Every time I check my PO Box and find a promo package from No Escape Records, I know I’m about to be treated to a tasty slab of gore. The current offering is the split release of New Zealand-based old school death-gore freaks Meatyard and traditional Dutch grind-gore sickos Maggots.

The first 6 tracks are by Meatyard. Normally when I read through the press releases of labels, the list of influences for bands are usually so far off it’s laughable, but the guys at No Escape know their shit and Meatyard do, in fact, "embody the old school underground gore/grind/death spirit with a sound that recalls the old masters from the early 90s US scene such as Rottrevore, Impetigo, Phlegm, Embalmer and Autopsy."

The music is filled with meaty riffs, drum kit smashing and inhuman raspy snarls all wrapped within a sludgy production. The majority of the material on their half of the split is slow and crushing, with a strong doom-vibe. The standout track is "Necrowhore Of Sodomy", which is 7:21 of some of the most crushing doom-death-gore these ears have ever heard.

The remaining 10 tracks are handled by Holland’s Maggots. The group features members (drummer Paul Niessen and vocalist Luc Favié) of power violence/punk/grind/crust/hardcore group F.U.B.A.R. so it should come as no surprise that Maggots play a similarly hate-fueled grinding assault. The material is pure rip-your-face-off-and-piss-in-the-wound ferocious hyper grind. If you’ve heard F.U.B.A.R. and you liked Justification Of Criminal Behavior then their material on this half of the split is an absolute must-own.

Bottom line is 9 times out of 10 No Escape Records delivers when it comes to quality grind, and they’ve delivered once again with this release. If you’re looking for a fine mix of old school and pure grinding hate, the Meatyard and Maggots split is a solid purchase.

Written By: Teufel