Like many Southern European states, Portugal got hit by the world financial crisis really big time. Debts, inflation, insecurity and unemployment especially affect younger people who are now going through some extremely difficult times. As fucked up as this situation is, it seems to be an ideal breeding ground for angry music – the new record by the Portuguese Grind-heads UTOPIUM is a perfect proof for that.
Vicious Consolation / Virtuous Totality delivers 18 raging tracks of Grindcore madness that doesn’t stay away from interspersing bits of Crust and Sludge. The final outcome is some of the most unadulterated, heavy musical brutality you’ll hear in a while. Bands like the mighty Nasum or Rotten Sound might have been a prime influence, but UTOPIUM are so full of piss and vinegar and tight musicianship that they really don’t need any comparisons.
The band combines the light speed attacks typical for Grindcore with a bit of groove here and there, but without sounding like some slam-death-crap. VC/VT for sure isn’t a very subtle record; it’s brutal, hard, direct and merciless and powerful enough to let whole buildings collapse. And since most Grindcore fanatics aren’t exactly on the lookout for the most sensitive, complex music, this record should be perfectly right for them.
The production is pretty killer as well, the guitars sound thick and heavy, the growls are really pissed but not ridiculously deep and the drumming keeps pushing the whole thing ceaselessly forward. And the riffs these guys pull off are definetely way above the average.
So if you dig Scandi Grind like Nasum or Rotten Sound or the classics like Terrorizer‘s World Downfall you definetely should check out UTOPIUM‘s Vicious Consolation / Virtuous Totality. This is a total rager.
DiogoRicardo
May 3, 2013 at 1:53 pm
It’s good to see that portuguese bands like besta and utopium are being recognized abroad it’s a sign that the portuguese grind scene it’s alive and healthy, and a sign that us portuguese people are angry with the economical and social measures taken by our corrupt polititians the time for revolution is getting closer and closer
Hugo Santos
May 3, 2013 at 6:09 am
Preorder available at: http://bleakrecordings.bigcartel.com/
Doom it yourself!