(Here’s DGR’s review of the debut demo from a pulverizing U.S./Canada grind band called Vision of Terror. It will take you more time to read the review than to listen to the demo. But you should read the review anyway, ‘cuz it’s fun.)

You’d think by this point the idea of reviewing a grindcore release and giving it the same sort of treatment we would give to a full album would cease to be funny, but never let it be said that we aren’t a bunch of children trapped in aging and frail bodies. Because, the idea is still funny – especially if we can double up on said humor by reviewing a demo as well – given that grindcore is one of the battle-hardened genres that’ve gone through the ritual scarification required to be the musical equivalent of an auditory tantrum.

The fact that the songs are short, usually three to four parts total, and generally speaking reflect a tremendous amount of passion but not a lot of technique, is one of the defining marks of a major root of the grindcore tree. That idea has been part of the genre’s virulent strain since the very beginning, like a DNA marker that allows us to figure out that someone had sex with a hippo four hundred years ago and that is why you now have to deal with a weeks-long coughing fit.

No matter what gets added to it, whether it’s the NCS-fave hardcore punk or even melodeath riffwork that in combination tends to result in the sort of manic and explosive material accredited to modern day grind groups like Rotten Sound, you are always guaranteed that short burst of energy and head-spinning drumming by the time you’re done. If it doesn’t sound like the band are racing against the time it takes for the venue to cut power to the stage, then what’re we even accomplishing? Continue reading »