Cybergrind. More than just a word, it’s a social media statement as much as it is a social faux pas. If you play anything from this genre of music to those unacquainted, expect some aghast reactions to the abrasive, bulldozing ear assault. With bits and pieces of mathcore, grind metal, nintendocore, and anything an artist sees fit, the genre has garnered a cult following within its resurgence in recent years. I got to attend a show earlier this summer with four groups, that being Bejalvin, Cocojoey, Thotcrime, and Blind Equation – it turned out to be one of the most inclusive, energetic shows in a sold-out intimate venue. Blind Equation teased a new album, and Death Awaits is now upon us. Teaming up with the prolific Prosthetic Records, let’s dive into the controlled chaos of emotional cybergrind.
Right off the bat in the title track, listeners will know if they want to hear more Blind Equation or be taken aback by the package deal. To set the soundscape, imagine the meshing of shrill screams, a synthesizer frenetically hitting riffs as fast as you can perceive them, double-bass thumping drums, all within the scope of a two-minute romp. Blind Equation’s take on cybergrind injects a feeling of old nintendocore staples like iamerror and Horse the Band through mystifying synth runs, but elevates the quality with a focus on melody structure and lyrical flexibility. This becomes prevalent in the closing lines of Death Awaits track “speedrunning life”: “My suffering is my own fault; Put me to rest, I’ve done this for too long; My suffering is my own fault; Repeating myself in every f*cking song”.
Autotuned hyperpop singing greets “you betrayed the ones you loved” with arguably the catchiest chorus on Death Awaits that I had the pleasure of hearing back at the Blind Equation show in June. There’s about 5 different drum patterns on this song, from blast beats to a four-on-the-floor coming about to compelling effect. “fade away” cranks the production cues up to 11 and has a BPM higher than my heart rate at the gym on cardio day to cap off the short-but-sweet tune. Breakbeats and growls make “choke” a strong midpoint for the record that doesn’t tamper too much with the winning formula, whilst making use of a bridge to pace the listener more comfortably than Blind Equation’s faster tracks.
Death Awaits benefits from features with New Zealand’s Deathtrippa and HexD artist Rat Jesu. The sense of comradery across this genre is captivating, as you’ll see artists hop onto each other’s songs quite often – Rat Jesu adds some vocal variety in “killing me”, whereas Deathtrippa in “suffering in silence” nearly steals the show with a seamless integration into the Blind Equation vibe. I had a double-take moment listening to “warmth”s amazing dance section come out of nowhere, getting a flashback to teenage me not knowing how to process when “Stick Stickly” did it. Closer “the last glimpse of me” knows its role and creates its soundscape as its basis, with the few lyrics proving consistency in the emotional cybergrind introspection and desperation.
Blind Equation are undoubtedly turning heads with Death Awaits. Some gut reactions to real emotional cybergrind comment sections include “I… i dont know how to feel. Its so weird and kind of laughable. But its actually really good at the same time.” and “Cybergrind.” The term “acquired listen” has never been so accurate, but fans of Blind Equation and similar artists are rabid for this stuff – with good reason, as Death Awaits is a non-stop barrage of insane synth, cacophonous screams, and blistering blast beats. It might not click immediately for some, but will reward those coming in with an open mind and have seen what cybergrind can accomplish through community. Death Awaits dropping on the same label as Pupil Slicer and Undeath, alongside Thotcrime, spells big things for this burgeoning collective.
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