Kandarivas (Japan) - Grind Surgical Shrine (2019)

To "preserve" traditions, many present culture as it was for one moment, frozen in amber. Kandarivas instead opts for a more practical approach, melding the traditional with the modern and preserving through innovation. They take traditional Japanese taiko drumming and insert it into a framework of experimental grindcore in a way that respects both ideas equally.

The band is a trio, with Tomoki on guitar and lead vocals, Onobone playing the drum kit and Kaiki on the taiko drums. The taiko take the place both on stage and in the mix of a bass in a typical grindcore lineup. This isn't the lean, harsh sound of a band like Discordance Axis, also a bass-free trio. Kandarivas' music sounds both nimble and full-bodied, with the taiko serving double duty as second percussion and surrogate bass. 

Album opener "Hajimari Hajimari" gets the obvious out of the way, presenting Kaiki's taiko playing solo for the first 20 seconds. The song then immediately launches into an all-out grinding sprint that sustains for the rest of its runtime, punctuated by chant-singing backup vocals. It's a clear statement of intent and a good basic roadmap for the rest of the record.

Elsewhere, "Dissemination" blends sideways math metal riffing and churning heaviness with clapping and chanting. The cheeky arrangement recalls hints of the nu metal pastiche of System of a Down, and it isn't the last place that style is evoked. Halfway through its runtime, "Fuminijire'' hits a mid tempo breakdown that transitions into skronky guitar upstrokes punctuated by dual vocals trading off, punctuated by an even heavier breakdown. This experimentation with form occurs throughout the album. It all works as flavor, and none of it overtakes the larger mission of heavy, textured grinding.

Grind Surgical Shrine is a successful piece of art on a structural level. It manages to avoid the traps of only using the taiko drums as a surface level gimmick, suffusing them throughout each song. It's a standout of recent grindcore from Japan, and it speak to a future for Kandarivas at the forefront of that country's modern scene.

Grind Surgical Shrine is available digitally and physically through Kandarivas' Bandcamp.