Grindcore is an
extreme fusion genre of
heavy metal and
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as
thrashcore
Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less d ...
,
crust punk,
[ ]hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
, extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
, and industrial
Industrial may refer to:
Industry
* Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry
* Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems
* Industrial city, a city dominate ...
. Grindcore is considered a more noise-filled style of hardcore punk while using hardcore's trademark characteristics such as heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars
Guitar tunings are the assignment of pitches to the open strings of guitars, including acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and classical guitars. Tunings are described by the particular pitches that are made by notes in Western music. B ...
, grinding overdriven bass
Fuzz bass is a style of playing the electric bass or modifying its signal that produces a buzzy, distorted, overdriven sound, as the name implies. Overdriving a bass signal significantly changes the timbre, adds higher overtones (harmonics) ...
, high-speed tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
, blast beat
A blast beat is a type of drum beat that originated in hardcore punk and grindcore, and is often associated with certain styles of extreme metal, namely black metal and death metal,Adam MacGregor, ''PCP Torpedo'' by Agoraphobic Nosebleed rev ...
s, and vocals which consist of growls, shouts and high-pitched shrieks. Early groups like Napalm Death
Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in 1981 in Meriden, West Midlands. None of the band's original members has been in the group since 1986. But since ''Utopia Banished'' (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch ...
are credited with laying the groundwork for the style. It is most prevalent today in North America and Europe, with popular contributors such as Brutal Truth and Nasum. Lyrical themes range from a primary focus on social and political concerns, to gory subject matter and black humor
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
.
A trait of grindcore is the "microsong" much shorter than average for punk or metal; several bands have produced songs that are only seconds in length. British band Napalm Death holds the Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
for shortest song ever recorded with the one-second "You Suffer
"You Suffer" is a song by English grindcore band Napalm Death from the band's debut studio album, '' Scum'' (1987). The song is precisely 1.316 seconds long. The song was written by Nicholas Bullen, Justin Broadrick, and Mick Harris during the Mar ...
" (1987). Many bands, such as Agoraphobic Nosebleed, record simple phrases that may be rhythmically sprawled out across an instrumental lasting only a couple of bars in length.
A variety of subgenres and microgenres have subsequently emerged, often labeling bands according to traits that deviate from regular grindcore; including goregrind
Goregrind is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal. British band Carcass are commonly credited for the emergence of the genre. Goregrind is recognized for its heavily edited, pitch shifted "watery"-sounding vocals and abrasive musicianship ...
, focused on themes of gore (e.g. mutilation and pathology
Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...
), and pornogrind
Pornogrind (also known as porngrind or pornogore) is a musical microgenre offshoot of goregrind that lyrically deals with sexual and pornographic themes, hence the name.
Characteristics
The genre is related to, and similar to, goregrind, but mi ...
, fixated on pornographic lyrical themes. Another offshoot is cybergrind which incorporates electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
elements such as sampling and programmed drums. Although influential within hardcore punk and extreme metal, grindcore remains an underground form of music.
Characteristics
Grindcore is influenced by crust punk,["In Grind We Crust" Terrorizer #181, March 2009, p. 46, 51] thrashcore
Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less d ...
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
and thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
, The name derives from the fact that ''grind'' is a British term for ''thrash''; that term was prepended to ''-core'' from ''hardcore''. Grindcore relies on standard hardcore punk instrumentation: electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...
, bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
and drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
.[ However, grindcore alters the usual practices of metal or rock music in regard to song structure and tone.][ The vocal style is "ranging from high-pitched shrieks to low, throat-shredding growls and barks."][ In some cases, no clear lyrics exist. Vocals may be used as merely an added sound effect, a common practice with bands such as the experimental Naked City.
A characteristic of some grindcore songs is the "microsong," lasting only a few seconds. In 2001, the '']Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' awarded Brutal Truth the record for "Shortest Music Video" for 1994's " Collateral Damage" (the song lasts four seconds). In 2007, the video for the Napalm Death song "You Suffer
"You Suffer" is a song by English grindcore band Napalm Death from the band's debut studio album, '' Scum'' (1987). The song is precisely 1.316 seconds long. The song was written by Nicholas Bullen, Justin Broadrick, and Mick Harris during the Mar ...
" set a new "Shortest Music Video" record: 1.3 seconds. Beyond the microsong, it is characteristic of grindcore to have short songs in general; for example, Carcass' debut album ''Reek of Putrefaction
''Reek of Putrefaction'' is the debut album by British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released by Earache Records in July 1988.
Background
When released, ''Reek of Putrefaction'' reached No. 6 on the UK Indie Chart, establishing Carcass as ...
'' (1988) consists of 22 tracks with an average length of 1 minute and 48 seconds. It is also not uncommon for grindcore albums to be very short when compared to other genres, usually consisting of a large track list but having a total length of only 15 to 20 minutes.
Many grindcore groups experiment with down-tuned guitars and play mostly with down picking, power chords
A power chord (also fifth chord) is a colloquial name for a chord in guitar music, especially electric guitar, that consists of the root note and the fifth, as well as possibly octaves of those notes. Power chords are commonly played on amp ...
and heavy distortion. While the vinyl A-side of Napalm Death's debut, 1987's '' Scum'', is set to Eb tuning
Guitar tunings are the assignment of pitches to the open strings of guitars, including acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and classical guitars. Tunings are described by the particular pitches that are made by notes in Western music. By ...
, on side B, the guitars are tuned down to C. Their second album ''From Enslavement to Obliteration
''From Enslavement to Obliteration'' is the second studio album by English grindcore band Napalm Death, released in 1988. It is the final studio album with vocalist Lee Dorrian and guitarist Bill Steer, and the first to feature bassist Shane E ...
'' and the ''Mentally Murdered
''Mentally Murdered'' is an Extended play, EP by the English grindcore band Napalm Death, released in 1989. It was later included on the ''Harmony Corruption'' CD and the ''Death by Manipulation'' compilation album. On this EP the band's migrati ...
'' EP were tuned to C ♯
In music, sharp, dièse (from French), or diesis (from Greek) means, "higher in pitch". More specifically, in musical notation, sharp means "higher in pitch by one semitone (half step)". Sharp is the opposite of flat, which is a lowering of pi ...
. ''Harmony Corruption
''Harmony Corruption'' is the third studio album by British grindcore band Napalm Death, released in 1990 on Earache Records.
The style of the album is more death metal than grindcore, featuring extremely heavy riffs and deep low vocals. It w ...
'', their third full-length album, was tuned up to a D. Bolt Thrower
Bolt Thrower were an English death metal band from Coventry. They formed in 1986 and released their first album with Vinyl Solution in 1988. The band then shifted to a new record label, Earache Records, soon becoming one of the best selling b ...
went further, dropping 3½ steps down ( A).[Johnson 2007, page 04.] Bass is tuned low as well, and is often distorted.
Blast beat
The blast beat is a drum beat characteristic of grindcore in all its forms,[Adam MacGregor, Agoraphobic Nosebleed review, ''Dusted'', 11 June 2006]
Access date: 2 October 2008. although its usage predates the genre itself, and the drum technique may have originated in jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
with drummer Tony Williams credited with its use in a 1979 concert by the Trio of Doom. In Adam MacGregor's definition, "the blast-beat generally comprises a repeated, sixteenth-note figure played at a very fast tempo, and divided uniformly among the kick drum, snare and ride, crash, or hi-hat cymbal."[ Blast beats have been described as "maniacal percussive explosions, less about rhythm per second than sheer sonic violence."][Strub, Whitney]
"Behind the Key Club: An Interview with Mark 'Barney' Greenway of Napalm Death"
''PopMatters'', 11 May 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2008. Napalm Death coined the term,[ though this style of drumming had previously been practiced by others. Daniel Ekeroth argues that the blast beat was first performed by the Swedish group Asocial on their 1982 demo. ]Lärm
Lärm (German for ''noise'') were a Dutch straight edge hardcore band formed in 1981, first playing under the name of Total Chaoz. They referred to their music as "extreme noise", though having nothing to do with noise rock or noise music.
Due to ...
("Campaign For Musical Destruction") Dirty Rotten Imbeciles ("No Sense"),[ Stormtroopers of Death ("Milk"), ]Sarcófago
Sarcófago was a Brazilian extreme metal band formed in 1985. They were fronted by Sepultura's original singer, Wagner Lamounier, and Geraldo Minelli.
The front cover of the band's debut album, ''I.N.R.I. (Sarcófago album), I.N.R.I.'', is reg ...
("Satanas"), Sepultura ("Antichrist"), and Repulsion[ also included the technique prior to Napalm Death's emergence.
]
Lyrical themes
Grindcore lyrics are typically provocative. A number of grindcore musicians are committed to political and ethical causes, generally leaning towards the far left in connection to grindcore's punk roots.["Grindcore Special," p. 46.] For example, Napalm Death's songs address a variety of anarchist
Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not neces ...
concerns, in the tradition of anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, hardcor ...
. These themes include anti-racism
Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate a ...
, feminism
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
, anti-militarism, and anti-capitalism
Anti-capitalism is a political ideology and movement encompassing a variety of attitudes and ideas that oppose capitalism. In this sense, anti-capitalists are those who wish to replace capitalism with another type of economic system, such as s ...
. Early grindcore bands including Napalm Death, Agathocles and Carcass made animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
one of their primary lyrical themes. Some of them, such as Cattle Decapitation and Carcass, have expressed disgust with human behavior and animal abuse, and are, in some cases, vegetarians or vegans
Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet (nutrition), diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is kn ...
. Carcass' work in particular is often identified as the origin of the goregrind
Goregrind is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal. British band Carcass are commonly credited for the emergence of the genre. Goregrind is recognized for its heavily edited, pitch shifted "watery"-sounding vocals and abrasive musicianship ...
style, which is devoted to "bodily" themes. Groups that shift their bodily focus to sexual matters, such as Gut and the Meat Shits, are sometimes referred to as pornogrind
Pornogrind (also known as porngrind or pornogore) is a musical microgenre offshoot of goregrind that lyrically deals with sexual and pornographic themes, hence the name.
Characteristics
The genre is related to, and similar to, goregrind, but mi ...
. Seth Putnam's lyrics are notorious for their black comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
, while The Locust
The Locust was an American hardcore punk band from San Diego, California, known for their mix of grindcore aggression and new wave experimentation.
The band has been noted for their use of insect costumes when performing live.
History
Prio ...
tend toward satirical
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming or e ...
collage, indebted to William S. Burroughs' cut-up
The cut-up technique (or ''découpé'' in French) is an aleatory literary technique in which a written text is cut up and rearranged to create a new text. The concept can be traced to the Dadaists of the 1920s, but it was developed and popularized ...
method.
History
Precursors
The early grindcore scene relied on an international network of tape trading and DIY production.["Grindcore Special", p. 44.] The most widely acknowledged precursors of the grindcore sound are Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...
and Repulsion, an early death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
outfit. Siege, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, were influenced by classic American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
hardcore (Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...
, Black Flag, Void
Void may refer to:
Science, engineering, and technology
* Void (astronomy), the spaces between galaxy filaments that contain no galaxies
* Void (composites), a pore that remains unoccupied in a composite material
* Void, synonym for vacuum, a s ...
) and by British groups like Discharge
Discharge may refer to
Expel or let go
* Discharge, the act of firing a gun
* Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer
* Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...
, Venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
, and Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
.[Mudrian 2004, p. 50.] Siege's goal was maximum velocity: "We would listen to the fastest punk and hardcore bands we could find and say, 'Okay, we're gonna deliberately write something that is faster than them, drummer Robert Williams recalled. Repulsion is sometimes credited with inventing the classic grind blast beat
A blast beat is a type of drum beat that originated in hardcore punk and grindcore, and is often associated with certain styles of extreme metal, namely black metal and death metal,Adam MacGregor, ''PCP Torpedo'' by Agoraphobic Nosebleed rev ...
(played at 190 bpm), as well as its distinctive bass tone. Kevin Sharp
Kevin Grant Sharp (December 10, 1970 – April 19, 2014) was an American country music singer, author, and motivational speaker. Sharp came on the country music scene in 1996 with his first single: a cover of Tony Rich's " Nobody Knows", which to ...
of Brutal Truth declares that "''Horrified
''Horrified'' is the only full-length studio album to date by American grindcore band Repulsion. This album was influential on later goregrind bands.Badin, Olivier (2009). "Goregrind". ''Terrorizer'', 181, p.41. Although the album was originally ...
'' was and still is the defining core of what grind became; a perfect mix of hardcore punk with metallic gore, speed and distortion."["Grindcore Special", p. 41.] Writer Freddy Alva credited NYC Mayhem as a notable precursor, calling them "arguably one of the fastest bands on the planet back n the mid 1980s
N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''.
History
...
.
Other groups in the British grindcore scene, such as Heresy
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...
and Unseen Terror
Unseen Terror was a British extreme metal band formed by Mitch Dickinson (Heresy) and Shane Embury (later of Napalm Death), and played extreme metal with a technical edge along with elements of hardcore punk.Liner notes of Earache Records' ...
, have emphasized the influence of American hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
, including Septic Death, as well as Swedish D-beat
D-beat (also known as Discore, kängpunk, Discrust, and crust-beat) is a style of hardcore punk, developed in the early 1980s by imitators of Discharge, after whom the genre is named, as well as a drum beat characteristic of this subgenre. D-be ...
.["Grindcore Special," p. 43.] Sore Throat
Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat. Usually, causes of sore throat include
* viral infections
* group A streptococcal infection (GAS) bacterial infection
* pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat)
* tonsi ...
cites Discharge, Disorder, and a variety of European D-beat and thrash metal groups, including Hellhammer,["Grindcore Special", p. 45.] and American hardcore groups, such as Poison Idea
Poison Idea was an American punk rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1980.
History
Formation, 1980s, and 1990s
Poison Idea was formed in 1980 by vocalist Jerry A. (aka Jerry Lang). The initial lineup consisted of Jerry A., Chris Te ...
and D.R.I. Japanese hardcore
Japanese hardcore is the hardcore punk scene in Japan, which originated to protest the social and economic changes sweeping the country in the 1980s. The band SS is regarded as the first, forming in 1977. Bands such as The Stalin and GISM soon fo ...
, particularly GISM
was a Japanese punk metal band formed in Tokyo in 1981. Although the guitar style resembled heavy metal in many aspects, GISM was one of the first Japanese hardcore bands, while at the same time drawing influence from the early industrial/avant ...
, is also mentioned by a number of originators of the style.["Grindcore Special", p. 52.] Other key groups cited by current and former members of Napalm Death as formative influences include Discharge,["Dark Recollections: Napalm Death, Scum," ''Terrorizer'', issue 183, May 2009, p. 84-85] Amebix, Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were an English music and visual arts group formed in 1975 in Kingston upon Hull by Genesis P-Orridge, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Peter Christopherson, and Chris Carter (British musician), Chris Carter. They are widely regarded as pi ...
,[Mudrian 2004, page 31.] and the aforementioned Dirty Rotten Imbeciles. Post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
, such as Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English rock music, rock band from Notting Hill, London, England, formed in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass).
Their first album, ''Ki ...
and Joy Division, was also cited as an influence on early Napalm Death.
British grindcore
Grindcore, as such, was developed during the mid-1980s in the United Kingdom by Napalm Death
Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in 1981 in Meriden, West Midlands. None of the band's original members has been in the group since 1986. But since ''Utopia Banished'' (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch ...
, a group who emerged from the anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, hardcor ...
scene in Birmingham, England.[Glasper 2009, p. 11] While their first recordings were in the vein of Crass
Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the punk s ...
, they eventually became associated with crust punk,["Crustgrind", "Grindcore Special" part 2, p. 46] The group began to take on increasing elements of thrashcore
Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less d ...
, post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
, and power electronics, and began describing their sound as "Siege with Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost () was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich. They are known for their strong influence on the development of extreme metalBukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal''. Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003. p.43 and avant-ga ...
riffs". The group also went through many changes in personnel.[Glasper 2009, p. 14] A major shift in style took place after Mick Harris became the group's drummer. Punk historian Ian Glasper indicates that "For several months gob-smacked audiences weren't sure whether Napalm Death were actually a serious band any longer, such was the undeniable novelty of their hyper-speed new drummer." Albert Mudrian's research suggests that the name "grindcore" was coined by Harris. When asked about coming up with the term, Harris said:
Other sources contradict Harris' claim. In a ''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' magazine article written about the genre, Steven Blush declares that "the man often credited" for dubbing the style grindcore was Shane Embury
Shane Embury (born 27 November 1967) is a British bassist and a member of the grindcore and death metal band Napalm Death since 1987.
Career Napalm Death
While not a founding member, Embury is the longest standing member of the band, havin ...
, Napalm Death's bassist since 1987. Embury offers his own account of how the grindcore "sound" came to be:
Earache Records
Earache Records is a British independent record label, music publisher and management company founded by Digby Pearson in 1985, based in Nottingham, England, with offices in London and New York. The label helped to pioneer extreme metal by rel ...
founder Digby Pearson concurs with Embury, saying that Napalm Death "put hardcore and metal through an accelerator." Pearson, however, said that grindcore "wasn't just about the speed of hedrums, blast beats, etc." He claimed that "it actually was coined to describe the guitars – heavy, downtuned, bleak, harsh riffing guitars hat'grind', so that's what the genre was described as, by the musicians who were its innovators ndproponents."
While abrasive, grindcore achieved a measure of mainstream visibility. ''New Musical Express
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' featured Napalm Death on their cover in 1988, declaring them "the fastest band in the world." As James Hoare, deputy editor of '' Terrorizer'', writes:
Napalm Death's seismic impact inspired other British grindcore groups in the 1980s, among them Extreme Noise Terror
Extreme Noise Terror (often abbreviated to ENT) are a British extreme metal band formed in Ipswich, England in 1985 and one of the earliest and most influential crust bands. Noted for one of the earliest uses of dual vocalists in hardcore,Bonn ...
, Carcass and Sore Throat
Sore throat, also known as throat pain, is pain or irritation of the throat. Usually, causes of sore throat include
* viral infections
* group A streptococcal infection (GAS) bacterial infection
* pharyngitis (inflammation of the throat)
* tonsi ...
.[Felix von Havoc, ''Maximum Rock'n'Roll'' #198. Archived by Havoc Records. Access date: 20 June 2008.] Extreme Noise Terror, from Ipswich, formed in 1984. With the goal of becoming "the most extreme hardcore punk band of all time," the group took Mick Harris from Napalm Death in 1987.[Glasper 2009, p. 275] Ian Glasper describes the group as "pissed-off hateful noise with its roots somewhere between early Discharge and Disorder, with ocalistsDean ones Ones may refer to:
* ''Ones'' (album), by Selena, 2002
* The Ones, New York electronica group
* "The Ones" (''30 Rock''), an episode of ''30 Rock''
* In music, single bars of alternating solos (as in "trading ones"); see Rhythm section#Musical r ...
and Phil ane
Ane or ane may refer to:
* Āne, a village in Latvia
* Ane, Netherlands, a village in Overijssel, Netherlands, also
** Battle of Ane (1227), a battle fought near the village
* -ane, a suffix in organic chemistry, or specifically
** Alkanes, which ...
pushing their trademark vocal extremity to its absolute limit." In 1991, the group collaborated with the acid house
Acid house (also simply known as just "acid") is a subgenre of house music developed around the mid-1980s by DJs from Chicago. The style is defined primarily by the squelching sounds and basslines of the Roland TB-303 electronic bass synthesiz ...
group The KLF, appearing onstage with the group at the Brit Awards in 1992. Carcass released ''Reek of Putrefaction
''Reek of Putrefaction'' is the debut album by British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released by Earache Records in July 1988.
Background
When released, ''Reek of Putrefaction'' reached No. 6 on the UK Indie Chart, establishing Carcass as ...
'' in 1988, which John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
declared his favorite album of the year despite its very poor production. The band's focus on gore and anatomical decay, lyrically and in sleeve artwork, inspired the goregrind
Goregrind is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal. British band Carcass are commonly credited for the emergence of the genre. Goregrind is recognized for its heavily edited, pitch shifted "watery"-sounding vocals and abrasive musicianship ...
subgenre. Sore Throat, said by Ian Glasper to have taken "perhaps the most uncompromisingly anti-music stance" were inspired by crust punk as well as industrial music. Some listeners, such as Digby Pearson, considered them to be simply an in-joke or parody of grindcore.
In the subsequent decade, two pioneers of the style became increasingly commercially viable. According to Nielsen Soundscan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, Napalm Death sold 367,654 units between May 1991 and November 2003, while Carcass sold 220,374 units in the same period. The inclusion of Napalm Death's " Twist the Knife (Slowly)" on the ''Mortal Kombat
''Mortal Kombat'' is an American media franchise centered on a series of video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. The development of the first game was originally based on an idea that Ed Boon and John Tobias had of making a v ...
'' soundtrack brought the band much greater visibility, as the compilation scored a Top 10 position in the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and went platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
in less than a year. The originators of the style have expressed some ambivalence regarding the subsequent popularity of grindcore. Pete Hurley, the guitarist of Extreme Noise Terror, declared that he had no interest in being remembered as a pioneer of this style: "''grindcore'' was a legendarily stupid term coined by a hyperactive kid from the West Midlands, and it had nothing to do with us whatsoever. ENT were, are, and – I suspect – always will be a hardcore punk band... not a grindcore band, a stenchcore band, a trampcore band, or any other sub-sub-sub-core genre-defining term you can come up with." Lee Dorrian
Lee Dorrian (born 5 June 1968) is an English singer, best known as a former member of grindcore band Napalm Death and later frontman of doom metal band Cathedral.
Career
During his early teenage years, Dorrian was the editor of a local punk f ...
of Napalm Death indicated that "Unfortunately, I think the same thing happened to grindcore, if you want to call it that, as happened to punk rock – all the great original bands were just plagiarised by a billion other bands who just copied their style identically, making it no longer original and no longer extreme."
North American grindcore
Journalist Kevin Stewart-Panko argues that the American grindcore of the 1990s borrowed from three sources: British grindcore, the American precursors, and death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
.[Kevin Stewart-Panko, "Altered States," "Grindcore Special" part 2, p. 42-43.] As early Napalm Death albums were not widely distributed in the United States, American groups tended to take inspiration from later works, such as ''Harmony Corruption
''Harmony Corruption'' is the third studio album by British grindcore band Napalm Death, released in 1990 on Earache Records.
The style of the album is more death metal than grindcore, featuring extremely heavy riffs and deep low vocals. It w ...
''.[ American groups also often employ riffs taken from ]crossover thrash
Crossover thrash (often abbreviated to crossover) is a fusion genre of thrash metal and hardcore punk. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and hardcore punk. Other genres on the same continuum, such as metalcore and grindcore, ma ...
or thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
.[ Early American grind practitioners included Terrorizer and ]Assück
Assück was an American grindcore band from Saint Petersburg, Florida, active from 1987 to 1998.
History
Assück was founded by vocalist Paul Pavlovich and guitarist Steve Heritage. The band went through several line-up changes, in particular ...
. Anal Cunt, a particularly dissonant group who lacked a bass player, were also particularly influential.[ Their style was sometimes referred to as "noisecore" or "noisegrind", described by Giulio of Cripple Bastards as "the most anti-musical and nihilistic face of extreme music at that time."][ Brutal Truth was a groundbreaking group in the American scene at the beginning of the 1990s.]
However, Sharp indicates that they were more inspired by the thrash metal of Dark Angel than the British groups. Discordance Axis
Discordance Axis was an American grindcore band from East Brunswick, New Jersey.
Biography
Frontman Jon Chang stated on the history of the band:
"Discordance Axis was a three piece grindcore band that started in NJ around 1992. The band st ...
had a more technical style of playing than many of the predecessors, and had a much more ornate visual and production style.[ Scott Hull is prominent in the contemporary grindcore scene, through his participation in Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed.][ ANb's '' Frozen Corpse Stuffed with Dope'' has been described as "the '' Paul's Boutique'' of grindcore", by ''Village Voice'' critic Phil Freeman, for its "hyper-referential, impossibly dense barrage of samples, blast beats, answering machine messages, and incomprehensibly bellowed rants." Pig Destroyer is inspired by thrash metal, such as Dark Angel and ]Slayer
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
, the sludge metal
Sludge metal (also known as sludge or sludge doom) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated through combining elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. It is typically harsh and abrasive, often featuring shouted vocals, heavi ...
of the Melvins
Melvins (sometimes The Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Initially, they performed as a trio but later also sometimes appeare ...
, and grindcore practiced by Brutal Truth,[Anthony Bartkewicz, "Pig Destroyer", ''Decibel'', July 200]
Access date: 24 July 2008 while Agoraphobic Nosebleed takes cues from thrashcore
Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less d ...
and powerviolence, like D.R.I. and Crossed Out
Crossed Out was a powerviolence band from Encinitas, California. The band was active from early 1990 until late 1993. The group is considered to be a very important band that helped define powerviolence with a style that incorporated political lyr ...
.[
]The Locust
The Locust was an American hardcore punk band from San Diego, California, known for their mix of grindcore aggression and new wave experimentation.
The band has been noted for their use of insect costumes when performing live.
History
Prio ...
, from San Diego,[Mudrian, p. 265] also take inspiration from powerviolence (Crossed Out, Dropdead
Dropdead is an American hardcore punk band based in Providence, Rhode Island. They have been active in the punk scene since 1991, having been formed in January of that year. The band's songs are generally short and very fast-paced, with few last ...
), first-wave screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
(Angel Hair), obscure experimental rock ( Art Bears, Renaldo and the Loaf
Renaldo and the Loaf are an English musical duo formed in 1977 consisting of David "Ted the Loaf" Janssen and Brian "Renaldo Malpractice" Poole. The two released six full-length albums, one live album, and three self-produced demos.
Sound
Ren ...
), and death metal. The Locust were sometimes described as " hipster grind" because of their fan base and fashion choices.[ In Los Angeles, ]Hole
A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in many fields of en ...
also initially drew influence from grindcore in their early releases, particularly on their singles "Dicknail
"Dicknail" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by vocalist/guitarist Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song was released by Sub Pop Records as the band's second single in February 1991 on 7" vinyl. The song ...
" and "Teenage Whore
"Teenage Whore" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole. It is the first track on the band's debut studio album, ''Pretty on the Inside'' (1991), and was released as a single in the United Kingdom on the European label, City Slang in S ...
", as well as on their debut album, '' Pretty on the Inside'' (1991), all of which featured sexually provocative and violent lyrics, as well as the heavy distortion and fluctuating tempo that distinguished the genre. Frontwoman Courtney Love stated that she wanted to capture the distinguishing elements of grindcore while incorporating more pop-based melodic structure, although the band distanced themselves from the style in their later releases.
Other later prominent grindcore groups of North America include Brujeria, Soilent Green
Soilent Green is an American extreme metal band formed in 1988 in Chalmette/ Metairie on the suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana. Described as a sludge metal and grindcore band, the group blends elements of death metal, black metal, hardcor ...
, Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage is an American death metal band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1992. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos. Cephalic Carnage has rel ...
, Impetigo, and Circle of Dead Children
Circle of Dead Children is an American deathgrind band formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1998. After the release of a self-titled demo that was put out the same year they formed, Circle of Dead Children signed on with Willowtip Records to r ...
. Fuck the Facts, a Canadian group, practice classic grindcore, characterized by the "metronome-precision drumming and riffing hatabound, as well as vocal screams and growls" by ''AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
'' reviewer Greg Prato.
Continental European grindcore
European groups, such as Agathocles, from Belgium, Patareni
Patareni are a hardcore punk, noise, and grindcore band from Zagreb, Croatia, formed in 1983. Owing to their formation at such an early date, they are considered to be one of the earliest grindcore bands.
Their discography is extensive, consisti ...
, of Croatia, and Fear of God
Fear of God may refer to fear itself, but more often to a sense of awe, and submission to, a deity. People subscribing to popular monotheistic religions for instance, might fear Hell and divine judgment, or submit to God's omnipotence.
Christian ...
, from Switzerland, are important early practitioners of the style. Filthy Christians, who signed to Earache Records in 1989, introduced the style in Sweden, D.D.T. & Fear of Dog were pioneering grind & noise in Serbia since mid-end of '80, Extreme Smoke 57 in Slovenia at the early beginning of the '90, while Cripple Bastards established Italian grindcore. Giulio of Cripple Bastards asserts that the name itself took some time to migrate from Britain, with the style being referred to as "death-thrashcore
Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less d ...
" for a time in Europe.[
Nasum, who emerged from the Swedish death metal scene, became a popular group, addressing political topics from a personal perspective.][Anders Jakobson interview, "Grindcore Special" part 2, p. 56.]
Anders Jakobson, their drummer, reported that "It was all these different types of people who enjoyed what we were doing. ..We made grindcore a bit easier to listen to at the expense of the diehard grindcore fans who thought that we were, well, not sellouts
"Selling out", or "sold out" in the past tense, is a common expression for the compromising of a person's integrity, morality, authenticity, or principles by forgoing the long-term benefits of the collective or group in exchange for personal gai ...
, but not really true to the original essence of grindcore."[ Other Swedish groups, such as ]General Surgery
General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on alimentary canal and abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid ...
and Regurgitate, practiced goregrind. Inhume, from the Netherlands, Rotten Sound, from Finland, and Leng Tch'e, from Belgium, were subsequent European groups who practiced grindcore with death metal inflections. In 2000s, the Belgium-based Aborted "had grown into the role of key contributors to the death-grind genres".
Grindcore in Asian countries
In 2010, Singaporean band Wormrot
Wormrot is a Singaporean grindcore band that formed in 2007, immediately after the founding members had completed their mandatory two years of national service. The band have released four studio albums to date, as well as a number of EPs and sp ...
signed a recording contract
A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...
with Earache Records
Earache Records is a British independent record label, music publisher and management company founded by Digby Pearson in 1985, based in Nottingham, England, with offices in London and New York. The label helped to pioneer extreme metal by rel ...
.
Influence
Japanese noise rock group Boredoms
Boredoms () (later known as V∞redoms) is a rock band from Osaka, Japan formed in 1986. The band's sound is often referred to as noise rock, or sometimes Japanoise (Japan’s noise music scene), though their more recent records have moved towar ...
have borrowed elements of grind,["Grindcore", Allmusic. [] Access date: 16 September 2008.] and toured with Brutal Truth in 1993. The Japanese grindcore group Gore Beyond Necropsy formed in 1989, and later collaborated with noise music
Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...
artist [ erzbow. Naked City, led by avant-garde jazz saxophonist John Zorn
John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". Zorn's avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jaz ...
, performed an avant-garde form of polystylistic Polystylism is the use of multiple music genre, styles or wikt:technique, techniques in literature, art, film, or, especially, music.
Some prominent contemporary music, contemporary polystylist composers include Peter Maxwell Davies, Alfred Schnitt ...
, grindcore-influenced punk jazz
Punk jazz is a genre of music that combines elements of jazz, especially improvisation, with the instrumentation and performance style of punk rock. The term was first used to describe James Chance and the Contortions' 1979 album ''Buy''. Punk ...
. Zorn later formed the Painkiller project with ambient dub producer Bill Laswell on bass guitar and Mick Harris on drums, which also collaborated with Justin Broadrick on some work. In addition, grindcore was one influence on the powerviolence movement within American hardcore punk, and has affected some strains of metalcore. Some musicians have also produced hybrids between grind and electronic music.
Powerviolence
Powerviolence is a raw and dissonant subgenre of hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
.["Powerviolence: The Dysfunctional Family of Bllleeeeaaauuurrrgghhh!!". ''Terrorizer'' no. 172. July 2008. p. 36-37.][Anthony Bartkewicz.]
Screwdriver in the Urethra of Hardcore
". ''Decibel Magazine''. July 2007. Subscription-only site; interview reprinted in full at blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=52501650&blogID=285587688 (blacklisted link). Retrieved 17 November 2008. The style is closely related to thrashcore
Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less d ...
[ and similar to grindcore. While powerviolence took inspiration from Napalm Death and other early grind bands, powerviolence groups avoided elements of heavy metal.] Its nascent form was pioneered in the late 1980s in the music of hardcore punk band Infest, who mixed youth crew hardcore elements with noisier, sludgier qualities of Lärm
Lärm (German for ''noise'') were a Dutch straight edge hardcore band formed in 1981, first playing under the name of Total Chaoz. They referred to their music as "extreme noise", though having nothing to do with noise rock or noise music.
Due to ...
and Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...
.[ The microgenre solidified into its most commonly recognized form in the early 1990s, with the sounds of bands such as ]Man Is the Bastard
Man Is the Bastard was an American hardcore punk band based in Claremont, California. The band existed from 1990 to 1997, releasing mostly vinyl splits, extended plays, and albums on obscure labels from around the world. By 1997, the group ended ...
, Crossed Out
Crossed Out was a powerviolence band from Encinitas, California. The band was active from early 1990 until late 1993. The group is considered to be a very important band that helped define powerviolence with a style that incorporated political lyr ...
, No Comment, Capitalist Casualties, and Manpig.[
Powerviolence bands focus on speed, brevity, bizarre timing breakdowns, and constant tempo changes.][ Powerviolence songs are often very short; it is not uncommon for some to last less than 30 seconds.][ Some groups, particularly Man Is the Bastard, took influence from ]sludge metal
Sludge metal (also known as sludge or sludge doom) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated through combining elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. It is typically harsh and abrasive, often featuring shouted vocals, heavi ...
and noise music
Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...
.[ Lyrically and conceptually, powerviolence groups were very raw and underproduced, both sonically and in their packaging.][ Some groups (Man Is the Bastard, Azucares and ]Dropdead
Dropdead is an American hardcore punk band based in Providence, Rhode Island. They have been active in the punk scene since 1991, having been formed in January of that year. The band's songs are generally short and very fast-paced, with few last ...
) took influence from anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk (also known as anarchist punk or peace punk) is ideological subgenre of punk rock that promotes anarchism. Some use the term broadly to refer to any punk music with anarchist lyrical content, which may figure in crust punk, hardcor ...
and crust punk, emphasizing animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
and anti-militarism.[ ]The Locust
The Locust was an American hardcore punk band from San Diego, California, known for their mix of grindcore aggression and new wave experimentation.
The band has been noted for their use of insect costumes when performing live.
History
Prio ...
and Agoraphobic Nosebleed later reincorporated elements of powerviolence into grindcore.[
]
Industrial and electronic influence
Among other influences, Napalm Death took impetus from the industrial music
Industrial music is a genre of music that draws on harsh, mechanical, transgressive or provocative sounds and themes. AllMusic defines industrial music as the "most abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music" that was "initiall ...
scene.[ Subsequently, Napalm Death's former guitarist, ]Justin Broadrick
Justin Karl Michael Broadrick (born 15 August 1969) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and a founding member of the band Godflesh, one of the first bands to combine elements of extreme metal and i ...
, went on to a career in industrial metal
Industrial metal is the fusion of heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Prominent industrial metal acts include Ministry, Nine In ...
with Godflesh
Godflesh are an English industrial metal band from Birmingham. The group formed in 1982 under the title Fall of Because but did not release any complete music until 1988 when Justin Broadrick (guitar, vocals and programming) and G. C. Gree ...
.[ Mick Harris, in his post-Napalm Death project, Scorn, briefly experimented with the style. Scorn also worked in the industrial hip hop and ]isolationist
Isolationism is a political philosophy advocating a national foreign policy that opposes involvement in the political affairs, and especially the wars, of other countries. Thus, isolationism fundamentally advocates neutrality and opposes entangl ...
styles. Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial metal. ...
have also cited debts to the genre. Digital hardcore
Digital hardcore is a fusion genre that combines hardcore punk with electronic dance music genres such as breakbeat, techno, and drum and bass while also drawing on heavy metal and noise music. It typically features fast tempos and aggressive ...
is an initially German hybrid of hardcore punk and hardcore techno.[Interview with J. Amaretto of DHR, WAX Magazine, issue 5, 1995. Included in liner notes of ''Digital Hardcore Recordings, Harder Than the Rest!!!'' compilation CD.] Agoraphobic Nosebleed and the Locust have solicited remixes from digital hardcore producers and noise music
Noise music is a genre of music that is characterised by the expressive use of noise within a musical context. This type of music tends to challenge the distinction that is made in conventional musical practices between musical and non-musical ...
ians. James Plotkin, Dave Witte
Dave Witte (born August 11, 1971) is an American drummer. He is known for his work in numerous extreme metal or hardcore punk bands including Municipal Waste, Melt-Banana, Discordance Axis, Black Army Jacket, Birds of Prey, Burnt by the Sun, a ...
, and Speedranch participated in the Phantomsmasher
Phantomsmasher is an experimental grindcore/electronic band led by musician James Plotkin, previously known as Atomsmasher.
The band signed to Ipecac Recordings in 2002, and is reportedly currently working on a third album.
Members
*James Plotk ...
project, which melds grindcore and digital hardcore. Alec Empire
Alec or Aleck is a Scottish form of the given name Alex. It may be a diminutive of the name Alexander or a given name in its own right. Notable people with the name include:
People
* Alec Aalto (1942–2018), Finnish diplomat
*Alec Acton (1938†...
collaborated with Justin Broadrick, on the first Curse of the Golden Vampire
Curse of the Golden Vampire was a collaborative music project of Alec Empire and Techno Animal ( Kevin Martin and Justin Broadrick). The group released a studio album, titled ''The Curse of the Golden Vampire'', on Digital Hardcore Recordings in 19 ...
album, and with Gabe Serbian
Gabriel Serbian (May 1, 1977 – April 30, 2022) was an American drummer, guitarist and vocalist, most famous for his work in The Locust, Cattle Decapitation, Holy Molar and Zu. He was also a member of Head Wound City, a hardcore/punk rock su ...
, of the Locust, live in Japan.["Alec Empire Interview: "People Are Organized But Political Music Is Not Really Being Made", ''Indymedia Ireland'', 28 December 200]
Access date: 25 July 2008. Japanoise
, a portmanteau of "Japanese" and "noise", is the noise music scene of Japan.
Nick Cain of ''The Wire'' identifies the "primacy of Japanese Noise artists like Merzbow, Hijokaidan and Incapacitants as one of the major developments in noise music s ...
icon [ erzbow also participated in the Empire/Serbian show.[
]
Electrogrind
The 21st century also saw the development of "electrogrind" (or "cybergrind"),[Kevin Stewart-Panko, "Shock Tactics", "Grindcore Special", part 2, p. 52-53][Andrew Childers, "The Body Electric", "Grind and Punishment" 15 March 201]
Access Date: 22 March 2011 practiced by The Berzerker, Gigantic Brain and Genghis Tron which borrows from electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...
.[Lilker] These groups built on the work of Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Enemy Soil and The Locust, as well as industrial metal.[ The Berzerker also appropriated the distorted ]Roland TR-909
The Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer is a drum machine introduced by Roland Corporation in 1983, succeeding the TR-808. It was the first Roland drum machine to use samples for some sounds, and the first with MIDI functionality, allowing it to sy ...
kick drums of gabber
Gabber (; ) is a style of electronic dance music and a subgenre of hardcore techno, as well as the surrounding subculture. The music is more commonly referred to as Hardcore, which is characterised by fast beats, distorted & heavier kickdrums, ...
producers. Many later electrogrind groups were caricatured for their hipster connections.[
]
Mathcore and screamo
In the mid-1990s, mathcore
Mathcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk and metalcore influenced by post-hardcore, extreme metal and math rock that developed during the 1990s. Bands in the genre emphasize complex and fluctuant rhythms through the use of irregular time signatur ...
groups[Steve Carlson, Hell Songs review, "Blog Critics", 19 October 2006]
Access date: 13 September 2008. such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Some Girls, and Daughters
A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between groups ...
began to take inspiration from developments in grindcore. These groups also include elements of post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
. In addition to mathcore some early screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
groups, like Circle Takes the Square
Circle Takes the Square is an American screamo band from Savannah, Georgia. It is composed of founding members Drew Speziale and Kathleen Stubelek, as well as Caleb Collins. Their debut release was a 6-track self-titled EP released in 2001, foll ...
and Orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
,[Ryan Buege, "Circle Takes the Square is in the Studio". ''Metal Injection'', 15 June 2008]
Access date: 8 July 2008 have been associated with grindcore by some commentators.
Crust punk
Crust punk had a major impact on grindcore's emergence. The first grindcore, practiced by British bands such as Napalm Death
Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in 1981 in Meriden, West Midlands. None of the band's original members has been in the group since 1986. But since ''Utopia Banished'' (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch ...
, Extreme Noise Terror
Extreme Noise Terror (often abbreviated to ENT) are a British extreme metal band formed in Ipswich, England in 1985 and one of the earliest and most influential crust bands. Noted for one of the earliest uses of dual vocalists in hardcore,Bonn ...
and Disrupt
Disrupt was an American crust punk band from Lynn, Massachusetts that was active from 1987 to 1993. The lineup was Jay Stiles and Pete Kamarinos (vocals), Chris Drake (guitar), Harry Haralabatos (drums), Tony Leone (bass). After recording one ...
emerged from the crust punk scene. This early style is sometimes dubbed "crustgrind".[
]
Deathgrind
Deathgrind is a shorthand term that is used to describe bands who play a fusion of death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
and grindcore. With growing popularity of grindcore in the metal fandom, some death metal bands were noted to feature a heavy amount of grindcore influence, these bands ended up becoming called "deathgrind" for short (sometimes written as ''death-grind'' or ''death/grind'').["Grind Prix" (2005). '' Zero Tolerance'' #004, p. 46.] Dan Lilker described deathgrind as "combining the technicality of death metal with the intensity of grindcore."[ Lilker, Danny, ''Grind Your Mind: A History of Grindcore'' liner notes. Mayan Records, MYNDD056, 2007.] Some examples of death metal and grindcore hybrids include Assück
Assück was an American grindcore band from Saint Petersburg, Florida, active from 1987 to 1998.
History
Assück was founded by vocalist Paul Pavlovich and guitarist Steve Heritage. The band went through several line-up changes, in particular ...
, Circle of Dead Children
Circle of Dead Children is an American deathgrind band formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1998. After the release of a self-titled demo that was put out the same year they formed, Circle of Dead Children signed on with Willowtip Records to r ...
, Misery Index Misery Index can refer to:
Economics
*Misery index (economics), adding the unemployment rate to the inflation rate
Entertainment
*Misery Index (band)
Misery Index is an American death metal band formed in 2001 in Baltimore, Maryland, United ...
, Exhumed, Gorerotted and Cattle Decapitation.[Schwarz, Paul, "Death Metal, Death/Grind" (2006). '' Terrorizer'' #150, p. 54.] Assück in particular has been credited as one of the earliest deathgrind acts.
Blackened grindcore
Blackened grindcore is a fusion genre that combines elements of black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
and grindcore. Notable bands include Anaal Nathrakh and early Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene. They are also responsible for creati ...
.
Noisegrind
Noisegrind is a microgenre that combines elements of grindcore and harsh noise. Notable bands include Holy Grinder, Sete Star Sept, Full of Hell, Fear of God, Insufferable, and early Knelt Rote.
See also
* List of grindcore bands
* '' Napalm Death: Thrash to Death'' (BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
documentary)
* Animal rights and punk subculture
Animal rights are closely associated with two ideologies of the punk subculture: anarcho-punk and straight edge. This association dates back to the 1980s and has been expressed in areas that include song lyrics, benefit concerts for animal rig ...
Notes
References
*
*
* Carcass (1988). ''Reek of Putrefaction''. D Nottingham, UK: Earache Compact Discs, Cassettes & Records. (1994).
* Ekeroth, Daniel (2008). ''Swedish Death Metal''. Bazillion Points Books.
* Glasper, Ian (2009). ''Trapped in a Scene: UK Hardcore 1985-1989''. Cherry Red Books.
* Grindcore Special (2009), ''Terrorizer'', 180, 41–56, and 181, 41–56.
*
* Lilker, Danny (2007). "A User's Guide to Grindcore." ''Grind Your Mind: A History of Grindcore'' D Liner notes. Mayan Records, MYNDD056.
* Mudrian, Albert (2004). ''Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore''. Los Angeles, CA: Feral House.
* Sarcófago. (1986). Satanas. On ''Warfare Noise'' D Belo Horizonte, MG: Cogumelo Records. (2007).
* Sepultura (1986). Antichrist. On ''Morbid Visions'' D New York: Roadrunner Records. (1997).
{{Good article
Hardcore punk genres
Heavy metal genres
Anarcho-punk
Extreme metal
English styles of music
British rock music genres