Extreme Metal Unit’s New LP, ‘Memory Theater’, Out Now!
New England extreme metal unit Escuela Grind released its new LP, ‘Memory Theater‘, on September 30. Produced by Kurt Ballou, the album — the band’s first — features 9 tracks of sharp, scorching underground music that rages and rips in equal measure. Escuela Grind‘s ‘Memory Theater‘ is available for purchase at this location.
Today, Escuela Grind announces autumn tour dates in support of ‘Memory Theater‘. The band will hit the road for a 35-city U.S. tour with Exhumed that will kick off on November 10 in Portland, OR. The just-announced itinerary is as follows:
Escuela Grind U.S. tour dates (all shows include Exhumed, with Molder (November 10-22), and Castrator (November 23-December 18)
November 10 Portland, OR @ Dante’s
November 11 Seattle, WA @ Substation
November 12 Boise, ID @ The Shredder
November 13 Salt Lake City, UT @ Ace’s High Saloon
November 14 Denver, CO @ HQ
November 15 Cheyenne, WY @ Ernie November
November 16 Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge
November 17 Des Moines, IA @ Lefty’s
November 18 Chicago, IL @ Reggies
November 19 Milwaukee, WI @ Club Garibaldi
November 20 Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary
November 21 Cincinnati, OH @ Legends
November 22 Cleveland, OH @ No Class
November 23 Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo
November 25 Boston, MA @ Sonia
November 26 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas
November 27 Brooklyn, NY @ The Meadows
November 29 Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
November 30 Norfolk, VA @ Norfolk Taphouse
December 1 Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
December 2 Atlanta, GA @ Bogg’s
December 3 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
December 4 Tampa, FL @ Brass Mug
December 6 New Orleans, LA @ The Goat
December 7 Houston, TX @ White Oak
December 8 Austin, TX @ Come and Take it Live
December 9 Dallas, TX @ Amplified
December 10 San Antonio, TX @ Rock Box
December 12 Albuquerque, NM @ The Launchpad
December 13 Mesa, AZ @ Nile Underground
December 14 San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick
December 15 Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation
December 16 Los Angeles, CA @ First Street Billiards
December 17 Oakland, CA @ Eli’s Mile High
December 18 Sacramento, CA @ Starlet Room @ Harlow’s
While its music might be intimidating on first listen, the overwhelming spirit behind Escuela Grind is a message of empowerment. As it destroys musical boundaries, the quartet attacks the idea of “gatekeeping” with equal ferocity. Anytime Katerina Economou, Jesse Fuentes (drums), Kris Morash (guitar), and Tom Sifuentes (bass) convene, an aural apocalypse will ensue. Escuela Grind stitches together a new metallic hardcore monster from the rotten corpses of grindcore and power violence with gleefully unhinged blasts of percussive bombast and chaos. An architect by trade, Economou explores philosophy, politics, and experiential experimentation, building a kind of structure amidst the band’s musical cacophony.
“On the new LP, we wanted a fantastical architectural theme, as the Memory Theater is meant to symbolize this internal building, composed of infinitely-expanding, constructed rooms,” said vocalist Katerina Economou. “We wanted the artwork to show that each song is a ‘room’ within the mind. And each room contains symbolic objects of all ideas. Sound-wise, we realized how important the physical aspect of our live performances is, and how we wanted our riffs and grooves to make people move. We demoed and composed these songs multiple times to get them exactly the way we wanted them.”
Escuela Grind released a video for the new song, “Forced Collective Introspection“. Directed by Michael Jari Davidson (Alice in Chains), the barn-burning clip is an ode to the 1971 science fiction film, THX 1138, a work of sociological commentary set in a dystopian world where individuality and love are forbidden. The clip debuted via Knotfest which surmised, “Escuela Grind manage to incorporate social commentary in their brand without soapboxing, weaponizing their powerviolence in a way that is compelling in meaning and commanding in execution.” Stream Escuela Grind‘s “Forced Collective Introspection” video at this location.
‘Memory Theater‘, Escuela Grind‘s sophomore album, is seven minutes shorter than Slayer’s ‘Reign in Blood’, but with a few songs running past the three-minute mark, it’s downright epic by grindcore norms. Delivering on the promise of several split records, a handful of EPs (including ‘GGRRIINNDDCCOORREE’ and ‘PPOOWWEERRVVIIOOLLEENNCCEE’, both released in 2020), and the full-length, ‘Indoctrination’, the nine songs on ‘Memory Theater‘ offer a near-psychedelic trip to the genre’s soul. The album title references a specific historical concept, constructing a “space” from one’s internal ideas, knowledge, and perception.
Escuela Grind has also released a video for its rampaging new track, “Cliffhanger“, which adroitly showcases the kinetic energy of the group’s much talked about live performances. “Cliffhanger” debuted via Decibel who proclaimed, “The track showcases both sides of Escuela Grind’s sound: the firing-on-all-cylinders brand of grindcore that you would expect from a band called “Grind School” and a few two-step hardcore breakdowns that convert the energy into a more moshable state. Produced by Converge guitarist/GodCity producer Kurt Ballou, Memory Theater is the heaviest Escuela Grind have ever sounded.” Stream Escuela Grind‘s “Cliffhanger” video at this location.
‘Memory Theater‘ track listing:
1.) Endowed With Windows
2.) My Heart, My Hands
3.) Cliffhanger (stream VIDEO)
4.) Strange Creature
5.) Faulty Blueprints
6.) All Is Forgiven (stream VIDEO)
7.) Forced Collective Introspection (stream VIDEO)
8.) The Feed
9.) Memory Theater
Escuela Grind also released a video for the new song, “All is Forgiven“, which the group calls “a skull cracker”. The high-intensity clip blends reality with virtual reality. “All is Forgiven” premieres via Brooklyn Vegan who succinctly surmises, “This shit bangs”. Experience Escuela Grind‘s “All is Forgiven” video at this location.
Find Escuela Grind online at Escuela-Grind.com and follow the band on Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, and twitter.
“Whether you call what Escuela Grind does “power violence” or grindcore,” there’s no doubt the music the quartet creates together is pure fucking mayhem.” – No Echo
“discombobulating drum patterns and staccato guitar chugs…enough force to level an office park.” – Revolver
“bursts of unthinkable sonic rage that still manage to keep the listeners rapt with their density and dynamics…Escuela Grind’s misanthropy as enjoyable and intelligent as it is unending.” – Kerrang!
