Unborn Suffer have 25* songs for you. You need only set aside 33 minutes to experience those songs. There are samples, and popcorn drums, and vocals from the bottom of the gutter. If you guessed that it’s grindcore time, then you are correct! This Polish power trio has been at it since 2002, but, [cue chorus] “There’s too much damn metal out there!” and Last Rites is here to introduce ourselves for the first time. In the end, what matters is that we are here now, and we have tightened our drumheads to 11 in preparation. (*there are 27 songs and about 2 extra minutes if you get the CD version with bonus tracks)
You see, Unborn Suffer sounds best when they get a little weird. “Whole World Gone Insane” is a fun 8 second ripper that is followed by 41 seconds of “Obliteration of Faith” that features some pigs-being-tortured-until-they-learn-to-scat-vocals. It’s as strange as it sounds, and also fantastically fun. Then some funky bass breaks give extra spice to the next song, “Degradation of Evolution,” and this trio of tracks gets it all done in less than three minutes. It’s not the completely unhinged insanity of French superweirdos Hardcore Anal Hydrogen, but the goofiness on display suits Unborn Suffer well and gives a dynamic balance to all the jackhammer riffage.
“A-82” has a Napalm Death-style chugging, bass-heavy riff at its core, as does “All Living Kills” and several others. In fact, Sławas’ bass playing helps elevate the music, and all three members get equal play in the mix. Sfenson’s guitar riffs are appropriately chunky, the vocals (split between Sfenson and Sławas) are primarily deep gutturals, and Lukass’ drums pop and rattle and blast and pop some more. Samples in several languages are splattered throughout to complete the grindcore bingo card.
It feels strange to complain about a 33 minute album being too long, but Commit(ment to) Suicide feels just a bit too long. Trim a few of the more generic tracks and focus on the weird ones, and you would have a visceral and replayable EP. Regardless, if slammin’ grindcore is your thing, there’s a lot to like here.
(As an entirely personal aside, please talk to a trusted person if you or someone you know is feeling suicidal. Metal is rife with violent and nihilistic messages, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with highlighting the darker side of humanity, but we should also support our community and the struggles that many people face [especially during a global pandemic]. Folks in the US can use these resources: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 800-273-8255. Thanks for reading, and stay safe and healthy, friends.)
