Mistress Of Pain
Napalm Death have a lot to answer for, particularly with the legacy the Brummie bruisers have created. Perhaps the purest form of these fellow hometown hooligans are Mistress.
With Mistress' new debut album for the cult label Earache Records, their sound lends itself to the pioneering grindcore bands like Napalm Death and Extreme Noise Terror. There is a hardcore edge to the quartet as there are elements of Hatebreed and even Raging Speedhorn in Mistress' style.
Title track 'In Disgust We Trust' is a raw slab of punk metal that tears your head off. 'Happily Ever Disaster' is like a Discharge-fuelled rant whilst the down-tuned riffing of 'Static' has the punch of early Sepultura.
The songs are reminiscent of Napalm Death as they come at you like a sneak attack and bombard you into submission with some straight-up riffs.
It's a big comfort to know that there is a thriving metal scene in the UK that can compete with the Americans as fellow countrymen Johnny Truant and Raging Speedhorn are keeping the British end up in the metal camp.