Anthems For The Easily Offended is the first official recording for Austrian act Progeria Buffet, if I am not mistaken. Seen the band’s logo and the band’s moniker, I had an idea what kind of lullabies they would create. And then, if you see the lay-out (cover painting, drawings inside the booklet, and especially the body-like pictures), I’m even more sure. And after analysing the album’s title, as well as the song titles (some examples: Diarrhoea Date, Next Miss Progeria Backstage Zickenkrieg, Drive-By defecation, Cracked Her Skull With The Toilet Seat, Stabwound Penetration and so on), I am definitely sure: this is a collection of poppy love ballads that will do on marriages, on funerals and for slow-dancing.
Oops, I seem to mingle two different things ;-) Well, indeed, this is pretty sick Grindcore, a soundtrack to celebrate the rotting process of intestines, to pay tribute to festering infections, to feast on maggot-overcrowded flesh wounds, to … Oops, I did it again; I have to control myself.
No, seriously (though ‘being serious’ in this band’s case is a cynical contradictio in terminis). Anthems For The Easily Offended is twenty four minutes of ultimately gore and filthy, and surely old schooled Grindcore in the vein of very early Carcass or even General Surgery, or more up-to-date beautifulness à la Rompeprop, Jig-Ai, Dead Infection, Negligent Collateral Collapse / Eardelete, Buckshot Facelift, Gorerotted, Teen Pussy Fuckers or Spasm. Actually, this gore stuff contains almost everything that is needed to please the general Czech scene (say hello to the Bizarre Leprous-roster!), though there is quite some ear-candy for fans of the Dutch, French and Nigerian scene too. And once in a while, even older Napalm Death, Exhumed, Extreme Noise Terror or Pungent Stench might come to mind when hearing some specific riffs or rhythms. But it does not necessarily mean that you need to get horny right away.
Despite quite some great quality, I do miss variation (no, I am not complaining about the lack of originality; I usually never do). Only the difference in speed is remarkable, but for the better part most pieces are quite same-directed. But I think the permanently dueling vocals (so-called pig screams and deep-throated grunts) are pretty attractive too, at least if you do adore grinding nastiness.
But I cannot but mention the sublime sound too, which truly satisfies the grind-edged ear drums of humanity. …sweet and cheerful it is…