ASRA gets in, gets out, and doesn’t fuck around. Would be nice if other so-called “grindcore” acts got the message, but whereas most death and grindcore acts build and build and build things to reach a climax (i.e. a beatdown), ASRA (that’s Alleged Satanic Ritual Abuse for those keeping score) go for the gusto with a deranged sense of fury not heard since Discordant Axis was prowling around town.

As is the case with good grindcore, there are death metal overtones present on The Way Of All Flesh, especially in the form of the grueling “Those In Power.” Vocalist Montgomery Hukill alternates from screechy highs to bellowing lows, but is convincing enough to elude any sort of “scene” connotations. Hukill really lets things rip in “Pathogen,” where his dual vocal approach works like a charm.

Production-wise, The Way of All Flesh is under produced by today’s standards, giving crusty numbers like “Exploiting the Dead” (a sure-fire Brutal Truth homage) and “Payload” that homely, DIY feel that reeks of sweaty basement shows and herb.

We’ve yet to see a real shake-up in grindcore since the early part of this decade when the likes of Phobia, Circle of Dead Children, and Total Fucking Destruction started making waves, but ASRA is the real deal and conveys that seminal, fuck-all approach that made the good parts of grindcore so appealing. With that in mind, chalk The Way of All Flesh as one of the real grind finds of ’08.

www.myspace.com/allegedsatanicritualabuse