When it was announced that Transient vocalist Krysta Martinez would be replacing Grace Perry as the frontwoman of Arizona Earache-worshippers Landmine Marathon, I was initially sceptical. Anyone who has heard Perry's vocals will know she boasted one of the most feral growls of modern metal, and that she would be a hard act to follow. However, when they released a re-recording of Bile Towers with Martinez on vocals, all doubt was erased, her rabid snarl fitting in with Landmine's raw brutality perfectly. I then got into Transient's split with fellow Portland filth-merchants Elitist, and have been anticipating more from them ever since.
Now their debut full-length recording has been unleashed via the legendary Six Weeks Records, and it's exactly what I've been waiting for; a short-but-sweet blast of blistering grindcore.
Opening with a barrage of blastbeats from opener 'Bottom Feeder', then the ramped-up d-beat intro of 'Goad', which later slows to a menacing, lurching breakdown, it's clear that Transient are not a band content to stick to any one genre. If it's fast, furious and filthy, they throw it into the mix.
This attention-deficit approach continues through tracks like the staccato stomp of 'False Philanthropy' and the ever-evolving 'Narcissus Nemesis', an excellent demonstration of drummer Jesse Schriebman's blasting stamina. 'Antipositivism' is an alternatingly lumbering and blasting cut, while 'Praying Mantic', with it's rolling drums and hardcore-esque intensity, further demonstrates the variation that Transient are able to incorporate into the grind template.
The cadence of Martinez' vocals as well as the overall structure of some tracks brings to mind the deadly precision attack of the likes of Nasum and Rotten Sound, especially the downright catchy 'Cataphor', whereas the relatively sloppy, punkier consecutive track 'Pythia Misunderstood' veers wildly in the other direction. As the album draws to a close, the hilariously-titled 'Snoop Scion' and throat-shredding 'Swallowing Androcles' keep the energy level high, especially on the latter track, which boasts one of the most intense vocal performances I've heard in a long time. Martinez must be fucking terrifying in the live setting.
Throughout the album, as varied as it gets, it never feels like they're stretching themselves too thin by covering every facet of grindcore. While it may not be game-changing stuff, they do provide an excellent document of just how varied the genre can be, all delivered in a concise, no-bullshit 20 minutes.
