Pornogrind Songwriting Advice

Yes you write songs about extremely gross, over the top, and taboo themes. No you do not have to suck at songwriting. Pornogrind is extreme music first. The shock and humor are cosmetic. If your riffs, timing, and arrangement do not land the chaos will sound like a garage rehearsal that got into a fight with itself. This guide is for musicians who love this scene and want to do it right. We will cover history, rhythm choices, vocal technique, lyric ethics, production tricks, live performance tips, promotion hacks, and a practical workflow so you finish tracks fast and well.

Everything here is written for busy artists who want to be outrageous and credible at the same time. Expect gritty humor, blunt examples, and useful drills. We also explain terms and acronyms so you can talk to producers, promoters, and merch people without sounding like a caveman who discovered a drum machine.

What Is Pornogrind

Pornogrind is a subgenre of grindcore. Grindcore is a violent, fast, and noisy branch of extreme music that blends hardcore punk energy with death metal intensity. Pornogrind adds explicit sexual themes and comedic grotesque imagery into the lyrics and sometimes the visual presentation. Musically pornogrind borrows grindcore elements like ultra fast tempos, blast beats, short song lengths, and heavy low end. The goal is shock and catharsis combined with tight, brutal songwriting.

Key characteristics

• Very short songs. Many tracks run under a minute.
• High tempo and aggressive rhythm playing.
• Groove and heaviness in the riffs despite extreme speed.
• Vocal approaches that range from guttural growls to pig squeals. We will explain those later.
• Lyrical themes that deliberately push boundaries. Approach this with thoughtfulness. We will cover ethics soon.

Quick glossary of terms and acronyms

• BPM stands for beats per minute. It measures tempo. Grindcore and pornogrind often live between 220 and 350 BPM but tempos can vary widely.
• Blast beat is a drum pattern where bass drum and snare alternate rapidly, creating a wall of sound. It is a staple of extreme music and a key tool for speed and intensity.
• DAW stands for digital audio workstation. This is the software you record and arrange in. Examples include Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Reaper, and FL Studio.
• EQ equalizer. Use it to shape frequencies. Cut mud and boost grit.
• Topline usually refers to the main vocal melody or vocal line. In pornogrind vocals this may be screamed, growled, or squealed instead of melodic.
• Goregrind is a sibling subgenre that focuses on graphic gore. Pornogrind swaps gore for sexual taboos and humor. They share musical DNA.

Origins and influences in two lines

Pornogrind emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s as bands wanted to fuse grindcore speed with comedic or pornographic lyrical content. Musically it pulls from old school grind, death metal riffing, and sometimes doom when bands want a heavy slow breakdown. The influence map includes Napalm Death for grind roots, early death metal bands for tone and riff vocabulary, and extreme underground bands that pioneered pig squeal vocals and absurdist lyricism.

Song length and structure

Pornogrind songs are short by design. But short does not mean sloppy. The first rule of writing a 45 second song is: have something worth repeating. If your 45 second blast is a single riff loop for its entire duration the listener will get bored before they finish the track. Use tight structure and contrast to make tiny songs feel complete.

Reliable short forms

• Intro riff two to four bars. Set the tone.
• Main section eight to sixteen bars. This is where the chorus like hook sits.
• Breakdown or bridge four to eight bars. Use this to change texture or add a groove that catches the listener by surprise.
• Outro tag one or two bars. End with a hit or a sanded echo.

Example form for a short song

1. 0 00 to 0 05 Intro hit and noise
2. 0 05 to 0 25 Main riff with vocal hook
3. 0 25 to 0 36 Breakdown with heavy bass and half tempo drums
4. 0 36 to 0 45 Final riff repeat and tight ending

Real life scenario: You are opening a Bandcamp release and want each song to feel punchy. Give listeners a clear hook within the first five seconds and a textural change around the middle. The listener will feel like they got a full experience even if the clock says 42 seconds.

Riff writing and rhythm choices

Riff craft matters more than you think. Pornogrind needs brutality and a little groove. You want riffs that sound massive at low end yet sharp enough to cut through extreme drums. Here are practical steps.

Riff building checklist

• Start with a heavy low string. Tune to C or B if your singer lives in lower registers. Lower tuning increases impact.
• Design a short motif that repeats and then shifts. Repetition builds recognition. A one bar motif that changes on the second pass feels like a miniature story.
• Use syncopation. A slightly offbeat guitar stab creates head nods even during blast beats.
• Leave rests. Silence is a weapon. A one beat rest before a hit makes the strike heavier.
• Write a complementary bass line when possible. Bass that moves against the guitar gives depth in the low end.

Example riff idea: two palm muted low note hits, then a three note ascending pick on higher strings. Repeat with a dropped second time where you replace the ascending pick with a single heavy chord and let drums breathe. You just created tension and release inside eight bars.

Tempo and groove

Blast beats deliver speed and density. But you still need moments of groove. Insert half tempo sections or transition to a tom heavy groove for a few bars. That contrast makes the full speed parts hit even harder.

Real life example: Start at 300 BPM for the spare intro, switch to a pocket groove at 150 BPM for the breakdown, then ramp to full speed again. The crowd will mosh in the breakdown and headbang during the return.

Drum patterns and blast beats explained

Drums define grind. Learn the basic blast beat vocabulary and then use restraint. You do not have to blast the entire song.

• Traditional blast snare and bass drum hit together with rapid alternation on the cymbal. It creates a rolling texture.
• Bomb blast bass drum pummels while snare provides accents. Great for power and cartoonish brutality.
• Single stroke roll on toms or snare can create a machine gun effect that fits short fills.

Drum programming tip for recorded tracks: emphasize the attack of the snare with transient shaping. Compress the kick to make it punch through guitars but avoid squashing dynamics. Layer a low frequency click under the kick for click on streaming platforms without losing weight. Use humanized timing on programmed blasts to avoid robot feel. A touch of timing variance makes the drums sound alive.

Vocal approaches without destroying your throat

Vocals in pornogrind vary from guttural death growls to ultra high pig squeals. The line between impressive and damaging is technique. If your goal is longevity learn safe production and technique choices so your voice does not retire at 30 with a permanently sore throat.

Vocal types and how to learn them

• Guttural growl uses false vocal folds and controlled breath. Practice with a coach or online tutorials and do vocal warm ups before sessions.
• Shouted hardcore style uses chest voice projection and short lines. Good for clarity at high tempos.
• Pig squeal is an extended vocal effect that uses a small opening of the mouth and focused airflow. Start slow and practice with short repetitions. Build volume over months not days.
• Combined approach switch textures within a song. Use growls for verses and squeals for punch lines.

Vocal recording practicals

• Use a dynamic microphone for heavy vocals. They tolerate high SPL and are forgiving on proximity.
• Record multiple short takes. Stitch together the best moments instead of one long screaming pass.
• Use light compression before distortion. Record clean and add saturation later. It is easier to fix recorded material than a raw screaming disaster.
• Hydrate. Nothing glamourous here. Water saves careers.

Lyrics and themes with ethics and craft

Lyrics are the most complicated part of pornogrind. The genre trades on taboo themes and shock value. That gives you power and responsibility. Shock without craft reads like shock for the sake of likes. Use lyrics to create comic absurdity or social commentary if that is your intent. If you choose purely sexual grotesque themes be aware of cultural context, consent issues, and legal boundaries. Do not write or promote content that targets minors or celebrates real harm.

Writing pornogrind lyrics that land

• Target a concept rather than a pile of obscene words. A single absurd premise will give you more mileage than ten random filthy lines.
• Use juxtaposition pair clinical language with childish imagery for surreal humor.
• Short lines rule at extreme tempos. Keep syllable counts tight so words can be understood at speed.
• Rhyme and internal rhythm internal rhymes help the brain grab phrases when vocals are buried in distortion.
• Think in camera shots describe one concrete image per line. This creates trust with the listener even when the content is outrageous.

Real life example: Instead of a line that lists obscene acts, write a line like I opened the fridge and found the receipt for your latest regret. It is less explicit while carrying attitude and humor. The audience still gets the point and your song avoids lazy shock.

Consent and legality checklist

• Never write lyrics that celebrate real non consensual acts. Fictionalized transgressive content is not permission to promote harm.
• Do not reference minors or depict acts involving minors. This is illegal and career ending.
• Consider how your art will be interpreted outside the scene. Context matters. A line that reads satirical inside the room may be read literally by mainstream outlets.
• If you include graphic sexual imagery in artwork or merch warn your audience with explicit content labels. Transparency protects you in conversations with distributors and platforms.

Arrangement and dynamics tactics

Good extreme music breathes. You want peaks and troughs so listeners can survive the chaos and then willingly return for more. Contrast is your friend.

• Reserve full blast for the payoff. If you blast every second the blast loses meaning.
• Use micro dynamics a single snare fill or a guitar mute can create impact when you return to speed.
• Texture changes remove guitars for a vocal only passage then slam back with full guitars. The emptiness makes the return punishing.
• Timing tricks stall a tempo for a bar to mislead the listener then drop into a faster rhythm. The surprise generates excitement.

Production and mix tips for maximal brutality

You want the record to feel huge without sounding like a bad potato. Here are practical production choices that punch through modern streaming and club PA systems.

Guitars and low end

• Record guitars with a heavy sounding amp or amp sim. Use a tight mic position near the speaker cone then blend with a room mic for body.
• Cut below 80 Hz on guitars to leave space for the kick and bass. Avoid too much overlap in the sub frequencies.
• Layer a midrange heavy DI or amp sim under the miked guitar to preserve pick attack on streaming platforms.

Bass and kick

• Compress bass to maintain presence under fast riffs. Use parallel compression to keep dynamics while adding punch.
• Glue kick and bass with sidechain if they clash. Duck the bass slightly when the kick hits or vice versa depending on which element drives the song.
• Use transient shaping on the kick to define the attack at high tempos.

Drums and clarity

• Layer claps or clicks on the snare to make it read at extreme tempos.
• Use multiband compression to control cymbal wash without killing the blast beat texture.
• Humanize drum programming with micro timing changes. A tiny variance makes a programmed blast feel live.

Vocals in the mix

• EQ harsh frequencies. Remove build up around 2 to 4 kHz if the vocal is too piercing.
• Use saturation to add grit. A tube style saturation on a parallel bus works well.
• Compress aggressively but preserve transient. Then automate levels to ride the vocal through the densest sections.

Mastering tip: Keep dynamics. Loudness is not everything. Many fans prefer tracks with impact and headroom over brickwalled loudness that loses punch. Aim for powerful perceived loudness with preserved transients.

Live performance and stagecraft tips

Stage presence matters even for bands that sing about the most ridiculous themes. Live you are selling energy. The set needs a flow and a moment to breathe.

• Open with a killer micro song to establish identity. Your first three songs set the vibe for the whole set.
• Include a mid set breakdown to connect with the room. A groove based track will get more physical reaction than an endless series of blasts.
• Use visuals sparingly. Too many gore images cheapen the music. A single signature prop or projected clip can be effective and memorable.
• Watch sound levels for vocal safety. Your singer needs to be heard without screaming to death every night. Use in ear monitors where possible and check wedge mixes.

Promotion, packaging, and community building

You do not need mainstream radio to build an audience. Pornogrind lives in strong niche communities. Reach them directly with smart moves.

• Release short tight EPs. The scene loves tape culture and short releases. A 25 minute EP with ten punchy tracks is better than two long songs with filler.
• Use Bandcamp tags like grindcore, pornogrind, goregrind, and extreme metal so fans find you. Tagging helps discovery.
• Network with small labels who specialize in extreme music. They know the community and can place your release on compilations and split records.
• Play local extreme nights and openers for older bands. A good live reputation spreads faster than paid ads in this scene.
• Merch matters. A single strong shirt design that looks sick will sell more than ten gimmicky items. Think like a fan when designing merch.

Legal and platform realities

Platforms have rules. Porn content combined with violence triggers automatic moderation on many services. Be proactive so your music does not disappear without warning.

• Label explicit content clearly in metadata. Platforms like Bandcamp and streaming services require content descriptors and age restrictions for explicit material.
• For album art avoid graphic sexual imagery that could be flagged. Suggestive and comedic visuals are safer than explicit photos or imagery that might be illegal in some countries.
• If you sample porn movies or other copyrighted content get permission or use royalty free material. Copyright takedowns are common and painful.
• Check local laws for obscene content if you plan to print or sell physical copies across borders. What is legal in one country might be illegal in another.

Songwriting workflow and exercises that finish songs fast

Speed matters. Extreme music rewards momentum. Use these timed drills to finish ideas and avoid over polishing.

Five minute riff sketch

1. Set timer for five minutes.
2. Record a two bar riff played at target tempo. Repeat it four times while you focus on tight starts and stops.
3. Add one extra guitar motion on the third repeat to create a small change.
4. Stop. You now have a loop to write over.

Ten minute vocal outline

1. Listen to the riff loop for one minute and speak a concept out loud in plain language. Make it absurd and short.
2. Write three one line hooks that express the concept in different tones. Pick the best one for the chorus like moment.
3. Draft two verse lines around a single image. Keep syllable counts similar to help with fast tempos.

The short story lyric pass

Write a four line micro story. Line one sets the situation. Line two introduces a twist. Line three gives a reaction. Line four closes with a punch line or shock. Use this as a song skeleton. It keeps lyrics focused and repeatable at speed.

Common songwriting mistakes and how to fix them

• No dynamic contrast Fix by designing one slower or more open section that creates tension and allows the heavy parts to return with force.
• Riffs without hooks Fix by adding a recurring motif that listeners can identify inside the sonic chaos.
• Vocal fatigue Fix by splitting sessions, using technique, and recording in short bursts. Teach the voice to do the job over months instead of nights.
• Lyrics that read lazy Fix by replacing lists of obscene acts with a single absurd image that implies the theme. Less can be louder.
• Mix too muddy Fix by clearing the low mid range and carving space for kick, bass, and guitars. A busy low mid range kills impact.

Real life scenarios and examples

Scenario one

You have a four track EP and need to title track that hooks the listener first. Use a two guitar riff loop recorded heavy. Write a single line chorus of four to six syllables. Place the vocal hook on a strong beat so it reads over the wall of drums. Finish the track with a sudden stop and a one second silence before an outro burst. That silence will be talked about in the venue chat room for a week.

Scenario two

You want to play a live set at a metal night but your songs are all under 40 seconds. Group songs with one called transition track. The transition track is a short groove at mid tempo that lets the band breathe and the singer hydrate. The crowd will love the pacing and your set will feel like an event rather than a blur.

Action plan you can use today

1. Pick one two bar riff and set it to target tempo. Record a loop for one minute.
2. Write one line that states the central concept in plain language. Make it absurd or satirical.
3. Draft three short chorus lines. Pick the hook that is easiest to shout or squeal.
4. Design one dynamic change for the middle of the song. It can be a half tempo groove or a vocal only passage.
5. Record vocals in short takes. Stack the best pieces and add saturation on a parallel bus instead of clipping the raw vocal.
6. Publish a demo on Bandcamp with clear explicit content labeling and minimal but striking artwork.

Frequently asked questions

Is pornogrind illegal or dangerous to make

Writing and recording pornogrind is not illegal by itself. The legal issues arise if lyrics or visuals depict illegal acts or minors. Also do not archive real crimes or use real victims names. Use fictional scenarios and clear content warnings where needed. When in doubt consult a lawyer before releasing content that could cross legal lines.

What tempo should my pornogrind songs use

There is no strict rule. Many songs live around 240 to 320 BPM when using full blast beats. Half tempo breakdowns around 120 to 160 BPM provide contrast. Choose tempos that suit the riff and the vocal clarity you want. Faster is not always better. If words cannot be heard or the riff loses impact slow down or add groove sections.

How do I learn pig squeal vocals safely

Start with a vocal coach or reputable online tutorials. Warm up before sessions. Practice in short intervals and build stamina slowly. Record clean passes and add distortion later. If something hurts beyond normal effort stop and consult a professional. Long term damage comes from bad technique repeated for years.

How should I market pornogrind without getting banned from platforms

Label content explicit and be smart with visuals. Use suggestive or comedic art instead of explicit photos. Build community on niche platforms that tolerate extreme content and use Bandcamp for direct sales. Network with labels and promoters who operate inside the scene. Avoid mainstream ad networks that ban sexual content and shocking imagery.

Can I mix pornogrind themes with social commentary

Yes. The genre can be a vehicle for satire and critique. Many bands use transgressive language to highlight hypocrisy or to satirize cultural taboos. If you go this route make your satirical intent clear so listeners understand the target and you avoid ambiguous messaging that could be harmful.