Kerrang! described ESCUELA GRIND as “unbelievably hostile.” The band named an early EP PPOOWWEERRVVIIOOLLEENNCCEE and another one GGRRIINNDDCCOORREE. Yet somewhere beneath the punishing blast beats, ferocious guttural growls, and noise worship lurks a gooey center of resilience and even, dare we say, hope. See, ESCUELA GRIND is all about intersectional progressive revolution, inclusivity, and good vibes… Delivered via captivating carnage.

Revolver counted ESCUELA GRIND among 5 Bands You Need to Know, noting they “offer variance to the tired blast-blast-blast trope, mixing in elements of death metal, doom, noise, and more.” They command diverse crowds with ease, having shared the stage w/ bands such as Converge, Infest, Wormrot, Sanguisugabogg, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Hatred Surge, and others.

The music might be terrifying, but the overwhelming spirit behind ESCUELA GRIND is a message of empowerment. As they destroy musical boundaries, the quartet attacks the idea of “gatekeeping” with equal ferocity. In fact, they already serve as a gateway drug to newcomers, fighting against the snobbery too-oft inherent in extreme counterculture as they gleefully deliver their brutal death grind.

Weathering countless trends and defying all odds, over the past decade Take Offense has established themselves as one of the West Coast’s most prominent hardcore acts. Sonically, Take Offense hits hard, with a sound steeped in late 80’s NYHC tradition, coupled with the distinctively Venice crossover stylings of Suicidal Tendencies and the like. Take Offense manages to both whet the palate of the stodgy old guard, while satisfying the youths’ insatiable lust for hard hitting, mosh riffage. Established in 2005, Take Offense have never been ones to rest on their laurels, and after a handful of EPs, 2011’s landmark full length Tables Will Turn, and a hell of a lot of time on the road with stalwarts such as Terror, Agnostic Front, D.R.I., Trapped Under Ice, Backtrack, Alpha & Omega, and Rotting Out, the band are set to unleash their latest magnum opus, United States of Mind, on the mighty Reaper Records. Though Take Offense are at a point in their lifespan when many bands shrug their shoulders and crank out half hearted riffs and reheated lyrics, United States of Mind proves the group has the stamina and creativity to push their sound forward without losing touch with their roots. In short, Take Offense are one of the most engaging hardcore bands to emerge in recent years, and lucky for all of us, they don’t appear to be going anywhere. All that’s left is to accept your fate and enter: THE T.O. ZONE

Liz Selfish
Brenner Moate
Dustin Eagan
Ian Hennessey

TWO-STEPPING NEON WEED DEATH