Grinister
UNLEASHED

June 2001
Released: 2001, Sinister Figure Records
Rating: 2.7/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

When you take a look at a list of bands that the guys in Grinister consider as their huge inspirations (Shitsnot, Defkorns, Kornfly, Biohazard, Helmet, System of A Korn, Sicks of it all, Downset, Snapcase, etc. etc. etc. - the list just goes on and on and on...), you certainly cannot expect them playing Power Metal, or Death Metal, or Black Metal or any other "real" Metal, can you!? To be honest with all of you, the above listed bands represent that genre to me that I have never understood - and I guess I will refuse to understand in the future, too. It´s just that I have, y´know, never felt too comfortable with that style of extreme(!) music; it´s really not my thing at all! The overall feeling I get out of the music of these bands, well, I´m left pretty cold by it indeed! It doesn´t move or shake me one way or the other. I´m pretty damn sure it has enough vibe in it to drive many people absolutely crazy for it, but not me. Maybe I´m just way too ol´ fashioned and a narrow-minded metal fellow to understand, what´s "in" and what´s "out" in the scene nowadays? On the other hand thinking, a ´pure´ Heavy Metal (READ!= Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and the likes!) has NEVER been that much out of fashion in my opinion.



All I can say that obviously we have a group of talented musicians in the Grinister -camp who definitely know how to groove - and maybe even groove and ´mosh (the ´80s terminology KICKS ASS!!)´ better than some of their inspirations as comparisons in this very review, but I´m afraid I really am not an expert for judging them any better than this.



The opening riff for track 3 called "Punching Bag" reminded me of Grip Inc. which was as much as the album had on offer to me; no more, no less.





One favor comes to my mind, tho. Could someone explain to me what´s that thing in metal of this sport; or ´nu-metal(?)´ (or ´mallcore´; today´s terminology SUCKS ASS, goddammit!!) why many find it so captivating and inspirational ´coz I think it´s simply just boring and doesn´t get old metaller´s heart in fire a bit at all...