Disgrace to the Corpse of Sid

Top 5 Grind Albums of All Time

End of year lists are fucking hard, I always get into things way too late and I’m not one of those people that has the luxury of being able to get into every single thing that comes out, I listen to way too much stuff while I’m actually recording / mixing and then need to take a break from music in my downtime, otherwise I think I would go crazy.

I also find when I’m recording lots of  something, like doom for example music like Kanye West becomes more interesting … but I digress.

This kind of overexposure to music I’m working on as a good thing. I’m forced to leave lots of personal listening for a later date and that acts as a kind of filter.  It lets the buzz die down about whatever is new and trendy leaving only the totally worthy of attention.

So rather than compiling a end of year list here's my top five grind albums of all time, for no reason other than I feel listening to some grindcore today, and these 5 are what I intend to play.

1. Napalm Death “Peel Sessions”

This is without a doubt the pinnacle of Napalm Death for me.

These recordings are exactly as a grind band should sound, it’s fucking chaotic but clear and really well recorded/ captured.

I think you just buy them both on a single, CD or whatever now. If you don’t have these you need to have your head read. Totally worthy of the number one grind release ever and fuck you if you try and argue this in any way.

2. Sore Throat “Disgrace to the Corpse of Sid”

Their earlier album “Unhindered by Talent” was one of the first grind records I had and still I fucking love that album for its total crustiness, but “Disgrace” is a band totally off the fucking deep end. I listened to this for months without a break and probably went some way to giving me a tolerance to almost any musical form.


3. Terrorizer “World Downfall”

So tight and precise, “World Downfall” sounds like every single riff and crash hit has been thought out and planned to perfection.

Still a benchmark in how tight a grind band could be. Great turnaround riffing and when played loud it is fucking intense as it’s not mastered to squeeze the life out of it.


 4. Repulsion “Horrified”

A genre defining moment that turned death metal into grindcore.

The bass sound is still something to be admired.

So much has been said about this that it doesn’t really need much waffling …


5. Carcass “Symphonies of Sickness”

While “Reek” set the tone “Symphonies” was where it all came together, the sound on this recording was different to everything that came before it and spawned a billion shitty clone bands after it.

The entire record sounded like a wet autopsy and the entire package was fucking great.
Pity they lost it after this and started brushing their hair too much.

 

Honorable mention

Xysma “Swarming of the Maggots” Demo ‘89

Finnish grind that I lost for years when I ditched the cassette player.
Really good, well worthy, and, noisy as fuck …

I may do an article on these guys and the evolution of this band. Check it.