Cleptocracy

Kill the Client is a Texan grindcore outfit with a social political slant to their lyrics. How is this different than most other grindcore? It's really not, and therein lies my disinterest. With a genre such as this, in which the point is to pummel the listener with as much chaos as you possibly can, it is CRUCIAL to write interesting, fast songs, or at the very least use a sinister enough production that the riffs you are unconsciously borrowing from every other grind band acquire a new level of meanness.

These guys are somewhat of a technically proficient band, they do write the occasional riff that will have you think 'hey, that's a little unusual for this genre', but the majority of this material is the same grind I've been hearing over and over since Napalm Death in the late 80s. Since they're not using the ripping production of European death/grind acts like Nasum or Rotten Sound, I couldn't even get into that element. As an end result, I sat through a frenetic 18 tracks that I will likely never want to listen to again.

It seems like Kill the Client are some pretty smart dudes with a lot to say, I just wish the music was as interesting as their message. While Cleptocracy is by no means a 'bad' grindcore record, where can I find a good one? I wasn't enamored with their debut Escalation of Hostility, and sadly this isn't my cup of tea either.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Review originally published at http://www.teethofthedivine.com by Erik Thomas


After a relatively quiet 2008, Willowtip has literally unleashed the hounds with three top notch grindcore releases; Phobia’s 22 random Acts of Violence, Maruta’s In Narcosis, and this the devastating follow up to Kill the Clients impressive debut Escalation of Hostility.

Though still steeped in the steroid fueled, punky Napalm Death -ish grind and blast noise and sociopathic political rants, Dallas’ Kill the Client have dirtied their sound up sice the debut, making these 18 raging numbers even more feral and angry than the debut. The result is arguably one of the most furious grind albums of the last few years.

Dissecting 18, sub two minute songs is a pointless task especially when all 18 tracks (except the lumbering “Downfall”) are utterly eviscerating, merciless assaults of classic grindcore on a PCP and steroid fueled binge of anti government violence and destruction. Backed by Brian Fajardo’s truly relentless and palpably angry drumming, tracks like “Divide and Conquer”, “Red State Rampage”, “The Lies”, “Bullet Proof Vultures”, “Christian Pipebomb”, “Product of Misinformation” and “Spartacus” (one of the three tracks taken from 2007s split with Agoraphobic Nosebleed) are tangibly pissed off and tear into you with the force and tenacity of one of Michael Vick’s pit bulls.

A cover of Infest’s “Terminal Nation” closes this 23 minute assault on your ears, but they will bleed and rings for a while afterwards. In a time where American metal is being core-ified, commercialized and packaged for the Hot Topic generation, I’m glad to see bands like Kill the Client literally deliver a giant, shredded, mutilated middle finger to the scene.