Where they from?
South Korea. It’s pretty early in the year, but I think it’s safe to say that 2020 is the year of South Korea. I mean, between this review and Parasite sweeping the Oscars, how much more can one country achieve? They referred to the 1960s as the “British Invasion” due to the surge in popularity from British bands in the United States such as the Rolling Stones and the Dave Clark Five, why can’t we have a “South Korean Invasion”? I say bring it on, most American bands stink anyway.
What do they sound like?
Like Gridlink and Insect Warfare being put into a blender and then sticking your hand in and having your hand mutilated by the blades.
Why the hype?
The initial sales pitch on this group is that they feature Hoonee Jo on drums, the same drummer who appeared on Takafumi Matsubara’s solo album from last year, Strange, Beautiful and Fast, one of my absolute favorites from 2019. Jardim De Flores, though just as blistering as anything from the Takafumi album, is much more of a straight forward grindcore band, but an excellent one at that.
I mentioned Insect Warfare earlier because I feel like Jardim shares that same spirit and attitude of utter militance and devotion to eviscerating velocity as their Texas brethren. Some drummers overwhelm the listener with technique and fluidity but Jo’s drumming on this album survives on pure force. Every snare hit here feels like a hammer to the face and every guitar riff feels like it is scraping your inner ear to shreds. Also, there are circle-pit riffs.
Latest Release?
Last year’s Defloraison via Nerve Altar. The more I listen to this record the more the Insect Warfare comparison makes sense but I also feel like the guitar playing is a bit more expressive at times than anything IW did which makes me consider it more in the realm of France’s Whoresnation, who I personally consider to be one of the best grindcore bands on the planet currently. Normally I think most grind bands should just stick to EPs but I am legitimately curious what a full-length from Jardim De Flores would sound like. Wouldn’t it be something if that album went ahead and swept the Grammys and a bunch of dudes on Twitter got real upset? God, what a time to be alive.
