See You Next Tuesday
Parasite
Ferret Music/Stomp



'Parasite' is the debut release for Michigan grindcore band See You Next Tuesday. Signed to metal/punk/hardcore label Ferrett Music (home of Chimaira and Poison The Well), the band comprise Chris Fox on vocals, drummer Andy Dalton, bass player Travis Martin and guitarist Drew Slavik.

Apparently See You Next Tuesday started two and a half years ago as a joke, only getting serious once they realized that people seemed to enjoy their music. Whoever those people were, they have a lot to answer for, because to these ears much of the music on 'Parasite' remains a joke, and a very poor one at that.

All the usual grindcore elements are on offer - lightning-fast riffs and breakdowns, vocals that alternate between deathly unintelligible growls and piercing screams, and very short songs that mostly clock in at a minute or so. What is missing is any semblance of originality, subtlety or variation. In other words, this is strictly grind by numbers. Furthermore the lyrics are puerile nonsense, as evidenced by songs like Before I Die I'm Gonna Fuck Me a Fish and Baby, You Make Me Wish I Had Three Hands.

Amongst the wreckage, there is a faint glimmer of promise, and perhaps ironically it comes from the slower tracks Paraphilia and Pogonatrophy Part 2: The Parasite. The slower tempo adds weight and intensity, and lo and behold, some interesting song structures emerge. Hopefully this may be a pointer towards the future.

Overall though, this is a disappointing release and with an album length of just over eighteen minutes is hardly value for money. My advice to fans of light speed grind is to go deep underground and seek out Napalm Death's first two albums 'Scum' and 'From Enslavement To Obliteration' for examples of true passion and innovation within this genre.

James McKenzie