So here’s the thing about Rotten Sound: They kick ass.
That’s really the end of the review, but okay, let’s keep going. Now some thirty years into their career, Rotten Sound has set themselves into a cycle of an EP in the off season between albums, and yeah, that’s cool, but it still comes back to the above: They kick ass.
Mass Extinction is one of those EPs. It doesn’t deviate from the band’s established grindcore mastery, but that’s absolutely fine, because, remember, Rotten Sound kicks ass. From the blistering downbeat of “Recycle” onward, it’s ten minutes of nonstop ferocity, blastbeat anger tinted with HM2 Swedeath buzzsaw tonality. Some songs are a little groovier, like “Ride Of The Future” or “Gone,” with its catchy ending, but for the most part, this is a handful of minutes of sheer savagery. “Brave New World” samples the Heaven’s Gate cult, as many have, but nevertheless, it still rips, and….
…that repetition is the only negative that could be applied to Mass Extinction: It’s Rotten Sound retread, even as it’s new. It advances Rotten Sound’s attack in no way, at all, but it also continues the destruction, and in perfect fashion. As a fan, I’m absolutely okay with that – I’ll take all the Rotten Sound I can get, any time they deliver it. But even the soundbites are old, and that does give Mass Extinction a rehashed feel, but…
Here’s the thing: Rotten Sound is hands down one of the greatest grind bands ever, and Mass Extinction is absolutely a great addition to their catalog. So yeah, don’t dig too deep into anything, just let the anger overtake you, and … here you are.
So here’s the thing about Rotten Sound: No matter what, they kick ass.
