Rotten Sound

Abuse to Suffer

Written by: MIN on 11/04/2016 15:30:57

Grindcore has never been a genre for the faint-hearted, but contrary to common belief, it’s not just a lot of noise. There is variation to be found from band-to-band, album-to-album, and especially in an act such as Rotten Sound from Finland, the variety found is highly evident. Looking at the last few albums, from the 2005 landmark “Exit” to “Cursed” from 2011, their sound has changed remarkably: “Exit” was filled with experimenting sounds and tempo-changes, “Cycles” was much more direct and relentless, and “Cursed” felt more distorted and filthy. Today, five years later, Rotten Sound feels heavier than ever.

“Abuse to Suffer”, the band’s seventh full-length, builds on the sludgy sound that “Cursed” introduced. Fittingly, I’d say, since increasingly more bands tend to incorporate influences from this sub-genre into their music. The album is loud, heavy and distorted as usual, and although the songs are fast, many of them feel slower than you’d expect due to the loudness of the drums. The buzzsawing guitars are second in favor of the rhythm-section, and Keijo Niinimaa’s vocals, ranging from low-end growls to higher yelling, seem to burst out from the spiraling cacophony of it all. Surely, the songs are fast, but not necessarily one-dimensional. Take “Trashmonger” as an example: It’s mainly fast-paced and direct, filled with d-beats, gnawing guitar riffs and the sound of Niinimaa grunting and spitting as if he’s trying to devour you. But suddenly there’s a drum pattern and a guitar lick that throws you off course just as you thought you’d figured out the song.

Upon repeated listens, the album unfolds itself like a beautiful mess. You no longer just hear the high energy or the gruff vocals, but instead you notice the small details that spice up the songs. There are songs that last less than a minute and primarily just kick the shit out of you, but there are also lengthy tracks that are built up around fuller song-structures, like “Time for the Fix” or “Yellow Pain”, that provide a break. Between many of the songs are found ambient sounds and noises that create cohesion between them, and before you know it, twenty minutes have gone by.

After you’ve passed the aforementioned “Yellow Pain”, most of the songs are less memorable and unfortunately don’t have the same impact, but basically this is the only problem on “Abuse to Suffer”. Moments like the uncontrollable neck-breaking beat-downs found in the last few seconds of “Crooked” or the kick-ass middle-section of “Time for the Fix” are enough to keep you entertained. Rotten Sound’s seventh LP might not be as remarkable throughout as previous bashings like “Exit” or “Cycles”, but it’s an excellent addition to a great discography.

Download: Trashmonger, Time for the Fix, Brainwashed
For The Fans Of: Nails, Nasum, Napalm Death, Cult Leader
Listen: facebook.com/RottenSound

Release date 18.03.2016
Season of Mist

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