Album Review: Belarus Beaver – Grind af den Brune Bäfver (Self Released)

Released on June 17th, ‘Grind af den Brune Bäfver’ is the new album from Swedish grindcore/death metal band, Belarus Beaver. You know, the one with lyrics about beavers.

I think it’s fairly obvious that you shouldn’t take Belarus Beaver too seriously, but that doesn’t mean they’re a joke band. Far from it, they take the upcoming beaver apocalypse very seriously, and so should you.

Kicking off in terrifying and noisy fashion, things are sounding grim from the start with Beaver Screams from Forests Unknown. A showcase of bristling death metal that is kept short and sharp. Although that is a common theme of the album as this kind of blistering intensity would lose its impact if dragged out too long. Case in point, Forest Massacre is less than two minutes long and it slaps hard.

Things don’t get any less harsh as the album goes on either, but who is complaining!? There are beavers to slap down and tracks like Den Gnagande Plågan, Mutated Beaver Moose, and Jag Är Bäver to enjoy. Then there is Penetrated by A Log, which has a title befitting of the eye-watering pain that is dished out here. Hilariously, there’s even some groove.

I know what you’re thinking and yes, this is the best beaver related thing since the 2022 film, Hundreds of Beavers. Just like that film, this album is impossible to ignore and even though there are times where the crashing and smashing cacophony on offer isn’t quite as compelling, it’s still a record with tons of worth. Least of all the ferocious I Want to Pet a Beaver. The vocals are insane on this one.

Elsewhere, one of the longer tracks on the album, Begravd I En Flod delivers some garish instrumentals via a shifting tempo that will keep you on your toes. Under A Beaver Moon has some creative twists using melody and one of the deadliest vocal roars heard in some time. Urbävern is so much more elaborate and potent because Belarus Beaver experiment a bit. Before a delightfully strong extreme metal record closes out with 66-seconds of grinding and head-banging inducing noise. Who’d have it any other way?

An album that will have you side eying any beavers you come across in the future.

Belarus Beaver – Grind af den Brune Bäfver Track Listing:

1. Beaver Screams from Forests Unknown
2. Forest Massacre
3. Den Gnagande Plågan
4. Mutated Beaver Moose
5. Jag Är Bäver
6. Penetrated by A Log
7. Bävulen
8. I Want to Pet a Beaver
9. Begravd I En Flod
10. Den Sista Fisketuren
11. Under A Beaver Moon
12. Pojken Som Ropade Bäver
13. Urbävern
14. In Numbers Beyond Counting

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