EP Review: Rotten Sound - Mass Extinction
Reviewed by Rich Oliver
The Finnish grind legends are not messing around when it comes to their eleventh EP “Mass Extinction”. These songs were born during the sessions for the band’s previous album - 2023’s “Apocalypse” - but were put aside for this release. Made up of eight songs across a running time of just under ten minutes, “Mass Extinction” pulls absolutely no punches and shows why this Finnish grindcore institution is so revered.
Opener ‘Recycle’ kicks things off with sheer fucking violence and this momentum keeps up for ‘Ride Of The Future’ with drummer Sami Latva unleashing an awe inspiring blastbeat attack. Rotten Sound know how to temper those moments of blast-beat ridden carnage with fat grooves and d-beat carnage as can be heard in ‘Gone’ and ‘Idealist’ whilst the closing title track has a filthy sludgy sound to it.
The sound is punchy and beyond ferocious and the performances and energy exceed that of a young and hungry band, never mind a grindcore act that has been ripping and tearing for over thirty years. And having done this for over thirty years, Rotten Sound have a formula that works for them and they continue to stick with and refine it. “Mass Extinction” is a short and sharp blast of barely controlled aggression and is a perfect listen for anyone needing to let off a bit of steam. One thing for sure is these grindcore veterans are not slowing down any time soon. In fact they seem to be getting more and more extreme with age. “Mass Extinction” is the perfect soundtrack for a world ready to ignite
