While Jeremy Wagner was on hiatus from Broken Hope back in 2002 (before they got back together), he, along with Broken Hope drummer Mike Miczek, started Earthburner, named after a Broken Hope song from Grotesque Blessings, to pass the time.

However, Broken Hope reformed and released some more albums, but Earthburner was always sort of lurking around and Wagner kept writing music for the project since 2002.

Well, now that music has been released with Earthburner’s debut album, and Wagner brought along a few well-known friends to help out. On vocals, there is Devin Swank (Sanguisugabogg), on guitars, on bass is Tyler Affinito (Gloryhole Guillotine), and fittingly, Mitch Harris of Napalm Death fame helps out as an ‘honorary’ member, providing some feral screams.

The result, (including the album artwork) considering the members and timeline of the project’s formation is a pretty damn good example of late 90s/ early 2000s Deathgrind that reeks of Broken Hope, Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Lock Up, Divine Empire, and Hateplow.

The grindcore element is on full display with the album’s short 21-minute run time, and the 11 songs display blistering, grindcore-driven pacing and riffs, with an expected 90s death metal backbone from Wagner and Mizek.

The power chord-driven riffs and hefty occasional grooves are pure nostalgia but armed with powerful modern death metal production (note: there are two versions of the album with two different mastering efforts- an analog and a digital one). Swank and Harris deliver the classic grindcore dual vocals, and it all hits just perfectly.

From the opener “Necrodisiac” through “Broken Head”, “Facelift”, “Permanent Dawn”, “Perception For Profit”, “Slaves to the Screen” and closer “Positive Outlook”  it’s a simple, no-frills throwback to a simpler time and sound that satisfies the classic grindcore itch perfectly.

 

[Visit the band's website]

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