UMUR
"Directions In Music" / Agoraphobic Nosebleed" is a split release between US New York sludge/hardcore act Cattle Press and US, Massachusetts based grindcore act Agoraphobic Nosebleed. The split was released through Bovine Records in 1997. It features around 15 minutes of music from both artists, and features 24 tracks and a total playing time of 31:17 minutes.
The 6 Cattle Press tracks are aggressive and heavy sludge/hardcore and often sounds like the most savage and raw Eyehategod releases (minus the stoner metal element). It´s pretty far removed from the heavy and brutal post-hardcore sound Cattle Press would play on their 2000 debut full-length studio album "Hordes to Abolish the Divine" only a few years down the line, but it´s consistent in style with the other minor releases from Cattle Press during their early years.
The 18 Agoraphobic Nosebleed tracks are high velocity, noisy, and aggressive grindcore. It´s like being put through a grinder. It´s such an intense and chaotic listening experience that it´s impossible not to have some sort of reaction listening to it. Personally I think they´ve released much better material, but this is still decent grindcore featuring drum programming.
30 minutes of music is quite a lot for a split release, and if that shouldn´t be a selling point in itself (which it of course shouldn´t if the music was shit...), especially the Cattle Press part of the split is worth the price of admission. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.