Send "Misery Index " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Popmatters |
 Expressing dissent has always been a huge part of metal, the lyrical sentiment feeding off the aggression and power of the music itself, but more often than not the target of dissent tends to be on the vague side. Authority figures, conformity, and organized religion, especially Christianity, are all common subjects, and from time to time we do get the odd political themes cropping up in heavy music, but more often than not it’s more lip service than anything. The lyrics take a backseat to the more immediate, primal appeal of the riffs and beats at hand. For such a seemingly angry genre, there’s a great deal of complacency rather than activism, which considering the events of the last decade, is a little troubling.Thankfully, we do have a handful of reliable metal bands out there who want to edify audiences as well as incite the most insane mosh pits possible. Megadeth head honcho Dave Mustaine continues to spout his hamfisted but sincere bile towards political figures, Nuclear Assault combined ultra-left wing themes with searing thrash metal, Barney Greenway of British legends Napalm Death remains an outstanding political lyricist, and System of a Down has proven to be blunt but very effective at rabblerousing. Of the American extreme metal bands today, though, Baltimore foursome Misery Index is at the top of the heap. Named after a formula created by economist Arthur Okun, in which the unemployment rate and inflation rate are added to measure the economic and societal well-being of a country, Misery Index has been churning out some of the most vehement protest music in metal this past decade. Music and political awareness have always gone hand in hand on their releases, with the blistering hybrid of death metal and grindcore backed up by the pointed, often eloquent verses spouted by bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton, who when not writing and playing his music maintains his long-running activist website Demockery.org...full text |
| Thenewreview |
| It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s unrelenting. What more could you ask for from the Maryland based deathgrinders Misery Index? The band returns to the fold with a solid effort in Heirs to Thievery. Sure, it’s a little bit like Dying Fetus and it’s a hasty album, barely clocking in at thirty-four minutes of length, but it’s a fantastic album nonetheless. Somehow, Misery Index have managed to make Heirs to Thievery faster and heavier than its predecessor Traitors. It’s a marginal difference; nothing earth shattering. I liken it to the jump in voraciousness Napalm Death took when switching from Enemy of the Music Business to Order of the Leech. Little touches that make the music edgier are everywhere. Production wise, you’re stilling getting a wide, subdued mix that’s a little softer in volume than most metal albums. It’s to be expected, though, and nothing new to Misery Index’s discography. The drums are snappy but provide a lot of backend; the guitars are raw and placed wide on the left-to-right spectrum, with the bass and vocals occupying the middle. It’s a little old school but it works for this genre. Misery Index are indeed still at the top of their game. The album crackles with a raw grind persona, with lots of punkish riffing, all wrapped up in a low-tuned, grooving death presentation. It’s livelier than the stuff Napalm Death was putting out in the mid 1990’s but it’s in the same wheelhouse. Groovy, chunky, with a hint at the edginess of grind. Heavy and political. There’s just a little bit here and there in each song that seems harder, faster. In “Plague of Objects” it’s the punk pacing and in “You Lose” it’s the manic opening riff and double-bass blasting. Subtle touches here and there, for sure, but noticeable and welcome....full text |
| Heavymetal |
| A short listen which begs for repeated spins. Brutal, concise riffing. Memorable song structure. Cons Might be overlooked in favor of trendier 'hype' releases. Description Released May 11, 2010 on Relapse Records. This is Misery Index’s fourth release. Recorded at Wrightway Studios. Guide Review - Misery Index - 'Heirs To Thievery' Though this Baltimore-based grind outfit has established a loyal fan base since their 2001 inception as a Dying Fetus splinter group, there has always seemed to be an albatross hanging ‘round the band’s collective neck in terms of a wider-spread appreciation and recognition. Heirs to Thievery seeks to sever this bad-luck charm once and for all. Being the band’s fourth long playing effort, there’s nothing here on Heirs To Thievery which sounds particularly out of place on a Misery Index album—there are punchy, memorable grindcore licks and devastating drum performances everywhere you look—yet this album still manages to capture a certain level of over-the-top aggression and energy as yet unheard from this talented quartet. Of course, bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton is his usual, howling self here, achieving an uncommon level of charisma via his controlled, easily followed vocal patterns which lends Heirs to Thievery a listenable quality above and beyond most other acts of this genre. Breakdowns are used sparingly here—ultimately to a greater effect—in favor of a straight to the point grindcore sound which echoes the glory days of Terrorizer, and the '90s Earache Records roster. Do all of these make points make efforts such as 2008’s Traitors, 2003’s Retaliate or the band’s classic Overthrow EP debut any less fearsome? Of course not…but Heirs to Thievery just may be the one for which the uninitiated may finally stand up and take notice. Hail The Index....full text |
Misery Index lyrics
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