Swedish grind act Axis of Despair's Contempt For Man may be their first full-length release, but they're no strangers to the genre. Featuring members of Nasum, Coldworker, Infanticide and other established grind acts, the band are more than familiar with creating disgusting, raw grindcore built on a foundation of punk aggression and death metal aesthetic.
Furiously driving through 20 tracks of pure belligerence in a little under a half hour, Contempt For Man is unrelenting in its approach. Songs such as "Lockdown," "The Punishment Begins" or "Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strike" deliver raw punk energy, but with a mature approach that shows the band aren't a bunch of kids wailing out random grind tracks. An emphasis on great song structure is evident throughout the record, pacing itself well through mid-tempo jams and blast beats built to bash in some skulls.
Fans of the genre will be more than pleased to not only hear a great record from members of fantastic bands, but also just a pure, visceral grindcore album. Its sound is much more polished and focused than their Mankind Crawls EP, yet the band is just as manic in their delivery. Contempt For Man achieves every filthy, crusty sound you could want from the band, while bringing an attention to detail often left aside by younger grind acts.
(Southern Lord)Furiously driving through 20 tracks of pure belligerence in a little under a half hour, Contempt For Man is unrelenting in its approach. Songs such as "Lockdown," "The Punishment Begins" or "Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strike" deliver raw punk energy, but with a mature approach that shows the band aren't a bunch of kids wailing out random grind tracks. An emphasis on great song structure is evident throughout the record, pacing itself well through mid-tempo jams and blast beats built to bash in some skulls.
Fans of the genre will be more than pleased to not only hear a great record from members of fantastic bands, but also just a pure, visceral grindcore album. Its sound is much more polished and focused than their Mankind Crawls EP, yet the band is just as manic in their delivery. Contempt For Man achieves every filthy, crusty sound you could want from the band, while bringing an attention to detail often left aside by younger grind acts.