Top 50 Grindcore Albums Ever

Grindcore was born in the mid-1980's, with bands like Napalm Death, Repulsion, and Extreme Noise Terror beginning to combine crust punk and thrashcore together. At its core, grindcore is extremely fast, deranged, and destructive. Usually, grindcore songs are less than two minutes long, and albums last only about twenty minutes. It blurs past you in a manic hurricane, and it's over before you realize what's happened. Sounds fun? Great. Here's the fifty greatest grindcore albums ever.

Before we begin, I’d like to mention my grindcore playlist on Spotify. It’s got over 450 tracks, which is enough to keep you moshing and screaming for hours. Here’s the link: Grindcore

Napalm Death, 1990

50. Electro Hippies - The Only Good Punk... Is A Dead One (1988)

For number fifty, we're going all the way back to grindcore's early days, when it was just an infant. An often overlooked album in this era is The Only Good Punk... Is A Dead One by Electro Hippies, a short-lived British band that featured future Carcass guitarist, Jeff Walker, on vocals. Now, to be fair, this album does not feature Jeff Walker on vocals, but it was a major stepping stone for future grindcore bands, especially with songs like "Acid Rain", "Scum" (not the Napalm Death song), and "Deception".

49. Atka - Untitled Album 1 (2018)

Atka's debut album, Untitled Album 1, is a modern classic in the grindcore realm. It's half an hour of mathcore-influenced German grindcore that never ceases to amaze. The album succeeds at being chaotic while bringing emotion to a genre that doesn't always include emotion. Every track is splendidly thought-out and planned, even if you can't remember what their names are. Oh sorry, I forgot to mention all of the song titles are a bunch of seemingly random letters and numbers. Want to know my favorite track? "1xsxl3xs291xsoc3xsco2xsd3xsokl3xs".

48. Brujeria - Raza Odiada (1995)

Brujeria made waves in the grind scene when they dropped their debut album, Matando Güeros, in 1993 (partly because of the controversial album artwork). With their second album, Raza Odiada (meaning "Hated Race" in Spanish), they included a heavier emphasis on death metal and groove, with the riffs sounding Fear Factory-esque. The Satanic and political lyrics, all in Spanish, might I add, tie in perfectly with the mean vocal delivery of vocalist Juan Brujo. Along with the cleaner production quality, this makes for a better overall experience than the first album, ranking it among the greatest grind albums to this day.

47. Exhumed - All Guts, No Glory (2011)

Exhumed began as a Carcass-inspired goregrind band in 1990 and with each release, they added more and more death metal influences. I think they reached their apex with 2011's All Guts, No Glory. This album also displays a thrash metal influence, which is peculiar, especially on mosh pit starters like "Through Cadaver Eyes" and "As Hammer to Anvil". The vocal tradeoff between Matt Harvey and Leon del Muerte also make for a more interesting album, compared to other modern deathgrind outfits. Whether Exhumed likes it or not, I find a lot of glory in this record.

46. Apes - Lightless (2017)

Across less than twenty minutes, Canadian blackened grindcore band Apes mixes grindcore, crust punk, black metal, sludge metal, hardcore punk, and even doom metal into an emotive debut album. To break up the chaos, brief moments of tense ambience litter the album, having the listener on the edge of seat, waiting to hear what happens next.

45. Dead in the Dirt - The Blind Hole (2013)

The magic a three-piece can do! Dual vocals, super heavy guitar and bass tones, and exceptional drumming is what Dead in the Dirt went for when it came to their first and only album. This is grindcore with some sludge metal mixed in with good measure. Pair that with the lo-fi production, this album's presence stays with you, although it clocks in at less than twenty-four minutes.

44. Impetigo - Horror of the Zombies (1992)

Ah, Impetigo. Their second effort, Horror of the Zombies is a much more structured and less caveman-style of grind, pushing it into deathgrind territory. This is an entire album of completely morbid death and grind riffing, insane growls from vocalist Stevo, and really great and steady drumming. It's also one of the first metal albums, along with their debut, Ultimo Mondo Cannibale, to use samples from films in the songs, especially on songs like "Boneyard" and "I Work for the Streetcleaner". Sadly, this was Impetigo's final album before disbanding in 1993.

43. Socioclast - Socioclast (2021)

These days, bands can come out of nowhere with no releases except for a full-length album, thanks to this fancy thing we have called the Internet. Socioclast are one of these bands. Coming out of San Jose, California, they put out an absolutely skull-crushing debut in 2021, with bulletproof writing, stunning drumming, and frequent tempo changes. Socioclast is definitely a metal band we should have our eyes on going forward.

42. Carcass - Symphonies of Sickness (1989)

Some bands have a transition album, an album when they're moving away from one genre into another. That's this album. Carcass originally created the genre goregrind with their murky debut album, Reek of Putrefaction, before moving towards a death metal sound on Symphonies of Sickness. Because this album consists of death metal and grindcore in one in 1989, this is the first deathgrind album. It also includes iconic deathgrind songs like "Reek of Putrefaction", "Exhume to Consume", and "Ruptured in Purulence". The only reason this isn't higher on the list is because this is almost nothing compared to what Carcass was going to release later on, like 1991's Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious and 1993's Heartwork.

41. Gadget - The Funeral March (2006)

This is a technical grindcore release that keeps you on your toes. Emil Englund's vocals on this record are the main standout, going from Pig Destroyer's J.R. Hayes's screams to Napalm Death's Barney Greenway's growls at a moment's notice. The drumming is stunningly fast and on point, along with the death metal-styled riffing.

40. Narakah - Nemesis Cloak (2022)

Narakah stays true to the grindcore formula with their debut album, Nemesis Cloak, being very sharp and blunt. This album just oozes of sawing guitar riffs and insane vocals. This album also contains some black metal and thrash metal influences on songs like "Silian Rail" and "The Colour of Illusion". They also take some inspiration from aforementioned Impetigo by using many movie samples which I'd like to see in more grind records.

39. Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire - Songs of Ill Hope and Desperation (2010)

This is the second and final studio album by Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire, a grindcore band that uses elements of sludge metal, noise, goregrind, death metal, and even metalcore. Coming out of punk riffs into doomy sections is very common on this album, differentiating it from other grind albums. This album is also more riff-heavy than most.

38. Rotten Sound - Exit (2005)

Rotten Sound is one of the 21st century's premier grindcore bands, and for good reason. Rotten Sound's breakthrough album, Exit, is their fourth album and one of their best. This album, like Narakah's Nemesis Cloak, is very riff heavy. Plus, the vocals from Keijo Niinimaa are some of his best. This is one of the most brutal grindcore albums to date, without needing any death metal influence.

37. Torch Runner - Endless Nothing (2014)

Torch Runner hails from North Carolina, and they deliver punishing punky grind with a side of doom. The album showcases the knack this band has for transitioning from one song to the next, as quickly as possible. This goes to the point where you don't even know where one song starts and where another stops. They utilize doom as well, where gives the music some depth and room to breathe.

36. Le Scrawl - Snowblind (2010)

Speaking of differentiation, here is obscure German jazzcore band, Le Scrawl. It's super difficult to find any clear information on this band and their releases, but it seems that this is their second album, after Q in 1995. But who's to say? What we do know is that this album is amazing. Get ready for this: grindcore, jazz, and ska. Yes, that's what this is. By pairing jazz and ska with an album with stunning death growls and blast beats, Le Scrawl creates something of their own, separating them from the rest of the pack. Based on the names of the songs and the lyrics I can decipher, it seems to be a concept album, although you can't say so for sure, due to the limited information you could find about this album. Also worth noting, is the production on the album which sounds like late 80's or early 90's.

35. Trap Them - Darker Handcraft (2011)

Now, this is one of the punkier albums on this list, but nonetheless heavy. Hooks are what Trap Them excels at, especially on this record, and every song ends in a huge explosion of sound that fills your ears like a wave crashing into the shore. This album also features Brad Fickeisen, the drummer from The Red Chord, so you know the drumming here will be as technical as possible. Sadly, Trap Them broke up in 2017, leaving behind a collection of albums that will influence grindcore bands to come forever.

34. Assück - Anticapital (1991)

Armed with catchy songs, Assück singlehandedly made one of the most influential deathgrind albums ever. There's also hints of groove metal on songs like "State to State" and "Civilization Comes, Civilization Goes". The vocals by Paul Pavlovich are more death metal like than anything else, like Barney Greenway of Napalm Death or Jeff Walker of Carcass. Pair that with the very 90's production and you've got an absolute banger on your hands. Assück would release one more amazing album in 1997, Misery Index, before disbanding in 1998.

33. Naked City - Naked City (1990)

The story goes that in New York in 1988, famous saxophonist John Zorn brought together four other famous jazz musicians along with noise rock vocalist Yamatsuka Eye for a project called "Naked City". And this is their first album. The album starts off as a jazz album (and an amazing one at that) but in the middle all hell breaks loose, and it's a complete mosh pit. And then it goes straight back to jazz at the end, like it never even happened. In fact, it isn't just jazz. It's also surf music, country, punk rock, and ambient music. The album also covers many movie themes. Looking for a bizarre listen? Here it is.

32. Napalm Death - Apex Predator - Easy Meat (2015)

Napalm Death, grindcore originators (more on that later), made a classic-sounding record with Apex Predator - Easy Meat. With this album, they mix the mid-paced tempos of their 90's stuff with the brutal stuff of the 80's and 00's stuff, to create some pretty crazy tracks. Their songwriting capabilities are at its best too, shown on songs like "Smash a Single Digit" and "How the Years Condemn". I also chose this album for the best death metal album of 2015, which list you can check out here: Greatest Death Metal Album of Every Year Since 1985.

31. Antigama - Whiteout (2022)

Here's Poland's Antigama with their latest release, Whiteout. Antigama have been at the forefront of technical grindcore since they formed back in 2000, but I feel as if they came into their own on this album. This album is as if they took blisteringly fast tech-death bands like Nile and experimental death like Gorguts and combined them with Discordance Axis, which sounds like it's too good to be true, but it isn't.

30. Misery Index - Heirs to Thievery (2010)

Misery Index was born out of Dying Fetus, and before this, they released three other solid albums. Heirs to Thievery is a perfectly balanced deathgrind album, with the music going blazing fast although you manage to keep up and understand all of it. The album is one you really have to sit down and listen to, and it's my choice for 2010's best death metal album which you can read here: Greatest Death Metal Album of Every Year Since 1985.

29. Takafumi Matsubara - Strange, Beautiful and Fast (2019)

I don't know if its cheating to put a solo artist on here, but if it was, it'd be criminal to Takafumi Matsubara's 2019 debut solo effort. Takafumi Matsubara is the guitarist for famous technical grindcore band, Gridlink and for this, he gathered together thirty-two grindcore artists! It really showcases Matsubara's skill and technique on the guitar. In the end, the album title says it all, because it is strange, beautiful, and fast.

28. Brutal Truth - Need to Control (1994)

Brutal Truth is one of the greatest grindcore bands ever. Period. And their follow up to 1992's stunning debut was Need to Control, an equally amazing album. This album actually took a bit of an experimental turn, employing industrial metal, noise music, and sludge metal. It's a completely creepy and ambitious album that plays out perfectly.

27. Kill the Client - Escalation of Hostility (2005)

Kill the Client is a band that strives to sound like classic Napalm Death, and they certainly succeed to do so with their debut album, Escalation of Hostility. This album gets you to move violently with its unrelenting intensity, which goes on for twenty-nine minutes. Like some other grindcore bands, Kill the Client also uses some sludge metal, like on "Killing Fields" and "Negative One". The production is also reminiscent of early Napalm Death, a bit fuzzy, but not as fuzzy as you can't hear it. In other words, perfection.

26. Magrudergrind - Magrudergrind (2009)

Similar to Torch Runner or Trap Them, Magrudergrind also comes from the punkier side of grindcore, but to less effect. This is their debut album, which is hard-hitting and blazingly fast with almost no break, other than the sludge-influenced song "Bridge Burner" and the unexpected hip hop twist in "Heavier Bombing". They also use movie samples, like Impetigo, so need I say more?

25. Nasum - Inhale/Exhale (1998)

While there are some bands on this list who give you about twelve to fifteen songs and call it a day, here's Nasum's debut album with thirty-eight whole songs! It's one of the most adrenaline pumping albums I've ever heard. The guitars and bass sound exactly like the buzzsaws from Entombed's Left Hand Path, and they employ vocal tradeoffs, with one doing the screaming and the other doing the growls. It's really stunning.

24. Soilent Green - Sewn Mouth Secrets (1998)

I've been talking about bands that's sprinkled some sludge metal into their grind, but here's a band that takes it to the next level. Soilent Green uses quite a bit of sludge metal, jazz, and even stoner metal in songs like "It Was Just an Accident", "Build Fear", and "Cold-Steel Kiss".  A very interesting album if you want to be taken off-guard by some pure Southern grind.

23. Napalm Death - Utopia Banished (1992)

Barney Greenway really shook things up for the band, as you'll see later on, and on this album it seemed like they were looking to put the emphasis back on grind, and less death metal. With the grindier sound back, they also took in some groove metal influences, which shakes it up a bit. Plus, Greenway's on vocals, making any album ten times better. Songs like "I Abstain", "Dementia Access", and "Christening of the Blind" really showcase his vocal strength and power.

22. Cattle Decapitation - Death Atlas (2019)

Technical deathgrind masters Cattle Decapitation always have hype surrounding their albums, and for good reason. This is amazing. Bleak, vengeful, dark, and blisteringly fast. That's how would describe this thing. This album showcases Scott Travis's greatest vocals put to recording to date. There's no question about that. He even introduces a new vocal style here, with a cleanish scream which he uses on "One Day Closer to the End of the World", "The Unerasable Past", and the title track. Now, I feel obligated to mention that Cattle Decapitation will release their newest album, Terrasite, this month, and I can assure you that that album will be equally as good, if not, better, than this album. The hype is real, people.

21. Insect Warfare - World Extermination (2009)

Insect Warfare is probably one of the better known modern grind bands to general metal fans on this list. The main point is Rahi Geramifar's vocals, which is absolutely insane. He growls with a distorted death metal styled voice, unlike most vocalists here. Plus, the drumming is tight and all of the riffs are catchy. Too bad this is Insect Warfare's only album, after breaking up in in 2007, then again in 2009, and then again in 2017. Looks like we're not getting another album out of these guys.

20. Rotten Sound - Apocalypse (2023)

This album only came out on March 31, and I've already listened to it about three times. It's amazing! Surprisingly, even better than 2005's Exit. The album sounds like the musical equivalent of torture, loss, hopelessness, and despair. Just a sad vibe all around. This album proves that Rotten Sound is still brutal eighteen years later. A must-listen for 2023 metal.

19. Full of Hell - Trumpeting Ecstasy (2017)

It's really difficult to say what Full of Hell album is the best. Their debut, Roots of Earth Are Consuming My Home was a noise music influenced grind album, and they've been progressing ever since. A solid argument can be made for 2017's Trumpeting Ecstasy. It retains the noise from the first two albums but also brings in sludge metal, black metal, death metal, and doom metal influences, making for a varied album that warrants multiple listens. Just listen to "Crawling Back to God" and you'll see what I mean.

18. Cloud Rat - Threshold (2022)

Threshold is sure to be a classic that will be appreciated for many years to come. Madison Marshall's vocals are perfect on this album, achieving that perfect rasp that we know and love from her. The guitars are somewhat melodic and harmonic, something almost never seen in grindcore. Plus, they mix in some death metal and crust punk for good measure. What more could you want?

17. Pig Destroyer - Terrifyer (2004)

Well, we're in the teens now and you'll begin to see some recognizable names in the world of grindcore, for the most part. Pig Destroyer is a huge band in grind and there shouldn't be a question as to why. Terrifyer is in the top ten when it comes to 2000's grind. Scott Hull's performance on the mic is great, just like the album prior. The atmosphere, just like the album prior (don't worry, we're getting to that album sooner or later), is dark and psychotic like. It's pretty... terrifying.

16. Cephalic Carnage - Xenosapien (2007)

Cephalic Carnage started off as a pretty mediocre band in the late 90's before dropping Lucid Interval in 2002. They improved on that with Anomalies in 2005 and came into their full form with Xenosapien in 2007. This album is amazing. It's technical deathgrind, mixed with some doom, sludge, groove, and even metalcore. It's really cool, weaving in and out of different genres with awesome hooks and choruses. The album also has an adequate amount of grindcore length songs like "Let Them Hate So Long as They Fear" and death metal length songs like "Endless Cycle of Violence".

15. Nails - Unsilent Death (2010)

Nails is another punk-leaning grind band, this time having a powerviolence influence. Although this album clocks in at barely fourteen minutes, in those fourteen minutes, Nails unleashes buzzsaw riffs, blast beats, and monstrous vocals. It's really technical playing, and the album is a true hallmark for grindcore going forward.

14. The Berzerker - Animosity (2007)

Grindcore and death metal... with electronic music?! Yes, that's what The Berzerker has done with Animosity... and all of their other albums, of course. The riffs are meaty and full, just listen to that chorus riff in "Purgatory". Just listen to it. It's in my top ten riffs, actually. The vocals are stunning. I love the different vocals here, and it sounds like two different people, but its actually the same person. The drums are what make this band different. It isn't real drums. And they didn't make it sound like real drums, like Mortician. The bass drum has a fuzz that really adds to the whole electronic aesthetic. On top of all of that, they also use movie samples.

13. Pain Killer - Guts of a Virgin (1991)

Jazzcore. We've been over this genre a couple times on this list with Le Scrawl's Snowblind and Naked City's self-titled album. It culminates on this album, however. And guess who's behind this creation? John Zorn, once again, doing good for the metal community. Plus, he personally does the vocals on this record, and I think they sound better than Yamatsuka Eye's vocals on the Naked City debut. This also features Mick Harris, drummer of Napalm Death from 1985 to 1991. Give it a chance. It's awesome. In my opinion, "Scud Attack" and the title track are two of grindcore's greatest songs.

12. Wormrot - Voices (2016)

Wormrot comes from seemingly one of the most unlikely places for grind, that place being Singapore. With their 2009 debut, Abuse, Wormrot became one of the leading names in grind, and it only got better with their second album, Dirge, in 2011. Voices takes the best of those two albums and compiles it to make a truly flawless album. It has a very dynamic sound, ranging from post-hardcore to post-black metal, to crust punk, to powerviolence. And there's a lot of atmospheric sections, giving it breathing room. It's a truly wonderful album. Since 2016, they've also released Hiss in 2022, an equally great album that you should also check out.

11. Brutal Truth - Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses (1992)

Brutal Truth are the quintessential 90's grindcore band, and this is their highly influential debut album. This band was formed by Danny Lilker, known for playing with thrash bands, Anthrax, S.O.D., and Nuclear Assault. There's a lot of groove within this record along with some pretty loud bass. It also contains some of the best songwriting, as shown on songs like "Birth of Ignorance", "Stench of Profit", "Denial of Existence", and my personal favorite, "Walking Corpse".

10. Napalm Death - Scum (1987)

This is where it all began! This is the first grindcore record! This album consists of twenty-eight, yes, twenty-eight, violent explosions of pure fury. The vocals are really good and also who did them is really convulted. Let's see, tracks one through twelve are done by Nik Napalm, unless its track six, in which the vocals were done by Justin Broadrick, and from thirteen onwards its Lee Dorian. So, a bit strange, but still, a majorly influential album, not only to grind artists, but to death metal artists as well. This album also includes the shortest song in the world, at just over a second, with “You Suffer”. This is the album that invented blast beats, people! (Sorry, I couldn't fit From Enslavement to Obliteration on this list.)

9. Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity (2012)

Cattle Decapitation, after years of being neglected by the metal community, showed everybody what they truly are on their magnum opus, Monolith of Inhumanity. Technical and brutal at its core, Travis Ryan gives out the best vocals of his career. David McGraw's drumming are S tier for grind. The hooks are so catchy and did I mention that chorus on "A Living, Breathing Piece of Defecating Meat"? You've got to listen to that! This is a legendary album that will be looked back on fondly.

8. Repulsion - Horrified (1989)

Technically, this was recorded in 1986, so some people do say that it is the first grindcore album. It's just that it was released after Napalm Death already had two albums. But this album is definitely a better album than Scum. The riffs and solos are amazing, and the basslines are stunning. Plus, just like Scum, this wasn't just an influence on grind artists, but also death metal bands like Obituary and Morbid Angel. The production is one of the most notable things about the album, being recorded in the producer's basement, giving it a very D.I.Y. and organic sound.

7. Pig Destroyer - Prowler in the Yard (2001)

Just hit play on the first track, "Jennifer". That is this album. It builds up the tension leading into the frenzy that is "Cheerleader Corpses". It's so brutal your headphones might melt. The riffs are groundbreaking, some of my favorite grind riffs lie in songs like "Trojan Whore" and "Naked Trees". It's just a sliver of perfection. They even incorporated some sludge in some songs, which seems to be a very popular things for grindcore bands to do, and I have no idea why. I guess its so that it can balance the harshness and speed of the grind.

6. Terrorizer - World Downfall (1989)

Featuring David Vincent on bass and Pete Sandoval on drums, World Downfall is also another majorly influential grindcore album. It's coarse and vicious. The riffs by Jesse Pintado are truly a work of art, incorporating some death metal influences. Pintado joined Napalm Death this same year and was a member until 2004. He was also the first person to coin the term "grindcore" to describe this kind of music, all the way back in 1983. Sadly, he died in 2006. He is one of grind's greatest guitarists, and will be sorely missed.

5. Genghis Tron - Board Up the House (2008)

If you thought The Berzerker was crazy for adding in electronic music, your mind will blow when you here Genghis Tron's second album, and magnum opus. Genghis Tron is overlooked whenever it comes to grind and I don't understand why. This album has entire electronic interludes and sections, and it adds so much personality and depth to the chaos. Tracks like "Endless Teeth", "Things Don't Look Good", "Colony Collapse", and the title track should be revered more. It's really amazing work. You have to hear it to believe it.

4. Gridlink - Longhena (2014)

Formed from the ashes of Discordance Axis, Gridlink released their first album in 2008. They fully came to form with their latest album, Longhena, in 2014. Melodies clash with sheer playing ability with Jon Chang's emotional vocals, Bryan Farjardo's machine gun drumming, and Takafumi Matsubara's technical guitar work. Pair that with violin, and its one of the greatest albums of the 2010's. Just hit play. It's that simple. The band broke up in 2014, but reformed last year, claming they are working on new music. Keep your eye out for that one, its going to be amazing.

3. Macabre - Sinister Slaughter (1993)

Flawless. That's all you really have to say. Sinister Slaughter is Macabre's second album and their magnum opus. You really don't need to hear anything else from them. It's hard to put into words how great this album is. The riffs are very melodic and enjoyable to listen to. Actually, some of them are based on nursery rhyme melodies, which is pretty comical. There are some elements of groove combined with the death metal structure of the songs. The vocals by Corporate Death and Nefarious are very different than anything else on this list, with deep death growls paired with funny high-pitched screams. Also, all of the lyrics are based on real life murderers, and the amount of detail really showed that Macabre did their homework.

2. Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption (1990)

Napalm Death moved from England to Florida to record Harmony Corruption, where they seemed to be influenced by all of the death metal bands also there (i.e. Death, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Atheist). They ended up making the greatest deathgrind album. Firstly, that crunch sound on the guitars. It's perfect. The riffs are really groovy and catchy and not overly technical. The drums, by Mick Harris, might I add, are also great. The 90's death metal production is also a big flex this album has. Everything is very audible, including the bass. This was also Barney Greenway's first album with Napalm Death, and this is his best vocal performance, previously working with death metal band Benediction on their debut album, Subconscious Terror. Plus, John Tardy and Glen Benton guest appear on "Unfit Earth", two of the greatest death metal vocalists of all time.

1. Discordance Axis - The Inalienable Dreamless (2000)

And here it is! The greatest grindcore album ever. One look at that album cover and you know you're in for a relaxing experience. That is, if your idea of relaxing is pure sounds of insanity and bewilderment. Jon Chang has to be the greatest pure grindcore vocalist ever. He mixes horrifying shrieks with low death gutturals with ease. Dave Witte is also one of the greatest drummers in metal. There's a lot of parts that give the album breathing room as well, like the emotion on "Loveless" or the doom metal influenced "A Leaden Stride to Nowhere", or the death metal influenced "The Necropolitan". The precise guitar riffs are another standout, by Rob Marton. It's grindcore at its finest, with seventeen songs of ultra technicality. Who knows what might have happened if Discordance Axis never broke up?