Benumb

These Bay Area grindcore enthusiasts had released a ton of splits and 7-inches when this Relapse debut appeared in 1998. While 19 of the 35 tracks are marked as "bonus" cuts and were culled from previously difficult-to-find places, it's Benumb's single-minded dedication to thrumming, undiluted hardcore-gone-metal that made people take notice of the album -- and consequently the band itself. The songs come relentlessly one after another, the sonic equivalent of a 35-car pileup. Not to state the obvious, but as the band name suggests, the idea here is to use this music to lull infants to sleep.