Artist Rob "Mid" Middleton has done some incredible work over the years for the likes of Napalm Death, Gorefest, Stampin' Ground, Hellshock, and many, many others. On the musical front, he's most known for his efforts with Deviated Instinct, but the underrated Spine Wrench remains my personal favorite from his impressive arsenal of output.
Starting off as a trio in 1991, the band later stripped down to a duo relying on a drum machine around 1992/1993. Their final release hit the streets in 1995, and they called it quits a year later—leaving behind an impressive string of splits and EPs along the way.
Loosely comparable to other UK acts like Godflesh (in large part due to the hammering pulse of the drum machine) and Optimum Wound Profile, Spine Wrench's brand of industrial metal centered around stripped down and direct, memorable songwriting (perhaps a holdover from the crusty hardcore/punk of the Deviated Instinct days). The chorus of "Heeldrag," in particular, is surprisingly catchy—and not without its share of seething ferocity.
It seems unlikely that it would ever happen, but I've long wished that a Spine Wrench discography CD might take shape one day. All of their material is excellent, but they really settled into a groove during their later years, and this EP is my go-to pick of the litter.
