ANTIGAMA is a Death/Grind act from Warsaw, Poland. This band has been around since 2000 but surprisingly few people know about them. I first time learned about them back in 2015, when their previous LP "Insolent" came out. "Whiteout", released via Selfmadegod Records becomes their first studio album since that long time ago. I'm glad to tell you that I enjoyed this record quite much, despite not in the way I originally expected. The reason for that would be the quite sonic development of ANTIGAMA's songwriting style, which brought this band closer to the territory of noisy, dissonant Death Metal that still has that Grind-y Punk attitude in its heart, but ultimately introduces its listeners to a more demanding and meaningful experience.

ANTIGAMA blasts heavy and fast, like every normal Grind band does, but with this record, they might have gone a little further to add more substance and nuance to their sound. Don't get me wrong, this band has always sounded great in all possible aspects, but this time it seems like both aspects of their music - songwriting and sound crafting - reached up to a complete symbiosis. There's no surprise to that, considering the band has been around for 22 years. Every moment of this record yells "experience" to your face.

So, this is a blend of good ol' Grind with some modern Death Metal and Thrash elements here and there. ANTIGAMA plays this blend the way you can't really tell if this band is old-school or progressive because it seems to effortlessly sound like both at the same time when it sees fit. Where the track "Holy Hand" gives you some 'Thrash-with-a-twist' feel, the opening "Undeterminate" explicitly depicts what some Chaotic Hardcore band like THE CHARIOT could've sounded if they were a Grind act. Luckily, this diversity doesn't harm the integrity of the album, rather provides a necessary change of tone and pace from time to time that many Grind bands lack.

The best I can describe ANTIGAMA's sound on "Whiteout" is to say that it's uncompromising. Whether it's a more chaotic and dissonant piece like the song "Dust Farm", or something more NAPALM DEATH-style punky highspeed short track "Muteness", ANTIGAMA adds a definitive punch in the face with every next track, up until the record is over. In case you were tired of the recent trend for more atmospheric and "washed" Death Metal this record might be what you need. These guys have no chill and they don't ever stop blasting. Despite that this record is not very long - 28 minutes in total - it contains enough action to fill a few more records. Needless to say, this is a record to return to multiple times, as it's full of little details and intricate moments.

I'm disappointed this band is not receiving more acclaim, as they deserve it. They have the skill, talent, and personality on their side, not even talking about 22 years of experience behind their shoulders. I would strongly recommend everyone interested in Grind, Death - both old school and more modern - to get familiar with ANTIGAMA. "Whiteout" is their best album so far, and a great entry point for new fans.