_Fear_ is a 7" record consisting of previously available material (2011's _Tour_ EP) as well as new material. The band's previous EPs only reach back into late 2010, so everything, as of this point, is very sketchy and undecided. Currently, the band is on extensive tour, so _Fear_ could just be a brilliant flash of lightning before gut wrenching crash of thunder.

Toggling back and forth between blackened grind and even more darker hardcore, Dead in the Dirt successfully delivers a punch in the throat in under eleven and a half minutes. It is hilarious to review releases with such short song lengths, as discussing a 19 second track with any clear definition is near impossible. _Fear_ circumvents this disjointed nature by allowing each song to segment into each other. For eleven and a half minutes, ten tracks bleed into a mob which soon gathers in a circle to mercilessly pummel the listener with baseball bats.

At certain points, _Fear_ leaves only a longing for, well, longer material. It is incredibly brief, but for a half grind release, it is the most one could ask for. A group like Dead in the Dirt is perhaps best experienced as a terrifying blitzkrieg, which while only lasting a few moments leaves years of horrid memories.

_Fear_ is being pressed to 1500 copies and released through Southern Lord, which means listeners will receive stunning minimal grey artwork. In a previous article, I made mention of Southern Lord being attracted to a cache of d-beat and blackened punk outfits. Dead in the Dirt will certainly fit among the label's roster. For such a tiny record, it certainly is loud as fuck.