Chainsaw Squid/Ether Binger - Split Review

If you're like me, and you hear about a band called Chainsaw Squid, chances are you're going to not give much thought to them. No matter what band they do a split with, or if their from the West Coast. Names like that usually sounds like the band is just taking a piss and recordings it for the sake of being goofy.
You should also be telling yourself to stop going on first impressions a lot, cause sometimes you're left with your proverbial foot in your mouth. So here we have the Chainsaw Squid/Ether Binge split cassette, put out on Opaqus Records, it fucking rules. SO not down with the fact that I got wise to these guys later rather then sooner. I first heard the Ether Binge side on youtube a little while back, and I can't believe I haven't checked them out sooner. They're a 3-piece that shares members with Fissure and Bridge, and it's some of the gnarliest, craziest grind I've heard all year! These guys rip everything to shreds with incredible precision, and a recording that will savagely assault your eardrums in the best way. The most notable thing about this band though: the guitar. For a while, I thought it was a bass, it sounds unlike anything I've heard in a grind band of this style. Weird, clean, almost jazzy guitar lines are all over the place. It literally sounds like a slapped bass, until it kicks into a way of shrill distortion. Insane stuff, and the totally ignant powerviolence vocals are top notch. Really hoping they record more stuff. Now on the flipside we have Chainsaw Squid, and yeah they have a dumb name, and their song titles are goofy, and I remember first hearing about them because they made a diss track about ACxDC, and they fucking kill!!!!! I can't say one bad thing about their side either, it's blown-out, lo-fi, fast as shit grindviolence, and I loved every second of it. Their recording is a bit more bottom heavy then EB's, and they definitely keep more of the Crossed Out/Charles Bronson influence firmly planted in their sound, with some modern fastcore mixed in. I barely notice the slower parts though, honestly. I'm just so captivated by how fast they are a a whole unit. I get a kick out of their samples too, really wondering where the opening one came from (you'll just have to listen for yourself). These guys seem to be pretty active, and have a few more splits out. Check this split out, and if any of the dudes in these bands are reading, I would love to get tracks for the West Coast comp ;)


Rating: 9/10

~VII