As tech-enslavement of the prole impends, nuclear war foments, and further pandemia is assured via the perpetuation of environmental obliteration the future of humanity couldn’t be more evocative of the corporation-stoked world downfall promised to us within the germinal function of classic grindcore. Copenhagen, Denmark-based duo MELTIFICATION naturally revive the spiritus and the sound in reaction to said cause within this tightly shredded through debut full-length album. Cut back to the most metallic origins of grindcore and resembling its more polished-up revival in the early post-millennium ‘Meltification‘ tracks as authentic, riff-heavy stuff which is believably referential of earlier metalpunk congealed deathgrind canon.

Meltification formed by way of musician/artist Tue Sprogø who is probably best known for his work in Death Token alongside various other early 2000’s hardcore punk bands. I’ve zero information to work with here beyond ‘Meltification‘ being generally written, performed, and (partially) engineered by Sprogø himself with the exception of the drumming coming from Thomas Rindom, a former member of brutal death group Imperious Mortality. The end result is suggested as inspired by classic late 80’s/early 90’s grindcore and heavily dosed with both thrash and death metal adjacency.

‘Meltification‘ immediately resembles the spiritual recall of Napalm Death circa 2000 with opener “Turmoil” as the Pintado-styled riffs Meltification cut in the intro/first half of the song are rushed-in and tightly correspond with the fills and rolls cracking about. ‘Enemy of the Music Business‘ is probably the best stylistic analogue for what Sprogø‘s best moments (“Midian” esp.) accomplish within these eighteen pieces but one could also look to Side A on ‘Hate Breeds Suffering‘ for some of those general techniques/grooves. That isn’t to say that their debut is rote or apes that style completely but rather that fans of that style/era will recognize it outright.

Though it isn’t a one-to-one comparison I’d otherwise liken the Meltification experience to that of lesser-known Connecticut deathgrinders Atrocity and their debut ‘Infected‘ as inspiration taken from death metal and thrash metal co-infect the larger thread, particularly within longer pieces such as “Calculated Demise” or “River of Torment”. The album art likewise speaks to a similar medium and echoes alike choices made for layout and logo, for what its worth. If we’re pointing directly to the late 80’s Earache phenom and the grind associated this stuff pulls from an entirely different era of hardcore punk, moreso the tougher (not “tough guy”) metallic late 90’s schism found in European hardcore. This comes across more readily when the cadence of Sprogø‘s vocals breaks from declarative rant (“River of Torment”, “Nuclear Death Threat”) but these moments are rare.

As a ~34 minute record centered around classic grindcore aggression, early deathgrind sounds and a fully riff heavy approach ‘Meltification‘ smokes to the hilt without sounding ceremoniously retro, pulling into its hardest stress-stormed punches quickly without overwhelming with constant, samey brutality. In fact several of the pieces included (“Hellscape” in two parts, “Fragments”) offer purely instrumental movement which do well to break up any potential vocal fatigue and ramp up for specific tracks on Side B. While I’d always appreciate more variety in this tyle of grind vocal placement is yet one of the strengths of Meltification‘s work beyond the stylized alignment of their riffcraft and drum patternation.

Though I’d gone in expecting something more rawly late 80’s revivalist ‘Meltification‘ was yet a total blast to hang with, the type of grindcore/deathgrind record which speaks a hyper-specific language with great intensity yet still manages to entertain moment to moment for its full duration. Meltification‘s vernacular is admittedly way familiar yet their craft is inarguably above-average in its specific realm, serving a rare hit of high-capable high energy action per this debut. I don’t know that I’d been totally floored by it, they never go full maniac here, but if you’re looking for solid-ass riffs in your grind this is a prime choice. A high recommendation.

---