Recommended hard rock and heavy metal

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 (31–40)

MindfightLOCK UP

LOCK UP – Mindfight

MindfightLOCK UP

Lock Up is a grindcore/death metal band featuring Shane Embury of Napalm Death and others.

All the members are active in their own renowned bands, and while Lock Up functions as a side project, they also perform live as a band and even came to Japan in 2002.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Piss AngelPig Destroyer

PIG DESTROYER – “Piss Angel” (Official Music Video)

Piss AngelPig Destroyer

The second album from the grindcore band formed by former AxCx guitarist Scott Hull.

AxCx had nonsensical titles, you couldn’t tell what they were saying, and there weren’t even English lyrics—let alone translations—basically a band with none of the three.

But this band actually has them properly.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Parasitic EruptionDEVOURMENT

DEVOURMENT – “Parasitic Eruption” (Official Music Video)

Parasitic EruptionDEVOURMENT

The deathgrind band Devourment debuted in 1997.

However, on the release day of their debut album, vocalist Ruben Rosas was arrested by the police and incarcerated.

After two and a half years of imprisonment, the band once disbanded, but later made a comeback.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

In conclusion

We presented the history of how grindcore has continually pushed the boundaries of music, from its early days to the present, alongside representative tracks.

Within the underground scene, it has steadily produced powerful works, and today we’re seeing a remarkable rise of younger artists exploring new approaches and expanding the possibilities of expression.

The grindcore scene is something we simply can’t take our eyes off.