Pornogrind (also known as porngrind or pornogore) is a musical microgenre offshoot of
goregrind
Goregrind is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal. British band Carcass are commonly credited for the emergence of the genre. Goregrind is recognized for its heavily edited, pitch shifted "watery"-sounding vocals and abrasive musiciansh ...
that lyrically deals with sexual and
pornographic
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, themes, hence the name.
Characteristics
The genre is related to, and similar to,
goregrind
Goregrind is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal. British band Carcass are commonly credited for the emergence of the genre. Goregrind is recognized for its heavily edited, pitch shifted "watery"-sounding vocals and abrasive musiciansh ...
, but minor differences from goregrind include pornogrind having simpler, slower, and more rock-like songs
as well as the genre's
pornographic
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, theme present in lyrics and album artwork, which "would keep them out of most stores."
''
Zero Tolerance
A zero tolerance policy is one which imposes a punishment for every infraction of a stated rule.zero tolerance, n.' (under ''zero, n.''). The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Ed. 1989. Retrieved 10 November 2009. Italy, Japan, Singapore China, Indi ...
'' described pornogrind as "the most downright perverted of the lot, often adding a dollop of filthy groove and vocals straight from the toilet."
["Grind Prix" (2005). '']Zero Tolerance
A zero tolerance policy is one which imposes a punishment for every infraction of a stated rule.zero tolerance, n.' (under ''zero, n.''). The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Ed. 1989. Retrieved 10 November 2009. Italy, Japan, Singapore China, Indi ...
'' #004, p. 46. Natalie Purcell, however, in her book ''Death Metal Music: The Passion and Politics of a Subculture'', suggests that pornogrind is defined solely on the basis of its lyrical content and unique imagery, its focus on pornographic content.
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
has said that it's "basically just grindcore, but with an over-the-top, juvenile obsession with sex, violence and the ways the two could combine on a woman’s body. Think samples from porno movies, lyrics about sexual violence and gross-out album art."
Notable bands of the genre include
Gut and
Cock and Ball Torture
A chastity device designed to cause pain to the penis if it becomes erect.
Cock and ball torture (CBT), occasionally known as penis torture, dick torture, or male genitorture/male genital torture, is a sexual activity involving the applicati ...
.
[Mincemoyer, John. "Gore International" (2002). '']Terrorizer
Terrorizer is an American grindcore band formed in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. After disbanding, its members gained recognition by playing in influential extreme metal bands, such as Morbid Angel ( David Vincent, Pete Sandoval), Napalm ...
'' #98, pp. 19-20.
Controversy
Pornogrind saw some limited mainstream media attention after the
2019 Dayton shooting
On August 4, 2019, 24-year-old Connor Betts shot and killed nine people, including his transgender brother, and wounded 17 others near the entrance of the Ned Peppers Bar in the Oregon District of Dayton, Ohio. Betts was fatally shot by respon ...
when it came to light that the perpetrator, Connor Betts, performed live vocals in the pornogrind group Menstrual Munchies on multiple occasions. After the attack, artists, performers and avid fans of the genre were outraged after outlets such as
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
attempted linking pornogrind's obscene themes to the gunsman's motives. While pornogrind artists made it very clear that they do not approve of real life violence or Betts' actions, there were nevertheless a handful of pornogrind musicians who deleted their social media profiles, put their bands on a hiatus or outright quit the genre after the attack occurred.
See also
*
Goregrind
Goregrind is a fusion genre of grindcore and death metal. British band Carcass are commonly credited for the emergence of the genre. Goregrind is recognized for its heavily edited, pitch shifted "watery"-sounding vocals and abrasive musiciansh ...
*
Grindcore
References
{{Extreme metal
Grindcore
Death metal
Hardcore punk genres
Heavy metal genres
American rock music genres