Certified Insane - Raw, Crude 'n' Relentless CD review artwork

Rating: 7.5

Country: Germany

Release Date: 2006

Track list:
1. Defecation
2. Pilgrim
3. Concealed In Darkness
4. Indifference
5. Victims Of Greed
6. Inner Prisoner
7. C.L.H.
8. Mind Stagnation
9. You Are ...

Band Website: Certified Insane

Certified Insane - Raw, Crude 'n' Relentless

Martin - Vocals
Stefan - Guitars
Tom - Bass
Blinki - Drums

Some o' the DC readers might remember a short-lived but highly entertainin' German Porno/Gore grind band by the name of Gonorrhoeaction (whose works featured the stick ‘n' pedal talents of Blinki Brinkmann, drummer with now-dissolved cult Death/Grind act, Ulcerous Phlegm), who released some very lively, cundy-coated ear-candy, namely the indubitably groovy Filth ‘01, a nice split EP with Depression and their wonderfully crude 10” split with Anal Whore, at a time when Porngrind was in somethin' of a boom-period, what with Rompeprop poppin' up with Menstrual Stomphulk, Cock and Ball Torture polishin' up their bulbous stoppards to their highest sheen for Sadochismo and Amoebic Dysentery openin' up a whole new can o' brown worms with Floaters and Sinkers. Since then, Gonorrhoeaction decided to disinflate their tumescent Pornogrooves, do away with all that slobbery-chop gynophagia, sadistic haemorrhoid-play ‘n' profuse use o' the word ‘cunt', and instead press ahead with a retro pub-Crust sound instead.

You can barely breathe due to the dusty, lung-clottin' Crustgrind/Mincecore right from the openin' crustulated caveman-anthem, "Defecation", which, in the manner o' all the other tracks, is replete with traditional buzz ‘n' plough guitarwork, simplistic percussive crushment and lots o' gigantic guttural bellows, each followin' often simple, occasionally slightly elaborate structures, more often than not lurchin' back ‘n' forth from jolly, balls-out mid-pace to high-speed grindin' throttle. The rhythm section is good ‘n' solid, with extremely down-to-earth, smoothly rollin'drumwork, which finds a nice balance o' clatterin' blast ‘n' fun d-beats, along with plenty o' nifty little fills ‘n' loads of lovely cymbal splashery, all reinforced by the very dense, molten bass entwanglement. Delivered strictly by means of hoarse ‘n' chalky guttural rasps, the vokills are a lot of fun; first of all they stomp about unnervin' you with grunty-arsed uproar, then they create an amusin' diversion ‘n' entertain you with some rather amiable, catchy rants. This ‘ere musical repast offers lots o' comfortin' familiarity; the riffs ‘n' rhythms guide you along the buffet table ‘n' offer you hearty yet entirely digestible stodge, while the vokills make outspoken yet jovial recommendations, advisin' you to get as much Mince ‘n' Crust as you can carry and scoff as much as you like! Mince ‘n' Crust are also two basic features of any good meat ‘n' potato pie, which is of course the culinary equivalent of bands such as Certified Insane. You know exactly how it will taste ‘cos you've had it hundreds of times, but it's always warmin', satisfyin' ‘n' agreeable. It's also the perfect companion to a pint o' real ale! However, repetitive Crust rattle doesn't form the basis for their entire work, ‘cos you ought to find one or two more ragged-edge Death/Grind ingredients here too, but all carefully baked into the Crust!

So, you can expect much o' this to be based around classick scruffy Crusty stuff like Agathocles, dirty ol' Rot ‘n' early Malignant Tumour, enhanced by oodles of dirty, drivin' Doom groovery, shredded in a Disrupt-esque filter ‘n' daubed in the musty crevasse-sweat o' ol' Bolt Thrower and Napalm Death, especially the vokills, whose style is thoroughly imbued with the lung butter of Messrs. Willets and Greenway. You also can detect traces o' Gonorrhoeaction too, but these are mostly prominent in the arse-wigglin' catchiness and blithe, fun edge.

Rather than soundin' like the fuzzed-up sort o' scratch-heap that I might've expected, the recordin' is of quite a good level of clarity ‘n' cohesion. Although it sounds rather rough round the edges when it's all thrown together, it does have a rounded, poundin' kit-sound with rowdy cymbal crashment, hot vokill beef seasoned with agreeable reverb, filth-plastered guitars ‘n' a surprisingly clear bass tone. It's quite a warm sound, which helps swathe the friendly ‘n' accessible edge in further cosy claddin'.

There you have it. If you enjoyed Gonorrhoeaction and liked it when Malignant Tumour made the transition …From Grindcore…To Mincecore on their 1998 tape or when Cock and Ball Torture went dry ‘n' Crusty with their Bradyphagia project, then you ought to get a long with Certified Insane. If you're unfussy about where you're Crust came from ‘n' prefer to just tuck in, then this is also for you. It's fusty, unwashed Crust, speckled with flecks o' Death, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's inessential, but a lot of fun nonetheless!

January 11th, 2007