Mongo Musicale

Standing boldly as the kings of humorous grind, Birdflesh’s cult standard as a wild and spastic trio is rightfully proven by the uncanny display of funny lyrics while focusing on their slaughtering spices of quasi-Napalm Death dismemberment. Connecting these items is something that gives Birdflesh a different voice amongst their grinding counterparts, and their style definitely sparks a new taste on the sampling patter. The group has received a proportionate rate of positivity from their third full-length entitled “Mongo Musicale,” and it unquestionably leads the pack in present-day grind CDs and releases alike. To bend and control the limits of humor with such a genre seems unlikely, but Birdflesh makes it all fall in flawlessly with this golden aura of grindcore madness.

“Mongo Musicale” is essentially pure old-school grindcore worship in the vein of Napalm Death and friends with lots of heavy riffing, blastbeats, and really short songs; but Birdflesh tends to do it in an enjoyable manner beyond what one would expect. The average pygmy-induced duration doesn’t leave a lot of room for musical room, yet multiple riffs of all walks of life slither through each tune at mind-numbing paces. Also, Birdflesh’s melting pot of technical riffs mixes superbly with the deep growling vocals, complex percussion fills, and intense blastbeats comfortably; the overall structure is bloody and raw, just like it should be. Now that’s all good and fine, but isn’t this just another grindcore clone?

Sorry, but no. In fact, Birdflesh adds a lot more to the picture – like humor, samples, and random soloing tracks – than your average grind act. For starters, three songs off “Mongo Musicale” are full-blown bass, drum, and guitar solos just tossed in for shits and giggles. It’s also quite common to hear an unusual dog bark, a squeaky quasi-chipmunk vocal style, and even an odd operatic vocal breakdown. Birdflesh is weird as hell, but that’s the point; they’d be just another grindcore band without daring and nutty tactics.

All in all, Birdflesh’s take on classic grindcore makes “Mongo Musicale” a stellar stint of excitement worth hearing again and again. The squad’s clear take on the vicious genre brings a lot more to the table than what you’d expect, and in dozens of ways too! There is nothing but good things to say about “Mongo Musicale,” and it’s just a nice slab of grind that really takes the genre into a new light; a very good CD overall.