Horrified

People usually credit Napalm Death with being the godfathers of grindcore; but this reviewer, for one, doesn't really see how they can do that. After all, it is Repulsion that came before Napalm (heck, they were even a source of inspiration for that band!) And some might wonder just how influential Repulsion can be since they only released one album. But they, thanks to their debut full-length (which was recorded in 1986), "Horrified," are actually enormously influential and important. After all, it is one of the first-ever grindcore albums in existence, and would make Repulsion capable of going on to inspire the next two generations of bands not only in the grindcore (including goregrind), hardcore/crust punk, and death metal genres; but also being extremely influential for the black metal and thrash genres, as well. Heck, there are even some bands out there (see: Black Breath, Six Feet Under, Dismemberment, etc.) that are so heavily inspired by Repulsion, that they adopted one of this Michigan-based quartet's song titles for a moniker of their own group. But "Horrified" is worth far more than just being an important milestone release. For one, even listeners who have already been subjected to the likes of, say, Assuck, Nasum, Magrudergrind, and/or Noisear should agree that this album remains as intense today as it ever was. (And no matter how many times you listen to it, it never does seem to get any less intense.) This is partially thanks due to the fact that "Horrified" sounds so unique, even with an uncountable number of impersonators flooding the marketplace today. Nobody can seem to get the sound 100% just right that Repulsion have created, here. And the band might not exactly be technical, but they sure can play their instruments. Col Jones may have not actually invented the blast beat (that honor goes to Sepultura's Igor Cavalera, for his work on "Morbid Visions," and Extreme Noise Terror's Darren "Pig Killer" Olley); but he certainly patented it, and made Repulsion one of the first ever bands to use it in excess. (Every one of these eighteen songs explodes with ferocious, single-footed grindcore blasts and double-time thrash beats.) Meanwhile, frontman Scott Carlson sounds like he is flossing his teeth with barbed-wire, as he alternates a rough, mid-range (but still not quite Cookie Monster-worthy) growl with unnerving rasps and freakishly high, Celtic Frost/Kreator-inspired shrieks. And elsewhere, Sean MacDonald's bass forms an extremely filthy, wet-in-your-ears sounding, wall-of gut-rumbling sludge; while guitarists Matt Olivo and Matt Harvey, repeatedly bash out simplistic, Slayer-inspired thrash riffs, buzzsaw-fast guitar leads, and some of the absolute most noisy and shredding, whammy bar-laden solos ever put to tape. Overall, the album does seem to blend together a bit too much. But that is certainly not to say that there aren't standout tracks present, here. For example, "The Stench Of Burning Death" is a propulsive opening launch pad backed by a pounding, even borderline catchy, doom-soaked main riff that has been borrowed by Napalm Death a dozen-or-more times (most notably for their 1987 song "Deceiver"). Soon enough, however, the song becomes a decapitating barrage of blistering riffage, thunderous blast beats, and extremely noisy and squealing, whammy-bar soloing. And later songs, such as "Eaten Alive" (and the subsequent "Acid Bath"), are two especially amazing drum performances, long on hyper-kinetic double kick drumming, frantic fills, and pulverizing blasts. Elsewhere, tracks like "Slaughter Of The Innocent" use blast beats, but not quite as much as usually, thus creating a nice, adherent groove. Some catchy "wah-wah"-esque guitar licks are included, here, too. The blast beats also stop, albeit just momentarily, in Radiation Sickness" thus forming a great contrast and friction near the beginning of the song. Another big standout is "Festering Boils," which marries an especially brutal bass tone (including a bass intro that sounds like a rusty chainsaw) with grinding, chest-caving guitars, and jackhammer-fast drumming. "Crematorium" barrels forward with Jones pummeling his trapkit into a million pieces with mind-bogglingly fast, ferocious, jackhammer-gone-wild blasting. "Driven To Insanity" is a borderline catchy tune, and one that boasts crunchy, churning, and at times almost machine-gun riffing. It is also fueled by a positively breakneck tempo and soloing section. Other notable mentions include "Six Feet Under" (which has more of the same drumming as heard in "Crematorium"); the band's title song ("Repulsion"), which is especially blazing, careening, and out of control; "The Lurking Fear," which briefly but notably switches to an up-tempo, chugging part; and "Maggots In Your Coffin," which was also later covered by Napalm Death on that group's "Leaders Not Followers" E.P.. The bottom line, here, is easy enough to understand: If you don't know Repulsion and/or "Horrified," you simply do not know grindcore (or any of extreme metal, for that matter). Simply put, the album is an absolutely bloody essential listen. Buy it and blast-out your eardrums! It is grindcore in its truest, heaviest, filthiest, and most unadulterated form.

If you love grindcore, this is a must have

First cd is the original masterpiece of grindcore, not ruined by remastering. Maybe they got this point by following Mick Harris's advice. The second cd is longer, contains demos of before and after, and showcases different directions the sound and songwriting could, can, DID, go. Love Face of Decay!

Grindcore defined. Recorded in mid '86, Repulsion did it first and did it best. This album was so friggin far ahead of its time that they couldn't even get a record deal until Repulsion worshipers Carcass put it out 3 years later and got Dig to distro it. It was considered too extreme (Death and Morbid Angel had the same problem back then too). Sounds retarded today but record companies back then thought Slayer fans couldn't handle death metal/grindcore. Boy were they wrong. To put Repulsion in perspective, while you're listening to Horrified with its lightning fast drums, riffs that cut like razors, the goriest lyrics ever at the time, and the sickest bass tone east of the Mississippi (Chewy from the Accused is the only other person I've heard make a bass sound like that), keep in mind that Horrified was recorded a few months BEFORE Reign in Blood. Napalm Death proudly stole riffs from them. Death's Back From the Dead demo was the only thing that came close to Repulsion. Any metalhead that doesn't own this is a fool. Time to get schooled kiddies.

This album is such a complete realization of a musical leap forward (and the place, time and climate that went along with it) that I almost feel like I don't need to listen to anymore "grindcore." To my ears, it can't get more perfect than this. It's a reactionary feeling, I'll admit, but Repulsion has just the right combo of greasy hardcore and intimidating, confrontational riffs to forever claim ownership of this sonic idea.

horror

In my honest opinion Grindcore started with the almighty Repulsion. They were the first to combine early 80's extreme metal acts like Slayer, early Sodom, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, etc. With early 80's hardcore punk like Discharge, D.R.I, Agnostic Front, Minor Threat, etc. Plus Repulsion always had the sickest guitar riffs a trait that gets forgotten forgotten sometimes in grindcore because some bands just try to go way too fast early Napalm Death is a perfect example of this. This record should be in every metal head's as its a must have. Stand out tracks: The Stench Of Burning Death, Acid Bath, Radiation Sickness, Festering Boils, Black Breath, Maggots In Your Coffin, Horrified.

Want and album to feel like your sinking into hell while feeling like a badass?this is the album for you

Repulsion son sin lugar a dudas, los padres del Grindcore, y han influenciado a bandas como Napalm Death (ellos no eran precisamente Grindcore por aquellos días), Carcass (editaron "Horrified" en su sello Necrosis Records en 1989) y Entombed (su versión de "Black Breath" es muy poderosa) por mencionar sólo a unos cuantos. Por cuestiones de suerte o del destino, los precursores no siempre se llevan toda la gloria o el crédito, y Repulsion entran en esa categoría. Originalmente editado como un demo bajo el titulo de "Slaughter Of The Innocent", "Horrified" sentó las bases para el género, en tracks como "Maggots In Your Coffin", "Eaten Alive", "Black Breath", "Radiation Sickness" o "Driven To Insanity". Ha sido considerado entre los discos más rápidos del Metal junto a joyas del calibre de "Death After Death" de Insanity (otros pioneros, directo de la Bay Area), "World Downfall" de Terrorizer o los mismísimos Morbid Angel con su "Altars Of Madness". La edición en turno de parte de Relapse, incluye 2 discos, el primero con el álbum, y el segundo disco incluye rarezas como los 3 demos y 2 tracks en vivo de cuando aún eran llamados Genocide, o el EP "Excruciation" de Repulsion, lanzado por Relapse en 1991, así como los demos finales de Repulsión. El booklet es bastante completo, con las letras de las canciones, fotos y flyers, además de un ensayo de parte de Laurent Ramadier. ¡¡¡5 estrellas de calificación!!! Un pedazo de la historia del Metal Extremo que no debe faltar en la colección de todo Metalhead, ¡¡¡100 % Recomendable!!!

ok thank you

Alias GENOCIDE ! Excellent speed horror band from USA . Full energy !

Happy with this purchase

Per gli amanti del genere è un must assoluto, da avere!