Gridfailure: Sixth Mass-Extinction Skulduggery I (2019)

Gridfailure ended 2018 with some live gigs and have now returned in 2019 with the first in a concept sequence of five albums which predict a grim, rapidly approaching reality. The series’ five titles culminate tales of nature’s decimating wrath in response to humanity’s provocation, and the effects on our civilization. I have always felt that Gridfailure’s music fits well with a post-apocalyptic landscape, and this time David Brenner has provided us with a story to go with the soundscape. “As resources are depleted, so are morals, and as monolithic storms ravage the planet, neighbours turn on one another, and once war and uprising decimate the population, survivors are left to slaughter for survival in a diseased and polluted wasteland aftermath. Sources of uncontaminated energy, food, and water are scarce on the grim sphere, and the species’ reliance on technology has left most humans helpless to do anything but wait to be pillaged and consumed by marauding outlander factions or simply perish in the unforgiving climate. Themes of cannibalism, disease, delirium, revenge, scourge, warfare, and general underhandedness are written from haphazard points of view within the withering human race in the multi-release series, which infuse heavy elements of tribal/and percussion with post-industrial and mechanical beats resembling a biomechanical hybrid, deploying a communal aura of woe and rage.”

Brenner provides vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, electric, analogue, and acoustic drums, keyboards, synth, harmonica, violin, Theremin, field recordings, and more. The series also includes other musicians who have done their bit to add to the drama, threat, and sheer terror of this album, with bass from Greg Meisenberg (A Fucking Elephant, Maid Myriad, Tombs-live), vocals from Joy Von Spain (Eye Of Nix, To End It All), accordion from Benjamin Levitt (Megalophobe, Gridfailure-live), guitar from Pete Tsakiris, ukulele from Christopher Henry (Humans Etcetera, Fuck Your Birthday), and drums from BJ Allen (Full Scale Riot).

Frightening, compelling, this is a science fiction horror movie for your ears, set in a wasteland which appears bleak even by Mad Max standards. Yet another essential release from Gridfailure who continue to be one of my personal favourite acts.

Rating: 9/10