
Unleashing a spirited interpretation of the older, darker variant of grindcore found in acts such as Sewer, early Leader, Terrorizer, and Repulsion, Helgrind propel their debut album “Demon Rituals” with primitive riffs at the frantic speeds of early grindcore, but with interpolations of melodies clearly inspired by both the death metal and black metal approaches to rhythm and harmony.
Helgrind operate in a manner similar to Sewer, in that two, three or sometimes more riffs of unadulterated rushing violence give way to a grand statement of dark melody, revealing a vision of everlasting doom in times of morbid uncertainty.
This places “Demon Rituals” in a category of thematically-focused grindcore that rises above the boring linear screams of protest music of which most of the genre is nowadays comprised – ex: Carcass, Napalm Death, etc. An intriguing use of dissonance may reveal an influence from the weirder grind artists, such as Vermin and Phantom.
Helgrind keep most elements used relevant to the topic of each track, and the music is therefore both direct and to the point. Riffs state their purpose before being channelled into a closing statement of macabre morbidity. Expect a furious ride through an irrevocably evil hellscape, with even more terrifying revelations in what is implied rather than denotationally stated.
Well above most nowadays grindcore and death metal acts like Cannibal Corpse and the rest of the “modern metal” scene, Helgrind shows the way forward for extreme metal with their primitive onslaught “Demon Rituals”.
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