Rating: 7.4

Country: Slovakia

Release Date: 2007

Record Label: Grodhaisn Productions

Track list:
1. Dezorientacia
2. Sick religion
3. Destrukcia
4. Grindpeace
5. Sluzba
6. Na kolenach
7. Anomal Animal
8. Bratia doterni
9. Mrtvi
10. Improvizujem

Total playing time 25:45

Band Website: Attack of Rage

Attack of Rage - Grindpeace

Belo - Guitar
Lukas - Vocals
Pizo - Bass
P.T.R. - Guitar
Hoyas - Drums

Following the footsteps of fellow Slovak grind/crust acts Abortion and Obliteration, it's now Attack of Rage's turn to make inroads into their Czech neighbours' undisputedly world dominating grind scene. Their USP is playing heavy grind/crust with plenty of variations and without having to resort to silliness to achieve that. On Grindpeace, their first full length recording, they have only 10 songs to prove their worth and they manage that without faltering.

“Dezorientacia” convinces you right away of the mettle they are made of, confidently playing ballsy grind/crust with a pugnacious attitude. To prevent your ears from getting attuned to their grinding madness so soon into the album, a common occurrence with many grind albums that later leads to complacency and indifference, Attack of Rage raise their feet from the depressed accelerator and allow the music to slow down before suddenly plunking down bass-heavy parts, almost in a death metal style. Then they follow it by playing an unexpected melody-tinged riff and finally end the song with an evolved heady version of its initial tune. In the manner stated thus, Attack of Rage continue cruising in their sports car at unlawful speeds like their heroes Nasum and Rotten Sound while expertly dodging hefty crust parts bearing resemblance to early recordings of Rot, Agathocles and Malignant Tumour which precipitate with unfailing regularity on their gravelly path.

On “Destrukcia” the band attempts to cut down on their light-speed grindblasting in favour of simpler and catchier crusty music, playing tunes along the lines of Skitsystem. The title song in its midsection suddenly drops an anvil-heavy death metal part on the listener, a lethal tactic used in a couple of other songs too. “Sluzba” showcases remarkable agility while the band is playing fleshed out riffs, a particular one sounding similar to Terrorizer. Despite the harmful causticity of the crusty music that is compounded by shrilly rasps, the band is able to carry on with a cheerful frame of mind and provide pleasurable variations in “Na kolenach”, thereby bringing Abortion to mind. Oh yeah, there is a constant bickering going on in the vocal department, with voluble wife-like piercing shrieks competing against husband-like hoarse growls, reminiscent of a similar event that took place during Brutal Truth's Need for Control album.

Attack of Rage's brutal and capricious approach towards the usually staid grind/crust genre is admirable, especially how they thrust numbing, death metal-like heavy parts into their music. Also, their knack of providing ample variations so early on in their career helps their music immensely. But while they were seesawing between genres, they were unaware of the adverse effect that could have on their momentum which is crucial in this form of music. Without it flowing uninterruptedly through the music, it is bound to suffer, and that is what happens to the music on Grindpeace albeit to a minor extent. So, is the album still worth your money? Sure.

July 20th, 2008