(c) Mika Aalto
Patience is a virtue and fans of Rotten Sound recently had to bring some of it with them. The Finnish Grind veterans’ last studio album is actually seven years old, but it really shouldn’t have lasted that long. The work began back in 2019, following which it became a little more difficult for well-known reasons, although Keijo Niinimaa found lyrical inspiration in the global madness and let his creativity run wild. „Apocalypse“ lasts less than 21 minutes, but has everything you might want from a rough grind record.
“Pacify” opens the album incredibly furiously, brutally, in media res. Rotten Sound don’t need an intro, but beat everything soft as a diaper in 42 fast-paced seconds, which might hardly be harder. This is where “Equality” follows, driving the action in front of it before the guitar howls once more and heralds one of the longest songs with “Sharing” (the two-minute mark is not exceeded once during these 18 neckbeats). Almost shy groove passages, the oh so grueling mid-tempo, cut through the second half and build up massive walls.
The rest of the record also moves in this gait, whereby the somewhat longer digressions really hurt. So “Denialist” first touches concrete, while Niinimaa’s shouts go through marrow and bone. The sudden explosion in the second half comes well. “Empowered” goes forward almost continuously, seems poisonous and aggressive. The accusatory presentation is fun, as is the incomprehensible anger. There’s more than enough of that in the short, tight sprints “True And False” and “Nothingness” – ideal for Rotten Sound to roll over itself.
Now, following three decades, you know what you get from the Finns. Rotten Sound remain a grind institution with almost unbelievable energy reserves. Niinimaa is more precise than ever, guitarist and co-founding member Mika Aalto lets the strings howl, while the now longest-serving Rotten Sound drummer Sami Latva thrashes the skins more confidently than ever. Bassist David Kasipovic’s studio debut also shows quality, and so ‘Apocalypse’ brings together everything that makes a delicious grind record. Nobody can match the Finns in this impressive form.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: 03/31/2023
Available from: Season of Mist (Soulfood Music)
Website: www.rottensound.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RottenSoundOfficial
Category: Magazin, Reviews
