While I initially wanted to lump this in with the plethora of grating, squealing, pseudo grind kids, after a few more, less jaded listens to the debut, there appears to be a much less superficial and have a more convincing, classic grind/crust/punk and hardcore undercurrent rather than the snivelling wannabes of the current musical climate.

While still spewing forth ultra short bursts (this thing blows by in around 20 minutes) of scream and growl laced chaos, the tracks seem far more murky and honest and raw without trying to force anything or be gimmicky. It’s sort of like a grindier, more flailing version of say Black Cobra or the other sludgy hardcore bands, but with a dash of sneering grind and punk.

The 10 to the point tracks from “King Cobra” to “Black Vomit” are all caustic expulsions of noise, but there seems to be a purpose here unlike their trend jumping peers. Tracks like “Fleeting Swarm” and “Scene I Don’t Remember” actually contain some clever harmonics amid the scrawling discordance and the furious discord itself always seems controlled, deliberate and punky (“Chicago Punch”, “Lips and Assholes”) rather than sheer noise of many of the so called ‘grind’ bands today, though the vocals might annoy some metal purist already sick of the sceam/growl combo, though admittedly here it isn’t over used.

An interesting and promising (if too short) release amid a sea of trendy so called ‘grindcore’ poop, A Second From the Surface have piqued my interest and raised my hackles.

[Visit the band's website]

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