Grave
Endless Procession of Souls

November 2012
Released: 2012, Century Media
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

Having carved quite name for themselves within the Death Metal scene, Sweden’s Grave, whose extensive career spans over 20 years since their debut release, are back with what many fans have described as their strongest musical endeavour since Soulless in 1994.



Kick starting with ‘Dystopia‘, the slow and brooding guitar led bleed seamlessly into the drum assault of ‘Amongst the marble and the dead’. The guitar work is engulfed with infectious riffs and distortion, whilst husky deep throated growls soar high. The track pulls down into a slow driven beat with impressive solos taking flight.



Leading into Disembodied Steps, a song that packs a punch, with pounding drumming, fast riffs and agonizing vocals throughout, whilst remaining relentlessly heavy with intricate lead guitar moments that give everything a well refined edge.



Stand out track, ‘Passion of the Weak’, dishes out some bone shattering drums and vivacious guitars that is guaranteed to get the adrenaline coursing through the veins of any metal fan at live shows.



Other noteworthy moments that give this record credibility is the surging ‘Encountering the Divine’ a song drenched in riffs galloping drums and a mammoth like breakdown that builds and builds before pummelling back into brutality. Also, the face melting lead guitar of ‘Plague of Nations’ conjures up some formidable wizardry to put these guys ahead of their peers.



The record finishes off with the seven minute ‘Epos’ that builds from a sludge like groove into barbaric war-cry anthem, that drives forward in solid drumming, droning guitars and a sense of all out destruction as singer “As I return to the throne of dust” as the track leads into its climatic departure.



Final word, this was quite an exhilarating ride of Death Metal, with all right components put together well its easy to understand why fans are so hyped for this record. If you haven’t heard these guys but want a good dose of Death, then look no further.



Great work guys!



Review by Ben Spencer