Rotten Sound blast the alarm on latest single ‘Idealist’

Few grindcore bands have enjoyed the shelf life of ROTTEN SOUND. After outrunning the apocalypse on their last long-player, the Finnish grindcore vets are back with another politically-charged EP. The latest single from Mass Extinction is slightly more optimistic about our future than its initial discharge, but “Idealist” gets its message across with such blunt force, that it’s impossible not to heed the band’s charge.

“‘Idealist’ is a cynical D-beat anthem about our fight for a better future”, says the band’s vocalist Keijo Niinimaa. “I do believe that better times are ahead, but it feels impossible to find a new level in humanity. The transition seems to take forever. That frustration led me to write the lyrics to this song. Mika’s riffs and Sami’s grooves open the circle into a mosh pit”.

Listen to “Idealist“: https://youtu.be/9nUcqlpKSLs

All of the songs on Mass Extinction mutated out of the same radioactive Petri dish that spawned Rotting Sound’s prior LP Apocalypse. But even though it clocks in at a freakishly fast nine minutes, the band’s new EP is no half-life mutation. As they recently demonstrated while touring Latin America with Crypta, Baixo Calao and Season of Mist labelmates DVRK, their time-tested blend of D-beat punk and Swedish death metal has only grown more dangerous after two decades. “Idealist” marches at a spirited pace toward a new state of light and glory before Niinimaa’s screaming commands launch the song into a downright hostile groove.

“Wake up!” At this earth-shaking volume, ignore Rotting Sound if you dare.

Next year, Rotting Sound will return to the grind with a fresh set of European headline dates in support of Mass Extinction. Following this blistering ride with Repulsive Feast and Teething, the band will return to the U.S. for a special set at Maryland Death Fest celebrating their classic albums Murderworks and Exit.

The state of the world has only fallen further into disrepair, but after three crust-ridden decades, Rotten Sound are still grinding. Despite production slowing to a halt during the pandemic, the Finnish vets outran the coming apocalypse on their last album. Now, two years later, they’re back with another brief but no less devastating burst. Take cover, metalheads. Rotten Sound are laying waste to social plagues with Mass Extinction.

“We like to make concise statements”, Keijo Niinimaa says about their whopping 11th EP. While the band’s longtime raging vocalist still has hope for the future, when it comes to our current state of affairs, his outlook on Mass Extinction is more dire than ever. “Bringing about real meaningful change seems to take forever. Misinformation, polarization, conspiracy theories and censorship have made everyone more distrustful”.

Few extreme bands have enjoyed the shelf life of Rotten Sound. Since emerging from underground Vaasa with their debut album Under Pressure, the Finnish exports have cultivated a reputation as one of the larger scene’s most pungent yet stabilizing presences. Niinimaa first grabbed the mic not long after guitarist Mika Aalto started the band back in 1993, while drummer Sami Lava has held the throne since 2004, when original stickman Kai Hahto left to join Wintersun. Early albums Murderworks and Exit are still widely cited road maps for grindcore, though their high-speed blend of classic D-beat punk and Swedish death metal has only sharpened with each successive stab in the studio.

Each Rotten Sound release spews uncontrollable chaos, but there’s a method to their madness. Since signing with Season of Mist in 2012, the band has followed each full-length with a short statement. Like a mushroom cloud, Mass Extinction arose from the immediate aftermath of Apocalypse. All six off-the-rails tracks were laid down during the same recording sessions before getting mixed at Rain City Recorders and later mastered by Brad Boatright. But their new EP is no half-life mutation. “Recycle” whirs and churns with the all-consuming power of a supply chain.

“Napalm Death and Nasum have both done longer albums, but that’s their thing”, explains Niinimaa. “Our thing is we want to be straight to the point. After all the recording was done, we decided which songs would go on Apocalypse and which ones made sense together for Mass Extinction”.

Rotten Sound know how to get their message across. In just under 10 minutes, Mass Extinction chews through toxic consumerism, labor exploitation and other plagues on society. Lead single “Brave New World” pushes for unity over divisive politicking behind a barrage of blast beats. But while our leaders certainly need to clean up their act, there’s nothing stale about this band’s filthy brand of grindcore. Even the slightly optimistic “Idealist” gives way to a downright hostile groove upon Niinimaa’s screaming command.

“Wake up!” With so much atomic force, it’s impossible not to heed Rotten Sound’s warning on Mass Extinction.

Recording Lineup:
Keijo Niinimaa — Vocals
Mika Aalto — Guitars
Sami Latva — Drums
Matti Raappana — Bass, Backing Vocals