Arguably no other grindcore band can boast of having the same level of quality and consistency that Finnish quartet Rotten Sound have maintained over their thirty-year career. Even grind godfathers Napalm Death have had their flops over their storied career. With the band’s 8-minute EP Mass Extinction, Rotten Sound once again proves that strictly adhering to a formula can work as long as it’s masterfully done.
Since remaining founding members Mika Aalto (guitar) and Keijo Niinimaa (vocals) are in their 50s, one would expect that they would have started compromising Rotten Sound’s sonic intensity long ago. Yet Mass Extinction proves that the band has no intention of slowing down anytime soon as they continue to champion essentially the same style that they have had since their 2007 full-length Cycles. Counterintuitively, Rotten Sound have arguably become more extreme in recent years. Opening scorcher “Recycle” proves as much as it bursts forth with a blastbeat performed at such a velocity that the aural space between snare and bass drum hits is nearly imperceptible. Likewise, much of “Empty Shells” and “Gone” relies heavily upon drummer Sami Latva’s ability to reach inhuman speeds. That’s not to say that Rotten Sound rely solely on breakneck tempos to fulfill their grindcore manifesto. Many of those same tracks feature skipping d-beat rhythms and crushing death metal grooves that practically dare the listener not to headbang.
Conceptually, the EP explores the current dire state of the world. According to the press release, Niinimaa bemoans how long it takes to “[bring] about real meaningful change” and how everyone has become more distrustful as a result of the proliferation of “[misinformation], polarization, conspiracy theories and censorship.” Tracks such as “Brave New World” and “Polarized” explore the ever-increasing atomization of society, in which we are increasingly disconnected and made distrustful of one another through demonizing media messaging and political posturing. The lyrical concepts of the EP are as perfectly encapsulated by the segments of claustrophobic grindcore as they are by the foreboding, slow-churning stomp of the titular track.
Now that they have surpassed their 30th year as a band, Rotten Sound seem more than content with sticking to the tried and true formula that has barely changed—and only incrementally at that—since their first releases. But, like Motörhead and Cannibal Corpse, consistency can be laudable when it’s done well, and that is often rewarded by a loyal fanbase. That’s precisely what Rotten Sound continue to accomplish with another exceptional grindcore release.