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Release Date: 2007 Record Label: Self Released Track list:
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Relativity - It Could Have Been So Much Better
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Mikko Nurmos - Vocals |
Oof! A title like that causes much tumescence within the analytical tissues of a twatty critic such as myself, leaving me slaverin' in anticipation of wrappin' up the write-up with some sort of shite lil' bromide like ‘The title says it all', ‘At least they're honest' or ‘This does exactly what it says on the tin'. However, such trite scoffery is inappropriate, ‘cos I enjoyed this easily digestible chunk o' no-nonsense Finnish Grindcore!
Enraged, unsophisticated and feral, Relativity give you all the elements you might require for a casual Grind listen; forehead flayin' riff shears, rapid drum-kit frenzy and horrifying vokill squawk. But everyone and their mate have got a Grind band, and they all put these thoroughly threadbare components to heavy use, so what sets Relativity apart from those that've grinded before them and those that grind alongside ‘em? Bugger all really. But what this release clearly lacks in originality and inventiveness, it more or less manages to make up for by means of its sizeable catchiness, enormous conviction and tangible venom, particularly in the vox, which despite being a little apprehensive at times, are delivered by means of migrane-inciting arid-lung screeches and hostile dry-howls. Put to use like some sort o' crude wrench, the guitar catchily yanks out rusty ol' riffs, each of which is bolted firmly into place by punchy percussion, the obvious result being simplistic, accessible songs that jolt between high-speed head crushment and noddable grooves. The majority of the material follows a crude pattern of an infectious intro with everyone joining in from the first beat, followed by an abrupt tempo increase, groovy chorus or break, destructive blasts then heads-down chug-out til the end, except for the last song, which combines these elements with a diversion towards barren bleakness, reducin' the sound to minimal-clean tone guitar and muffled shrieks, before eruptin' into the final bit of closin' racket. Unfortunately, the band are bereft of bass-guitar, thus the material loses armfuls of potential punch, the result being quite a meek ‘n' feeble sound with nothing to accentuate its groovier segments and little to hold the skeletal structures together. However, pressin' ahead with rehearsals without considerin' to contact anyone who might know someone with a bass often augments the defiant attitude of their chosen genre, but then it's up to the sound production job to stimulate, inflate and animate those raw bits ‘n' bobs.
Given that the act originate from Finland, countrymen comparisons are inevitable, but worth mentioning all the same. The work has the ferocity of Rotten Sound, the monochromatism of Skitsystem and songflow fortified with the kind o' gig-ready Grind goodness of Bufo. Elsewhere, the releases smacks of old Assuck, Acroholia and a wee bit o' classick Brutal Truth.
The production is clear but very minimal; most of it is crisp ‘n' coherent, especially the guitar, which has a very clear, scything sound, but the lack of bass frequencies, the damp ‘n' distant kick ‘n' snare and an unaccompanied guitar-track leaves gapin' holes all over the place. On the other hand, many may consider this stripped-down approach to be highly appropriate for a band of such a basic line-up with arrangements to match, a breath of fresh air after being clobbered around the physiognomy by the multiple guitar-track collision favoured by fellow Finns like Afrgund and Splitter. Of course, dependin' on your desk-intentions, there's no right or wrong way to chuck a tune into a multitracker, so who am I to carp on about their recordin' preferences? Either way, a slab more oomph would've worked wonders.
Overall then, It Could Have Been So Much Better is a standard-issue Grind product that merits several listens, but not necessarily a purchase. Actually, now I come to think of it, I'm sure you can download the entire release from their website free of charge, so that solves that. However, if you fancy yourself as something completist when it comes to Scandinavian Grindcore, or all Grind, then go hunt this down and stick it on your shelf!
December 9th, 2007
    
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