| Pornogrind | |
| Other Names: | Porngrind, pornogore |
| Cultural Origins: | Early 1990s Germany and U.S. |
Pornogrind (also known as porngrind or pornogore) is a musical microgenre offshoot of goregrind[1] [2] that lyrically deals with sexual and pornographic themes, hence the name.[3] [4]
The genre is related and similar to goregrind but does bear distinguishing features. Besides the eponymous emphasis on graphic sexual themes in lyrics and album artwork, which "would keep [these records] out of most stores", from a technical perspective pornogrind songs are often simpler, slower, and more rock-like[2] than other grind genres.
Zero Tolerance described pornogrind as "the most downright perverted of the lot, often adding a dollop of filthy groove and vocals straight from the toilet."[5] Natalie Purcell, however, in her book Death Metal Music: The Passion and Politics of a Subculture, suggests that pornogrind is defined solely on the basis of its lyrical content and unique imagery, its focus on pornographic content. Rolling Stone has said that it's "basically just grindcore, but with an over-the-top, juvenile obsession with sex, violence and the ways the two could combine on a woman’s body. Think samples from porno movies, lyrics about sexual violence and gross-out album art."[6]
Notable bands of the genre include Gut and Cock and Ball Torture.[7]
Pornogrind saw some limited mainstream media attention after the 2019 Dayton shooting when it came to light that the perpetrator, Connor Betts, performed live vocals in the pornogrind group Menstrual Munchies on multiple occasions.[8] After the attack, artists, performers and avid fans of the genre were outraged after outlets such as Vice attempted linking pornogrind's obscene themes to the gunsman's motives. While pornogrind artists made it very clear that they do not approve of real life violence or Betts' actions, there were nevertheless a handful of pornogrind musicians who deleted their social media profiles, put their bands on a hiatus or outright quit the genre after the attack occurred.[9] [6]