Grog - Macabre Requiems (1996)

   After a couple of demo tapes, Grog debuted with the "95 Stabwounds in Your Throat" EP in 1994, that despite the poor rehearsal recording conditions was an impressive record. Two years later by "Macabre Requiems" they've let behind something memorable (a never healing wound, if it might sound better by this concept) in the brutal death / goregrind scene. 

   The an unnecessarily long intro is followed by quite decent songs, that are still sounding quite old school compared to both the late style of the band the current form of the genre. Basically the core of their late works got introduced in pretty enjoyable quality, and it's strongest point was the band's independent aspect of the style. They didn't try to imitate or copy the other, already existing grind/death or goregrind bands, but instead they preferred to build up their own style from the beginning from their own perspective. Death metal and grindcore features are in balance and completing each other well. In similar early records it's more spectacular why the switch from punk to death metal was so much more effective compared to old school grindcore bands. Also this step by step upbuilt is something that's quite missing from the late bands of the scene. At one hand it's understandable, like why bands of the '10s or '20s should pretend like they're experimenting like oldies did in the '90s, but by the lack of this approach the brutal death slamming or goregrind scene turned too homogenic and one sided. And if nearly all bands sounding the same, playing the same and morbid comedy elements are the only factors that could lead to any diversity, it makes difficult to keep larger fanbase at the style longer than a few years. "Macabre Requiems" is not a timeless classic only by it's genuine style or release date, but also because it's like a requiem for the long lost and still missing features of a genre.