Swarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm / ATKA

Atka Myspace Swarrrm Myspace
Released: Autumn 2010
Release Type: Split, 7"
Label:Ecocentric Records
Genre:Experimental Grindcore

A match made in a mental hospital, German tech-grind wizards Atka pair up with Japanese bizzaro grind masters for this 11 minute blastapiece. Seriously, I wonder if being schizophrenic is as off the wall as these two bands; each one displaying an eccentric and extremely different take on grindcore pushed past its sanity.

Atka cover every possible inch of their side with their noodlely, technically drenched and Dillinger Escape Plan loving track "untitled." The first minute's unrecognizable from the last, and yet it all works. I hate gimmicky technical shit, so thankfully this ain't it. The high-point of song is the last minute in a half which sounds straight out of Murray and Smith's playbook but jumbled with blast beats and varied vocals. Here's a snippit of the song.

A different kind of crazy is what Swarrrm always is. "Maborosi" is a ballad a'la typical Swarrrm (i.e. pretty acoustic guitar paired to gibberish vocals which washout in an avalanche of drums and distortion). "Kono ude ni" is a great track, the best of the split. As always fantastic shifts from artsy/melodic riffs to pummeling blast beats and jazzy sections of harmony between the guitars and bass. Swarrrm still continues to be the most dynamic, powerful and interesting grind band out there; shame on you if you've never heard them before.

Here's that ballad to sooth yourself to sleep

Don't question your sanity listening to this, question the sanity of those who refuse to listen. Swarrrm and Atka are outstanding this time around, so pick it up!

-F