siLLy puPPy Heavily influenced by the band Disgorge (the Mexican band not the similar ones from the USA, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia, Norway or Argentina), the Japanese band VISCERA INFEST started out 25 years ago forming in 1999 in Oita, Japan yet has only released three albums of their nasty mix of goregrind and brutal death metal. Having gone through two major lineups only 朝倉栄蔵 [Eizo Asakura] (guitar, vocals) has been the consistent member but the brutal delivery of the system has remained faithful to the caustic unhinged chaos-fest that the band has become synomous with.

The band was last heard from in 2015 with its second release “Verrucous Carcinoma” and returns in 2024 with its third album TERATOMA (a type of nasty tumor) which is another disgusting mix of blastbeat laced goregrind and death metal influences turned up to lethal doses of maximum volume. While a typical goregrind band in many ways with the expected incessantly adrenalized guitar riffs, atmospheric distortion and percussion frenzies coupled with anatomical disorders that are grunted like animalesque vocals emerging from the incessant din, VISCERA INFEST seems to have found the right recipe to make this type of music palatable for an album’s run by keeping manageable chugs from spiraling out of control and finding a sense of true musicality.

The album features ten tracks at 33 1/2 minutes with spoken word samples (in Japanese) which reminds a bit of classic Pig Destroyer. Lots of nerdy death metal maniacal riffing alternates with classic grindcore simplicity and monotonous robotic blastbeats have no problem switching to more demanding variations of technical display. VISCERA INFEST has done what few such hybrid bands have accomplished and that is to make the music streamlined and easy to follow rather than simply dishing out chaotic swirls of indecipherable noisy outbursts. The music is so frenetically competent that its hard to believe sometimes it only consists of three members but the trio of Eizo Asakura (guitar), Yuya Yakushiji (drums) and Harufumi Nomiyana (bass) show that this kind of music can be intricate and interesting no matter how brutal.

While grind dominated metal isn’t usually my go to style of music as a lot of it tends to be fairly generic and rather boring with nothing beyond grotesque themes and pointless chaos forging the soundscapes, VISCERA INFEST Is one of those rare bands that puts a bit more effort into the compositions all without sacrificing the brutal horrific nature of the grind elements and adding the impressive technical displays of death metal. Overall this is an excellent album of modern goregrind / death metal that is in the top tier of what i’ve experienced in recent years. The musicians sound like seasoned musicians and not just angsty teenagers looking to make as much noise in their garage as is humanly possible. Nice atmospheres bleed through and the occasional effects to add just a tinge of contrast. Nice!