Back to the Grindstone: Insect Warfare – World Extermination

By Saunders

Back to the Grindstone is a love letter feature dedicated to the appreciation of all things grindcore. This most extreme of extreme niche genres has been kicking since the late ’80s, growing in underground stature as the years march on. The rule of thumb to this feature is simple; spotlight will be on grind albums old and new, though will not include releases from the past five years, or albums previously covered on this website. Genre classics, underappreciated gems, old school and nu school will be covered, highlighting albums aimed at established fans and curious listeners interested in diving into the cesspool of the grind scene.

For the long overdue second installment of the Back to the Grindstone feature, it is time to examine one of modern grind’s great treasures, a raw, uncompromising and gritty blast of unvarnished, tough-as-nails grind from Texan killing crew, Insect Warfare. A one-hit wonder, in the fact the now defunct outfit only ever released one full-length album amidst a series of shorter form nuggets, Insect Warfare made their major statement count big time. Regardless, the utterly relentless twenty-two minutes of elite grind comprising World Extermination is a must-listen for the uninitiated grind freak, or any hardened grind veteran yet to be acquainted with what the lads served up here.

Released in 2007, World Extermination slots into the modern realms of grind, yet eschews the polished or streamlined aspects of some modern grind, in favor of an incredibly intense and raw throwback to the old school values of legendary acts Brutal Truth, Phobia and Napalm Death. The trio make one hell of a ruckus, boasting one of the meanest, nastiest guitar tones in modern grind history, as crusty, serrated grind riffs collide with frenetic drumming, while the rabid grunts, growls and screams of band mouthpiece Rahi Geramifar rage over the top. It’s sharp, brutal stuff, not for the faint of heart. White knuckled intensity and shrieking extremity are key grindcore components, but without the song-smithing smarts it can devolve into a noisy mess with little substance. Insect Warfare cram tons of nasty riffs, rhythmic shifts, and rotten grooves to keep the listener clambering back for more.

The riffs are catchy in the purest grind sense, while the gritty, aggro percussion and organic, no-frills production lends the album its frantic, off-the-chain edge and vitality. And don’t be fooled by the short runtime and quantity of songs, even within compact time capsules, the songs offer plenty of bang for your buck. World Extermination tears by with such reckless abandon that it often demands instant replay, and as with many classic grind albums, it is best absorbed in one concentrated rush. Highlights are plentiful and tend to chop and change from listen to listen, however, there are a slew of noteworthy modern grind classics to explore. The musicianship is excellent, with one of the tightest performances you will hear on a grindcore album. Beau Beasley handles guitars and bass, and it’s his violently speedy, deceptively infectious riffs that propel the album and provide the hooks, working in perfect unison with Dobber Beverly’s imaginative, frenetic drumming performance.

“Self Termination” raises the bar early; a tightly wound ball of rage and relentless energy, featuring gnarly, hook-riddled riffs, insanely fast drumming and unhinged vocals. “Manipulator” features the requisite high-octane blasts of barely contained mayhem with an epic closing groove riff that is the ultimate payoff. Elsewhere, the awe-inspiring intensity and chaos of “Mass Communcation Mindfuck” is the ideal soundtrack to a violent rampage, “Hydraphobia” welds toughened grooves and headbanging riffage, with glass-shattering grind outbursts and manic drumming. Special mention must also go to drummer Beverly, who attacks his kit with finesse, lightning-limbed speed, and concussive battery. Closer “Evolved into Obliteration” shows some restraint, its ominous, seething tone and throat-shredding, Iron Monkey-esque higher-pitched vox forming a vicious climax to close proceedings.

Perhaps not the most suitable candidate for first-timers exploring the wonders of grindcore, World Extermination is nevertheless essential listening and one of the milestone grind albums released in the past twenty years. Sadly, it was the only proper LP released before Insect Warfare split up, but deserves to be considered a grindcore hall-of-famer and modern classic.

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