Maryland Deathfest XI is over, and I am having a hard time processing everything. In fact, I am a little depressed.
But I think I will make the effort to mention one of the smaller bands that really affected me. Contrastic, a recently reformed grindcore band from the Czech Republic, played early on Sunday. I had listened to some of their stuff online prior to the show and was really curious. I also was aware that they played opposite of Glorior Belli, whom I also wanted to check out. I had to make some decisions.
Fortunately, Glorior Belli was really boring. So after listening to about two songs from them, I wandered back across the Sonar compound to find Contrastic throwing a heavy metal disco party in the tent.
Generally, grindcore bands are hit or miss for me. Mostly, all I hear is angry screaming and very little recognizable melody. Contrastic has plenty of angry shouting, but they infuse it with funky, jazzy, electronic and industrial samples. The singer was incredibly dynamic and funny, and the band was super tight and on point. It was an amazing blend of death metal with just everything and anything really weird. No rules. There was nothing I didn’t like. The whole place was alive and rocking.
Remember, this is praise coming from a person who listens to a lot of black metal, and hardly any grindcore. Recall, I walked away from Glorior Belli to listen to Contrastic.
Lyrically, Contrastic seem to be tackling lots of social and political ills. The electronic samples give their songs a modern, cyber depersonalized sound, which seems appropriate. I didn’t find any of their CDs (maybe I was not looking in the right places) but would like to find some. I did pick up their t-shirt. If you like Pig Destroyer but have not heard Contrastic, I urge you to give them a listen. Keep an open mind, because I think you will dig them. I’ve included a few tracks.