It’s Monday and Mondays such, so let’s grind it out with Delete the Mass’ Μάζα.
The band name alone was pretty much the soundtrack to anyone’s Black Friday this previous weekend, if you participated in such an event. Or maybe you felt that way during Thanksgiving with your family. I wouldn’t know since I haven’t seen family on that day in seven years. But the memories of having to once deal with mass, psychotic consumerism is enough to warrant Μάζα going on repeat.
Hailing out of Athens, Greece, Delete the Mass plays some incredibly pissed off grindcore with dashes of death metal in the vein of Nasum, Napam Death and Brutal Truth. Though, the three-piece has been around since 2009, they’ve only put out two records: this and a 2012 demo.
The band is brief and bludgeoning. Μάζα (translation: mass) may span twenty-four minutes, but Delete the Mass spend all sixteen of those tracks shoving your nose onto the grindstone. Oh yeah, the intro might seem harmless enough but before long the panicked screaming kicks in. Then “Εκκένωση Του Κόσμου” is upon us, blasting like a locomotive loaded with Semtex.
Μάζα is, for the most part, a straightforward old school grind trip. It’s got the hardcore/punk sensibilities in much of its riffage that keeps the bounce in most songs, in addition to the punk short, fast, loud attitude (see: “The Yard”). There’s also plenty of death metal to go along with it (see: “Ain’t Care”). Hell, the album is so relentless and restless it almost feels like Delete the Mass are trying to push themselves beyond the genre boundaries.
Μάζα is so damn fast that you might find yourself getting lost between songs. Though it may blend at times, but the band would struggle to craft a boring mood. It’s easy to become overbearing and plateau when writing aggressive songs. Delete the Mass avoid this by always staying pissed enough to be threatening. Μάζα only slows on a few occasions, but the band brings it back up to eleven immediately after.
It’s been three years since Delete the Mass released Μάζα and it’s my hope that we’ll hear something from the outfit in 2017. Though they’re slow movers, it’s been almost four years since Μάζα. However, this album was completely produced/mixed/mastered by the band themselves at their own rehearsal studio (called “Meatbox”), so who knows when they’ll get something out again. Doing it all yourself takes time. For now, play Μάζα loud. Especially if you need to destroy something.
I'm here.
