Giving Bad People Good Ideas: "Disbanded" & Newly-reformed Death Grips Unleash Righteous Black Flag, Beastie Boys & NIN-melding Bottomless Pit CD-LP (Harvest Records)
Sacramento-based Noise-Rap band Death Grips have had a very tumultuous, to say the least, relationship with the media since their sudden 2010 inception, although the recently "disbanded" and reunited three-piece have been heralded as "the first truly important band of the 21st century;" having direct influence on The Thin White Duke's final album ★ (Blackstar), Kanye's Aggro-Rap masterpiece Yeezus, and even Travi$ Scott's righteous T.I. & Kanye-assisted Rodeo. Death Grips' first post-"breakup" album, Bottomless Pit was unleashed Friday, May 6th at the stroke of midnight, amdist a weekend abuzz with new music and countless headlines from the likes of Radiohead, James Blake, Chance The Rapper, De La Soul, Homeboy Sandman, KAYTRANADA, and Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def. Bottomless Pit was preceded by eventual album tracks "Hot Head," Zane Lowe-debuted "Eh," and non-album "Interview 2016," although it appears as though the full 13-track album leaked online as early as April 29th, as a result of a Reddit-sprung leak. "Iconic 70's film star Karen Black passed away in August 2013. In February of that year, Karyn Rachtman introduced Ms. Black to Zach Hill. The two immediately hit it off. Zach had written a part for Karen for a film he was developing and gave her the pages for her scenes. Though she didn't know how the scenes would fit into the final film, she readily agreed to read her character's dialog on camera for Zach," reads the description attached to a rather cryptic Karen Black-helmed Bottomless Pit-announcing Misoneism casting call reel.
Not entirely unlike their previously "leaked" albums The Money Store and Epic contract-nulling NO LOVE DEEP WEB, Bottomless Pit sounds like Death Grips' fully realized vision haphazardly sprawled across 13 frantic, aneurysm-enducing tracks, which may sound mildly painful (but a sentiment you'll no doubt understand, if you're a diehard DG devotee). "[Zach Hill] has reinvented how someone drums. When you see this guy play, it looks like a flurry of activity. It looks like a blur. It looks like a tantrum. You can't even see it. And at first, when I saw this drummer, I was like, 'What is happening?' And then I realized later, 'Oh, this guy is a genius,'" SNL alumni Fred Armisen gushed to Rachael Ray during a 60-second free space segment, which originally aired sometime between the releases of NO LOVE DEEP WEB and Government Plates. Death Grips are equal parts Black Flag, Beastie Boys, and NIN and if you haven't yet already, do yourself a favor and stream or pick up a copy of their impeccable Bottomless Pit, which is currently available for digital download or pre-order on CD and