RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER
"Living for Death, Destroying the
Rest"
(Relapse; 2009)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
Fortified with a well-rounded extreme metal assault, the sophomore release by Philadelphia, PA's Rumpelstiltskin Grinder merges classic metal aspects with a blistering delivery on the 10-track "Living for Death, Destroying the Rest."
Meshing galloping black metal, thrash metal guitar runs, beatdown breakdowns, death metal rhythmic devastation and a hardcore punk attitude ("Revolution of Underground Legions"), this quartet's versatility warrants automatic crossover appeal ("Beware The Thrash Brigade," "Fiends in the Mountains, Ghouls in the Valley"). Putting modern spins on sounds from thrash's golden age ("Darkness Never Ending") while injecting a bastardized sci-fi by way of horror movie lyrical slant that gives off a charming storyteller-like vibe and permits a form of chaos made famous by the likes of SOD ("Spyborg"), RSG's stylistic switch ups will keep you guessing while their persistent headbanging crunch manages to project a vibe that is both seriously furious and a whole lot of fun.
For more information, check out http://www.rumpelstiltskingrinder.com/.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2009 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised:
22 Jun 2010 20:36:47 -0500
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