Amber Gray

After Discordance Axis broke up in 2001, vocalist Jon Chang took a while to re-emerge. Various projects, including GridLink and War Chalking, were rumored to be in the works, but never seemed to materialize. Finally, on the 2005 Axis compilation/tribute, Our Last Day, one song by GridLink appeared, a 90-second blast called "Naked Pieces Scattered." That song is longer than anything on GridLink's first CD. Amber Gray features 11 tracks in just under 12 minutes, with the longest track lasting an epic 1:22 and the shortest getting it over with in a mere 34 seconds. As those track times imply, GridLink is a grindcore band — one which counts among its members former Axis guitarist Steve Procopio, second axeman Takafumi Matsubara (who pulls double duty in Chang's other band, Hayaino Daisuki), Burnt by the Sun bassist Teddy Patterson III, and drummer Bryan Fajardo of highly regarded grind outfits Kill the Client and Phobia. Given all the talent assembled in this lineup, it's no surprise that the music is more intricate and impressive than might be expected from a grindcore band. Even when they've only got a minute to play, these guys manage to create something that's more like a hyper-compressed Slayer song than a burst of raw noise à la early Napalm Death. The riffs on songs like "Stake Knife," "Burning Tiamat," and "Severance Package" are close to catchy. Chang himself is an unsubtle vocalist, shrieking at the top of his lungs throughout, but this album is much more than a mere tantrum-like outburst. These guys know exactly what they're doing, and express themselves with great precision.