Grave
Back From the Grave
Century Media
One phrase--Crushingly Heavy. I could sit here and type the hype that this is their first recording in six freaking, long years. Yes, they are back, back with a vengeance. I think that’s been hyped endlessly. I’d rather concentrate on the facts: The music.
As I said, so crushingly heavy. Grindingly, torturously axing/whacking it’s way into your very blood stream. Oozing and slithering along like the almighty death metal that it is--always leaves you moving your body somewhere along the way. Guitar work is simple and unrelenting, chugging and dragging you head first into the disc. There are a few blast wails--solo’s present on every song that vary from distortion to blistering scales. It’s fairly tuned, but very thick and meaty. The drumming is standout. It’s the merciless, double bass driving back bone that makes this a virtual drum clinic on disc. I want to say it’s (gasp!) upbeat! It’s the mid-tempo and careful time changes that help this make it such a tight offering. The bottom end is enormous. Fat assed to say the least. I personally think that heavier bass tones are sadly missing from death/grind as a whole, and this release offers that. Another factor that makes this so crushingly heavy. The vocals are death style, but for the most part understandable. Straight from the motherfucking sewer, with plenty of the back of the throat gurgle. Some effects have been put on them to make them a little sicker, a little more twisted in certain spots, but not overall. Song structure is straight forward, and incredibly tight. There’s no fancy bridges, nothing epic. It’s all about the crunch and the pummel. I’ve heard complaints on the production values on this release, and I just don’t agree. It’s a fat, thick, dense sound, and I feel the production is fine. The cool thing that helps to tie this already tight offering together are the lyrics. They frequently reinforce the “back from the grave” theme. Calling for a Rise from the Grave, resurrection, back with the dead again, and yes, feasting with the most morbid of intentions.
Note: The way the songs are laid out, it gets heavier and crunchier as the disc progresses.
1. “Intro“--Yes, starts with the doomsday effects. Very epic sounding. And yes, it’s a great intro that sets you up for the pummeling on track 2.
2. “Rise“--Primo way to start the disc off. The vocals demand “Rise my troops rise again, Full of hope for another feast, Centuries has passed since you last Tasted the sweet blood of the living.” The solo is blistering and double layered.
3. “Behold The Flames”--The vocals have some effects on them in the beginning of the song, this is the sicker, twisted result. The riffing is very heavy, chugging with a doomsday feel, them just the skull crushing vibe. Has a trippy bass bridge to the fiery solo.
4. “Dead Is Better”--Intro vocals the are tweaked screech: “I am reborn I have seen the light, I was lost but now I'm found, Judgment Day is soon to come--Sinners beware and bow down”. Another grinder, as this disc gets heavier as it progresses.
5. “Receiver”--This song does have some blast wails in the guitar department (ala Zakk). Has the sweet and cuddly chorus of: “Demon semen, Brings life eternal, Behold the beauty In the spawn of Satan.” Honestly, you’ve got to be a bit demented in the brain to enjoy this disc, and that’s my trademark. So here I am, loving it!
6. “No Regrets”--This is one of my favorites on this disc. Easily the soundtrack for digging your own grave. Has crunch, grind, open drumming that is remarkable restrained for this genre. There is a melody here, oddly enough. A spoken part breaks is up in the center, lying on top of the riffing. Vocals are extremely deep on this one.
7. “Resurrection”--Open riff is a hard rock one, but it’s only a set-up. The pummel starts immediately, riffs slash and hack repeatedly. It’s actually a very accessible song, with many tempo changes, that always swing back into the main riff. The type of song makes you look for tour dates. That good. Even though it’s about trying to preserve a human body for later resurrection.
8. “Below”--Another grinding crusher with some amazing guitar work, and extremely evil vocals.
9. “Bloodfed”--My favorite on the disc, the melodies swing wildly like a bi-polar schizophrenic. Chaotic, frenetic, and the driving riff that ties it all together. “Bloodfed--not misled. Not Sacred- not godled.” YES!! Back with the dead again!
10. “Thorn To Pieces”--Oh, such a disgusting intro. You’d have to hear it. Okay, I’ll tell you. Screaming, bone crunching, and some slurping. Delicious! This whole song is delicious. An excellent ender to this disc. Some more pummeling, grinding, and evil vocals that repeatedly say, “So….I do it again!”
Disc 2 has 1. Sick Disgust Eternal, 2. Sexual Mutilation 3. Anatomia Corporis Humani, as bonus songs.
Honestly, this is grisly lyrically speaking. But after a point, this shit doesn’t even phase you. And underlying all of the gruesome lyrics, is a bit of a sense of humor. As evidenced in the dumbfounded lyrics of Resurrection.
I thought that you would appreciate me
Just tried to keep you for eternity
First time failure is seems to me
The thought was not to make you bleed
Seemed like a good plan to prolong your life
Covered with chemicals since your last breath
I've been trying to preserve you
To bring you back into my life
Flesh begins to rot and peel away
Resurrection of your body has failed
As you feel your life drain away
The sound of death is ringing in your head
All my dreams are shattered
How shall I proceed?
Now, don’t you get the feeling of: “Oops! I fucked up! I thought I knew what I was doing, but I didn’t. What the fuck do I do now?” So the point of this last bit of the review is me making light of a disgusting situation. Some metal people internalize lyrics like this, take them seriously, and somehow project that the band are a bunch of grave humping freaks. Lighten up! Me included!
Great disc if you’re pissed off.
* * * 5/8
Back From the Grave
Century Media
One phrase--Crushingly Heavy. I could sit here and type the hype that this is their first recording in six freaking, long years. Yes, they are back, back with a vengeance. I think that’s been hyped endlessly. I’d rather concentrate on the facts: The music.
As I said, so crushingly heavy. Grindingly, torturously axing/whacking it’s way into your very blood stream. Oozing and slithering along like the almighty death metal that it is--always leaves you moving your body somewhere along the way. Guitar work is simple and unrelenting, chugging and dragging you head first into the disc. There are a few blast wails--solo’s present on every song that vary from distortion to blistering scales. It’s fairly tuned, but very thick and meaty. The drumming is standout. It’s the merciless, double bass driving back bone that makes this a virtual drum clinic on disc. I want to say it’s (gasp!) upbeat! It’s the mid-tempo and careful time changes that help this make it such a tight offering. The bottom end is enormous. Fat assed to say the least. I personally think that heavier bass tones are sadly missing from death/grind as a whole, and this release offers that. Another factor that makes this so crushingly heavy. The vocals are death style, but for the most part understandable. Straight from the motherfucking sewer, with plenty of the back of the throat gurgle. Some effects have been put on them to make them a little sicker, a little more twisted in certain spots, but not overall. Song structure is straight forward, and incredibly tight. There’s no fancy bridges, nothing epic. It’s all about the crunch and the pummel. I’ve heard complaints on the production values on this release, and I just don’t agree. It’s a fat, thick, dense sound, and I feel the production is fine. The cool thing that helps to tie this already tight offering together are the lyrics. They frequently reinforce the “back from the grave” theme. Calling for a Rise from the Grave, resurrection, back with the dead again, and yes, feasting with the most morbid of intentions.
Note: The way the songs are laid out, it gets heavier and crunchier as the disc progresses.
1. “Intro“--Yes, starts with the doomsday effects. Very epic sounding. And yes, it’s a great intro that sets you up for the pummeling on track 2.
2. “Rise“--Primo way to start the disc off. The vocals demand “Rise my troops rise again, Full of hope for another feast, Centuries has passed since you last Tasted the sweet blood of the living.” The solo is blistering and double layered.
3. “Behold The Flames”--The vocals have some effects on them in the beginning of the song, this is the sicker, twisted result. The riffing is very heavy, chugging with a doomsday feel, them just the skull crushing vibe. Has a trippy bass bridge to the fiery solo.
4. “Dead Is Better”--Intro vocals the are tweaked screech: “I am reborn I have seen the light, I was lost but now I'm found, Judgment Day is soon to come--Sinners beware and bow down”. Another grinder, as this disc gets heavier as it progresses.
5. “Receiver”--This song does have some blast wails in the guitar department (ala Zakk). Has the sweet and cuddly chorus of: “Demon semen, Brings life eternal, Behold the beauty In the spawn of Satan.” Honestly, you’ve got to be a bit demented in the brain to enjoy this disc, and that’s my trademark. So here I am, loving it!
6. “No Regrets”--This is one of my favorites on this disc. Easily the soundtrack for digging your own grave. Has crunch, grind, open drumming that is remarkable restrained for this genre. There is a melody here, oddly enough. A spoken part breaks is up in the center, lying on top of the riffing. Vocals are extremely deep on this one.
7. “Resurrection”--Open riff is a hard rock one, but it’s only a set-up. The pummel starts immediately, riffs slash and hack repeatedly. It’s actually a very accessible song, with many tempo changes, that always swing back into the main riff. The type of song makes you look for tour dates. That good. Even though it’s about trying to preserve a human body for later resurrection.
8. “Below”--Another grinding crusher with some amazing guitar work, and extremely evil vocals.
9. “Bloodfed”--My favorite on the disc, the melodies swing wildly like a bi-polar schizophrenic. Chaotic, frenetic, and the driving riff that ties it all together. “Bloodfed--not misled. Not Sacred- not godled.” YES!! Back with the dead again!
10. “Thorn To Pieces”--Oh, such a disgusting intro. You’d have to hear it. Okay, I’ll tell you. Screaming, bone crunching, and some slurping. Delicious! This whole song is delicious. An excellent ender to this disc. Some more pummeling, grinding, and evil vocals that repeatedly say, “So….I do it again!”
Disc 2 has 1. Sick Disgust Eternal, 2. Sexual Mutilation 3. Anatomia Corporis Humani, as bonus songs.
Honestly, this is grisly lyrically speaking. But after a point, this shit doesn’t even phase you. And underlying all of the gruesome lyrics, is a bit of a sense of humor. As evidenced in the dumbfounded lyrics of Resurrection.
I thought that you would appreciate me
Just tried to keep you for eternity
First time failure is seems to me
The thought was not to make you bleed
Seemed like a good plan to prolong your life
Covered with chemicals since your last breath
I've been trying to preserve you
To bring you back into my life
Flesh begins to rot and peel away
Resurrection of your body has failed
As you feel your life drain away
The sound of death is ringing in your head
All my dreams are shattered
How shall I proceed?
Now, don’t you get the feeling of: “Oops! I fucked up! I thought I knew what I was doing, but I didn’t. What the fuck do I do now?” So the point of this last bit of the review is me making light of a disgusting situation. Some metal people internalize lyrics like this, take them seriously, and somehow project that the band are a bunch of grave humping freaks. Lighten up! Me included!
Great disc if you’re pissed off.
* * * 5/8
