Holy Grinder (Canada) - Divine Extinction (2020)

I've recently gotten deep into lesser-known '70s and '80s horror movies, and there's a certain feeling of risk that comes along with dredging the depths for your next favorite film. Sure, you may come across a Messiah of Evil (1973) or Fascination (1979), movies with a surprising level of craft and beauty beneath their meagre budget and lurid subject matter. But when searching a distributor like Vinegar Syndrome, whose mission is to release rarely seen horror and exploitation films (among other genres) you're just as likely to find a dark-hearted, nihilistic gorefest whose sole purpose is to leave you in need of a shower.

The latter feeling permeates Divine Extinction. This is a brief, punishing album of low-end grinding noise that oozes and smokes in the darkest corners of extreme music. But while those films are usually artless messes of conservative ideology, Holy Grinder's music is queer, leftist and extremely well-made.

"Primitive Methods" opens with a monologue from The Exorcist III that blends into feedback and explodes into barking vocals, blasting drums and churning bass and noise. The blistering "Get Killed/Dead Cop" swings between sheer speed and lurching breakdowns while never losing momentum. While starting in a mid-paced punk lope, "Disgusting Trash People" keeps increasing speed until it's at a full-on blast by the song's end.

This is an album of ugly, angry noisegrind that's also eminently replayable. This is Holy Grinder's third full length, and it shows in the polish and focus of this batch of songs. You may end up soaked in blood and viscera by the end, but it's worth it to experience one of 2020's best extreme music releases.

Divine Extinction is available digitally via Holy Grinder's Bandcamp.