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Grimple is one of those great bands that sadly not too many people have heard. With that in mind I’ve decided to write a review for their only LP so as to draw some much deserved attention towards them.

Grimple formed in Sante Fe, NM in 1990 and then moved to Berkeley, CA in 1991. They released an EP later that year and then released their only full-length in 1992. The next year they released a split with Logical Nonsense and then broke up some time after that.

So there’s a little bit of background. Now let’s get to the review. Grimple’s sound is pretty intense. They drew influences from early hardcore and metal and fused it with their own brand of punk. The result is an incredibly fast wall of sound that rocks the bejesus out of you. Pat Vigil’s vocals are good in the high octaves as well as the low ones. His scream is powerful and its quality doesn’t make you think of a wounded animal. His voice also has this strange metallic quality to it that’s hard to describe but great to listen to. Mark’s bass playing is top notch and blistering fast on a lot of tracks. In fact, the intro to “Blood Gutter” brings visions of Matt Freeman dancing in my head.

As far as the lyrics go, they’re not really needed to enjoy the CD, but once you do read the lyrics you’ll find that quite a few of the songs are political in nature. Actually, the entire theme of the album is basically assaulting apathy and preaching non-violence. There’s even a song about animal rights and one about smoking weed. Yeah, they were big advocates for the legalization of marijuana.

Overall the CD is very good and really fun to listen to. If I had to genre-ize them I’d probably say hardcore punk and as far as comparison bands…think early A Global Threat.

This was orignally released on M&E records and then re-released on East Bay Menace records. You can now find it on Prank Records.



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    Posted by JayTee on 2006-09-07 20:29:31

    I had Filth! on in my car earlier that day driving home from work. Probably should've specified that, but I was kinda wasted. My dad fucked his neck up gettin hit by a drunk driver the other year. So yeah, I don't do that.

    Back on topic, Grimple = good.

    Posted by WilliamMarinovic on 2006-09-07 20:03:15

    I agree with the poster below. Drunk drivers are assholes.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 7, 2006 at 4:15 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Don't drive drunk, asshole.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 7, 2006 at 10:47 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    classic...makes me feel old, but good to see this up here nonetheless.

    Posted by JayTee on 2006-09-07 03:01:50

    Booo anonymity! that was me who said the filth! thing below this. JT = drunk right now.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, September 7, 2006 at 3:00 AM (EDT)

    Filth! Nice, I actually just had "Banned From The Pubs" on in my car.

    Posted by Enemy_Will on 2006-09-06 21:10:49
    My Score:

    I've loved this record for a very long time now. I wish they had directly influenced more bands.

    Posted by lushj on 2006-09-06 20:20:06

    P.S.- There's NOTHING "crust" about this record. Rough-edged melodic punk? Sure. Crust? Metal? No way. That's the split record and their later live shows, plus their later bands like El Dopa, Watch Them Die, and so on...

    Posted by lushj on 2006-09-06 20:19:00
    My Score:

    This is a great record. A shorter (and more accurate) review would've read: "Sounds like the non-ska Op Ivy songs." Seriously, that's exactly what it is, with their own Oakland-by-way-of-New-Mexico pot-smokin' twist on the lyrics! Definitely one of the best local bands when they were at their peak, I am not a fan of their later, much more metallic split with Logical Nonsense, nor of their very metallic reunion shows a few years back.

    Great, genuine bunch of guys throughout. Get this record if Op Ivy w/o horns appeals to you. What pottymouths though!

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-09-06 17:48:31

    They really bring to mind Filth...they have that same sort of fuck you attitude and a sound that people always like to lump in as "crust".

    Posted by skankin_in_the_pit on 2006-09-06 13:23:32

    Retching Red are awesome. I thought the first full length was great and the new one is even better.

    They were good when I saw 'em open for MDC too.

    Posted by JayTee on 2006-09-06 12:33:37

    Glad you got that off your chest anonymous. Anyone wanna comment about Retching Red/Oppressed Logic who isn't a total idiot?

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 at 12:18 PM (EDT)

    uh, no. Retching red is fucking GARBAGE.

    Posted by JayTee on 2006-09-06 01:46:13

    Oh hey by the way, if you like Grimple and early 90's East Bay hardcore, DEFINITELY check out Cinder Block's band Retching Red if you haven't already. They rock quite a bit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 8:43 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Good album. Didn't dig all the subject matter, but that's punk.

    Posted by rkl on 2006-09-05 19:11:30
    My Score:

    if you dont like grimple, you dont like hardcore.,

    Posted by JayTee on 2006-09-05 16:11:56

    Whoa nice, I thought I was the only person on earth who had this album! 1 - 2 - Fuck - You! Grimple Up your ass!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 3:03 PM (EDT)

    one of the true greats. Pop crust on this record and then some sort of crust metal on the split. A great, very unique band. I've heard TLA mention these guys in interviews as favorites a few times.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 2:41 PM (EDT)

    great punk record. also, they did support marijuana and talked of it openly. that makes for a great punk band. of course they dont come like this anymore.

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