Review of Squash Bowels - Grindvirus

2009 was a pretty strong year for grindcore (and Willowtip) with the likes of Blood I Bleed, Napalm Death, Defeatist, Insect Warfare, Afgrund, Mumakil, Magrudergrind and such delivering the grinding goods, and Willowtip put the cherry on top of 2009 with the 5th album from Polish stalwarts Squash Bowels.

If you are familiar with European grind such as Afgrund/Nasum/Rotten Sound and especially former label, Obscene Productions’ stuff (Birdflesh, Blooduster, Cripple Bastards, Captain Cleanoff etc), you’ll be right at home with Grindvirus, as I was, even though I have not heard anything this lot has done since 2005s Love Songs. Furious, beefy, mid range, groovy and surprisingly catchy grindcore with ultra deep vocals and tongue planted firmly in cheek.

The 13 songs are all in the 1- 3 minute range with standout “Child Victims” coming in at a whopping 3 ½ minutes and all have the huge wall of sound production that is Mieszko Talarczyk’s legacy. Starting with the phlegmy hack of the title track, Grindvirus is full throttle for 28 minutes on the legs and arms of drummer Mariusz “Melon” Miernik. When the band does slow down its a brief groove or bridge (“Wriggler”, “Sheepy Dag”, “Nose Lunger”, “Anodal Closing Odour”) into some paint peeling vicious blasts (i.e “D.I”, “Hamsters in Your Head”, “Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Ass”).

An album like this does not really need too much dissection, but I imagine grindcore fans and fans of any bands mentioned above already have this, but if you don’t, you should get this album from one of the genres most reliable and consistent bands.