Grindcrew Warheads

On top of being some totally righteous dudes, Unholy Grave are also the champions of releasing audio in bulk. Fans of the band will ALWAYS have a recording in rotation and will probably never ache for a new release. And here we have another live document of those legendary Japanese mincers (perhaps second only to genre namer Agathocles) that accurately captures the fury that erupts during one of the millions of appearances that they have made over the years. This specific live album was recorded during their 2007 tour with the late/great Insect Warfare (a shout out can be heard during the close of the Side B) at California’s Showcase Theater, and showcases a band that can simultaneously play loose and tight at the same time.

In true grind fashion, the 20 track set lasts about a half hour and as a sort of “best-of” from that period, there are many highlights to enjoy here. Among them are ‘Motorcharged,’ which will stick into the memory due to the signature goofy clean (or whatever they are) vocals as well as the vicious assault of ‘Maniacal Discharge.’ A tradition of the band is close their shows with Ramones covers (‘Teenage Lobotomy’ here), which translate very well. The band does sound a bit tired, especially the abused vocals of lead vocalist Takaho Komatsu, which give evidence of the wear and tear a band undergoes during their travels. No studio trickery here, just raw and true music for the fans that adore it. A live recording doesn’t really do them justice however.

One thing that should be said about this band is that they live their ethos out. As mentioned before, the sheer amount of stuff these gentlemen have put out points to their band being a full time job, one that runs contrary to the largely conservative nation in which they hail (at least from an American perspective) and even the part-time/hobby culture that the underground music scenes of the world seem to produce. Who knows what struggles they went through in taking the position they have on political and social issues and choosing to use music, nay, EXTREME music as a vehicle for it? Instead taking part in Japan’s large-scale service and manufacturing economy (and that of the world, also), they instead chose to create their own brand, one that has taken twenty years to build. I had the pleasure of witnessing the group headline at Berkeley’s legendary Gilman several years ago, and saw a group of men somewhat older and more worn than their fellow co-liners. My memory tells me that bassist Yasutaka Kajihara even held a disenchanted frown for most of the show, one that led to discussion amongst my comrades. It must be hard, and the band’s humanistic and sensitive outlook makes me feel sensitive to them. But I also remember buying “Terroraging Crisis” from the hands of the charismatic Takaho, who smiled when I told him that I thought his band was “fucking awesome.” I wasn’t lying or exaggerating. Support!

Originally Published In Metalegion Magazine
http://www.metalegion.com/content/issue-1/