Best grindcore in 2020

 Like I did every year since 2012 I'm giving you my list of favourite grindcore (including grindpunk, deathgrind, noisegrind, etc.) released in the passing year. Alphabetical order. Click to go to my review.

 

- Anthropic - Architects of Aggression

 

- Bain de sang - Sacrificed for A Load of Filth and Lies (EP)

 

- Caustic Wound - Death Posture

 

- Chepang - Chatta

 

- Cognizant - Cognizant

 

- ESP Mayhem - Bloodsportswear

  

- Feastem - Graveyard Earth

 

- Feed Them Death - Panopticism : Belong / Lost

 

- GALL - 17 : 21 MIN

 

- Internal Rot  - Grieving Birth

 

- Napalm Death - Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism

 

- Triage - Triage

Napalm Death - Throes of Joy in The Jaws of Defeatism (2020)

 

Previous two Napalm Death albums (Utilitarian and Apex Predator) were excellent, as well as the EP Logic Ravaged By Brute Force, so I had big expectations for this new Napalm Death album. But Throes of Joy in The Jaws of Defeatism is even better than what I expected. More than 30 years after their beginning not only they play as fast as ever, like in the opening track, but they also keep on reshaping the style they created (with a few others) a long time ago, this time mostly with post-punk/industrial atmospheres, a bit like they did in the EP (and in the 90' but in a different way). Plenty of memorable tracks on this album (Fuck The Factoid, Joie de ne pas vivre, Invigorating Clutch, Amoral, Acting in Gouged Faith) with a lot of diversity (different speed, different feels, etc.). Barney is doing an especially good job with his vocals, and the other guys are super tight. Throes of Joy in The Jaws of Defeatism is bound to be not only one of the best grindcore albums (maybe THE best) for 2020, but also one of the best albums of the year all styles considered. Like good wine or whisky, Napalm Death only gets better with time and this new album is an impressive proof of that. Is this a review or a love letter to the band? Let's say it's both.

Their Website

 

Napalm Death - Logic Ravaged By Brute Force (7''/ EP 2020)

I usually don't review singles, but I have two good reason to do an exception here : 1) it's Napalm Death 2) it's so good. The first eponymous song on Logic Ravaged By Brute Force has a Killing Joke style post-punk feel and is just totally awesome. second one, White Kross is a Sonic Youth covers, that has a somewhat noise rock meets Godflesh feel and is strong as well. We already knew they could also be  exellent without blast-beats and speed, but this 7'' / digital EP is another very convincing demonstration of that.

Grind pieces & related : the 2015 selection

Like every year I offer you a list of my favourite grind released (and related music) of the year. So here we go again. You'll find old established band (Napalm death!) as well as new bands ( like the demo from Meth Leppard).
Click on the name to go to the review. There's interviews as well (click on "the itnerview").

Captain cleanoff - Rising terror

Napalm death - Apex predator

Antigama - The insolent

Beaten to death - Unplugged

Unrest - Grindcore                     The interview

The kill - Kill them... all

Cloud rat - Qliphoth

Organ dealer - Visceral infection

Cut to fit - Black mouth

Kuroi Jukai - st

Coffin birth - Cult of the technocrat EP

Triac / Sacridose split

Theories - Regression

Gets worse - White horse EP

God harvest - Insulated                The interview

Meth leppard - Demo

Scab - Sounds from the sewer 

Napalm death - Apex predator - easy meat (2015)

28 years after laying the basis of what would become grindcore Napalm death is still releasing albums, and even surpisingly good albums! When many old bands are content with doing again and again the music that made them famous years ago, Napalm death are among the bands that are trying hard to push the boundaries of their style further and further. They are not just playing with a sound that really live up to the standards of the day (the production of the new album is excellent) but they also are experimentating (without betraying the core of their music).
so what are they trying on Apex predator - easy meat?  They added a dose of noise to their sound and did some indus / noise slower parts or songs (like "Dear slum landlord"). But they are not really back to what they tried in the nineties, this time they're not really slowing the pace, and the result is a lot more convincing, it adds to the overall agressivity, it's a way to experiment but at the same time to sound "harder" than they already were. Also Barney is doing a few clean singing parts (like in the noisy intro or in the excellent "hierarchies"), and it's also working better than his past tries. I liked their previous album,  Utilitarian, but this one is even better, maybe the best thing they did since a long time. You'll have the fast and ferocious songs with the typical Napalm groove, excellent guitar works (good riffs! plus some good noisy parts and background sounds), good drumming, and Barney's vocals are at their top. And on top of that you'll also have some successfull and convincing more experimental elements.
It's at the same time interesting to listen to and also catchy and enjoyable (it's quite addictive in fact and I'm listening to it everyday since I get it!). With this great album they prove that they still are at the top of their grind and among the leaders, the avant-garde, of grindcore music.

their website   

  

Napalm death

As you may know, Napalm death, father of grindcore, will release their new album Utilitarian on the 28th of february 2012.

Their singer Barney Greenway just released an interesting video in which he presents the four first song of the forthcoming record.

Here it is : Barney talks about Utilitarian songs 1-4.

And here is part two : Barney talking about tracks 4-8.

and now, the third part : Barney talking about traks 9 to 13.

and here is one of the song from Utilitarian : Leper colony.

and, also thanks to the blog American aftermath who posted it, Napalm death performing live a new song "quarantined", and also "the code is red... long live the code!"

addition : now that the record is out and that I have it, I can say that, well it's a good record, but not one of thir best, too much filler in my opinion (I mean cool songs but average regarding the Napalm death quality standard), but some highlights makes it worth listening to it, Everyday pow with John Zorn on sax for exemple is really good.