Brutal Truth’s Need to Control is an unrelenting, experimental grindcore masterpiece. Released in 1994, it solidified the band’s reputation for pushing the genre into bold, unpredictable territory. Need to Control didn’t just deliver grindcore—it dismantled it and rebuilt it as something more complex and unhinged.
The album opens with “Collapse,” a slower, crushing track that oozes menace. It sets an oppressive tone before the band shifts into full grindcore insanity. Tracks like “Turn Face” and “Choice of a New Generation” unleash blistering speeds, jagged riffs, and Kevin Sharp’s feral vocals, while moments of experimentation—like the distorted saxophone freak-out in “Ordinary Madness”—add a layer of unpredictability. The Germs cover, “Media Blitz,” is a chaotic highlight, paying homage to punk roots while upping the aggression tenfold.
Dan Lilker’s bass tone is still one of the nastiest sounds in extreme music, grinding beneath the chaos with distorted precision. Rich Hoak’s drumming doesn’t just blast—it explodes, shifting tempos with razor-sharp control. The entire album feels like a controlled implosion, with moments of groove and experimentation pulling you deeper into its madness.
Need to Control wasn’t for everyone, and it didn’t care to be. This was grindcore breaking its own rules—intelligent, violent, and uncompromising. Nearly 30 years later, its mix of extremity and experimentation still feels fresh, a reminder that Brutal Truth was always ahead of their time.
Sterling Mosh 
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