History

Despite the early impact of albums such as Repulsion

Repulsion (band)

Repulsion is an early grindcore / death metal band from Flint, Michigan. They have been called the "most influential grindcore band of all time".-History:...

's Horrified

Horrified

Horrified is the only full-length album released by the American grindcore band Repulsion. Although the album was originally recorded in 1986, it remained unreleased until three years later. It was originally released on Necrosis Records, a sublabel of Earache Records.-Album information:The album...

and Impetigo

Impetigo (band)

Impetigo was an Illinois-based hardcore punk, grindcore, and death metal band. They were among the first bands to use clips from films and other media as intros for their songs...

's Ultimo Mondo Cannibale, the origins of the genre really lie with the British band Carcass

Carcass (band)

Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....

, who began their career in the late 1980s. In their Reek of Putrefaction

Reek of Putrefaction

Reek of Putrefaction is the debut album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released by Earache Records in 1988.-Background:...

-era, Carcass used pitch shifters, medical imagery and a host of other visceral associations when it originally conceived the band, a deviation from the frequently political or left-wing lyrics commonly used in the hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 and grindcore scenes.

Characteristics

According to Matthew Harvey,
Zero Tolerance

Zero Tolerance Magazine

Zero Tolerance Magazine is an extreme music magazine published by Obdurate Ltd. in the United Kingdom. Published bi-monthly, it can be found on newsstands in the UK, Europe and North America - and is available on newsstands in Australia and specialist retailers in New Zealand and Taiwan...

described goregrind as being defined by "detuned guitars, blasting

Blast beat

A blast beat is a drum beat often associated with extreme metal and grindcore, although its usage predates the genres, and is utilised by many different styles of metal...

 drums (sometimes with a high-tuned, clanging 'biscuit tin' snare drum sound), sickening lyrics and often heavily processed/distorted vocals. Goregrind bands commonly use extremely low or pitch-shifted

Pitch shift

Pitch shifting is a sound recording technique in which the original pitch of a sound is raised or lowered. Effects units that raise or lower pitch by a pre-designated musical interval are called "pitch shifters" or "pitch benders".-Pitch/time shifting:...

 vocals. The lyrics' subject matter often features violent themes including gore

Graphic violence

Graphic violence is the depiction of especially vivid, brutal and realistic acts of violence in visual media such as literature, film, television, and video games...

, forensic pathology

Forensic pathology

Forensic pathology is a branch of pathology concerned with determining the cause of death by examination of a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist at the request of a coroner or medical examiner usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some...

, death, and rape. Lyrics sometimes have a clear tongue-in-cheek Z-grade horror-movie feel and are not expected to be taken seriously. Cyjan, drummer for Polish goregrind band Dead Infection

Dead Infection

Dead Infection is a goregrind band from Poland. Since forming in early 1990, they have released three full-length albums and several split albums and singles. They are the second band from Poland after Vader that made a deal to release a CD/LP with a non-European label. Their second album, A...

, commented, "Musically, there's no real difference between grindcore and goregrind, but lyrically, whereas the first is socially and politically concerned, goregrind, as the name implies, deals with everything related to blood, pathological aspects or accidents with fatal results."

List of notable goregrind bands

Band	Country	Formed	Notes
Aborted Aborted Aborted is a Belgian death metal band formed in Waregem, Belgium in 1995. The group comprises vocalist and founder Sven de Caluwé, guitarists Eran Segal and Mike Wilson, bassist J.B. Van Der Wal, and drummer Ken Bedene. The band members of Aborted are from Belgium, France, Israel, United Kingdom,...	Belgium	1995
Carcass Carcass (band) Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....	UK	1985
Cattle Decapitation Cattle Decapitation Cattle Decapitation is an American deathgrind band from San Diego, California, formed in 1996.-History:Originally founded in 1996, Cattle Decapitation's songs protest the mistreatment and consumption of animals as well as the abuse of the environment. Lyrics may also focus on subjects such as...	USA	1996
Cenotaph Cenotaph (band) Cenotaph is a Technical deathgrind band from Ankara, Turkey. They formed in 1994 and released their first demo, Life Immortal in 1995; since then, they have released four full-length albums.- Biography :...	Turkey	1994
The County Medical Examiners The County Medical Examiners The County Medical Examiners are an American goregrind and death metal band who, in their own words, exist for the sole purpose of recreating the sound of early Carcass albums. The band is also known to do no live shows at all....	USA	2001
Dead Infection Dead Infection Dead Infection is a goregrind band from Poland. Since forming in early 1990, they have released three full-length albums and several split albums and singles. They are the second band from Poland after Vader that made a deal to release a CD/LP with a non-European label. Their second album, A...	Poland	1990
Exhumed Exhumed (band) Exhumed is an American death metal band from San Jose, California, most recently signed to Relapse Records. They were formed in 1990, when sole remaining founding member Matt Harvey was at the age of 15. Exhumed spent much of the ensuing decade hacking its way through numerous demos, split CDs,...	USA	1990
General Surgery General Surgery (band) General Surgery is a Swedish goregrind group, known as one of the earliest Carcass clones. Their 1991 debut, Necrology, was released by Relapse Records and would be General Surgery's only material released until 2001, when the group recorded one track for the Carcass tribute album, Requiems of...	Sweden	1988
Haemorrhage Haemorrhage (band) Haemorrhage is a five-piece goregrind band from Madrid, Spain.Formed in 1990 as Devourment, Haemorrhage began its life as a trio, with Jose on bass and vocals, Luisma on guitar, and Emilio on drums, though this only lasted until the summer of 1991, when Emilio left the band...	Spain	1990
Impaled Impaled (band) Impaled is a death metal/goregrind band from Oakland, California.-History:The band's name is an acronym, standing for: Impaled - Immoral Medical Practitioners And Licentious Evil-Doers...	USA	1997
Impetigo Impetigo (band) Impetigo was an Illinois-based hardcore punk, grindcore, and death metal band. They were among the first bands to use clips from films and other media as intros for their songs...	USA	1987
Inhume Inhume (band) - Members :* Ben Janssen - guitar, Skullhog* Roel Sanders - drums, God Dethroned, Snaggletoöth* Loek Peeters - bass, Skullhog* Dorus van Ooij - vocals* Joost Silvrants - vocals Cliteater- Discography :* Demo 1 demo...	The Netherlands	1994
Last Days of Humanity Last Days of Humanity Last Days of Humanity is a goregrind band from Netherlands, which was active from 1989 until 2006, and reformed in 2010. Their music is known for its technicality, with regards to drummer Marc Palmen...	The Netherlands	1989
Machetazo Machetazo Machetazo is a grindcore/goregrind band from La Coruña, Spain formed in 1994. They are one of the few surviving bands in the Spanish underground extreme music scene of the nineties.-History:...	Spain	1994
Pathologist Pathologist (band) Pathologist was a Czech grindcore band from Ostrava, formed in 1990.-Line-up:*Martin "Cyklo" Cvilink — vocals*Daniel "Hary" Harok — guitars*Tom K. Miller — bass*Stanislav "Stanley" Mazur — drums-Discography:...	Czech Republic	1990
Regurgitate Regurgitate (band) Regurgitate is a goregrind band from Sweden.In 2001, Bizarre Leprous Productions released a 46-band tribute to Regurgitate entitled Comeback of Goregods: Tribute to Regurgitate, with bands such as Inhume, Lymphatic Phlegm, Gore Beyond Necropsy, Haemorrhage, and Neuro-Visceral Exhumation taking...	Sweden	1990
Repulsion Repulsion (band) Repulsion is an early grindcore / death metal band from Flint, Michigan. They have been called the "most influential grindcore band of all time".-History:...	USA	1984
Xysma Xysma Xysma was a Finnish band that was founded in 1988 in Naantali, a small town near Turku. The band split up in 1998.-Early stage:In the beginning Xysma played grindcore and death metal. The bands played at the legendary Turku underground center Panimo, and created a short-lived but intense scene...	Finland	1988