Lock Up - The Dregs of Hades (2021)

Two line up change son this new Lock Up album called The Dregs of Hades, Adam Jarvis (Pig Destroyer) replaced Nicholas Barker on the drums, and Tomas Lindberg is back while Kevin Sharp is staying, so they're both doing the vocals, and that's a nice addition. Shane Embury, on the bass is now the only original member remaining while Anton Reisenegger is doing the guitar. What's not changing is that, like on the previous album their death/grind makes more space for slower/mid tempo songs, which, with all due respect, doesn't fit the band so well in my opinion, the slower songs tending too much to sound like average old school death metal and I really prefer the old relentlessly fast Lock Up. Among the slower songs only the final one, reminding a bit what Napalm Death did on their slower albums in the nineties, is interesting. Not a bad album, but Pleasure Paves Sewers and Hate Breeds Suffering were definitely more my cup of tea. That been said, I'd still run to see them live again anyway...

The Bandcamp page.

 

2017 : my grindcore list

I'll later give a general list but as is the tradition for Blasting Days I'm doing a specific list for the grindcore (and closely related stuff) releases that I enjoyed the most this year. As I'm not fond of giving ranks I'm giving it in alphabetical order (with link to my review just aside on the right, where you'll also find the links to the Bandcamp pages).

Anthropic - Anthropic EP the review

Birdflesh / Organ Dealer - split  the review

Blame God - Strategically Confined  the review

Chepang - Dadhelo    the review 

D.E.R - Rancor    the review

Expulsion - Nightmare Future   the review

GALL - EP     the review

Gendo Ikari / Droves split  the review

Gowl - On our feet or on our Knees  the review

Husmanskost - Ründpült    the review
 
Lock Up - Demonization   the review

Looking for an Answer  - Dios Carne    the review

Stimulant - Stimulant   the review

The Arson Project - Disgust   the review

Lock Up - Demonization (2017)

Fourth album from Lock Up (still with Shane Embury and Nick Barker) and a third singer. Kevin Sharp replace Tomas Lindberg (who did a good job on the two previous albums but is now too busy with At the Gates) and as expected his craziness and savagery as a singer fits the band very well. What doesn't change (with Embury and Barker of course) is that on Demonization Lock Up's death/grind is as brutal as usual. But it's a bit less relentless and makes way for some slower parts even if most of the time it's still very fast. Overall this is another really good and enjoyable album from Lock Up.

The Bandcamp page.