New ‘Pissguzzler’ and ‘Bile Study’ Releases Highlight Gore-Grind Emergence

Del Sprecker of Bile Study (Photo by Jare Curtis)

There’s a gore renaissance happening, and it’s a gay one. That is to say, new and returning grindcore, powerviolence, and goregrind bands — (often summarized all together as simply “grind”) —have started to sprout up in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, and beyond.

In this emerging pocket of a scene, these groups are finding an eager and decidedly young new audience. While these bands, sonically, tonally, and lyrically can all differ a lot, one thing seems pretty clear: many of them are pretty queer.

For Buffalo’s part, you can trace the core of this to the fresh emergence of its “grind sister bands,” Pissguzzler and Bile Study. 

Both groups — who gave debut live performances together for ‘Get A Grip Studio’ at

Aidan Howard of Pissguzzler (Photo by Jare Curtis)

Amy’s Place back in October — have long-standing roots in the queer heavy music scene in Buffalo. Sharing their lead guitarist, James Sprecker — best known for his work in local hardcore metal outfit Pale Hell — the grind sisters each dropped brand new EP’s in late March, within just six days of each other. Sharing a sludgy, jagged atmosphere and ragged edges, the two EPs may prove to be a catalyst to a larger local grind wave to come. 

Pissguzzler’s latest, the aptly named Still Guzzlin’ is the bands’ second release, but first full band effort. Led by vocalist Aidan Howard (Get A Grip Studios, Muddle, Seconds Left, Cerebellum), the band seeks to offer a blistering display of drum-forward, riff heavy tracks, that showcase all three members equally. While the primary voice of the record is Howard’s distinctive growling pig squeal, the record is thoroughly peppered with a wide variety of samples, which undercut the violence with a playful tone. Clips of voices from Regular Show, the WWE, and of course, Family Guy, grant the record a YouTube Poop sense of irony that comes across as contradictorily sincere, especially when coupled with an intro from local hardcore favorite Selfish Act.

Pissguzzler (Photo by Jare Curtis)

From moment to moment, Still Guzzlin’ keeps things interesting by keeping things playful between the guitar and drums, both of which balance steady frameworks with intricate soloing. All of this culminates in an unabashed embrace of otherworldly punishment, with a tongue-in-cheek quality that is decidedly queer. 

On the flip side, Bile Study’s debut project, Tomorrow It’ll Only Be Worse, is a blowout, fast-paced punk rager full of queer loathing and intensity. Vocalist Del Sprecker (Pride Workers United, The Lavender Room), and their guitarist and brother, James, mirror each other to create a vivid tapestry of societal wrongs illuminated.

On Medical Mistrust, Sprecker takes aim at the American medical system, the ways it marginalizes low-income, queer, and trans people, and the expectations of disappointment that marginalized people have toward institutions supposedly meant to help them. On Amazon Delivers the Truth, the focus is directed toward corporations, union busters, and class traitors — people and systems that leave behind the working class who make them up.

In a union town like Buffalo, this focus on queer working-class struggle is not the niche

Bile Study (Photo by Jare Curtis)

it may seem like — it’s an apt and poignant take on the real circumstances that many in the community are currently experiencing. Thoroughly slashing, speedy beats and riffs, and the all-out aggression of Sprecker’s vocals, Bile Study grinds through each subject with that same sense of irony that Pissguzzler embraces and throws a violent onslaught against it. 

Through both projects, Pissguzzler and Bile Study have keyed in on the emotional undercurrent that is running through queer-punk Buffalo right now — a feeling of mistrust, misalignment, despair, anxiety, furiousity, coping through humor, and desire for unity for community action.

Through the assets of grind — dark and despairing atmosphere, razor-sharp aggression, and plenty of personality — the “sister bands” in Buffalo have set the tone for a new wave to come.

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