Rock Monsters Romania

By Eduard Istrate

During the summer, I was out with some new friends. We started talking about music, and, with so much excitement, one of them told me about a concert that was about to go down in Expirat, somewhere in October. I had never heard about the bands in the lineup before, but the names seemed so cool, I knew I had to check them out. Some time passed, and my colleague Ionela also told me about the free entry concert. The bands that were about to play were named Grinder, Rotheads, Martalogii, and Pârnaie.

Going to the concert, I developed one of the biggest regrets I hold to this day regarding a concert: I missed my ride to Expirat and, in consequence, missed the entirety of the Grinder concert. While for the rest of the show I constantly flew around in the mosh pit, I still hate the fact that I couldn’t see Grinder perform. They were actually one of the bands I was looking forward to seeing the most, having listened to their debut album prior to the concert. They sounded so brutal, I loved them to death. Songs like “Doomsday” still give me the “involuntary groove syndrome,” as I like to call it. Stank face and all.

Their new release, “New Steel,” does not disappoint in this aspect. There is an obvious evolution in sound quality, technical ability, and songwriting. I think, in comparison to their first album, this one is more aggressive. I felt like their first album was more oriented towards groove metal (sometimes even swinging to doom/stoner metal zones), while this new release shows their thrash influences a lot more. The new EP still grooves – quite a lot actually, but in a thrashier way.

As I was expecting, there is no shortage of killer riffs on this EP. The whole instrumental section of this release is the kind that doesn’t let you play it at any other volume than 100%. It is meant to be loud. This, in addition to the impressive vocals, does have a tendency to make you go wild. Also, “New Steel” has some brutal breakdowns, which I know would make the crowd lose their minds in the context of a live performance. I hope to finally be part of said crowd the next time that happens. 

What I will do now is try to address some aspects about each individual song. Bear with me, since there are only 5 of them. I will also be talking about some lyrics. I understand some of you may not understand the words the singer is saying. This is a common effect extreme vocals have on listeners. Trust me, the lyrics I will quote are real. Also, I am 100% certain that they are accurate. I am sure I have understood the lyrics correctly, just because they have sent them to us at my request. 

CLOSE CALL (REDEMPTION)

After a short riff to introduce us to the general atmosphere of the whole EP, a crushing drum beat backed by a filthy bass line instantly sets the groove. Some guitar riffs on this song remind me of Gojira, which would make sense considering Gojira also have their groove metal aspects. Around the second minute, after a short guitar break, a brutal breakdown ensues. After that, another amazingly heavy section follows. This entire song is full of “involuntary groove syndrome” moments, making it perfect for when you need your energy fix.

Also, I personally have two different interpretations for the lyrics. From the beginning of the song’s “Now I find myself entrapped in a nightmare with no end,” we see a deeply troubled individual who sees no point in living anymore. Everything feels numb, except for the pain. Then, further into the song, this individual swears redemption: “Time, please be merciful, and I swear I will conquer you” and “I will rise to power, I will become God.” Close to the ending of the song, he says, “Now I sense warmth on my skin / Blood flows freely once again,” indicating the redemption has taken place. One of my interpretations is that this song describes someone getting better. He eliminates this psychological pain from his life in a healthy manner. A remarkably optimistic message.

My other interpretation is that he kills himself. Not quite as optimistic.

BAR FIGHT

The song is about drinking alcohol and wrecking havoc, which is a classic thrash metal message. This is a great example to look at how hardcore punk has played a critical role in the development of thrash metal, especially in attitude. The overall speed of the song, interrupted occasionally by the slow, stank face worthy breakdowns, also contribute to this general vibe. If the point of this song is to make you want to act like a maniac, I can say it probably succeeds. That is, of course, under the right circumstances and with the right blood alcohol level. Up to the moment of me writing this article, I have not put this theory to the test.

But when I get the chance, I’m sure I will!

CHAINED

This song has my favorite intro from the entire EP. I love that riff so much, and for some reason it kind of reminds me of Slayer, but I couldn’t put my finger on a particular song. I also especially like the theme of this song. It addresses the superficial nature of this world, claiming that human evolution has surpassed the natural order, creating a conflict. A conflict between the world we have constructed around us and our biological capability of living within it. I strongly agree.

The lyrics also have a solution to this lack of meaning most of us face: “Shut up and take my hand / Throw your fake persona in the trash / Do what you feel.” Basically, if you really want to live a meaningful life, modeling your actions around other people’s wishes is not a good way to achieve that. Especially when you are unsatisfied with society at large. You are probably aware most people are wrong about most things.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking their opinion of you is an exception.

KIOKAN

Kiokan was released earlier as a single to promote their new EP. I can see why they chose this one. Those blast beats in the beginning really get you going, especially in contrast with the following section. The lyrics are only as brutal as the instrumental, talking about what I can only assume is trauma. I think it is only fitting that themes like this get addressed in this genre, since the negative emotion expressed can be quite easily backed by the furious instrumental parts. To me, the most impressive thing about this song is the screams. He has a true extreme metal voice that not many singers manage to pull off.

This singer is really good at what he does.

NEW STEEL, OLD BLOOD

This is my personal favorite. Embracing a rebellious spirit mixed with an aura of “and still we won’t bow,” it points to the very core of my punk addiction. And the instrumental is something else. The breakdown featured on this song might be one of the filthiest I have ever heard from a Romanian band. I couldn’t tell you what the words “new steel, old blood” actually represent, but I know they paint a very grotesque visual image. Which is good, considering the theme. 

I will be having this song on repeat for a while.

To conclude this review, if you haven’t yet listened to this EP, do it now. Grinder is one of the better bands in their musical area, nationally speaking. Thank you for reading, and thank you, Grinder, for the music.