Ass to Mouth are an entertainingly-titled but unheralded Polish band that quietly dropped one of the best grind records of the 2010s with Degenerate1, before promptly disappearing for a decade. Their prized quality was their irreverent, cynical outlook on life that resulted in music that tore chunks out of politicians, organized religion, and other holier-than-thou hypocrites. They did this with a perversely visceral brand, dipping into images of sex and violence to deliver their message. 2024 sees their equally unexpected return with a new line-up and record called Enemy of the Human Race. How do they hold up?
With a perfunctory one-sheet and paper-thin social media presence that simply confirm the existence and history of the band, Ass to Mouth clearly prefer to let their super-charged grindcore do the speaking for them. Enemy of the Human Race represents a short, sharp shock of grind, featuring fourteen tracks spread over just twenty-two minutes. The unrelenting drums are the beating heart of the record and one of its strongest facets. They dominate the pace and flow, most obviously on the first few tracks which are some of the more dynamic on the album. I likewise enjoy the rough-shod production aesthetic, with splashy drums, hazy guitars and murky bass conveying a sense of chaos. And the band blends various vocals styles, including roaring shouts, piercing shrieks, and pig squeals. Across the fast tempo, eclectic vocal elements, and chaotic production, Ass to Mouth sound impressively unhinged even by grindcore standards.
Compared with Degenerate, this album feels a bit less passive-aggressive and a bit more outright-aggressive. It features many fewer of the whip-smart samples and humorous spoken-word punctuations between songs, though I still enjoy the highlight on “Nazi Pig” taking aim at Nazis living in middle America. Sharper, faster tracks like “The Underground” and “You’ll Choke with Your Own Shit” offer an aural fist to the face. Even when the songs target grooves more than mere intensity – like the headbangable leads on “Nazi Pig,” “Vomit Taste” and “One Step from Hell” – they feel heavy due to the coarse production. The songs with stronger grooves are important to the overall quality of Enemy of the Human Race because without memorable leads it’s easy for grind to succumb to its own noisy style. Ass to Mouth stay on the right side of that line here, but they’re closer to it than previously. Some of the tracks add comparatively little in memorability, like “XXI” and “Modern Slaves,” sounding like filler even on such a short record.
By the time the listener reaches the middle of the album, the Ass to Mouth sound is firmly established and there are few surprises remaining. The second half blurs more than the first and stands out less. Enemy of the Human Race is brief and sharp, but the consistent high tempo and workmanlike riffs compared with prior work consigns it to solid-but-not-outstanding territory. The band doesn’t have the same inventive spirit as genre competitors like Beaten to Death or Wormrot to elevate the middling tracks or sustain the longer ones. The closer called “Nuclear Winter” occupies over three minutes (positively enormous by Ass to Mouth standards). While it transitions through a relatively muted passage in its middle to extend its life, it still feels a little stale by the end due to the underlying guitars repeating. And the fade-to-black conclusion does the song and the album no favors, closing things on a feeble note.
Enemy of the Human Race offers a bracing but unextraordinary slab of grind. Ass to Mouth haven’t quite captured the outright entertainment value that encapsulates their prior material, but it remains a fat middle finger directed at everyone anyway. It’s sure to satisfy fans of the style and you could do a lot worse for grinding material or a fuck-you attitude.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Selfmadegod Records
Websites: asstomouth.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/asstomouth
Releases Worldwide: November 29th, 2024
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