Ablutionary Rituals

When I saw the band name Grog the first thing I thought of was that this might be some kind of Folk music. This is not the case with these Portuguese DM slayers. They play a very brutal and intense kind of DM with some Grindcore elements sounding like the hellish spawn of a Grog heavy night.

They are no newbies being around since 1991 so it is fair to say they are not just another young band riding the bandwagon and release albums that have already been released more than 2 decades ago. “Ablutionary Rites” sounds like the album of a band having refined their sound over the years taking the basis of the past but not being afraid of implementing a few fresh and modern twists. The riffing is crushing and somewhere between Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse and Suffocation with only few parts with a slower and more stoic style. A lot of short melodic lead sections have been woven into the songs most of them having a certain chaotic feeling.

The relentless drumming is further enhancing the nervous vibe of the record. Rolando Barros who is the man behind the kit does not stop attacking with full force. For major parts he only knows one speed and that is full speed. Only in a few moments he is slowing down switching to a groovier mode. This parts are often accompanied by some of those sick and slightly disturbing lead guitar interplays building the bridge to the next section of brutal assault.

I have to give the credit to Grog as although the music is so intense and without real breaks they managed to write actual songs. Being overwhelmed at the first listen it was during subsequent spins where I noticed that a lot of the chords and hooks got stuck with me. This is where the experience of these guys is obvious and what makes the difference to some other bands sounding similar at first but without a real sense for songwriting.

Singer Pedro Pedra has to be mentioned as well as he has done a hell of a job roaring and screaming like a madman. His growling has a nice deep tone and he also uses a few aggressive screams and some guttural elements. His delivery is ramping up the intensity of the whole affair even more.

The production is spot on with a nice balance between brutality and clarity. The instruments (even the bass) are perfectly audible and the whole mix has a lot of power. Rounded off by an atmospheric and eerie artwork this is an easy purchase for fans of the more brutal side of DM.