By: Anders

Posted: Jul 8, 2006

The legendary grindcore band from Japan has returned, with yet a record, this time a pun on the popular dance hall music, which is infesting dance floors around the world as we speak. A band as observing as Bathtub Shitter can't quietly let something like that happen, they want in, in it as well and has created their own form of dance hall, even though it hasn't many resemblances with the original art of dance hall, the band has their very own take on it.

The band has always been merchants for classic grindcore and not much has changed. We are still getting a good slab of grinding guitar riffs fired our way, complemented by wicked and often disharmonic melodic leads, that moves in and out of the main riffs, nice and wicked work, and a thing that keeps ones attention nailed at the music. The rhythm section works well together, the bass keeps the rhythm steady, but doesn't make much noise besides that. The drumming is a whole other deal, they are all the time putting themselves in the centre of the happenings, being it simple play or off time fills and brutal percussion-like use of the kick drums and cymbals. The vocals vary between an utterly sick and twisted yelp, which balances on the edge of being slightly annoying, and a good guttural, and more fitting growl. Though the variation of the vocals is nice and adds a plus to the final output.

The thing that struck me most during my first listen, was the production of the album, it is pretty good. The other things I have heard by Bathtub Shitter have been haunted by a quite bad sound, though that has been fixed now, with an up to date and heavy production. It is still noisy and a bit messy, but for fucks sake, it is grindcore, it has to sound raw and noisy and with a good punch, and the music on "Dance Hall Grind" for sure does that!

Bathtub Shitter is a sure buy for people into grindcore, they deliver the goods hard hitting and effective on this album. Of course the band has their take on shit, as the name might suggest, so don't expect socially aware lyrics or anything serious in that direction. This grindcore for pure enjoyment, and the music is delivered well. We are also getting treated with an okay cover version of D.R.I.'s 'Time Out' and the wicked last track 'Stihs Latem', which as the title is delivered backwards, sometimes I wonder where they get it from…!

Rating: 7/10

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Kindly supplied by Super Hit Jam Records

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