Agoraphobic Nosebleed - PCP Torpedo / ANbRX

PCP Torpedo clocks in at six-and-a-half minutes, though it seems twice as long. Agoraphobic Nosebleed are known for their pummeling blastbeat grindcore, and nowhere in their extensive back catalog is it better illustrated than here. Over before you know it, the ten tracks blur by in a chaos of impossibly fast drums and a simply oppressive wall of guitars, with vocals buried deep underneath, and barely understandable. The lyrics sheet, though thankfully provided, is of little help. Even with visual prompting, the vocals are indiscernible. Not that it matters, as the emphasis is on the grinding guitars and not the lyrics. On the second disc, ANbRX, some of the usual remix suspects appear, such as James Plotkin, Justin Broadrick, and Merzbow, all turning in typically excellent, if not necessarily remarkable mixes. Surprises abound, though, as opener Vidna Obmana's remix amazes with a dark ambient/dub take on the source material. The Drokz & Tails take also stands out, taming down the guitars in favor of a dancefloor-friendly hardcore 2-step beat. Together, the two discs are an excellent statement of purpose going forward for ANb, and an excellent door-opener for both the band and the genre.