Video Premiere: Angel Grinder’s “731”
Friday, 17th April 2020
It’s Friday once more, and we at Dead Rhetoric are pleased to debut this video from Massachusetts’ own Angel Grinder. “731” is featured on the band’s upcoming full-length entitled Confessions of the Damned. The album is set to be released on April 24, so follow the band on Facebook (link below) if the video catches your eyes/ears. As an added bonus, there’s also a Bandcamp widget of the track “Got Your Goat” below the video if you want just a little bit more of a taste following “731.”
About the video/song:
Death, violence, and gore. Three things pretty synonymous with the death metal genre, and all make their way into Angel Grinder’s video for “731.” Composed of brutal archival footage mashed up into a fever dream-like atmosphere, it’s the perfect grimy setting for the band’s take on the death metal genre. The stark, black & white mashes up quite well with the instantly crunchy guitar tone and galloping riffs, giving it a retro but not overtly retro vibe. But it’s not all grim images in the end, as the track includes some rather catchy musicianship to balance that aggressive and brutal tone.
An excerpt from Kyle McGinn’s 8/10 review of Confessions of the Damned:
With old school death metal being all the rage within the last few years, many have come to make it feel almost synonymous with old school Swedish death metal. However, more bands are growing hip to the notion that it’s okay to play an older style of death metal without sounding like an Entombed/Dismember wannabe. You can add Angel Grinder to that growing list of standout acts based on the impression that Confessions of the Damned leaves.
One isn’t going to say that Confessions of the Damned is re-inventing the death metal wheel, but it does feel more fresh than you might think. It’s obvious that the band has a great understanding of what makes death metal work in a timeless sort of way, and they’ve trimmed away all of the excessive stuff that bogs down many other acts. There’s heaviness, just enough melody, and it keeps you hungry from beginning to end – ready to start another listen. Keep your eyes on Angel Grinder as they continue onwards.
Photo by Nuraj Shrestha
