Exmilitary

The mixtape was released for free through Death Grips' official website, thirdworlds.net, on April 25, 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://thirdworlds.net/|title=Death Grips - Ex Military|website=Thirdworlds|language=en|access-date=2022-10-15| archive-date=2022-10-15| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015051841/https://thirdworlds.net/| url-status=live}} It later appeared on the net label Grindcore Karaoke.{{cite web| url=https://grindcorekaraoke.bandcamp.com/album/exmilitary| title=Exmilitary | Death Grips | Grindcore Karaoke| access-date=2021-05-02| archive-date=2020-11-08| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108131931/https://grindcorekaraoke.bandcamp.com/album/exmilitary| url-status=live}} It was simultaneously released through iTunes. The track "Guillotine" was released through iTunes on August 3, 2011. "Guillotine" has become one of the band's most recognized songs. Other tracks released with music videos include "Known for it", "Culture Shock", "Lord of the Game", "Spread Eagle Cross the Block", "Takyon (Death Yon)", and "Beware".

According to Andy Morin, the cover art is a photograph that an undisclosed Death Grips member "carried in their wallet for roughly 10 years straight [...] it's a power object".{{cite web |last=Lannister |first=Leif |title=The Hands of Doom - Who & What is Death Grips |url=http://coolehmag.com/frontEnd/interview.php?i=53&s=108 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102172841/http://coolehmag.com/frontEnd/interview.php?i=53&s=108 |archive-date=2 January 2013 |access-date=1 February 2023 |website=Coolehmag.com}} It was eventually identified as "Bearded Man at Oenpelli", a photo of an Aboriginal Australian man taken by Douglass Baglin in 1968 for his and David R. Moore's book The Dark Australians.{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/deathgrips/comments/adg7qx/this_will_interest_some/|title=This will interest some.|website=Reddit|date=7 January 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-10}}{{Cite web |date=14 September 2022 |title=The Dark Australians by Douglass Baglin & David R. Moore Hardcover 1st Ed 1970 |url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/374241121546 |access-date=1 February 2023 |website=eBay}}

Due to the samples used in Exmilitary not being cleared, the mixtape was later removed from streaming services and released exclusively through the band's website in vinyl, CD, and cassette formats. However, the single "Guillotine" remains on streaming services.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Death-Grips-Ex-Military/release/3968402|title=Death Grips - Ex Military|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2017-11-13|archive-date=2017-11-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113165723/https://www.discogs.com/Death-Grips-Ex-Military/release/3968402|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Death Grips - Ex Military |url=https://www.discogs.com/es/release/3267383-Death-Grips-Ex-Military |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=Discogs |date=December 2011 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Death Grips - Ex Military |url=https://www.discogs.com/es/release/3273384-Death-Grips-Ex-Military |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=Discogs |date=19 September 2011 |language=en}}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 82/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/exmilitary/death-grips |title=Reviews for Exmilitary by Death Grips |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=October 14, 2014 |archive-date=October 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008143723/http://www.metacritic.com/music/exmilitary/death-grips |url-status=live }}

| rev1 = Consequence of Sound

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/album-review-death-grips-exmilitary/ |title=Album Review: Death Grips – Exmilitary |work=Consequence of Sound |date=June 27, 2011 |access-date=October 14, 2014 |last=Choudhery |first=Möhammad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525000845/http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/album-review-death-grips-exmilitary/ |archive-date=May 25, 2012 |url-status=dead}}

| rev2 = Drowned in Sound

| rev2score = 9/10{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16426/reviews/4143291 |title=Album Review: Death Grips – Ex Military |work=Drowned in Sound |date=August 8, 2011 |access-date=October 14, 2014 |last=Calvert |first=John |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080412/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16426/reviews/4143291 |url-status=live }}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/22/death-grips-ex-military-review |title=Death Grips: Ex-Military – review |work=The Guardian |date=December 22, 2011 |access-date=October 14, 2014 |last=MacInnes |first=Paul |archive-date=April 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419120743/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/22/death-grips-ex-military-review |url-status=live }}

| rev4 = MSN Music (Expert Witness)

| rev4score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm3}}{{Cite web |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=January 2013 |title=Expert Witness |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/ew2013-01.php |access-date=2024-03-17 |website=MSN Music |via=robertchristgau.com}}

| rev5 = Pitchfork

| rev5score = 7.5/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15583-exmilitary/ |title=Death Grips: Exmilitary |work=Pitchfork |date=June 30, 2011 |access-date=March 6, 2012 |last=Patrin |first=Nate |archive-date=November 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127013644/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15583-exmilitary/ |url-status=live }}

}}

The mixtape has received universal acclaim from critics. On Metacritic it has a score of 82 out of 100 based on reviews from 7 critics.

In one very positive review, John Calvert of Drowned in Sound focused on the mentality of the character that the album revolves around and how it reflects the inner nature of man, citing the lyricism and sound production as being focal points around this sound and style. Nate Patrin of Pitchfork gave Exmilitary a 7.5, describing the mixtape as "a bludgeoning slab of hostility" that avoids being an "overbearing mess".

On September 8, 2011, the group released a teaser video for an upcoming project titled Black Google.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EpdFpUPKu0&list=PLA60BF2F86A6CAE99&index=2&feature=plpp_video |title=Death Grips – Black Google |publisher=YouTube |date=2011-09-08 |access-date=2012-06-29 |archive-date=2014-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129224654/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EpdFpUPKu0&list=PLA60BF2F86A6CAE99&index=2&feature=plpp_video |url-status=live }} It was later released on the band's website for free and revealed to be all of the instrumentals, stems, and acapellas for fans to remix and record with. The cover of Black Google features a heavily darkened version of the cover of Exmilitary with the word "Exmilitary" replaced with "Black Google". Black Google, for the band itself, is a "portal to the deconstruction of Exmilitary."{{cite web |url=http://thirdworlds.net/blackgoogle.php |title=Black Google Download |publisher=Thirdworlds.net |access-date=2012-06-29 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716130233/http://thirdworlds.net/blackgoogle.php |archive-date=2012-07-16 |url-status=dead }}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Death Grips

| title1 = Beware

| length1 = 5:53

| title2 = Guillotine

| length2 = 3:43

| title3 = Spread Eagle Cross the Block

| length3 = 3:52

| title4 = Lord of the Game

| length4 = 3:30

| note4 = featuring Mexican Girl

| title5 = Takyon (Death Yon)

| length5 = 2:48

| title6 = Cut Throat (Instrumental)

| length6 = 1:12

| title7 = Klink

| length7 = 3:22

| title8 = Culture Shock

| length8 = 4:21

| title9 = 5D

| length9 = 0:43

| title10 = Thru the Walls

| length10 = 3:56

| title11 = Known for It

| length11 = 4:13

| title12 = I Want It I Need It (Death Heated)

| length12 = 6:11

| title13 = Blood Creepin

| length13 = 4:50

| total_length = 48:28

}}

• "Beware" contains excerpts of Charles Manson's "I Make The Money Man" interview, samples of "Up The Beach", written and performed by Jane's Addiction and samples of "God Is Watching You", performed by Dickie Burton.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Beware/ |title=Beware by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Spread Eagle Cross the Block" contains elements of "Rumble", written by Link Wray and Milt Grant, and performed by Link Wray and His Men, and samples of "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" and "Girls", written and performed by Beastie Boys.{{cite web |title=Spread Eagle Cross the Block by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Spread-Eagle-Cross-the-Block/ |website=Whosampled |publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=9 April 2023}}
• "Lord of the Game" contains samples of "The Ditty", performed by Blue Devils, a sample of "Brass Monkey", written and performed by Beastie Boys, and a vocal sample of "Fire", written and performed by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Lord-of-the-Game/ |title= Lord of the Game by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Takyon (Death Yon)" contains samples of "The Ditty", performed by Blue Devils, a sample of "Supertouch / Shitfit", written and performed by Bad Brains and a sample of "A Who Seh Me Dun", written and performed by Cutty Ranks.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Takyon-(Death-Yon)/ |title= Takyon (Death Yon) by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Cut Throat (Instrumental)" contains samples of "Move Somethin'", written and performed by 2 Live Crew and samples of "Death Grips (Next Grips)" written and performed by Death Grips.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Cut-Throat/ |title= Cut Throat (Instrumental) by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Klink" contains elements of "Rise Above" written and performed by Black Flag and a sample of "Liar Liar", written and performed by The Castaways.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Klink/ |title= Klink by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Culture Shock" contains a sample of "The Supermen (Alternative)", written and performed by David Bowie and samples of a text to speech translator.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Culture-Shock |title= Culture Shock by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "5D" contains samples of a text to speech translator and samples of "West End Girls", written and performed by Pet Shop Boys.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/5D |title= 5D by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Thru The Walls" contains elements taken from the movie "Space Is the Place", a sample of a YouTube video titled "Mental Health Hotline", a sample of "Gettin' High In The Mornin'", written and performed by Ariel Pink and the Haunted Graffiti, and took the sounds of a "Combine Soldier" from video game "Half-Life 2".{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Thru-the-Walls |title= Thru the Walls by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "Known for It" contains elements taken from the 1986 short animated film "Quest: A Long Ray's Journey Into Light" and samples of "De Futura", written and performed by Magma.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/Known-for-It |title= Known for It by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}
• "I Want It I Need It (Death Heated)" contains elements of "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Astronomy Domine", both written and performed by Pink Floyd.{{cite web |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Death-Grips/I-Want-It-I-Need-It-(Death-Heated) |title= I Want It I Need It (Death Heated) by Death Grips - Samples, Covers and Remixes|publisher=whosampled.com |access-date=2023-04-09}}

;Death Grips

• MC Ride – vocals
• Zach Hill – drums, percussion, production
• Andy Morin – keyboards, programming, production
• Mexican Girl – additional vocals (4)

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://thirdworlds.net|Official website}}

{{Death Grips}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 mixtape albums

Category:Self-released mixtape albums

Category:Death Grips albums

Category:Albums free for download by copyright owner

Category:Rap rock albums by American artists