Stop at Nothing

Following a three-year absence caused by the defection of three-quarters of their lineup (who went on to form Misery Index), Maryland grindcore institution Dying Fetus resumed their semi-legendary career with 2003's relentless Stop at Nothing. In an admirable display of effortless resurrection, sole original remaining member, vocalist John Ryan Gallagher didn't even blink when left to his own devices, but simply recruited new and able musical storm troopers to assist him in his ongoing quest to defy American musical trends. Stop at Nothing accomplishes just that, with standout tracks like "Institution of Deceit," "Forced Elimination," and "Vengeance Unleashed" harboring a vicious fury and pulverizing intensity rarely witnessed this side of the pond; and arguably on par with any of the European masters. The end result is vintage Dying Fetus: a sanity-obliterating onslaught lasting barely half-an-hour, but worth every penny spent per second. Even more remarkable, Dying Fetus are no longer just keeping grindcore's maggot-encrusted corpse alive, but introducing it to an entirely new generation of extreme metal fans too young to enjoy it all the first time around.