(Toy Factory)
Release date: 1994

Review: Like "Gate of doom", this isn't really pure grindcore anymore, but a rare and wonderful kind of grind/death/thrash/metal... with both low and very high pitched vocals... very structured, cleverly-composed (far from their early messy grind/punk style!) songs. Influences seem to come from early/new Napalm Death, to Fear Factory, and maybe some death metal stuffs like Obituary too (just for some guitar riffs, not the slow rythms!)... Most of the tracks are relatively short (2 or 3 minutes), quite fast and catchy, with an amazing composition work, gripping ears (and heart). Some songs drive you step by step from long, plodding thrash plans to short high intensity releasing; The insane parts are controlled, short and well-placed, to keep it precious, rare and effective; bordered by powerful modern thrash/death metal parts. Some other songs on this album are less catchy, including some pop riffs; but I think it offers nice diversity. There's one exception in this album, this is the song called "Vicious world" which is 50 seconds of catchy grindcore where only one guitar riff is repeatly played. As a whole, it's again a good evolution from their last album. Lyrics are touchy points of view on some social problems, more poetic than preachy. Cover artwork is splendid. This is produced/engineered by Colin Richardson and the sound is just perfect! This is high quality grind/thrash... The only bad points of this album is that it might be hard and expensive to find now and total running time is only 30 mins... 

Tracks: 1)Public Eye 2)Radiate 3)Rise Above Yourself 4)Crisis Prophecy 5)Killing Field 6)Vicious World 7)Morbid Attitude 8)Collision 9)Re-evolution 10)Jacobs 

(Toy Factory)
Release date: 1993

Review: Another cult album by the legendary japanese band, SxOxB. It's always based on the same grind/death style as on "What's the truth?", but their orientation is more thrash metal influenced, really giving up the punk/hardcore side of their music. SxOxB always have a sound of their own, with a little touch of Napalm Death, and something pessimistic and melancholic, expressed through fast and violent songs. Again, the compositions are perfect, clever and coherent; every song is a masterpiece work, with the exactly right amount of rushing guitar riffs, played in a thrash metal way (Kreator, Sepultura...), but inscribed in grindy songs, with fast and rythmic drum work, energic midtempos and some skilful blasting moments. Tottsuan's vocals are always so poignant, but more low pitched and hoarse than in the past; high pitched desperate screamings are although disposed to overtop the intense grind surge of the songs. With lyrics which are quite socially aware, but not in a preachy way; more pictural and personal. They control their music alot, it's grindcore insanity set in metal rigour. "Gate of doom" is a precious album, by a unique, never-to-be-forgotten band. In my opinion, a must-hear. The total running time is not impressive, but the shortest things are the most intense, and best ones.

Tracks: 1)G.O.D 2)Delusions of terror 3)Trapped in cancer 4)Human error!? 5)Mind empty of happiness 6)Downfall of civilization 7)Ultimate end of earth 8)Insible shadows 9)Inner hypocrisy 10)Death's inevitable ~G.O.D  

(Toy Factory)
Release date: 1994 cd reissue of 1989/1990 material

Review: "What's the truth?" is my favourite SxOxB album. As always, they play a very personal grindcore; not only based on fastness(this is although truly fast), still with many hardcore influences, but effecting a transition between their old punk style and their future, more modern and thrash metal oriented material... I consider "What's the truth?" as important as first Napalm death, Carcass or Repulsion albums... The sound is clear, thrashing hard all the ways, but in the shape of extreme grindcore, with raw as fuck vocals, throaty grunts and very high pitched crazed screams... This album is a masterpiece... They lost their punk sound, and came to a new composing approach, with clean, sharp and more calculated compositions... Each song is a grind delight. On the cd released by Toy Factory you'll also find 6 bonus tracks from their cult split 7"ep with Napalm Death (I think)... A classic masterpiece, but quite hard to find japanese cd... Like other SxOxB albums, the total running time doesn't run over 30 minutes, this is although totally fucking intense... 

Tracks: 1)Over the Line 2)Meddlesome Heart 3)Unseen Terror 4)Look like Devil Pt. 2 5)Obsessed with Wickedness 6)What's the Truth 7)Never 8)Senseless Fantasy 9)Repeat at Length 10)Why? 
bonus tracks: 11)Repeat at length 12)Humanity of stupidity 13)Deceiver pt.2 14)Device 15)Suck up brain or Fuck ya brain 16)Nightmare

(Toy Factory)
Release date: 1993 cd reissue of 1988 material

Review: Two first lps from the japanese grindcore legend... an insane fast grind/hardcore with extreme screamy vocals and thrashing music, often flirting with grindcore... A masterpiece of raw violence! Songs are short all the ways, twisted, real fast, with a heart-tearing feeling of desperate hatred. These are cult and influencial records, Napalm Death even covered "Raging in hell" on their 1988' Peel sessions... You have to know these LPs, amazing and really intense for their time (around 1988). 

Tracks:  Leave me alone: 1)Not Me 2)Give Me Advice 3)Fat Women 4)SDI & ABM 5)Knock Out 6)Sudden Rise of Desire 7)Leave Me Alone 8)Slap in the Face 9)Thrash Night 
Don't be swindle: 10)Raging in Hell 11)Violent Anger 12)Hear Nothing For You 13)Influence of Slime 14)Hysteric to Temptation 15)Insane 16)S.O.B. 17)I'm A Dreamer 18)Let's Go Beach 19)Don't Be Swindle 20)Look Like Devil 21)Fuck or Die 22)Heads or Tails 23)Don't Your Back 24)Speed my Way 25)Speak Moth Fuck You 26)Revival 27)To Be Continued