2 Minuta Dreka - Porno Bizarro

Its no small joke how long the world (well, the goregrind world) has been waiting for a new 2 Minuta Dreka record to drop, and now that it actually has, it has seemingly taken me a whole age to get around to reviewing it. The first thing I notice about Porno Bizarro is its fairly polished production job, which gives the whole thing a massive fucking gut-punch. The sampling has become more obscure, and lends an authentic, disturbing edge to the Dreka's maelstrom of shit. This is a band energised, and I can safely say that the record is worth the wait. 

As far as gurgling, groovy goregrind goes, I have to say that I find 2 Minuta Dreka under-rated. Your average Gutalax fan wouldn't have heard of these guys, for instance, which is a massive shame. One of Italy's finest underground bands, for sure. 

2 Minuta Dreka / Umigliazione - Split 7"

This is my first experience with Umigliazione - who play hardcore punk style stuff mashed up with super noisy freak-outs. They play 3 songs here, in 4 minutes or so, and it's definitely not what I expect to hear. I'll have to check these guys out more, as this is very brief.

On the flipside, 2 Minuta Dreka offer up a massive contrast. This is far from the band's later, groovy material. On this 7" we have nothing but pure 7MON-worship; offering up 70 (yes, that's right - 70) tracks in roughly 4 minutes. The "songs" are grinding blasts of scraping bass noise and guitar shreddery on top of the usual smattering of blast beats and distorted vocals.

2 Minuta Dreka self released this under the Grind Block label and it is limited to 1000 copies, so should be fairly easy to get a hold of if you are so inclined (copies are currently 2 Euros on Discogs).

Mixomatosis - Neurofibroma Mixoide

This CD is by far the best Mixomatosis stuff that I have heard so far! I'm not that familiar with them; everything I own by them has a different sound, but Neurofibroma Mixoide has a solid and well-rounded sound that is consistent from start to finish. Ladies and gentlemen, this is some good-ass grindcore! Typically it was released on the equally as awesome label, Rotten Roll Rex back in 2007.

The whole thing kicks off with the title track, a growly number of intense fury which moves back and forth between blasting grind and flat-out punk style riffing, with hilarious yelped vocals. After that the songs blast by at a ferocious pace; "El Carnicero De Africa" (which the band contributed a live version of to my old label's first 7" compilation) is a favourite of mine, as is the Carnal Diafragma cover at track 12; "Stench Vaginalis".

Unfortunately the entire thing is over far too quickly and I am left wanting more sick Spanish goregrind, but it is not to be! Onward to buying more Mixomatosis shits! I think my next step will be the Mixomatosis / 2 Minuta Dreka split 7", as that will also bring me a step closer to getting all the 2MD stuff as well.

2 Minuta Dreka / Anal Massaker - Split 7"

I've been meaning to finish my 2 Minuta Dreka collection off for a while, so I was well happy when I caught this in Sete Star Sept's distro at OEF. Now I'm one step further to my goal! 2 Minuta Dreka have some great songs here; "Fecal Raptus" is off the full length I know, but it's cool to own it on 7" as well as it's such a good song. I'm not sure if it is the exact same recording as the album version, but it's very similar. Besides, the other tracks aren't on the full length so all is well and good. Also, bonus points for hilarious artwork!

I couldn't get into Anal Massaker on the first listen. The grind is all good, but I found the vocals to be a bit lacklustre, although eventually they grew on me and now I have another grindcore/noisecore band that I want to hunt down a discography for! Cool / not cool at the same time! I love the warm and fuzzy sound the band has here, it's just great. What the fascination is with Sesame Street characters is though, I'm not quite sure. Sesamegrind?

Anyways this was put out as a collaboration between Nihulus and Raw Noise, and is limited to 500 copies, of which I have number 161. Tops!

2 Minuta Dreka - Let's Start A Porn In The Name Of Gore

An instant porngrind classic. 2006's debut from Italian noisecore-cum-grinders 2 Minuta Dreka really made it's mark in a time where pure groovy grind had gone a bit stagnant (GUT's Cumback, anyone?). For me it holds the perfect production; that excellent fine line between studio quality and rehearsal room feel. I guess it is the very organic drum sound (count-ins and all) that helps keep this record's garage vibe locked down. Let's Start A Porn... was released on the seemingly now defunct (?) American label Half-Life Records. I believe also that the record is out of print. Perhaps it should be re-released on vinyl!

There are a few rather long songs here, but that's cool because they are all fairly groovy and don't get boring at all. The samples are just priceless, and if you go on the official 2 Minuta Dreka website, vocalist Brandy has been kind enough to list what films they are all from. Mixed in with the longer tracks are a plethora of silly grindcore 1-seconders and a couple of cover songs from the likes of GUT, Meat Shits and Fear of God. It is clear where this band gained their influences!

It's hard to believe it's been 7 fucking years since this album came out! I for one literally cannot wait for a new 2 Minuta Dreka record. Blllllllerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhh. 

Agathocles / Repulsione - Split 7"

This is Agathocles' split with Italian fastcore band Repulsione, released in 2008 as a co-release between the excellent Grind Block Records and ¡ZAS! Autoproduzioni. Limited to 500 copies on black wax.

Another great Agathocles release, I'm not entirely sure if these songs are originals or not but they are not of the "what appears on 95% of splits" stock. Sound is raw as per usual, but great tunes. Repulsione, who feature members of 2 Minuta Dreka (also the label is run by Jack Off, the vocalist for 2 Minuta Dreka), play fast, almost powervoilence-esque grind, a whole world away from the groovy sound of 2 Minuta Dreka. If I'm honest the production is a bit muddy but do not let that put you off.

V/A - Unlawful Grindcore Assembly - Split 7"

Unlawful Grindcore Assembly Compilation 7" featuring Pestilent Decay, Gate, Watch Me Burn, Bloodred Bacteria, Mierda Para Todos, Cara De Mil Putazos, Fetus Eaters, Deadfood, The Kill, Tu Carne, Wasteoid, Embalming Theare, Sayyadina, Pinata Lazer, Unholy Grave, Gored Face, Godstomper, Kerum, Nukum, Unholy Semen, 2 Minuta Dreka & Coprophagigs. Unknown amount pressing on transparent blue, released in 2005 by Nuclear BBQ Party Records.

I got this free when I bought the Agathocles / Embalming Theatre split 7" off Ebay; I guess the guy I bought it off ran the label. It's a bit hit and miss, but it's definitely a great cross section of grindcore music, from gore and porn through to noisecore and straight up traditional grind. An interesting listen when you feel you can look past the distortion barrier.

2 Minuta Dreka / Necrocannibalistic Vomitorium - Split 7"

2 Minuta Dreka's somewhat disappointing split with Necrocannibalistic Vomitorium, on black, again out on Grind Block Records. Number 468 of 500. I got this in Hellfest 2010, on the Bones Brigade stall. 2 Minuta Dreka's offering is a harsh, distorted live set, including 2 cover songs, and it's far from being their best recording. Definitely a completist's item, and I would even maybe consider selling. Oh and what about Necrocannibalistic Vomitorium? Well, the less said about that side this time, the better.

2 Minuta Dreka / Carcass Grinder - Split 7"

2 Minuta Dreka split with Carcass Grinder 7" on black, released through 2 Minuta Dreka's own label Grind Block Records. Pressing of 500, all one colour.

This is the first ever 2 Minuta Dreka release I bought (I think, from www.rottenroll.de), and I was drawn in with their bludgeoning groovy gore grind with it's clammy, rehearsal room feel. Carcass Grinder however have a much more punky sound.

2 Minuta Dreka / Iron Butter - Split 7"

2 Minuta Dreka / Iron Butter split 7" on black, limited to 1000 copies. Presumably split 250 each way for the 4 labels involved in releasing it; Lammerda Records, Underground Pollution Records, No Tomorrow Productions & Grind Block Records.