A few weeks back, at the turn of the year, we published our annual Most Anticipated Albums for the coming year. In making our selections back in December, I had initially chosen the third installment of French grossgrinders Pulmonary Fibrosis’ Nasal Nauseous Liquid Vomit Goregrind round-ups (because I’m a sucker for damned near any grindcore comp, and because I dig what them fellers do), but then that one turned up on Bandcamp in the final days of 2023. Seemed silly to publish a piece declaring my anticipation for an album that’s already out, right? But have no fear, said I: There are plenty of (hopefully) great grindcore options to come, so I pivoted to Menari Dalam Abu Algoritma, the fourth album from Indonesian-turned-Californian outfit AK//47. I even had my blurb written up and ready to go live on January 12… and then Menari Dalam Abu Algoritma came out on January 9.
Foiled, yet again…
…if you can call getting a heckin’ strong grindcore album earlier than expected being “foiled.” Which, of course, it isn’t, at all. It’s a gift; it’s a killer start to what we’re all hoping is a killer year, and the kind of kick-ass ass-kicking that helps me get through another cold and grey January.
(A quick aside before we really get started, per the Google, Menari Dalam Abu Algoritma translates to “Dancing In The Ashes Of The Algorithm.”)
Now based in Oakland, California, having relocated from Semarang, Indonesia, AK//47 guitarist/vocalist Garna Raditya has two new bandmates in Mike Calvert (bass) and Gregg Deadface (drums, also of kickass Oakland bashers xHostagex), but his overall approach to AK//47’s attack hasn’t changed all that much. This grinding is still a relatively straightforward one, built on eminently catchy riffs that are simple and direct, balancing its blasting fury against a noticeably swingin’ swagger.
Witness the mile-wide groove of “Memeluk Pohon” (“Hugging A Tree”), where Raditya’s riffs display an almost stoner-metal bounce at times, augmented by discordant arpeggios, a juxtaposition that crops up throughout Menari, and in fact, throughout AK//47’s canon. Or witness “Marah Kepada Pemerintah,” where a similarly simple (but not dumb, mind you) riff closes out the track on a hardcore crush groove. Spaced perfectly between long stretches of pulverizing grind, those moments of swagger serve as quick respites, breathers, the pull to the remainder of Menari’s push, and it’s a masterful balancing act. Closer “Alam Marah Besar” (“Nature Is Furious”) is built on dissonant chords, with an opening that’s almost weirdly melodic even as it’s ugly and angry.
While the two previous AK//47 efforts were certainly solid (I’ll concede I’m not very familiar with the debut album), I found the sonics on 2018’s Loncati Pagar Berduri to be a little off, with a drum mix that didn’t do too many favors for the riffs and songs. In terms of its sound, Menari Dalam Abu Algoritma is easily the best-produced of the three, with a meaty guitar tone and crisp, punchy drums. With that improvement, Menari then slots neatly into the top spot of the AK//47 discography ranking so far. It’s the same ol’ AK//47, but it’s not entirely, and it’s better.
What a great grinding way to start 2024, this one, and right out of the gate… Definitely a gift that will keep on giving.
