Reviews

Grind records are hard to review. It’s tough to put a grind record in its place. I mean, how do you judge? I guess what it comes down to is the cohesiveness of the songs and how the parts flow together as well as any unique elements the band attempts to bring to the table in a genre where the subtleties are what it’s all about. Ferret act See You Next Tuesday is certainly not breaking any new ground, but for their Ferret debut, Parasite, these youngins come up with some pretty cool shit.
 
Parasite clocks in at around eighteen minutes in fourteen tracks; not exactly Locust song length but pretty fuckin’ short nonetheless. I guess the first thing to point out is that SYNT have one hell of a drummer in skins master Andy Dalton. Half the breakdowns on this release are fueled solely by the drums and bass as the guitars just wail over top the crushing rhythms. As stated before, the way a grind tune flows is crucial and these guys seem to know what they’re doing. Nothing feels too forced but there is also little that seems to stand out. When I listen to Parasite, I hear The Red Chord mixed with Converge; a lot of heavy riffs pulled off with interesting tones. Vocalist, Fox, has a good low-pitched growl to accompany his more often used high pitched scream. The guitars are what really draw me in though, as Drew Slavick seems more concerned with making interesting sounds than shredding; the dude really loves his whammy bar and the focus on this “trick” is one of the highlights of the release.
 
Another aspect of the record I like – and this is another Converge-esque element – is how the band will hint at melody but never fully embrace it. The only real exceptions to this are found in tracks seven and fourteen, which feature noticeable chord progressions and a more traditional structure reminiscent of Until Your Heart Stops Beating-era Cave In.
 
I think these kids can go somewhere and they seem to be on the right path with the influences I hear and the obviously capable songwriting. What I really want, though, is to hear more of the uniqueness that makes a truly great grind record. Being able to incorporate melody and emotion in grind is the calling card of a solid grind release. Another aspect that can add to a fantastic extreme music album is a good vocal concept. Albums like The Red Chord’s Clients are great because of the obscene technicality and the lyrical theme. Unfortunately, there are no lyrics provided with the copy I received and I can maybe make out one word in ten because of Fox’s over-the-top delivery; ohh well.
 
This is a cool record and it certainly doesn’t drag itself out too long; the songs are short and never really feel like they overstay their welcome. The guitars and drums are the highlight for me, as well as the occasional foray into melody. The breakdowns are good but I’d like to see some more rhythmic changes within them; breakdowns get old unless you’re able to keep the patterns varied and interesting. Good record. Not great but I’ll keep an eye on them in the future.