so the new Gridlink album is about CAVE games

[RNGmaster]

IDK if this belongs in the current music thread, and IDK if anyone here follows or cares about grindcore, but:

Jon Chang is the vocalist and band leader of Discordance Axis and Gridlink, two hyperspeed grindcore projects known for incorporating frequent anime and sci-fi references. The title of the new album (which is unfortunately their last) is Longhena, and it contains tracks named "The Dodonpachi" and "Ketsui".

So, I guess that's of interest for this forum.

[Never_Scurred]

Okay,
So I checked out the Gridlink review on Pitchfork (mainly because of that cover)then youtubed the song Ketsui. I like some metal stuff even though I'm a jazz, soul and hiphop guy BUT, what is up with that singing? Sounds like "bleeeehh bllleeeeehh bllleeeeehh bllleeeeehh bllleeeeehh!" I don't get it.

[RNGmaster]

Chang's vocal style is pretty unusual for grindcore, yeah. More like black or thrash metal than the typical lower vocals grindcore vocalists go for. I think of it a bit like Tom Araya from Slayer but a bit less comprehensible.

Thankfully they're pretty low in the mix. Doesn't bother me too much. Then again, I tend to like weird vocalists in my metal, like Demilich, or Wormed.

vv That could be because it's a shitty youtube promo taken off a 192k soundcloud stream? Grindcore tends to have pretty lo-fi, noisy production anyways.

[Never_Scurred]

Chang's vocal style is pretty unusual for grindcore, yeah. More like black or thrash metal than the typical lower vocals grindcore vocalists go for.

Thankfully they're pretty low in the mix. Doesn't bother me too much.

Speaking of that mix....it sounds like everything is squished together with very little concern for separation...then they cranked the fader to LOOOOOUUUUUDDDDD.

The only metal I listen to these days is Toxic Holocaust and Cannabis Corpse.

[Aleksei]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33ZprczVr_k#t=15

In-tense. Reminds me of anaal nathrakh.

Haven't listened to this type of music since the last Pig Destroyer album.

[trap15]

Gridlink and DxAx are awesome. Been a big fan ever since someone in IRC linked the music video for Ikaruga

[Furry Fox Jet Pilot]

Grindcore you say? Well I like deathgrind (Aborted, Bent Sea, Benighted, etc.), so this can't be too different. I'll check it out.

[KAI]

Shmups are popular again, YAY! Oh, wait...

[Acid King]

I'm pretty excited for this album. I've been a fan of Chang's for years now, back to the days of Discordance Axis and more recently Gridlink and Hayaino Daisuki. He definitely has one of the more distinct voices in grindcore. He recently did an interview where he talked about how he developed his voice and how he managed to train his body so he could consistently do it. I dig it, it's different but still very much within the grindcore tradition. It makes sense that he and Seth Putnam from Anal Cunt were good friends, the two of them having some of the most readily identifiable vocal styles ina genre awash with dudes who sound exactly the same.

I think Jon Chang had an account at the old version of the board. I remember stumbling upon his review for Mars Matrix at the old site Destroy All Monsters years ago and wondering if it was the same guy from DA. Of course then came the Ikaruga video and it all sort of made sense. Discordance Axis also did a cover of the Sega Bass Fishing song, which is pretty awesome.

Grindcore you say? Well I like deathgrind (Aborted, Bent Sea, Benighted, etc.), so this can't be too different. I'll check it out.

It's more like classic grind like Terrorizer or Scum-era Napalm Death. Aside from blast beats it doesn't have too much in common with death grind.

[Skykid]

The title of the new album (which is unfortunately their last) is Longhena, and it contains tracks named "The Dodonpachi" and "Ketsui".

Doesn't sound like music much.

Hit drums really fast / strum guitar really fast / inaudible screeching monotone vocal

All subjective of course, you guys just have different ears to me.

[RNGmaster]

It makes sense that he and Seth Putnam from Anal Cunt were good friends, the two of them having some of the most readily identifiable vocal styles in a genre awash with dudes who sound exactly the same.

Weird. I heard Putnam accused Chang of stealing all his ideas or something. Thought the two had some sort of beef or rivalry going on.

Grindcore you say? Well I like deathgrind (Aborted, Bent Sea, Benighted, etc.), so this can't be too different. I'll check it out.

You need to listen to Last Days of Humanity pretty much ASAP then. And !T.O.O.H.! and Brutal Truth, come to think of it.

Doesn't sound like music much.

There's a repeated riff (and a riff change, in fact, which most grindcore tracks don't have time for), lots of subtle variations in hi-hat and snare patterns, two different types of blast-beats used, etc. It's got quite a lot of content and development in such a short track. The vocal patterns at the start are on rhythm with the riff, too.

Anyways, sometimes it's ok if things don't sound too much like music. Sometimes you need utterly chaotic annihilatory shit. Catharsis, you know. There are patterns, yes, but the chaos is also worth looking for.

[Acid King]

It makes sense that he and Seth Putnam from Anal Cunt were good friends, the two of them having some of the most readily identifiable vocal styles in a genre awash with dudes who sound exactly the same.

Weird. I heard Putnam accused Chang of stealing all his ideas or something. Thought the two had some sort of beef or rivalry going on.

They were friends for awhile and had a bit of a falling out. Basically, Seth was supposed to fill in on drums for a tour of Japan, but bailed on them a few days before they were supposed to leave. They became friendly again after awhile but I guess had another falling out later. The AxCx song "'Stealing Seth's Ideas' the new book by Jon Chang" was taken from a joke song title Chang used for the recordings he sent to Seth to prep for the Japan tour he bailed on.
http://www.thegauntlet.com/interviews/4 ... dlink.html

[RNGmaster]

They were friends for awhile and had a bit of a falling out. Basically, Seth was supposed to fill in on drums for a tour of Japan, but bailed on them a few days before they were supposed to leave. They became friendly again after awhile but I guess had another falling out later. The AxCx song "'Stealing Seth's Ideas' the new book by Jon Chang" was taken from a joke song title Chang used for the recordings he sent to Seth to prep for the Japan tour he bailed on.
http://www.thegauntlet.com/interviews/4 ... dlink.html

Thanks for that interview, great stuff.

Not surprised that Putnam ended up trash-talking him and having a falling-out in the end, though, he was sort of an asshole to everybody after all.

[MX7]

Awesome, sounds great, almost like classic emo like Tristan Tzara or something. I love the vocals in Discordance Axis.

[Eaglet]

This was pretty cool!
Will definitely check this out. Production is pretty shit (way too cluttered) but i like the energy.

[Some-Mist]

saw this posted up in the GAF metal thread a couple of months ago and it wasn't too bad, but I greatly prefer Discordance Axis to Gridlink.

Jon is actually a big fan of shmups and used to use dodonpachi, progear, mars matrix, ikaruga, esprade, etc.. as influences for discordance axis material too.

[RNGmaster]

oh hey i got my copy of this and it's pretty FREAKIN AWESOME, will post pics soon

though the placement of Thirst Watcher is awkward, I think it should have been closer to the middle or end. whatev.

[Cee]

Sounds like angry middle class white boy music to me.

[trap15]

Nice insult.

[Octopod]

I listened to that Ketsui track. I dig it. I am not hugely into grindcore but I like early ND, Electro Hippies, Carcass, Nasum, Sore Throat. I saw AC play down in Miami several year back but I am not a big fan.

I think the older I get the less I want to listen to loud, noisy music though. It just aggravates me most of the time.

[RNGmaster]

Heard a lot of good things about Nasum!

And yeah, I can understand, one's desire for this stuff disappears after a while. But I best enjoy it while I can!

[MX7]

Definitely check out Nasum. Also check out Pig Destroyer if you haven't already. And, if you're feeling adventurous Cutting Pink With Knives, Esquilax, Rolo Tommassi and (my all time favourite grind band) Trencher.

[Jockel]

Nasum and Pig Destroyer are god tier.
I'm also a huge fan of Genocide Superstars, Victims and Skitsystem. (All happening to be Swedes)
Went to shows from Nasum and Victims before, faces melted from awesomeness.

If you're into harmonizer grunts, I'd recommend Regurgitate.

[Acid King]

Since we're throwing out grind recs, I'll toss out the excellently-named Puig Destroyer, the Kill, and Captain Cleanoff.

[Some-Mist]

is magrudergrind laughable?

magrudergrind and ed gein have always been my favorites.

[Octopod]

I guess I'll also throw out Extreme Noise Terror, Phobia, Unholy Grave, Charles Bronson, Hatred Surge and Insect Warfare for recs. Charles Bronson is 'Powerviolence' but as not all that much of a grind/pv fan it is the same thing in my mind.

And yeah, I can understand, one's desire for this stuff disappears after a while. But I best enjoy it while I can!

I'm not saying that is what happens. Probably just me.

Nasum and Pig Destroyer are god tier.
I'm also a huge fan of Genocide Superstars, Victims and Skitsystem. (All happening to be Swedes)
Went to shows from Nasum and Victims before, faces melted from awesomeness.

If you're into harmonizer grunts, I'd recommend Regurgitate.

I've always thought of Skitsystem and Victims as hardcore punk/crust bands. Not that it matters, nor am I nitpicking...just saying. Grindcore is hardcore punk anyhow.

[RNGmaster]

i'm really disappointed nobody mentioned wormrot since they're pro as fuck

[MX7]

i'm really disappointed nobody mentioned wormrot since they're pro as fuck

They're awesome live too.

[RNGmaster]

rip grind goat

[andsuchisdeath]

I know bumping old threads is whack, but despite being a longtime discordance axis fan, I never
really gave gridlink much of a chance until last night. I figured someone here posted something about the ddp and
ketsui songs (I used the search function before making thread).

Oh dear, I kind of hate being "that person". It's not my style. Sorry community.