Originally written by Jason Jordan.
I like Poland. I like grind. I like Selfmadegod Records. I like Antigama. I like Zeroland. What I don’t like, however, is that this record is being touted as a full-length even though it’s really not one. I’ll get into negative specifics later, but for now I’ll resort to positive generalities: Antigama are a good grind outfit, and this disc is full-fledged proof.
Like several of their ilk, this Polish act adheres to grind procedures, meshing comfortably with others of a similar style, while blasting their own rendition of this fast ‘n furious subgenre. Songs one through eight are mostly one-to-two minute excursions, filled with swift eviscerating musicianship, which are intermittently punctuated by deep gravelly vocals. Err, hold on, “Starshit” is just a minute and a half of static with indecipherable screams thrown in for good measure. The caboose – “Zeroland” – reaches for the ten-minute mark unsuccessfully, but is composed of sparse electronic effects and jumbled monologues exclusively. No grind here, folks. Move it along. By the time the disc ceases to spin, you will have heard twenty-four minutes that supposedly constitutes the label of full-length. But if you were to deduct “Starshit” and “Zeroland” from the whole, then you’d have exactly thirteen minutes of actual music. I must concede that the grind is executed commendably, though there’s simply not enough to warrant a purchase. Purists may argue that this style is best delivered in short increments – I agree that individual tracks are most effective that way – but no matter how it’s rationalized, the amount of content is best described as insufficient and perhaps unacceptable.
While Intellect Made Us Blind and Discomfort fared better in the length category – most assuredly the Achilles’ heel of Zeroland – the band’s latest is quite smashing. Still, out of the most recent Selfmadegod delivery consisting of Antigama, Catheter, Wojczech, and Third Degree, the group listed first are arguably the weakest due to lack of material. I can’t justify spending money on this, either, unless its price accurately reflects the overall package. Personally I’d go with Catheter, though all those bands vary from one another and deserve to be heard for different reasons.
