After a long five years, Finland’s very own grindcore titans, Rotten Sound, make their triumphant return with their own brand of chaos in the form of Apocalypse (Season of Mist). 

For the next twenty minutes, your inner ear is going to be tossed around in an aural mosh pit, and yet you will want to keep coming back for more.

‘Sharing’ was the first track that immediately stuck as the lyrics are bluntly attacking the concept that the rich continue to amass more wealth as the rest are dwindling away. The second half of the track is a giant breakdown that really delivers the message home. ‘Digital Bliss’ focuses on how technology is getting so advanced to a point that the machines started calling the shots, a la Terminator series. A very fitting ending of the track with the last word screamed is held out until there is no more air left to come out, signifying the machines won. 

‘Denialist’ is another standout on Apocalypse with the first half of the track being slow and doomy which helps give such a negative feeling. Then, like a snap of the fingers later, the usual Rotten Sound grind machine is re-enabled and blows you away with more blast beats and chainsaw guitar riffs to close the track.

I always find it perplexing when someone exclaims that musicians should leave politics and the like out of their music. What I do not find puzzling is Rotten Sound not giving a shit about those people and putting it all out on the line, attacking the rich, war, racists/bigots, the media, and other contemporary topics. 

The way these guys deliver their message in Apocalypse further adds to the ferocity behind the words that have a clear disdain of how the world is for all of us in this day and age. You would make quite a mistake in missing out on this early consideration for certain year-end lists.

Buy the album here:

https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/rotten-sound-apocalypse

8 / 10

TIM LEDIN