When thinking of groove metal, it’s easy to think of the standard tropes: huge riffs and grinding tones, often coupled with a growled vocal. Often, the results fall into a sound that draws from ‘Far Beyond Driven’ era Pantera, and ‘Ashes of The Wake’ era Lamb of God. Whenever bands borrow from these sources, the results are always impressive – despite Phil Anselmo’s insistence on ruining Pantera’s legacy in a number of ways – but once in a while, a groove metal band will come along who are just a little more interesting.

Step forward Indian powerhouse Zygnema. Now almost two decades into their career, these musicians know their way around a riff. On their current single, ‘Grind’, the award winning band’s massive sound has been augmented with a couple of superb musical twists. Yes, you’ll find a sledgehammer grind providing the heart of the track, and yes, there’s a vocal that isn’t a million miles away from having drawn inspiration from Randy Blythe, but there’s also a more aggressive side at play here. Before settling into the main riff, Zygnema tease the listener with some speed driven hardcore elements where the guitar work latches onto some abrasive, chopping tones and the drums apply more of a rhythm that would be associated with thrash, or even the industrial elements of early Fear Factory. In addition, the middle of the track finds time to explore some very traditional Indian sounds, working brilliantly within the heavier framework. Overall, ‘Grind’ is a fantastic musical showcase, and a slice of contemporary metal that adds something superb to Zygnema’s legacy.

Check out the video below.