Sewn Shut
Rediscovering The Dead
7.9
One of the most irritating things, particularly for any completest, is when you get into a band only to find out their tendency to release split after split. Sewn Shut, who hail from the near-magical haven for extreme music, Sweden, have assembled a compilation of a variety of material which appeared alongside bands like Squash Bowels, Man in Shackles, Ulcerrhoea, Embalming Theatre, and Mind Collage, as well as a few tracks from Relapse's Polargrinder collection.
Combine the staggered and off-kilter rhythm work of Repulsion crossed with Napalm Death, and the frenzied yelling of Brutal Truth, and the result is something close to what you'll hear from Sewn Shut. Vicious and unhinged, the rabid screams and low gurgles are completely appropriate regardless of whether they're playing the groovy Blood Duster-esque "Fall To Extinction" or the intense barrage of sound you'll hear on "Black Gold". Embracing aspects of death metal, thrash, crust, and hardcore/punk, a band with such a variety of time differences and changes in songwriting that are this good isn't an easy task. It's the occasional appearance of melodic leads, stripped down drumming, and even sharp and abrupt punk rock riffs that retain your attention. Sewn Shut are a grindcore band for grindcore fans, no matter what small subdivision or offshoot they claim affiliation and devotion to. While the sound is far from perfect on a lot of these tracks, it's sort of a filter for their potential fanbase. There are some who might immediately turn it off and declare it unlistenable, but for those with perseverance and the true desire to hear grind played the right way will be rewarded through the 29 tracks at 27 minutes. The recording becomes less and less of an issue and more of a signature quality for the release.
Fact of the matter is, they don't make 'em like they used to. Usually there's a reason for that. Sewn Shut, however, have proven that it's more than possible to create a few sparks in the course of a few years using an old and effective formula. For fans of grind in its heyday, Rediscovering The Dead is a must listen for all, and a purchase-on-sight for some.
