Halifax, Nova Scotia’s very own deathgrind outfit Olivia Neutered John have just unleashed their latest full-length assault, Obscene Propaganda. It’s the first big release from the act since 2020’s Gorewhore, and it doesn’t sound like they’ve spent the intervening years relaxing. If you’re into the kind of blistering noise peddled by the likes of Napalm Death or Fuck the Facts, this is going to be right up your street.
The record is a lean, mean machine, cramming 13 tracks into a breathless 38 minutes. It’s built on a foundation of grindcore speed and riffs that feel like they’ve been dragged through a gravel pit. But it’s not just noise for the sake of it; there’s a proper point to the chaos. The band’s driving force, Richard / Rachel, explains that the album is focused on the pressures of modern life – basically, the feeling of ordinary folk being squeezed by systems that don’t care about them.
“These are songs about common people struggling through monstrous times,” says Richard / Rachel. “It seems like every single day normal people are being put through the meat grinder for some landlord or corporation or ‘politician.’ People are sick and tired. This album is about those people and their struggles.”
It’s a blunt, honest look at the world, and it’s available right now to stream or pick up on Bandcamp. Whether it’s the blistering pace of the title track or the pointed message of “Trans Rights or Fuck Off”, it’s clear the band haven’t lost any of their fire. If you’re feeling the weight of the world, this might just be the perfect soundtrack to let off some steam.
The tracklist for Obscene Propaganda is as follows:
- Unite as One
- Obscene Propaganda
- Riot or Die
- Trans Rights or Fuck Off
- Landfills for Landlords
- National Rifle Annihilation
- Uterine Crucifixion
- The New Cocaine
- Don’t Shit Where You Sleep
- Inhuman
- Buried After Birth
- Silicon Graveyards
- Curb Stomped Into Oblivion
