The following words and photos were submitted by Walter Navarro Peremarti
At this point you should already know Wormrot are back in town and they do not come in peace. The Singaporean band has remained out of the public eye for four years and their latest record has been conceived through a difficult and very challenging period of time. The result is a cathartic album full of ire and hostility but also relief. Claims about grind album of the year float around the internet. The album, titled Voices, has been getting rave reviews, including a 10/10 from Metal Injection's very own Christopher Luedtke. Let me tell you, if you are not in this train already, you are missing out.
Just one day after the record's official release, Wormrot scheduled their first ever album launch party in a local venue at their home town, Singapore. To warm up the room, 4 other local bands: State Of Pain, Abolition A.D., Straight Forward and I Am David Sparkle.
For a small country that has a healthy metal scene but not many bands who are known internationally, Wormrot have become a matter of national pride. I can tell they've been sorely missed by looking at the packed room boiling with excitement and anticipation. Friends and family cram themselves against the stage, restlessly waiting, laughing and grinning.
Then Wormrot kicks it into gear and all hell breaks loose. Grinding through 30 songs in a set of barely 50 minutes is no joke but these dudes have 4 years of bullshit to purge and no one is getting in the way. From the first song, it is quite clear that the line-up change has not taken anything away from their sound. New drummer Vijesh proves more than capable of blasting through Dirge-era tracks like “Compulsive Disposition”, and seems equally comfortable with the band's new, more dynamic material. Simply put, Vijesh is a beast, no need for concern on that front. He and Rasyid hold the whole instrumental weight of the band and manage to make the material sound incredibly solid and compelling, never giving notice to the lack of a bass player.
Meanwhile Arif is doing his thing, frantically filling up the stage and screaming his heart out. His range is much wider than before and his performance is abrasive and honest. The good man even had to stop the show a couple of times to catch his breath. It's very cool to see that some of the new tracks like “Fallen into Disuse” or the closer, “Compassion is Dead” are already getting the pit going. Wormrot does not hold back and their intensity will quickly spread through the room into a sweaty mess of good friendly violent fun, that is a promise!
This show was about cleansing, reuniting and celebrating, and when all was said and done, the sense of accomplishment must have been quite humbling for these boys. One to be written in the history books of the local scene, no doubt!
Stay tuned for Wormrot’s upcoming European and North American tour announcements and get your copy of Voices through Earache or your local shop.
