Magrudergrind: Magrudergrind (2009)

Review

My brother-in-law's primary requirement for music is that it be heavy enough to shake the earth. So, when he told me about Magrudergrind, I looked it up.

They are a Washington, D.C. grindcore three-piece with no bassist. Despite that, they manage to be one of the heaviest grindcore bands I've ever heard. Normally I don't go for the genre, but the weight of it feels right.

As you might expect, most of the 16 tracks hover right around a minute long, with a couple exceptions. Highlights include "Assimilated Pollutants" (with an ultra-heavy slow section) and the nearly three minute "Bridge Burners" (with its massive groove). But nearly every cut on here (as thin as they may be) is an entertaining chunk of music.

There are some low points: they make excessive use of samples. There must be some kind of political message or something. (I'll never understand why bands think anyone cares about their message. It must be a punk thing.) I've made my opinion on samples known before, but in case you missed it, they should be confined to the album's intro; unless, of course, your last name is Zombie. The worst part of the album, though, is "Heavier Bombing", a mostly-rap track inexplicably thrown in on this one.



The Verdict: Once you get past the cliche samples and the garbage track, this is some damned good (and heavy) grind. (They were featured on the highly-rated This Comp Kills Fascists.) I give it 4 out of 5 stars.