This may piss off some of the grind purists that follow our site (although I can’t imagine they’re reading this, in that case, since it’s not written

6 years ago

This may piss off some of the grind purists that follow our site (although I can’t imagine they’re reading this, in that case, since it’s not written by Matt), but grindcore is a genre that is at its best when melded with other genres. That isn’t to say there aren’t plenty of incredible straightforward grindcore releases from the likes of Napalm Death or Pig Destroyer, but grindcore tends to perform better when it isn’t the sole sonic territory a band occupies. Its basic structure lends itself so much better than almost any other metal archetype out there to genre fluidity and rampant experimentation. Look at the seances of infernal noise that Full of Hell utilize, the post-rock and mathcore infusions of Dionaea, the blackened mania that clouds and strengthens Sunlights Bane. Grindcore is routinely at its best when it shoves all pretense of genre purity to the side and goes hog wild with what else it can throw in.

Diploid certainly know this to be the case: if Everything Went Red is one thing, it is a testament to the magic that can come from just saying “fuck it” and letting songs just be what they are, regardless of whether or not they stick to any expectations for the band. This Australian underground crew takes their chances on this LP to bring in elements of powerviolence, black metal, harsh noise, sludge metal, and drone, all of which fly in the listener’s face at various moments and further serve to illustrate the vehemence and talent on display with Diploid’s savagery. Everything Went Red is a lattice structure of sonic ugliness; we see Diploid here using every tool at their disposal to further explore and develop their penchant for musical violence.

When it works, it passes with flying colors, but the downside of such a mutable base and a wide pool of influences is that at times, Diploid’s core sound on Everything Went Red seems sort of nebulous. Straddling lines is all well and good, but it should add flavor to a band’s identity, not supplant it. It’s easy to become lost at various moments in the album, especially because Diploid takes the path of exploring different genre additions on different songs, not letting the grind, noise, sludge, whatever coalesce into a furious whole – Everything Went Red is fractured in parts because of this, and it’s a noticeable issue with the album.

All in all, though, this is a more-than-enjoyable grindcore record that brings in enough outside flavors to keep listeners constantly engaged and on their toes. In a crowded year for grind – especially grind that experiments with genres – Diploid may not have what it takes to claw their way to the top, but they have tenacity and great ideas in spades, and if they’re willing to keep honing their craft when it comes to how they mix other genres into their music, they could easily become one of the biggest names in the genre. Everything Went Red is a solid mission statement for the band going forward – now it’s up to Diploid to make good on their word.

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Diploid has made the excellent decision to put out Everything Went Red on the record label Art As Catharsis. Check it out here, and throw them a few bucks if you’re so inclined.

Simon Handmaker

Published 6 years ago