Sometimes we spend so much time trying to find obscure grind bands from Latvia that we lose touch with bands that lie much closer to the general population. However, there is a reason for this which is quite simple; most of the time, your searching is rewarded with quite the band which you can’t wait to tell your friends about but they could care less because they are looking for a live Phish bootleg. Most of the time, bands that seem to emerge from nowhere onto a big time label take what they believe to be the best of the underground and create a seemingly "different" sound. What is left for us is some rehashed nonsense that we heard about 3 years ago.

Now, my bitter sentiments you think would be reflected in the review of this band. However, Animosity’s release isn’t terrible. I spent a ton of time trying to figure what band this sounds like and finally I was able to put a finger on it. It reminds me of a poor man’s Misery Index with the sound, riffage, and mentality of Foreshadowing Our Demise era Skinless. The music rumbles on at a moderate pace, dabbling awfully close to a sound that I absolutely despise. This sound I refer to is the band known as Shadows Fall. But right when you think the music is going to fall into this fecal-ridden abyss, they blast out some slower Skinless-style riff and save themselves. My favorite parts of the disc were the slower ones, where eerie chord progressions melded nicely with the thick sound. I did enjoy the somewhat muddy sound and the throaty vocal / Jason Netherton scream trade offs. It must also be noted that the guitars, bass, and drums are played with proficiency, especially considering that these guys need fake identification to buy a beer at their own shows.

The more and more I listened to the disc, the more I thought of Misery Index. You even have the politically-tinged lyrics to boot. The incorporation of speed, grind, groove, and technicality is highly present. There is also that hardcore mentality that may drive a few people nuts. It just lacks that punch that Misery Index has. But I am sure many people will find this to be groundbreaking and unbelievable. It’s got to be, right? It’s on Metal Blade!

Review byDouble Ds