ESCUELA GRIND – DDEEAATTHHMMEETTAALL
January 16, 2024, 11 months ago
(MNRK Heavy)
Back in 2020, grind/powerviolence new jacks Escuela Grind released two EPs—PPOOWWEERRVVIIOOLLEENNCCEE and GGRRIINNDDCCOORREE—that took deep dives into two of the genres that influenced the band the most. Now they're back with this one, don't make me type the name out again, and of the three, it's the sound that I'd say defines the band the least, but they sure hit it hard here.
Opener “Ball And Chain” is prime '92 Napalm Death without the blasting, just a lumbering piece of DM, grind-influenced but without the grind. “Punishment Ritual” continues the death metal so convincingly that you wouldn't really guess this is coming from a band who normally work within stricter grind parameters, and “Abyssal Plane” goes for a stroll through the Florida swamps, and, again, it's done with ease.
The concept behind these EPs threatens to be a bit gimmicky—if you like DM, play DM—but I see where Escuela Grind is coming from, and it's an obvious love letter to the genres, not a wink-wink sly smile novelty.
So I can get behind this, and so can Barney from Napalm Death, who guests on raging closer “Meat Magnet”, as solid a seal of DM/grind crossover approval as you can get.
