Blockheads are familiar figures in French grindcore, enough that Bones Brigade released the retrospective From Womb to Genocide (which contains Watch Out) in 2001 and have been the band’s longtime home/album reissuer. After listening to Watch Out, it should be obvious why.

Blockheads have five styles of vocals as four of the five members provide vocals for Watch Out, and for some reason it works. The fuck-’em-and-let-nature-sort-it-out motif seems to be taken from Brutal Truth, with some crust-punk and old-school grindcore a la Napalm Death for leavening. It makes for an enjoyable listen.

Quite honestly, I wonder why Blockheads haven’t become more well-known than they are, since this is properly angry grindcore that is still fun as fuck to listen to. Those who own From Womb to Genocide will have heard these songs before, but neophytes should expect some intense, meat-and-potatoes grind with a tribal theme and a tightly-focused energy. Watch Out isn’t gimmicky for the most part - on "Crom Cruach" there’s some post-production computer fuckery on Xav’s vocals, but that’s the extent of it. Watch Out isn’t an instant classic, but Blockheads deserve at least a minute of any “pure” grind fan’s time.

There are a few weak spots with regards to Watch Out. The album gets a little repetitive near the end, and "Dog Bomb" is the only substandard song on an album where the rest of the songs are at least good. Seriously, "Dog Bomb" seems barely connected to the rest of the album sound and lyric-wise, and I’d love to know what the fuck a Dog Bomb is. On the plus side, Watch Out doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s kicked you in the back of the head fifteen times like you were a jobber and Blockheads were CM Punk. (Yeah, my standard pro wrestling reference, what of it.)

You owe it to yourself to at least give Blockheads a listen. You’ve had ten years to do so, now.

Written By: The Ultimate Mark