ALBUM REVIEW: Alienated Despair – Implore

For all the flak it gets for being a truly extreme form of music, there is definitely more to grindcore than meets the eye. It’s raw power, the sheer attitude of it all; it all serves to create one of the most formidable noises around if it’s done right. IMPLORE have been pedalling an obscene mixture of grindcore, punk, and death metal for a few years now, and with the eyes of Century Media being drawn to the German group on their last record, this year IMPLORE return with another hefty slice of truly angry sounds.

Alienated Despair does not pull punches. At all. It opens with the rapturous Faculties of Time and from this point on there is no respite. Having honed their writing over the years, it’s here that IMPLORE have really begun to show their worth. Jumping from tooth-grinding intensity to two-step friendly grooves, there is a lot going on through Alienated Despair, and as such, this record becomes some of the most fun one can have whilst still remaining firmly in the realms of extreme.

Fun might be the wrong word to use, given the sheer intensity of not only the music but the themes running through the album. Tracks like The Constant Dissonance are oppressive in their opening moments, and the black metal inspired lead lines work wonders to crawl along like a demonic creature. This is before leading single All Consuming Filth comes along to batter your head in with powerviolence levels of sonic aggression. Alienated Despair is comfortably the best amalgamation of the IMPLORE musical blueprint, and the impact that previous albums may have been missing is well and truly present here.

Taking breakneck speed and being able to harness it in a manner that doesn’t render the music a grinding mess requires a fine touch, and IMPLORE definitely lack some of that at times. The mix becomes an overwhelming mesh of noise at times, but the lucky thing is that there will always be a transition to a new section, or a breakdown, or a shift in tempo that makes all of IMPLORE an exciting listen. Some purists might turn their nose up at the constant shift in approach, but even they will not be able to deny the crushing final trio of Apathetic Isolation, The Venom Comes in Droves, and Despondency, as they all culminate the album in such fine fashion it makes a compelling argument for immediate repeat listens. Despondency offers the closest thing this album has to a reprieve, and even this is accented by frantic drum work and bleak closing lyrics.

Where IMPLORE fall short in clarity they more than make up for in sheer vitriol. The unholy combination of grinding punk and death metal is a truly difficult beast to tame, and over their career IMPLORE have worked towards this release. Alienated Despair does not pull punches, nor does it fuck about, giving anyone lucky, or unlucky, enough to stumble upon it an unapologetic slab of audio abuse.

Rating: 8/10  

Alienated Despair is set for release on September 27th via Century Media Records.

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