Monomaniac Vol. 1

Back in the day, a day I probably don't have much business talking about, procuring music was more difficult and expensive; hence compilations provided a necessary role for those without buckets of money. Growing up I indulged in plenty of shitty compilation cds and would find one or two bands worth a damn and was thankful for that. A bit of nostalgia in that regard as Blastbeat Mailmurder's Monomaniac Vol 1 occupies an excellent niche in the grindcore world as it brings together many bands ready to burst into international acclaim (and all tracks exclusive to this comp).

Keeping with the comp's theme of roughly 1 minute offerings, I'll describe each track with one sentence.

Michigan grinders Cloud Rat start things off with "Finger Print;" a jam those Finns Rotten Sound wish they could pen.

Following up are 3 frantic, noisy and raw outbursts from Australian favorites thedowngoing (review for their latest athousandyearsofdarkness).

"Birthday Party" shows Detroit's strong suit in penning a 34 second grinder that's as elaborate and thick as you could get.

My first introduction to Sete Star Sept isn't pretty, nor is their brand of noiser than thou grind encapsulated by "Why not Intersect."

Body Hammer's "Dog Star Man" rounds off the noisy escapades with an awesomely haunting track that's 1 part grind and 2 parts evil souls lost at space.

Head Cleaner offer up the most metal approached grinder of the comp with "The Weapon of the Proletariat," which disappointingly lacks a bit of the muck the other bands include.

Diocletian's "Traitor's Gallow" is a welcomed change of pace as it ushers in one of two awesomely brutal and rough black metal tracks that incorporate an ugly breath of death metal.

The Howling Wind offer a strand of their subterranean and bizarre conjuration of black metal seen through grinder's eyes with "Bewilderment."

"Beneath the Emblems of Death" is the comp's other brutally ugly blacken death metal track courtesy of Sempiternal Dusk.

Things end on an unsettling, abstract, and alluring note revolving around noises and one noodley guitar line with This is Past's contribution "Catatonia."

A great comp showcasing bands from all over the globe that you should hear. I particularly like the combo of black metal bands with grindcore bands as it's always been a marriage I've advocated. I'm particularly fond of Body Hammer and Diocletian's contributions to this comp.