Barren - Demo 2021
This band from Belgium bills themselves as "chainsaw grindcore," and specifically talks about going for the Boss HM-2 pedal sound on their Facebook page. So, I'm in. Like, I'm not made of stone. You got me. But, beyond that, this is easily one of the best demos I've heard in years. Each song is a furious slab of grind with some real songwriting chops to back it up. They remind me a lot of something like Ancst, Moral Void, or Wake- bands that do the raw crust/grind thing, but keep things interesting via crafting thoughtfully arranged songs. Right around the 1:20 mark of the second track, for example, they transition from a blur of grind into a really nicely written melodic arpeggio that grabbed my attention just as it was drifting a bit. I can't wait to see what this band drops next. Demo 2021 by Barren