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Intense! A roundup of classic grindcore tracks from Western music

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

Grindcore is an extreme music genre that pushes speed and aggression to their absolute limits.

Established in the late 1980s, it fuses elements of hardcore punk and death metal, delivering overwhelming sonic density and destructive force—often in tracks that last only a few seconds—that continues to captivate many listeners today.

Here, we’ll introduce a selection of tracks that get to the heart of the genre, from indispensable classics in grindcore’s history to recent songs drawing attention in the scene.

While it’s certainly a sound that isn’t for everyone, grindcore is surprisingly deep, laced with dark humor and social messages—so why not take on the challenge of exploring this world?

Intense! A Compilation of Classic Western Grindcore Songs (21–30)

The Sign of Evil ExistenceRotting Christ

The Sign of Evil Existence

The Sign of Evil ExistenceRotting Christ

Rotting Clarist is an extreme metal/grindcore/satanic black metal band from Greece.

Their lyrical themes include evil and the occult.

Their recent albums don’t just focus on speed; they also use modern, aggressive phrasing.

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Dead Girls Dont Say NoGut

Dead Girls Dont Say No – Gut

Dead Girls Dont Say NoGut

They’re a German goregrind/pornogrind band.

They formed in 1991, disbanded once in 1995, and reunited in 2006.

The high-pitched vocals are done by the drummer, they wear masks at live shows, and sometimes women go topless during performances.

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Mouth Full Of PissKots

Kots Mouth Full Of Piss

Mouth Full Of PissKots

Kotz was launched in 2004 as a gore pornogrind project.

Aside from vocals by Erwin, everything is programmed.

The vocals are characterized by frog-like croaks—distinctive yet with a pop sensibility.

The music is produced in a way that’s close to techno.

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Shu linJig-Ai

Jig-Ai – Shu lin

Shu linJig-Ai

They are a Czech death gore pornogrind band.

It’s unusual that they eliminate the noise typical of goregrind.

Also, the band name “Jig-Ai” is derived from the Japanese term for ritual suicide.

Although it says the cover art is done by an adult-oriented doujin circle specializing in brutal and grotesque themes, professional illustrators have also worked on it.

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The iron rodsdeathcount

deathcount / The iron rods (MV)

The iron rodsdeathcount

Formed in 2001 and debuting in 2013, this is a Japanese deathgrind/goregrind band that also incorporates hardcore techno.

They have two vocalists who handle guttural growls and high-pitched shouts.

I thought it was unusual, since in this genre, when there are two vocalists, one is often a clean singer.

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