Black metal has always been an interesting genre to me. Whilst I've always admired the intensity associated with bands from this domain, I do worry that there's perhaps too many cliches within the genre and it can sometimes get repetitive. That's why I was really interested to listen to GORESKINCOFFIN and their latest release "Release My Suffering". Describing themselves as a blackened death grind band hailing from California, I was curious to see how they would blend two extreme metal styles with somewhat polar opposites.

In both "The Plague Father" and "Wrath Of Ruin", I can see many of those traditional black metal elements. Whether it's the satanic KVLT shrieks, or lightning fast blast beats, this is mistakenly black metal! However, with the soundbites added to the beginning of each song, some guttural lows, and some bass heavy groove sections, this is definitely where the grind elements come in. A very clever of the mix too I may add.

Normality is resumed with "Release My Suffering" (whatever normal is) and we're treated to what I feel is a more traditional black metal song. I particularly enjoyed the use of synth and backing tracks to this song. Subtle, effective, but not overpowering. Definitely reminding me of EMPEROR who I'm sure have inspired the band's work. "It Will Not Die" also begins as a more traditional black metal song but like the first song, features some tasty grooves and dirty guttural vocals. Just to keep things interesting. "Elegy For Mankind" has lost some of those grind elements, though I can admire what I would described as symphonic black metal.

If you're looking for structured chaos then look no further than "Defiant Misanthropy". Some of the guitar and bass riffs are insane. It's as if though they've looked at the back of a beer bottle, seen the barcode and decided "yep, 0079264836288, that's our verse riff". Such amazing technical skills. The high pitch shrieks over this chaos retains the black metal spice in this grind-laden number. Perhaps the highlight to the whole album came to me in "Lamentations For A Broken Angel". That final closing passage for the last 90 seconds. I was transported to another dimension. That ambient atmospheric section was an absolute joy. A sharp contrast to the intensity and ferocity of the rest of the album and worthy of several rewinds.

Overall, "Release My Suffering" is a brave and successful attempt at mixing two extreme mental genres into fine finely produced and neat package.