Grindmother came to the attention of the metal world in 2015, when videos of the older woman—who is now age 77 and known only by her stage name of Grindmother—performing vocals to grindcore songs began to circulate online. That led to the creation of Grindmother the band, fronted by Grindmother alongside her son, bassist Rayny Forster and, for the final show, Fuck the Facts members Topon Das (guitar) and Mathieu Vilandré (drums).
In July 2025, Grindmother announced that the Grindmother herself had been diagnosed with advanced dementia and, as such, the band would play two final shows in order to allow the vocalist to take a final bow and celebrate her achievements, rather than fizzling out. Because of her health issues, the set featured a variety of guest vocalists, including Chelsea Marrow (Visitant), Liz Selfish (Brat) and Alissa White-Gluz (ex-Arch Enemy, ex-The Agonist). After White-Gluz’s section of the set, The Grindmother takes the stage to perform the title track of Grindmother’s 2016 album, Age of Destruction. After the song, White-Gluz thanks the older vocalist and takes a final bow.
The set is a touching 20-minute farewell. Far too often, bands that find their footing or popularity in a niche area flame out or break up in obscurity. In the case of Grindmother, the opportunity to play this final show with Cattle Decapitation, Aborted, Frozen Soul and Tribal Gaze was a chance to say goodbye and thank you, as well as a chance to etch their name in the historical record one final time.
“These final shows were an overwhelming reminder of why we did this in the first place,” Forster tells Decibel. “After seven years away from the stage, coming back for one last stand felt like a far-fetched idea, but it turned out more amazingly than we ever could have imagined. We wanted our exit to be our most intense moment yet, and it truly was.
“Grindmother started as a project that gave everyone a good laugh, but it eventually turned into something much deeper. I was so moved by how inclusive and accepting the metal scene was of her. It evolved from people being curious to a community that truly cared for her as an artist and a person.
“Montreal was the perfect city for this goodbye, and the night felt like a genuine celebration of that community. It was loud, emotional and exactly how I wanted my mom to step away from the stage. This couldn’t have happened without the direct support of our guests and a massive group of people working behind the scenes. It was the absolute perfect way to say goodbye. This premiere is for everyone who supported us from that very first video to this final scream.”
You can watch the entire set below, courtesy of HI Multimedia and Grindmother.
The post Watch: Grindmother Play Their Final Set (12/5/2025) appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
