The Grindmother

Metal bands seem to keep getting more and more gimmicky in order to stand out. There's a Ned Flanders-themed band, and even a band fronted by a parrot. But neither of those, nor any other oddball metal band I've come across come anywhere close to the talent or likability of Grindmother. The Canadian grindcore band is fronted by a 67-year-old grandmother and features her son and his friend on guitar and drums. I was more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt because the singer is such a sweet lady--but she's actually pretty fuckin' good too. The trio's debut LP, Age of Destruction, is out now and features 10 tracks that cover various environmental topics. The instrumentals are sufficiently brutal and Granny's vocals are sharp and rousing. It doesn't get much better than this.