Review Summary: A Flawless Outing That Batters And Abuses From Start To Finnish.........
The opening static groans of
Rotten Sound’s 'Exit' beckons a rumbling tension that correctly balances a booming silence with the maddening introduction of a shotgun cock, signaling auditory assault. The brutality of the preliminary title track lasts for only a mere minute but the variance of sound and silence is handled in such correct fashion it’s hard to deny the maddening bursts.
Anyone familiar with
Rotten Sound’s 2005 release Exit, already has a perfect picture of the opening sequences of the title track and my minimalistic, fan-b**** description does little to correctly portray the audible aggression. 2008’s 'Cycles' was a masterpiece in its own right, exhibiting true exhilaration from start to finish. Still, it’s 'Exit' and 'Murderworks' that, in my humble opinion, show a more complete and chaotic thrust in reference to speed and technicality. The signature buzz saw guitars are again; tailor-made to fit
Rotten Sound’s approach where as the riffs are both destructive, yet undeniably catchy. Love it or hate it, this characteristic is further augmented with the vocal delivery of Keijo Niinimaa. Strep - induced screams, with varied, low end growls correctly implements these guitar lines. ‘Burden’ and ‘Sell Your Soul’ are the first real demonstrations of this simple, yet effective recipe. Both elements blend together so perfectly that neither takes more precedence over the other.
Another added bonus is the presence of drummer Kai Hahto. Whether you want to admit enjoyment or disgust with grindcore, this album can be purchased for Hahto’s performance alone. His delivery goes beyond reasonable belief and proves he is among the best drummers in the world. Its mind-numbing to believe it’s physically possible to play this fast and still maintain fluidity through the duration of the record, much less a live set (See ‘Live Murder’, covering the Murderworks release). While it’s more pronounced on Murderworks, the double-pedal clocks in at a mesmerizing 200 blast beats per minute; absolutely stunning in its own regard. Not to discredit current drummer Sami Latva and his performance, but this is another reason 2008’s 'Cycles' takes a back seat to this release. Hahto manages to control the vicious onslaught by correctly tapering off and speeding up during varied segments rather than just beating the living h*** out of his kit.
Song lengths run from thirty seconds to two minute lengths with the exception of the five minute, album-ending scorcher, ‘The Weak’. Production is crisp and smooth, and was in fact handled by deceased
Nasum front man Mieszko Talarczyk (RIP). Is it entirely just to pinpoint highlights on this grind release? I think not. The album’s eighteen track, twenty-nine minute onslaught, is best to be taken in one listen from A-Z. Collectively, there’s no weak track on the album, all of which conveying musical brawn. For the newbie’s, ‘Exit’, ‘Burden’, ‘Sell Your Soul’, ‘Slay’, ‘Western Cancer’ are each supreme indicators to sample.
With other renowned releases including
Napalm Death’s 'Scum,'
Insect Warfare’s 'World Extermination' and the all so powerful 'Shift' from Swedish legends
Nasum, ‘Exit’ is a strong addition to any grind fan’s library. This is a flawless outing that batters and abuses from start to finish. To most this will not be easily accessible upon first listen and the chainsaw guitars may come off as droning noise. Still, with added patience, one will see something special at work here. Put bluntly, this will knock the s*** out of your a**.
