Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. Grindcore is considered a more noise-filled style of hardcore punk while using hardcore's trademark characteristics such as heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, grinding overdriven bass, high-speed tempo, blast beats, and vocals which consist of growls, shouts and high-pitched shrieks. Early groups like Napalm Death are credited with laying the groundwork for the style. It is most prevalent today in North America and Europe, with popular contributors such as Brutal Truth and Nasum. Lyrical themes range from a primary focus on social and political concerns, to gory subject matter and black humor.
The Germs were an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1976 to 1980. The band's "classic" lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom and drummer Don Bolles. They released only one album, 1979's (GI), produced by Joan Jett, and were featured in Penelope Spheeris' seminal documentary film The Decline of Western Civilization, which chronicled the Los Angeles punk movement. The Germs disbanded following Crash's suicide in 1980. Their music was influential to many later rock acts, and Smear went on to achieve greater fame performing with Nirvana and Foo Fighters.
A blast beat is a type of drum beat that originated in hardcore punk and grindcore, and is often associated with certain styles of extreme metal, namely black metal and death metal, and occasionally in metalcore. In Adam MacGregor's definition, "the blast-beat generally comprises a repeated, sixteenth-note figure played at a very fast tempo, and divided uniformly among the bass drum, snare, and ride, crash, or hi-hat cymbal." Blast beats have been described by PopMatters contributor Whitney Strub as, "maniacal percussive explosions, less about rhythm per se than sheer sonic violence".
"The 'original' or traditional blastbeat is a single-stroke roll played between your cymbal and snare, with your kick playing simultaneously with every cymbal hit."
The Unseen is an American street punk band that was formed in 1993 in Hingham, Massachusetts. One of the more prominent bands to revive street punk, The Unseen was originally called The Extinct.
Ludichrist is an American band formed in 1984 in Long Island, New York. Their musical style broke from the conventions of New York hardcore by adding aspects of rock, heavy metal and jazz, such as musical interludes and extended guitar solos. Ludichrist is one of the crossover movement's most prominent groups, alongside D.R.I. Drummer Dave Miranda saw Ludichrist as "crossing into both, punk and metal without firmly belonging into either camp." He observed that "the band was readily influenced by bands around them such as Crumbsuckers and Agnostic Front."
The Locust was an American hardcore punk band from San Diego, California, known for their mix of grindcore aggression and new wave experimentation.
Discharge are an English hardcore punk band formed in 1977 in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The band is known for influencing several sub-genres of extreme music and their songs have been covered by some of the biggest names in heavy metal and other genres. The musical sub-genre of D-beat is named after Discharge and the band's distinctive drumbeat.
Lifetime is an American melodic hardcore band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. It was formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1997. In late 2005, they announced their reunion.
Todd Hennig is an American punk and hardcore drummer. He was a drummer for Death by Stereo and Heckle.
Spazz was an American powerviolence band active between 1992 and 2000. The trio released numerous records within this time, many of which are now highly collectible due to their relative rarity. The band's releases often showcased their unusual sense of humour: absurdly long and nonsensical song titles, audio samples from B movies and kung fu films between songs and the occasional use of hip hop beats as well as saxophones, banjos and other instruments rarely associated with hardcore punk. All three of the members shared vocal duties, usually changing in sequence from line to line. The group would typically play at all ages venues. 2015 saw the release of a tribute LP to Spazz by Scottish record label Mind Ripper Collective titled "Spazzin' To The Oldies - A Tribute To Spazz". In 2016, it was announced that Tankcrimes will reissue the out-of-print Spazz albums Sweatin' To The Oldies and Sweatin' 3: Skatin', Satan & Katon.
Open Your Eyes is the second full-length album from New York hardcore band Warzone. It was released in 1988 on Caroline Records, a year after their first album, Don't Forget The Struggle, Don't Forget The Streets.
Cripple Bastards is a grindcore band from Asti, Italy. They were formed in 1988 in order to keep their area on the hardcore punk map as most of the other bands around them were breaking up.
The Fists of Time is the debut extended play by American melodic hardcore band As Friends Rust. It was originally released by Belgian record label Good Life Recordings on July 13, 1998, on compact disc and 10" vinyl. American record label Doghouse Records reissued the release, under the expanded title The Fists of Time: An Anthology of Short Fiction and Non-Fiction, on compact disc, 12" vinyl and digitally, with new artwork and two additional songs, on June 22, 2000. In promotion of the release, As Friends Rust toured the United States, United Kingdom and Europe several times between June 1998 and September 2000. The bands that accompanied As Friends Rust on these tours include Discount, Dillinger Four, Strike Anywhere, Grade, Ensign, Ignite, Good Clean Fun, Garrison, Glasseater, Mid Carson July, The Agency, Purusam, Fast Times and Keith Welsh.
As Friends Rust / Discount is a split extended play by Gainesville, Florida-based melodic hardcore band As Friends Rust and Vero Beach, Florida-based punk rock band Discount. It was released by Belgian record label Good Life Recordings in December 1998 on compact disc and 7" vinyl. In promotion of the release, As Friends Rust and Discount embarked on a six-week European and United Kingdom tour, from December 1998 to January 1999, accompanied by Swedish hardcore group Purusam. The European tour included a stop to play at the Good Life Winter Festival, in Kortrijk, Belgium.
Eleven Songs is a compilation album by American melodic hardcore band As Friends Rust. It was originally released on compact disc by Japanese record label Howling Bull Entertainment on October 5, 1999. British record label Golf Records reissued the release, also on compact disc, on October 22, 2001. At the time of its original release in 1999, Eleven Songs was considered somewhat of a discography, since it included all but a single song of what As Friends Rust had released; the Circle Jerks cover "Operation" was omitted.
Striving For Togetherness Records is an independent hardcore music label known for its mid-1990s New York hardcore releases.
Powerviolence is an extremely dissonant and fast subgenre of hardcore punk which is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore. In contrast with grindcore, which is a "crossover" idiom containing musical aspects of heavy metal, powerviolence is just an augmentation of the most challenging qualities of hardcore punk. Like its predecessors, it is usually socio-politically charged and iconoclastic.
Ceremony is an American punk rock band from Rohnert Park, California. The band's current line-up features Ross Farrar (vocals), Anthony Anzaldo (guitar), Justin Davis (bass), Andy Nelson (guitar), and Jake Casarotti (drums). Ryan Mattos (guitar) left before the group's Matador Records signing in 2011, being replaced by Nelson. The band have released six studio albums to date, and have changed their sound considerably across their discography – ranging from elements of powerviolence, grindcore, hardcore punk, punk rock, garage rock, post-punk, indie rock and new wave. Pitchfork once wrote that "Ceremony are hell-bent on not making the same record twice", while Stereogum described the band as "a very good punk band executing old punk tricks to massive effectiveness".
Hogan's Heroes was an American hardcore punk band formed in New Jersey in 1984. During their time they recorded three full lengths for California label New Red Archives. The band broke up in 1993.
Capitalist Casualties were an American powerviolence / hardcore band. They formed in Rohnert Park, CA around 1986 and had their first concert in 1987 in Santa Rosa, California They have released multiple records, including many splits with other powerviolence / hardcore bands, and have toured nationally and internationally.
