There's nothing wrong with being stuck in a rut when that rut is top-notch grindcore. Maryland politicos Misery Index offer no surprises here on album four, yet still put out what will easily be one of the best grind albums of '10. Maybe they lucked out ― playing in a genre that resists innovation has given them time to hone their sound to an almost obscene degree. "Fed to the Wolves" is a textbook example of an amazing grindcore song, with excellent drumming at the forefront, as it should be. Then they turn around and drop "The Carrion Calls," which shows their other side: big, memorable grooves. The band still have the crust punk and His Hero Is Gone influences (best shown on the chilling, melodic intro riff to "The Spectator" and closing punk-fest "Day of the Dead"), and they still have a knack for writing catchy songs within the confines of grind. It's not that it's never sounded better; it's sounded like this before, and the band are so on their game they can hardly get more refined. But it's still an amazing disc, as most grind bands don't even come close to sounding like this.
You've struck the perfect balance between intense grind and well-written songs. Is this something you work at maintaining?
Bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton: Exactly; it's a process that was always in our heads. We love grind and crust, yet we're essentially a death metal band. We love the energy of what are somewhat paralleling genres, so the ingredients that go into the songs had to be refined over time. Although we love our past work equally as much, the new record reflects that balance a bit more effectively.
You have your sound so refined it makes me wonder where it can go without getting redundant. How are you going to keep it interesting?
I think the best way to keep things interesting is to focus on riffs. It's the riffs that drive the music, no matter the sound. They're timeless.
You guys have an okay president now. Why are you still so mad?
The president is a figurehead who, although an improvement upon the last figurehead, still presides over the same systemic and structural injustices. There's always material to drive the anger, if one chooses to find it. It's all around us. Everyday life is an unending, complex tornado of possibilities, both real and manufactured. There never ceases to be fuel for the fire.
(Relapse)You've struck the perfect balance between intense grind and well-written songs. Is this something you work at maintaining?
Bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton: Exactly; it's a process that was always in our heads. We love grind and crust, yet we're essentially a death metal band. We love the energy of what are somewhat paralleling genres, so the ingredients that go into the songs had to be refined over time. Although we love our past work equally as much, the new record reflects that balance a bit more effectively.
You have your sound so refined it makes me wonder where it can go without getting redundant. How are you going to keep it interesting?
I think the best way to keep things interesting is to focus on riffs. It's the riffs that drive the music, no matter the sound. They're timeless.
You guys have an okay president now. Why are you still so mad?
The president is a figurehead who, although an improvement upon the last figurehead, still presides over the same systemic and structural injustices. There's always material to drive the anger, if one chooses to find it. It's all around us. Everyday life is an unending, complex tornado of possibilities, both real and manufactured. There never ceases to be fuel for the fire.