Poland isn’t the first country that comes to mind when you think of grindcore. Yet, from the depths of Silesia, straight out of Wrocław, emerges an onslaught of unrelenting grindcore filth in the form of ASS TO MOUTH. Yes, the name feels just as awkward to say out loud. This Polish grindcore act delivers a blistering 21-minute full-length album that serves as a lesson in violence—a relentless barrage of blast beats and punk-infused stomps that’ll surely leave you battered in the pit. As a Polish metal enthusiast, I’ll admit this one almost slipped past my radar. The album, titled “Enemy of the Human Race”, encapsulates grindcore’s politically charged ethos with tracks like “Nazi Pig,” “Hang Those Bastards,” and “Modern Slave.” Beyond its critique of society, the record evokes a post-apocalyptic, nuclear dystopia—an impression reinforced by its cover art, which suggests a world reclaimed by nature after humanity's demise.

The album’s overarching themes of misanthropy, disgust for corruption, and nihilistic acceptance of self-destruction stay true to grindcore’s core values. It’s a raw, unrefined portrayal of a society teetering on the edge of collapse, where the only certainty is chaos. Musically, ASS TO MOUTH adheres to grindcore’s no-nonsense mindset: efficient, brutal, and unapologetically straightforward. However, it remains generic, which isn’t surprising given grindcore’s tendency to stay rooted in tradition. The genre, after all, reached its defining peak not long after its inception. While some bands have ventured into adjacent territories like powerviolence, a subgenre that takes grindcore’s intensity a step further, ASS TO MOUTH chooses to stay loyal to the genre’s origins. The result is an homage to grindcore’s pioneers rather than an evolution of its sound.

One standout feature, however, is the production quality. By grindcore standards, it’s surprisingly clean and well-balanced. The guitar tone is sharp, the drum sound is well-treated, and every instrument is clear making the album an easy listen for the genre. In sum, “Enemy of the Human Race” is a solid grindcore release. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it delivers enough grit, speed, and fury to satisfy fans of the genre.