ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Mammoth Grinder 'Extinction of Humanity' LP 2009, Cyclopean Records

This is some raging heavy metal from some Texas dudes that are into old school Death Metal. Mammoth Grinder has the weight that you would imagine a band with a name like that would sound like. The mid tempo gallops and such that they pull through the whole record makes it sound like death metal stuff from the 90s- there are riffs all over this thing and honestly nothing too special going on- it shreds though, the most important thing it needs to do. Nothing pretentious going on, only what works good- simple is always more solid. The crusted rhythms on this LP range between cavemanish sludge dirges to steamroller d-beat assaults, the record smashes from beginning to end. A few weeks back we watched them play a set in Athens and it ripped- they blasted through about 8 or 9 songs and there were ill metal guitar solos all over the place, powerful, basic drums that straight pounded. And the guitar player is also the guitar in Hatred Surge, so you know it slays. As far as I can tell, Austin is a city that puts out band after band of punishing hardcore/grind/metal fury and I am thankful for whatever they have going on there in Texas that produces this shit. Mammoth Grinder have a few releases at this point, the Rage and Ruin LP (2007) and the No Results EP (2009), but I feel Extinction of Humanity to be the best one. And the cover painting comes from Joe Petagno, the seasoned, wicked man responsible for tons of proper metal LP album paintings, but recently mentioned on here a few months back for the amazing Mind Eraser LP cover. Totally slays, if you have album art like this, it steps up the LP several stairs. First pressing is 1000, snatch that shit because its way easier to get it when its around, than to have to hunt for it, duh. "Sounds like an enormous door slamming in the depths of hell."