Diabolical Detention

I think that the very fact that Vomit Spawn covers the Itchy And Scratchy theme as a closer to this EP tells you more than a full-fledged review ever could. This mini-disc is eight tracks of straightahead grindcore with a big influence from artists like Righteous Pigs, Repulsion, Napalm Death, and other early stalwarts of the genre, with not even the slightest bit of progress or introspection present. Those elements are replaced by more screaming and blast beats, just like it should be. I can only imagine how great this material is live.

Really, imagine a Righteous Pigs song at triple speed and chaos and you have a pretty good idea of what Vomit Spawn sounds like. Everything careens in a way that borders on complete entropy at any given moment, with blasting chopping roughly into flying, abrupt fills, with three-chord tremolo riffs taking precedence over anything approaching melody. Vocals are an ultra-fast, yelping scream that tries to match pace with the snare drum before ending with a massive screech with every fill like failing breaks on a '64 Impala. The longest song is still under two minutes. It's the musical equivalent to a midget punching you in the balls as fast as possible.

'Diabolical Detention' is an EP that's unapologetically for fans of the genre and no one else. This is about the last release that will change your mind on whether you think grindcore is a worthwhile genre of music or not. For grindcore fans, though, it's a great little EP that can stand up to dozens of listens in a row without ever getting old, because at every turn there's a new fill, a new scream, a new hyperspeed riff, and never the feeling that the band is holding back at all. If you've been listening to 'Stress Related' non-stop since 1990, this is the perfect mCD for you. It's really good music to drive off a cliff and onto a bus full of disabled orphans, supermodels, and small, furry animals to.