MISTRESS - In Disgust We Trust

MISTRESS
In Disgust We Trust
Earache Records
7/10




In many instances, a genre can be about a vibe as much as a sound. On “In Disgust We Trust”, Mistress carry on the same feelings that originally surfaced on Napalm Death records that were produced during the middle of that band’s tenure for the Earache label, this is due in large part to the types of vocal phrasing used over chugging rhythms.

“Happily Ever Disaster” certainly grinds along admirably, with 1-2-3-4 counts leading into blasts and 180 BPM 4/4 snare/ kick drum patterns. The title track chugs along like a freight train, appearing to move more slowly than it actually is, simply because of its enormous size. Being from Birmingham, these five grindpigs certainly have some rather large shoes to fill, in consideration of that city’s massive contributions to the metal world.

Mistress does a competent job of fulfilling the role. “Static” possesses a sinister sounding riff that would make Pungent Stench proud and although the vocals here are not quite as OTT as you would find on a traditional grind album, with the inclusion of semi-melodic vocals during the song’s chorus, a wizened analysis would conclude that Mistress are pushing the boundaries of the genre of grind as opposed to reaching toward it.

At other times, the group sticks directly to the game plan, as they do on the thumping “Alcohole”, which slams along with reckless abandon.

Fans of Extreme Noise Terror and the God-like Napalm will certainly find this record to be along the lines of their musical tastes, while those that have been force fed metalcore for the past ten years might take this as a good starting point for expanding their musical understanding.


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