression as possible. It’s a modus operandi that served Cellgraft exceptionally well and has done so again here.

As each song passes by, Faith Addiction become more and more relentless, a sense of ferocity and urgency is always prevalent and augments with each song, as if the band is desperately trying to accomplish something before time runs out on them, and accomplish something they do. This is all made clear by the 26 second close of Disciples Punishment, the shortest track, where the band suitably bookend this striking 7”.

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It is no secret that these four nihilistic horsemen of the Apocalypse known as The Secret are one of the most brutal bands to walk among this wretched earth. This time they bring “Agnus Dei”, their fourth full length coming out by the hand of Southern Lord. A true ode to the apocalypse able to eclipse the sun, turning the earth into a desolate place banished by plagues and death.

Produced by the hand of Kurt Ballou at Godcity Studios,”Agnus Dei” shows us a more terrific, vicious and menacing The Secret album to date, blending in a amazing and perfect way the most dark elements from crust, grindcore and black metal. Maybe it’s just me but this time i get the feeling that these guys might have been locked in their rooms listening to nothing else than black metal albums. The presence of tremolo picking riffs and blastbeats are constant along “Agnus Dei” and yet they are so well executed that im pretty sure that “Agnus Dei” it will make the envy out of most good black metal bands out there.

Kicking off with the self titled track “Agnus Dei” the floor immediately cracks over our feet and we are swollen into the depths of Hell. The fierce blackened attack that floods our ears instantly causes us visions of death, desolation and despair as our skin and flesh melts away from the bones. Distributing 13 songs in the space of 43 minutes, this vile sonic attack continuously bombs us with shards of the most blackened and vicious bile with tracks like “May God Damn All Of Us”, “Violent Infection”, “Daily Lies”, “The Bottomless Pit” and “Obscure Dogma” that barelly last more than two minutes long, where tenebrous riffage and sharpened blast beats lurk around every corner. On the other hand, tracks like “Geometric Power”, “Post Mortem Nihilist Est”, “Love Your Enemy” or the epic “Heretic Temple” have that really The Secret characteristic sound filled with that negative energy that create a cold chill crawl over your spine. But this time their sound is more corrosive and sharp as a rusty knife. The whole negativity endorsed on “Agnus Dei” is really moving towards one way, devastating everything and everyone on its passage, leaving nothing but bones and dust behind. Yet in the middle of this blasphemous wave of destruction, the best is saved for the end with the closing track “Seven Billion Graves” that holds a hidden track, that in my modest opinion, is one of the best tracks made by the band. Epic, dark and majestic, exhaling catastrophe in every single note. It’s the coronation of Death. The best, and perfect, way to close this magnificent album by The Secret.
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It’s pretty mind-blowing that a band can be around for well over ten years and still only be in the process of completing their debut album. Alas, this is the fate of Dawn of Chaos, a five-piece technical death metal outfit from the north east of England. These guys have been through the mill in terms of band members, touring with pretty darn huge acts – Immolation, Entombed, Akercocke, The Great Deceiver, Anaal Nathrakh and way, way more – and life itself. Life, it gets in the way, and Dawn of Chaos have contended with many an issue but never lost that pure desire and will to absolutely decimate with furious words and sound.

Dawn of Chaos were formed many moons ago and the band that exists today features precisely zero founding members as a massive shift occurred around 2004. Much happened in the way of touring and recording a couple of EP’s and demos; yet it’s only now that these guys have found the time to actually record something new. And lo and behold, The Need To Feed is due to drop (hopefully) by the end of this year.

Dawn of Chaos are a busy as heck group, with each member somehow managing to find the time for other projects as well as just staying alive on a day-to-day basis. Paul Hartburn is the man behind the mic, and after joining in 2004 (taking over vocals from original member Ken Turner) he took the band in a slightly different direction and pushed to take Dawn of Chaos to new places – both musically and continentally. Other members came and went, as is wont to happen in the realm of extreme metal, but the line up of today is as solid as it is talented. Just take a look:

Paul Hartburn – vocals (Wrath Within)
Dan Jones – bass, backing vocals (Crabsu)
Dan Rochester – guitar (Spartan Warrior, Wrath Within)
Ross Oliver – guitar (Risen Prophecy, Wrath Within, Crabsu)
Ian Finley – drums (Wodensthrone, Warbastard, Crabsu)

Lucky for us, Dawn of Chaos have uploaded a little sample of their new material which has been recorded by Greg Chandler (Esoteric) at his own Priory Studios. Fun. Check it out below and cross your fingers they head out on tour soon after this release.

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Absvrdist play a signature  brand of grindcore with a splash of black metal. What is most interesting about Absvrdist’s lone release is that in sound it bears little resemblance to the oft too serious tone of its roots. Illusory’s 26 minutes tears through like a speed addict’s playtime. Relentless is the best word to place on this work. The record’s attention-nabbing moments are unfortunately few and far between, with the songs at times melting into an indistinguishable whole. This appreciatively does not incur boredom. Absvrdist showcases grand musicianship that rears its corpse painted head midway through with “Amongst Humans.” The grind aspect is pulled back a moment to treat us to furious melody dancing on a smattering wall. This amalgamation seems to meet a near-perfect balance at Illusory’s midway point, blending abrasiveness with melody to startling results at times. “Delusion” brings forth a nuclear payload’s worth of death metal, highlighting one of the heaviest moments on Illusory. The last two tracks give way to sheer exposition with “Brood,” with “Abstract Absurdities” continuing this along with brooding complexity. “Abstract Absurdities” is the longest track and the most rewarding, atmospheric at a brisk pace and brutal without gimmicks.

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Stop what the fuck you are doing and tune into this ultra INSANE NAILS live set at This Is Hardcore, filmed by Hate5six. Hot damn, this set should be released as a live album, the band was on fire! We have heard some news about the new record: that it is even more ABRASIVE than the last! Wow, this footage is the best NAILS video I have ever seen; the sound & picture quality is just fucking on point! So peep how the NAILS kill shit after the jump – warning, you might want to punch walls after you see this.

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Text by Ryan Avery

Dead Instrument is difficult to describe. Their sound is unlike most grind bands I’ve listened to in recent years. And their etiquette is almost repulsive — their vicious and swift assault within the immediate opening of the album, setting an unrelenting tone throughout the entire play. You can tell just by listening that these guys do not give a single fuck as to what any one person thinks of what they create with their weapons (as they clearly use their instruments to inflict pain upon the listener). And, in case you’re wondering, this is a good thing. Grind is aggressive and impolite, in my opinion, and is meant to push through angst and anger with each blasting riff and thunderous beat. With mild, mid-tempo breaks between every few fast-paced movements, these sludge interludes break up the album nicely giving the listener a chance to catch a breath just before another fast-paced anvil drops upon the head. The vocals blend so eloquently with the voracious progression of riffs, acting as an overture to the cruelty these maniacs are delivering. Just as quickly as the album starts, it abruptly ends and not too soon (or too late). These guys timed their assault perfectly: a quick hit and run of pummeling grind with hints of sludge-infused breaks to annihilate and assimilate their listeners. Assimilate? Right. Because once you listen you are a convert to this psychotic display of vulgarity.. one can only feel as though this album is just a taste of what is to come from Dead Instrument. Europe is constantly breeding a unique sound within all sub-genres of music and these guys bring a familiar yet distinct new flavor to grind, combining all the right elements to leave us in wanting.

Pick up a copy as soon as you can, as they are only limited to 300 copies! Raw Birth is developing quite a unique collection with their recent releases and be on the look-out for what follows in Dead Instrument’s wake.

Unhappy listening!

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More live photos after the jump…
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Interview via Operation Grindcore

False Light, if I was be so bold, is one of the most impressive new grind/powerviolence bands I’ve heard in the last couple years. Even when they put up half of their excellent self-titled EP on bandcamp, it was some of the best music I’ve heard this year. I’ve listened to their EP countless times, and it really is one of the most enjoyable releases of 2012. In my effort to spread the word and get every single person aware of the force of nature that is False Light, I bring you this interview, done via email, with their vocalist, Patrick (I never got his last name).

Operation Grindcore: Boring question first, how did the band start?

Patrick: We were all in bands that either broke up or that we stopped playing in around the same time. Brian’s old band was actually also called False Light which I almost did vocals for when I was still in my old band, but it never worked out. But I stayed in touch with him, and we finally were able to work on something together.

OG: Your EP is one of the best things I’ve heard all year, How long did it take to write the whole thing?

Patrick: Thanks! We started jamming together as a band at the very end of 2011 and recorded in March. We had some songs come and go, but everything was done in that time.

Full interview after the jump…
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