Goregrind Songwriting Advice

You want to write goregrind that hits like a frantic chainsaw in a thrift store mattress. You want riffs that feel like body slams, drums that sound like a jackhammer chewing concrete, and vocals that are so guttural your neighbor files a noise complaint by reflex. This guide gives you practical, hilarious, and sometimes outrageous steps you can follow to write, record, perform, and promote goregrind songs that feel authentic and do not sound like a parody made by a guy who just learned what a blast beat is five minutes ago.

Everything here is written for millennial and Gen Z musicians who are juggling day jobs, student loans, caffeine habits, and a burning need to smash something musical. We will cover the roots of goregrind, core sonic ingredients, riff writing, drum programming and live drumming ideas, vocal techniques without destroying your throat, lyric craft with real life examples, arrangement templates, production and mixing tips, live performance tactics, release strategies, and how to build a scene without being a weirdo online. Terms and acronyms are explained as they appear so you never have to fake knowledge in rehearsal again.

What Is Goregrind

Goregrind is a substyle of extreme music that grew out of grindcore and death metal. It leans heavily into medical, surgical, and horror imagery. Musically, goregrind is defined by short songs, ultra fast tempos, distorted low end, pig squeal vocals or ultra low growls, and drums that range from blast beats to perverse fills. Bands like Carcass in their early days, and later groups in underground scenes, shaped the aesthetic. Goregrind takes the raw violence of extreme metal and pairs it with a tongue in cheek obsession with gore imagery. If that sounds like a weird combo, great. Weird is your advantage.

Quick terms you will see here

• BPM means beats per minute. It tells how fast a song is. Goregrind songs often sit between 180 and 320 BPM and sometimes go faster for short bursts.
• Blast beat A drum pattern where snare and kick play rapid repeated strokes creating a machine gun effect.
• Growl A very low pitched vocal style. It is not screaming. It uses different parts of the throat and breathing technique.
• Pig squeal A high pitched, throat based vocal ornamentation often used for shock value.
• DAW Digital audio workstation. This is the software you use to record and arrange music. Examples are Ableton Live, Reaper, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools.
• EQ Equalization. A tool that lets you boost or cut frequency ranges to make instruments sit together in a mix.

Core Aesthetic Goals for Goregrind

If your song does not do these things you are probably not writing goregrind even if you put gore in the title.

• Extreme impact Attack and intensity matter more than subtlety. The idea is physical force conveyed through sound.
• Low bass mass Guitars tuned low and compressed bass that feels like a pneumatic press.
• Percussive violence Drums and rhythm guitars should be tight and percussive. Space matters tiny amounts because too much space kills momentum.
• Vocal texture Vocals should be an instrument that adds timbre and shock value. Clarity is secondary to tone and aesthetic.
• Absurdly vivid imagery Lyrically you can be grotesque and clever. The best goregrind lyrics have a wink and a craft to them.

How to Start Writing Riffs That Do the Job

Riffs in goregrind are not long poems. They are gestures. Think of a riff as a punchline that repeats until it becomes a punishment. Here are approaches with examples you can use right now.

1. The Two Chord Staircase

Pick two power chords or a power chord and a chromatic note and hammer them with palm mute. Use a tremolo pick pattern and then break into an open low string hit. This creates a sense of movement with minimal ideas. Example in E tuning: palm mute eighth notes on open low E, then slam down to a chromatic walk on the low string, then return. Keep the attack tight and the palm muting clean.

2. The Minor Third Drop

Play a short motif that uses a minor third leap and then resolves by descending stepwise. Minor thirds sound bleak and punchy. Repeat the motif with slight rhythmic variation to avoid monotony.

3. The Harmonic Salt

Use pinch harmonic squeals as accents. Pinch harmonics are a squeal you create by rolling the thumb slightly over the string at the pick attack. Used sparingly they become a signature sound. Be careful not to overuse them unless you want the entire crowd to feel like they are inside a chainsaw showroom.

4. Chromatic Chains

Chromatic passing notes between two heavy notes give a crawling, insect like feel. Use them to bridge sections or to create tension before a blast beat drop.

Practice drill

1. Set a metronome at 160 BPM. Palm mute a single power chord for eight bars using eight notes.
2. Add a chromatic walk for two bars on the low string. Loop until it feels locked.
3. Create a second phrase with a minor third leap and repeat in a loop.
4. Mix the two phrases into a 16 bar loop and call it a song idea.

Guitars, Tunings, and Tone Settings

Tuning, pickup choice, and amp voicing are huge for goregrind tone. You can be accomplished with cheap gear if you make intentional choices.

• Tuning Drop the tuning low. Common choices are E standard tuned down to D standard or down to C, or drop tuning like Drop A or Drop B on seven string guitars. Lower tuning adds grunt. It also forces clarity on riffs because notes can become muddy. If you go very low make sure your strings are thick and intonation is correct.
• Pickups High output humbuckers work well. They give raw midrange push that cuts through blast beats.
• Amp and pedal order If you record DI using amp simulators, use an aggressive drive stage with mid boost. A little noise gate after distortion can keep patterns tight. For live rigs keep the amp settings focused on low mids and presence rather than scooped mids.
• Compression Use light compression on guitars to even out attack without killing transient energy. Too much compression makes everything mushy.

Drums and Blast Beats Without Becoming a Drum Machine

Drums are the engine of goregrind. You can program drums in a DAW or play them live. Both need musicality even if they sound relentless.

Blast beats explained

A blast beat is fast alternating strokes between snare and kick with a consistent cymbal or hi hat pattern. There are many variants. A common form is single stroke blast where kick plays on every subdivision and snare on the opposite subdivision with the cymbal on the downbeats. You do not need to play at inhuman speeds forever. Short bursts of blast interleaved with slower breakdowns create contrast and let your riff breathe.

Programming tips

• Program humanized velocity changes. Perfectly static velocities sound artificial.
• Layer multiple snare samples for attack and body. One sample for the click and another for the low thud makes the snare pop through the mix.
• When programming double bass patterns variety matters. Insert occasional ghost notes and slight timing shifts to simulate human feel.

Playing live

If you are a drummer, build stamina with focused practice. Work sets of 20 to 30 second blasts followed by 30 second rest. Increase the blast length over weeks. If you are not the drummer and want programmed drums for a demo, program realistic fills that match your riff accents. Producers can tell the difference between robotic and musical blast patterns.

Vocal Techniques Without Destroying Your Voice

Goregrind vocals include extremely low growls, high pig squeals, and tortured bark style. You can do these without wrecking your throat if you learn technique and warm up like an adult who values future years.

Fundamentals

• Breath support Use diaphragmatic breathing. If you push from the throat only you will strain. Breathe into the belly and use controlled exhalation.
• Open throat Keep the throat open. Imagine yawning while you vocalize to feel the space. This reduces tension.
• Use false cord False cord vocals use the vestibular folds near the larynx to produce low, dirty tones. Learn them slowly. Start with low volume and increase grounds gradually.
• Tongue and lip placement Pig squeals use a tight mouth shape and a particular tongue position. Work with a coach if possible or use careful slow practice to avoid accidental damage.

Practice routine

1. Warm up with five minutes of humming and lip trills to wake up the vocal folds.
2. Do five minutes of diaphragmatic breathing drills. Inhale four seconds, hold two seconds, exhale six seconds.
3. Work on false cord sounds at low volume for five minutes. Stop immediately if pain appears.
4. Practice short bursts of growl patterns with full recovery between attempts. Never do long blasts of throat screaming without conditioning.

Writing Goregrind Lyrics That Are Smart and Not Just Shock Value

Goregrind lyrics are part horror and part cartoon. The best lyrics use grotesque imagery to make a point about something real. Avoid writing gore for gore sake. A vivid image needs a reason to exist inside the song.

Rewrite rules

• Find the angle Is the song satire, social commentary, or pure horror fun? State the angle in one sentence before you write a single gory line.
• Use sensory detail Goregrind benefits from tactile description because it reads like a movie. But pick one or two concrete images per verse rather than a laundry list of cadavers.
• Inject humor A little absurdity makes extreme imagery land as art instead of shock bait. Think of a body part doing a mundane task like checking a phone. This juxtaposition is golden.
• Avoid technical errors If you mention a medical procedure learn the term. Nothing kills immersion like calling a scalpel a caterpillar.

Real life lyric scenarios

Scenario one: You write about a morgue attendant who is jaded from seeing too much. Instead of listing gore describe a ritual the attendant performs to feel normal like polishing a nameplate at midnight while the fluorescent light hums. Add a single grotesque line that reads like a memory to punch tension back in.

Scenario two: You write satire about consumer culture by imagining shoppers queuing at a mall that uses body parts as currency. Keep the tone deadpan. Deadpan plus grotesque equals commentary that is memorable.

Song Structures That Work for Goregrind

The songs do not have to be three seconds long to be effective. Structure helps the listener navigate intensity. Here are templates you can steal.

Template A Short Sharp

• Intro motif one to two bars
• Riff A eight bars with blast under
• Breakdown four bars with silence hit at the end
• Riff B eight bars heavier and lower
• Blast outro four bars

Template B Narrative

• Intro ambient sample thirty to sixty seconds
• Verse one with mid paced drums sixteen bars
• Pre chorus build with increasing snare velocity eight bars
• Chorus full blast sixteen bars
• Bridge slower heavy groove with vocal monologue eight bars
• Final chorus double time sixteen bars

Template C Experimental

• Noise collage intro with reversed samples
• Short riff bursts with sudden silence hits across two minutes
• Extended ambient outro with a single repeated phrase

Use templates as starting points not prisons. The best riffs will tell you where to go.

Production and Mixing That Keeps the Brutality but Lets Things Breathe

Recording goregrind has its own rules. Mic placement, DI choices, and mixing approaches decide whether your song sounds like a demo or like a full on assault that still has clarity.

Recording guitars

• Blend DI with amp cab sims. DI provides low end solidity, cabinet sim gives character. Phase align the two tracks to avoid cancellations.
• Use tight mic placement on the speaker cone and a second mic slightly off axis for body. Blend for attack and fullness.
• Record multiple guitar takes and pan wide doubles for choruses. Keep verses leaner to create contrast.

Drums

• If you record a kit, use close mics and room mics. A little room ambience can make blast beats feel human.
• Parallel compression on the drum bus can add weight without flattening dynamics.
• Saturate the kick slightly for presence. Sub bass can be added to reinforce the kick if the mix lacks low end.

Vocals in the mix

Vocals should be loud but not spread across the stereo field. A tight mono center vocal gives the song punch. Use distortion or saturation as processing to make the vocal aggressive. Add a separate low frequency layer for growls using subtle octave down processing if you want extra heft. Always keep a clean take or a gently compressed take in case you need intelligibility for promo tracks.

Mastering basics

Mastering goregrind is about perceived loudness and translation to club PA systems. Aim for dynamic loudness but do not squash details. Too much limiting makes blast details disappear. If you are releasing on streaming platforms check LUFS loudness standards for those services so your track does not get auto lowered into oblivion.

Artwork and Titles That Hook People Without Spoiling the Joke

Goregrind art and song titles are often provocative. That is fine. The best art hints and creates curiosity rather than cheap shock. A clever title plus a distinctive visual is shareable and helps promotion.

• Pair a literal line from your lyrics with an abstract image. The contrast creates intrigue.
• Keep titles punchy. One to three words works. Use strong vowels like at and ah that sing in shoutable settings.
• Use templates for visuals to keep brand identity. Fans should recognize your releases by look alone after a few releases.

Live Performance Tips for Goregrind Bands

Playing these songs live is a stamina and arrangement challenge. Audiences want intensity but also need to find a place to breathe.

• Setlist pacing matters. Do not play eight blast insanity songs in a row. Interleave grooves or noise breaks to give the audience and band recovery time.
• Stage banter should be short. A single sarcastic line can be more effective than a five minute monologue.
• Soundcheck drums and guitars thoroughly. Tightness is everything. If the drummer is off the drums become a smear of noise no matter how good the riffs are.
• Merch matters. T shirts, patches, and limited vinyl with a clever insert will help your scene grow. Fans of niche heavy music love physical tokens.

How to Record a Demo That Gets You Shows and Collabs

You do not need a million dollar studio to impress promoters and peers. You need clarity, personality, and a good title.

1. Pick two to three songs that show different sides of your band. A blast attack, a groove piece, and an experimental track is a good mix.
2. Record with a friend who knows basic engineering or use an affordable producer. Spend most of your money on the drum sound and vocal chain. These elements sell the aggression.
3. Mix so the riffs are audible on laptop speakers. If the guitar disappears on cheap speakers you need different EQ and a stronger low mid.
4. Master to a competitive loudness standard but keep dynamics. Offer a download with a high quality WAV for zines and promoters and MP3 for casual listeners.

Promotion for Goregrind Bands That Does Not Make You Cringe

Promotion is awkward for many heavy bands. You want reach without behaving like a spam bot. Here is a roadmap with practical steps.

• Local first Build a base by playing with bands you like and trading shows. Real life scene matters. The internet helps but a hometown crowd keeps your band alive.
• Release strategy Release singles ahead of an EP and tease with short clips that show riffs and artwork. Use short vertical videos for social platforms since they prioritize that format.
• Collaborations Feature a guest vocalist or a split release with another goregrind band. Splits expose both fan bases to each other and are a staple of underground extreme music.
• DIY zine outreach Send physical promo CDs or tapes to niche fanzines with a handwritten note. That old school approach still gets replies and features from dedicated writers.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Goregrind often plays with violent imagery. You should consider the ethical shape of what you publish. Avoid content that promotes real harm. If you sample movie audio or field recordings, clear the rights when needed. Sampling without permission can get you pulled down or sued. If you are using imagery or photos of real people consider consent. A good rule of thumb is to imagine this song exists in the world in ten years and you are asked about it by a serious journalist. Would you answer honestly with pride or flinch?

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Too many ideas You cram three micro songs into one minute. Fix by choosing one idea per song and cutting filler riffs.
• Mud in the mix Low end is indistinct. Fix with focused EQ and sidechain compression to give kick and guitar space.
• Vocal strain You push past technique and develop damage. Fix by backing off, getting coaching, and rebuilding healthy technique.
• Vague lyrics You try to shock without saying anything. Fix by finding a narrative or a satirical angle and letting an image carry the meaning.
• Crappy live dynamics You play everything at top volume. Fix by arranging dynamics into the setlist and using tempo and density to vary intensity.

Writing Exercises to Get Goregrind Ideas Fast

Object Obsession

Pick a mundane object in your room. Give it a macabre function in a sentence. Repeat for five objects and then pick one to build a song around. Example objects: coffee mug, broken lamp, old shoe.

Title Ladder

Write ten possible song titles using a single weird compound image. Strip each title to its core. Pick the one that reads like a band logo when shouted. Short titles are better for setlists.

The Two Bar Rule

Write a riff that is only two bars long. Repeat it and change the second repeat slightly. Build a sixteen bar section from the two bar idea. Keep it brutal and tight.

Dialogue Drill

Write a three line monologue from the perspective of a hospital supply closet. Give the last line a twist. This trains voice and humor for lyric writing.

How to Collaborate When Everyone Records From Home

Remote collaboration is now normal. Use it to your advantage.

• Share a basic tempo map and a reference track. The tempo map is a file that shows BPM and measures so everyone records aligned takes.
• Drummers usually record first, or use programmed drums as a guide. Send high quality stems not compressed MP3s when sharing for mixing.
• Use cloud collaboration services like Dropbox or Google Drive. Label files clearly like 01 Kick.wav and include project notes.
• Respect time. If you ask someone to record a guest vocal give them a deadline and pay them in trade or cash if they ask. Treat the scene like a community and value people.

Case Studies and Before After Examples

Before The track is a frantic two minute blur with guitars and drums collapsed into noise and vocals that sound like an angry blender.

After The song keeps the frantic spirit but compresses the guitar low end, tightens the snare samples for attack, inserts a two bar silence before the chorus to let the blast hit harder, and rewrites the lyric to an ironic vantage point making the gore image land with humor. The track now gets shouted lines in live shows instead of blank stares.

Before Vocals are raw and inconsistent across sections.

After Record a clean take for clarity and a crushed take for texture. Blend them. Use the clean take for preview clips so new listeners understand the concept and the crushed take to deliver the vibe on the release.

Checklist for Shipping a Goregrind Track

1. Song idea locked with a clear angle for lyrics.
2. Riffs arranged into a template that balances blast and groove.
3. Drum sound designed either in kit or program with humanization applied.
4. Vocal takes warmed up and recorded with safe technique.
5. Guitar tones DI and amp blended. Low end tightened with EQ.
6. Mix roughs tested on laptop speakers and phone to ensure translation.
7. Master set to platform loudness standards and test pressed on phone and PA if possible.
8. Artwork, short promo video clips, and a one paragraph band bio prepared.
9. Plan for promo: two singles, one video, and one split or collab within six months.

Goregrind Songwriting FAQ

How long should a goregrind song be

There is no rule. Many classic goregrind songs are short and brutal at under a minute. Others tell a small story and run two to three minutes. Choose the length that serves the idea. Short songs are replayable and great for setlists. Longer songs allow a narrative or repeated riff development. Match the form to the content.

Do I need to use gore imagery to be goregrind

Not strictly. The music and attitude matter more than literal gore. If you prefer abstraction or social commentary with heavy music you can still fit the category. The community will decide. Be honest about your aesthetic and do not fake shock value for clout.

How do I get a good blast beat sound without a top tier drummer

Use a combination of realistic drum samples and humanization in your DAW. Layer samples for attack and body. Use subtle variations in velocity and micro timing to simulate human playing. If you have a drummer who can play blast bursts but needs stamina help arrange songs with short bursts so they can recover and play tight each time.

How do I write lyrics that are edgy without being offensive

Intent and context matter. Use grotesque imagery as metaphor or satire rather than gratuitous shock. Think of your audience and the conversation you want to have. If your goal is to comment on something real use the grotesque as an amplifier not a substitute for meaning.

What gear is essential for a good demo

You need a decent mic for vocals, a good DI box or interface for guitars if you use amp sims, and a workstation for drums. Many modern DAWs and amp sims are powerful. Invest time in learning them and spend a little money on a microphone and decent headphones or monitors. Learning to mix is often a better investment than buying a thousand dollar pedal that is only marginally better than a budget option.