Hello, fuzzy sentient creatures of the void! This week Ryan and I delve into the latest Beaten to Death album Laat Maar, Ik Verhuis Naar Het Bos, which roughly translates to Never mind, I’m moving to the woods. This is an idea I’ve been pondering since I was a child (in the episode, I also poorly recommend the book, The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit). I’m just a little forest obsessed dude.
Beaten to Death originally made this fifth LP of theirs a vinyl-only release. Unfortunately, it is sold out at the time of this writing. Fret not, however, as the melodi-grind crackpots separated the record into four EPs, with each connected to a forested area on the blue marble. One of these was Endor, aka the Northern California redwood forests. And, as you could likely surmise if you’ve listened to just one or two of our past episodes, my undying love for hiking and Star Wars instantly compelled me to want to review this album based on the existence of the Endor EP alone (I’m sure Ryan just loves me bringing up Lord of the Rings and Star Wars all the time!).
Interestingly, Ryan (who bought the vinyl) and I discovered that the album’s tracks flow much smoother if you follow the vinyl’s track sequencing in contrast to listening to each four-track EP in isolation. Irrespective of this quibble, we absolutely adored the zany riffs, sun-gilded melodies, and meaty bass protrusions throughout. I poorly attempt to sound out some of the riffs via mouth mumbles and although I undoubtedly fail, something about the harsh yet rambunctious grindcore vocals pairs lovingly well with the melodic surges, grooving bass lines, and bum-blasting drum patterns. They also incorporate many textures into their compositions to keep their succinct outbursts dynamic and entertaining. Hell, one track ends with the sound of zombies snarling as a psychopathic murderer sews together a costume for us to wear. In other instances, you get punky gang vocals or sludgy atmospheric flourishes that just make you want to move. I can’t tell you how many times I got amped on the track “The Night Is Young And We’re All Out Of Nekro”. With that song alone you can tell these unique dudes know how to have a fun time!
Beaten to Death is an experimental grindcore quintet from Oslo, Norway that has existed since 2010. We reviewed their fourth studio album, full of what sounds like melodic tractor noises, Agronomicon (2018), back in 2019. Laat Maar, Ik Verhuis Naar Het Bos officially released September 25, 2020, with each EP dropping in November or December of 2020. They even comically state that band bios are boring and that you just want to hear the music. That being said, go stick your gourd in the sonic wood chipper that is Beaten to Death and experience the brain-scrambling that is their music.
