Grone
Grovel
[Gomek]
Simply put, Grone's Grovel is one of the best albums of the
year and a good contender for the decade and even the millennium. Yeah, it's
that good. Grone hails from the infernally brutal depths of New Jersey, but
they aren't the typical death metal band. Grone is equal parts death metal and
industrial and, in fact, the best fusion of it yet. The guitars are
Crowbar-ically heavy and the drums are programmed very well, with tastefully
placed double-bass and a hint of blast. For the most part, though, the music
is mid-paced, pounding industrial death. Once you listen to Grovel,
you will not want to stop.
Grone is formed of three members: Chris Christopher (guitar/vocals), Chris Gennaro (bass/vocals), James Searle (guitar). The drum programmer isn't credited. The band seems to be a bunch of comic book nuts (I was at one time, too) and they did all their own artwork, which is rather cool stuff. Very fitting art for this kind of music, too. Unfortunately, the lyrics aren't included (and aren't up on the website yet either); the songs seem to deal with some intense topics.
Most of the time, one guitar keeps up a sluggish churning riff while the other plays a more pronounced, droning "lead" riff, though sometimes they play the same riff simultaneously. The sequenced drums throw out pounding industrial beats, even mixing it up with techno programming a few times, as the two Chrises alternate between low death growls and gruff, aggressive grunts. All the while, those monstrous riffs drenched in molasses churn and churn, promising death in their heaviness.
Grovel is Grone's third release, consisting of seven tracks for the album proper and including the now out-of-print Stains and Omissions demo from '95 as well as radio edits of "This Will Not Be Pleasant" and "Bottle" from Grovel, deleting only the offensive language and not cutting anything in the songs length-wise. Stains and Omissions is cool to hear since the band had a live drummer for that recording, giving the band a little more of a metal edge.
This and the previous two CDs were all released by the band on their label Gomek Records. Grovel and Stains and Omissions total over an hour and the disc costs surprisingly only SIX DAMN DOLLARS, postage paid. So treat yourself by spending a few measly bucks and hear one of the most refreshing metal bands around these days.
© 1999 goden
Grone is formed of three members: Chris Christopher (guitar/vocals), Chris Gennaro (bass/vocals), James Searle (guitar). The drum programmer isn't credited. The band seems to be a bunch of comic book nuts (I was at one time, too) and they did all their own artwork, which is rather cool stuff. Very fitting art for this kind of music, too. Unfortunately, the lyrics aren't included (and aren't up on the website yet either); the songs seem to deal with some intense topics.
Most of the time, one guitar keeps up a sluggish churning riff while the other plays a more pronounced, droning "lead" riff, though sometimes they play the same riff simultaneously. The sequenced drums throw out pounding industrial beats, even mixing it up with techno programming a few times, as the two Chrises alternate between low death growls and gruff, aggressive grunts. All the while, those monstrous riffs drenched in molasses churn and churn, promising death in their heaviness.
Grovel is Grone's third release, consisting of seven tracks for the album proper and including the now out-of-print Stains and Omissions demo from '95 as well as radio edits of "This Will Not Be Pleasant" and "Bottle" from Grovel, deleting only the offensive language and not cutting anything in the songs length-wise. Stains and Omissions is cool to hear since the band had a live drummer for that recording, giving the band a little more of a metal edge.
This and the previous two CDs were all released by the band on their label Gomek Records. Grovel and Stains and Omissions total over an hour and the disc costs surprisingly only SIX DAMN DOLLARS, postage paid. So treat yourself by spending a few measly bucks and hear one of the most refreshing metal bands around these days.
© 1999 goden