324 means business. For every inner ear-scarring second of "Rebelgrind", this band of Japanese Grindcore warriors strive to brutalize anyone with the temerity to listen. Vocalist Masao Yamamoto’s throat-tearing shouts sound as if he left pieces of his larynx on the microphone during the recording process. Of course, none of what he “sings” is in the least way intelligible, as even the language is difficult to discern. Almost very song could be in English, Japanese, or Old Norse and the listener would be none the wiser. However, if the vocals contained clear and comprehensible verbiage, it would probably take away from the animalistic nature of the music.

Even with the shouted incoherencies that are the lyrics, the actual recording quality on "Rebelgrind" is impeccable for the genre. Each riff and drumbeat is distinct, allowing the sheer force on the album’s speed to shine through. Where many other bands choose to let their instrumentation run together in a mishmash of mire racing at the speed of sound, 324 forces the listener to experience every note in its simplistic triumph. 

Unfortunately, like many other albums of the genre, "Rebelgrind" cannot help but be repetitive, causing it to fade very quickly upon repeated listens. This is perhaps an unfair criticism, as 324 obviously never set out to make something incredibly unique in the world of “heavy” music, but rather some straight-forward Grindcore with a bit of Hardcore and Punk mixed in. As a result, it is a fan-only affair, but those fans will be pleased. 

(Online May 10, 2008)