Massgrav, Still the Kings

I’m not all that familiar with Sweden’s Massgrav, but if the 19 minutes of crusty, grinding mayhem that is spewed out of these 19 songs is any indication, I’m going to have to spend more time than it takes to tear through Still the Kings and check out their extensive back catalog. The multiple vocal (in their native tongue mind you) attack of these blasting punk bastards is backed by an energetic, fast-paced and frenzied blend of grindcore, hardcore, thrash and d-beat. What more could you want?

The great thing about an album like this is that there’s just about no filler, apart from a few sound clips thrown in here and there. Still the Kings is filled to the crusty brim with an all out blast of frenetic noise that’s more suited for the ADD afflicted audience they cater to. For those moments when the pace does slow, there is still plenty of punk tinged angst and head-snapping groove to keep you thoroughly entertained. The album opener is a prime example of this as it starts off blasting before smoothly shifting to California punk type vibe.

I’d point out a couple of standout tracks that must be checked out like “Auktoritetsproblem” or album closer “Suicide,” but in all honesty each track is pretty solid. From all out manic blasts to more “refined” crusty punk, these guys know how to deliver an energetic eruption of aural entertainment. Still the Kings is certainly the album of a band reclaiming the throne amongst their peers. How I missed a band of miscreants like these that have been around since the late 90s, I’ll never know. But now’s as good a time as any to get caught up.